Join us on stage to have fun engaging your acting, singing, and choreography skills. We will play theatre games, learn two full-group musical numbers, and produce three short plays, all in preparation for a variety show performance at the end of our workshop. Any and all experience levels are welcome, from first-time actors to Broadway stars. Come with an open mind, a willingness to work as part of an ensemble, and, of course, clothing and shoes that you can move in. Due to the performance nature of this course, you must commit to being present for all nine days of class and an evening performance on Thursday, June 20th. Excited to see you under the bright lights this summer!

Immerse yourself in game design projects while learning and playing the latest tabletop games. Learn about cool game mechanics and game themes. Students will design their own game or game variation. Dive into the social side of multiplayer gaming with trading, negotiating, cooperating, and competing. Don't forget your water, snacks, and a little cash for breaks. Leave your electronic gadgets at home and check out the Analog Simulation Games. It's all about fun and creativity while making new friends with common interests!

Explore the wonders of the universe this summer! Students will investigate historic discoveries, from Eratosthenes to Einstein, that have contributed to our present understanding of Earth’s place in the Universe. Activities include measuring Earth’s circumference, sizes and distances to the Moon and Sun, a journey through a scale model of our Solar System, modeling the Zodiac Constellations, Moon phases models, telescopic Sun observations, spectroscopy, investigating Laws and Theories, and field trips to the Eagle Lake Observatory and the Jackson Middle School Observatory. All aboard Spaceship Earth!

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Thursday, June 13th to Jackson Middle School Observatory and Silverwood Park.  Departure 9:00 am / return 1:30 pm

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Tuesday, June 18th to Eagle Lake Observatory and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.  Departure 8:30 am / return 3:30 pm

Get ready for a fun summer of chess and active games! Exercise your brain with chess challenges from beginner to intermediate levels. Plus, enjoy exciting physical games such as racket sports and tag variations to keep your body moving. An academy chess tournament will be included, time permitting. Join us for a summer of learning, playing, and staying active both mentally and physically!

Elevate your chess game at our camp designed for school club players seeking their next challenge! Whether you're new to tournaments or aiming to enhance your skills, we'll delve into standard chess and variations. Join us if you're ready for a deeper level of instruction beyond the basics! An academy chess tournament will be included, time permitting.

We will be working on making a small community for our homes, so start thinking about some cool places you would want to live in: on a mountain, down a valley, or by a lake,
river, or waterfall.

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What to bring:

• Old shirt or apron

• One toy from home that is about building (must be willing to share with others)

• Empty box and old towels for project transportation

• Leftover art supplies for our blue-prints, brochures, and Open House signs

Have you ever wondered how McDonald's came up with the golden arches? In the 'Design Studio,' students will learn the elements and principles of design. We will sketch from observation to hone our drawing skills. There will be projects to work on independently and in groups. We will create logos for sports teams and businesses, using a variety of mediums to complete our work.

Learn about role playing games and how to be a better Dungeon Master! Build on what you already know or just start from scratch. Bring your imaginary worlds, environments, creatures, characters, and equipment to life. Improve your storytelling. Learn fantasy cartography (map-making) techniques. This camp will be very open ended and should be able to go where you want to go. We will play half of the time and design half of the time.

During our two weeks of camp we will explore working in clay.  We will learn technical aspects of creating hand-built work as well as steps to throwing on the potter’s wheel.  Clay students will learn about the firing process and be able to have some of their work glazed and fired. Through all of this we will let our creativity flow! Be prepared to get dirty and play in clay!

Ever wanted to bring your stories to life through comics? Join a dynamic class that explores the world of Graphic Novels, Comic Books, and more. Dive into the unique conventions of comics—frames, panels, and word bubbles. This isn't just about improving art; it's about crafting compelling stories. Develop skills to recognize and use these conventions, spending time reading, planning, writing, and drawing. By the end, you'll have created your own comic with original characters and a unique storyline. Ready to unleash your creativity?

We all know how to talk Minnesotan. Now it's time to cook Minnesotan. Regardless of your ethnic roots, we will focus on locally sourced fresh ingredients from a variety of local ethnic traditions and markets. Minnesota has a unique and delicious food culture. Let's start with tater tot hotdish, lefse, wild rice soup, fry bread, fresh salsa, spring rolls, and more! In addition to preparing all of our favorite Minnesotan foods, students will learn important skills such as food preparation and kitchen safety.

Discover the world of jigsaw puzzling in our class. Learn color and shape matching, attention to details, and explore speed puzzling, puzzle chess, and pro terminology. Engage with various puzzles, design one collectively, and enjoy 'piece-ful' collaboration. Taught by award-winning speed puzzlers, including a recent participant in the World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship in Spain!

Get a story that needs to be told at SEA into the community through the written word. Explore the various platforms you could use to post your work and tell a story. Practice working as a team of reporters looking for the next story. Give a voice to a program or person at SEA that needs to be heard and bring a little more good to the world. Collaboration with the Videography for Good program will be a possibility!

