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CORVALLIS, Ore. - The mind of a child is a terrible thing to waste – even in the summer.

To keep kids’ brains engaged after that final school bell in June, Oregon State University is offering dozens of lively, engaging day camps, residential camps and workshops in math, engineering, art, journalism, chemistry, physics, life science and ecology.

There are special opportunities for underserved children, talented-and-gifted, and high school students who want to apprentice with a real scientist in a real laboratory.

 Here are a few highlights:

•   Habitat Hunt: Kids ages 10-12 will discover various marine habitats and all the cool creatures that live there. From the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, campers will explore an estuary, a sandy beach and tidepools. A Marine Discovery Tours “Sea Life Cruise” will cap the adventure. Sponsored by Oregon Sea Grant, the day camp runs July 6–9 and costs $150.
• Summer Experience in Science and Engineering for Youth: Geared mainly for high school girls and ethnic minorities, students are paired with a faculty mentor in engineering for a mini-research project (in areas such as microscale technologies, plastics recycling, drug formulation and delivery, bio-processing, microelectronics and environmental engineering). Group activities include computer instruction and field trips. Sponsored by OSU’s School of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering, the residential camp runs from July 12–17 in Corvallis.
• Apprenticeships in Science & Engineering: High school freshmen, sophomores and juniors can work with an engineer or scientist for eight weeks during the summer. A stipend may be available for students who participate. Students also attend workshops, seminars, lectures, and leadership classes at the Mid-Summer Conference at OSU. The program is sponsored by Saturday Academy.
• Latino Summer Camps: Children in three grade levels (3–5, 6–8 and 9–12) will learn about environmental science, engineering, natural resources, technology and other topics while also participating in sports such as archery and canoeing. Sponsored by 4-H at OSU, the July and August camps cost $100 (partial scholarships are available).

These are just a few of the summer activities for youths on campus. A complete list of OSU’s academic summer activities with registration details is online at http://oregonstate.edu/precollege/precollege_summer_programs.pdf.

The link also includes information about OSU sports camps and fitness activities.