Have a 'whale of a time' exploring the deep blue sea this summer! You will learn about ocean life in all parts of the sea, from the shallow tide pools to the deep, dark abyss! We have a variety of science lessons, games, art projects, and videos/movies to share with you! In addition to the aquarium tour, we will take a special class and then go behind the scenes to see how the animals are fed and cared for. These days will 'shore-ly' make you want to dance in your 'flippers!'

Dive into the captivating world of sharks and raptors! Are they fearsome or fascinating? Uncover the secrets of these incredible predators - from hunting strategies to unique physical traits. Explore their vital role in ecosystems and the challenges they encounter. This interactive class blends games, crafts, books, videos, and online research for an immersive, multi-disciplinary adventure! Join us in unraveling the mysteries of these awe-inspiring creatures.

Ready to rock? Join our camp where you can sing or jam on instruments like electric guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums. No prior experience needed – we keep it simple and fun. By the program's end, you'll perform a full song or two. Optional: glitter glam makeup and high-heeled army boots. Let's rock and roll!

Welcome to SAFARI! Get ready for exciting adventures, creating animal reports, folktales, talking sticks, Zulu dolls, and Kangas. Explore South Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, and Zimbabwe, delving into language, culture, and animals. Drawing from my personal experiences, we'll create memories and stories together.

During our time together we will be taking a Virtual field trip to the Minnesota Institute of Arts. Our focus will be on the Living African Arts. 

Sewing is not only a lifelong skill, but you can also use it to create all kinds of cool things! Make or repair your own clothes. Craft a purse, a pillow, a blanket, or even a costume. Acquire skills and confidence by learning hand sewing and machine sewing. Learn basic stitches and progress towards completing simple projects with patterns. With practice, begin designing your own projects! This is an open-ended studio format with guided instruction.

Do you enjoy the feel of cash in your hands? Are you interested in taking on the responsibility of running your own retail sales operation? What about managing your inventory, tracking sales, and overseeing your workflow? Work as a team to ensure customer satisfaction by managing the SEA concession stand. Learn how to use a spreadsheet, track revenue and expenses, calculate profit and loss, and develop your marketing skills. Have fun while honing your business skills!

If you want to learn the secrets of magic, start your journey to performing on stage, or just want to show off something cool at the next family get-together, The Art of Magic will teach you what you need to know.

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Magic can be an excellent way to gain self-confidence, develop social skills, and improve communication. Not to mention, magic is really fun!

Join us for stitching, weaving, dying, felting and more ways to create art with textiles. We will explore different cultures around the world and their textiles art forms as well as experiment with creating designs from nature. No need to have previous knowledge. Artists will learn time honored techniques in a wide variety of fabric arts and experiment with different mediums and styles. Projects can be made to be practical or whimsical depending on the artists’ visions.

Get a story that needs to be told at SEA into the community through the medium of video. Explore the different platforms you could use to post your work and tell a story. Practice your composition, camera angles, and storyboarding to bring your videography project to life. Give a voice to a program or person at SEA that needs to be heard and bring a little more good to the world.

The Priory Neighborhood Nature Preserve across the street from our classroom will be used as often as the weather allows. Each day we will focus on a different plant or animal. We will use observation, research, photography, drawing, and watercolor painting to learn as much as we can about nature. At the end of the nine days you will have nine paintings or drawings and a greater knowledge of our local biota!

For the youngest students who enjoy building! With a wide variety of materials at hand, what is the right material for the job? Use pre-made building materials such as Legos and other blocks, and progress to other "raw materials" like cardboard, popsicle sticks, string, glue, fasteners, and more. After analyzing the qualities different materials possess, decide which materials will be the best to achieve your final engineering goals, such as bridges, skyscrapers, cranes, or castles, to name a few. We will plan our designs by learning 3D design software.

Experience a comprehensive coding program suitable for all levels. From beginners mastering Scratch game creation to advanced students delving into complex computer science concepts, our tailored approach fosters a 21st-century skill set. Explore coding, logical problem-solving, and creative endeavors like game design, maze completion, and more. Whether crafting basic games or enhancing existing ones, students always leave with a mobile account to share their creations. Give your child a competitive edge with this engaging journey into coding and innovation!

Our youngest scientists and engineers will choose a location in our solar system to deploy a robot for exploration and discovery. What will be the scientific goal of your mission? What do you hope to learn or discover? How will you design your robot to survive and complete your mission so far from Earth? You will also need to design a rocket to transport the robot/payload to its destination! Build and launch rockets while designing, building, and testing your robot to conduct experiments beyond Earth.

Start by learning a variety of 2-player strategy games. Analyze their strategies and what makes them enjoyable. Learn about variations in the basic rules, such as chess. Then, use that knowledge to create new games and playtest them with your new friends. Games will include chess, backgammon, Connect 4, Pentago, Go, Mancala, and possibly many more, depending on where time and interest lead us.

If you are someone who wants to assist an instructor inside the classroom or support the academy outside the classroom, this could be the experience for you. Gain valuable skills working with younger students and adults. This program will include a small stipend as well as recommendations for your good work. It "may" be a paid position based on prior experience level as the start date for the academy approaches. You will be contacted for letters of recommendation, a resume, and other details.