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Summer Programs Overview

Grades K-8

No School? No Problem!

Our Days Off program engages young innovators with full-day STEAM programming for K-5 on teacher workdays, holidays, and more.
Next Generation Summer Programs for Grades K-8 located in Portland Oregon

Highlights:

  • Serving rising Grades K-8.
  • Camps are Full-Day, Full-Week from June 23 - August 22, 2025.
  • The Programming Day runs 9am - 4pm.
  • Located on the University of Portland campus located at 5000 N. Willamette Blvd., unless otherwise noted.
  • Tuition is $375 for each full-week camp.
  • We encourage you to register at least 2 weeks before the first meeting day.
  • Robust Scholarship Support is available!

Scholarship Support:

  • Supports families experiencing financial challenges.
    • Examples include:
      • Utilizing government assistance programs
      • Changes in family structure
      • ​Coming from historically or systemically marginalized backgrounds.
      • This list is not exhaustive—if you believe you may benefit from scholarship support, we encourage you to apply and share your circumstances.
  • Scholarships typically cover 50% - 80% of tuition—depending on circumstance. Some scholarships may cover tuition in full.
  • Apply for Scholarship Support HERE

Jump To Your Grade-Band:

Camps for Grades K-2

Camps for Grades 3-5

Camps for Grades 6-8

Summer Programs at a Glance

Saturday Academy Summer Programs At a Glance.pdf

Saturday Academy Summer Programs At a Glance.pdfPDF, 1.47 MB

 

Next Gen Explorers Summer Camp Grades K-2

With a different theme guiding their adventures each week, EXPLORERS dive into different worlds while playing in unique skill sets. Spark curiosity and activate the imagination by exploring STEAM careers through the lens of dedicated concepts: Legos, superheroes, and space are just a few of the worlds our youngest campers will traverse! We encourage you to register at least 3 days before the first meeting day. Registration will not close until the end of the first day of camp.

  • LEGO Explorers | June 23 - 27
  • Mystery Explorers | July 7 - 11
  • Creature Explorers | July 14 - 18
  • Science Lab Explorers | July 21 - 25
  • Around the World Explorers | July 28 - August 1
  • Storybook Explorers | August 4 - 8
  • LEGO Explorers | August 11 - 15
  • Experimentation Explorers | August 18 - 22
Select from the following:

Using LEGO as the vehicle for discovery, Explorers enter a new world each day. Collaborate on STEAM fueled adventures, making art using LEGOs, building and constructing challenges, and even discovering the fundamentals of robotics.

REGISTER HERE

Gumeshoes unite! Form your own detective agency and engage your inner sleuth in a camp focused on creative problem solving and collaborative analysis. Investigate using the full STEAM arsenal—scientific invisible ink, mathematical concepts to uncover clues, and follow the breadcrumbs as you crack the case!

REGISTER HERE

An adventure beyond your wildest imagination awaits in this camp exploring animal habitats and creature facts.  From the Pacific Northwest forest floor to the Amazonian canopy, the Great Barrier Reef to the Serengeti plains, discover what makes your favorite critters unique, and explore animal science all week long!

REGISTER HERE

Enter the lab and go mad for science in this week of experiments, observation, and proving (or disproving!) hypotheses. Students are introduced to a a wide range of scientific disciplines and concepts through hands-on learning.

REGISTER HERE

With STEAM as our guide, we'll travel around the world in just five days! Each day we'll land in unique destinations, exploring cultural traditions from around the globe. 

REGISTER HERE

Stories are the ultimate guide, where fantasy comes to life and obstacles are overcome! Explore story structure, character, conflict, and design worlds through story. Explorers gear up for epic drama adventure in this celebration of the arts!

REGISTER HERE

Using LEGO as the vehicle for discovery, Explorers enter a new world each day. Collaborate on STEAM fueled adventures, making art using LEGOs, building and constructing projects, and even exploring the fundamentals of robotics.

REGISTER HERE

This week of summer programs takes place in-community.

Location: OHSU

"Choose Your Own Adventure" meets STEAM in this camp to sample all things science, tech, engineering, art, and math. Enjoy the ultimate end-of-summer properties!

REGISTER HERE

 

Next Gen Makers Summer Camp Grades 3-5

MAKERS answers the question, "How does it happen?" and empowers YOU to do it yourself! With an emphasis on process, campers learn and tackle various skills within favorite subjects: animation, legos, coding, even graphic design. Dive deeper into whatever sparks your interest, with eight weeks from which to choose, each dedicated to hands-on understanding of a unique specialty. We encourage you to register at least 3 days before the first meeting day. Registration will not close until the end of the first day of camp.

  • LEGO Robotics Makers | June 23 - 27
  • Art Makers | July 7 - 11
  • Gaming Makers | July 14 - 18
  • Play Makers | July 21 - 25
  • Animation Makers | July 28 - August 1
  • Engineering Makers | August 4 - 8
  • Science Makers | August 11 - 15
  • Healthcare Makers | August 18 - 22
Select from the following:

Campers use LEGOs to examine and apply the fundamentals of physics, then unpack how physics are applied to robotics. Expand your mind and explore gravity, force, predictability, motion, and more. The perfect camp for the builder and burgeoning engineer in your house!

REGISTER HERE

This artistic sampler invites students into a different world of visual art each day, exploring tactile and optical creation of both the two- and three-dimensional kind. Makers refine the skills utilized by artists of all disciplines, and embrace sharing thoughts or perspectives through various visual representations, including photography, painting, clay-work, drawing, and more!

REGISTER HERE

Play, strategy, and creation are at the forefront in this camp for gamers of all kinds! Makers are invited into world building, with a focus on tabletop, card, and outdoor games. Students take the fundamentals of these exercises and translate them into new games, designing and creating original play experiences to share. Bonus, students will get an introduction to Scratch and play with animation basics as their learning grows.

REGISTER HERE

Assemble the ensemble and devise your own original story to be shared with an audience! Makers explore each component of theatrical storytelling, from playwriting to directing, designing to performing. Guided by artistic educators, Makers explore what they uniquely possess that should be celebrated on a stage. 

REGISTER HERE

Students delve into the world of animation! Researching, writing, character development, storyboarding, and coding fundamentals will make for a special camp experience. From sketching and illustrating flipbooks to analyzing animated films, Makers engage in a vast array of skills required to bring this unique art form to life.

REGISTER HERE

Explore various fields of engineering, from mechanical to civil. Learn the tools of the professionals through hands-on activation in this camp that combines the artistic with the scientific. 

REGISTER HERE

In this scientific sampler, Makers exercise the curiosity of thinking scientifically. Embrace the excitement of curiosity, design and conduct experiments, observe critically, and synthesize your findings to communicate your discoveries. Using math and data analysis, Makers uncover wonderings from the traditional to obscure, and refine their scientific skillset while expanding their knowledge.

REGISTER HERE

This week of summer programs takes place in-community.

Location: OHSU

Dive into the science of public health and the human body! Makers deepen their grasp on biology, anatomy, and physiology, while exploring a range of factors in our global health conversation - everything from nutrition to medicine, virology to exercise, and beyond. Discover careers in healthcare while empowering your own advocacy for wellness!

REGISTER HERE

Next Gen Creators Summer Camp Grades 6-8

CREATORS jump into a different industry each week, tackling a variety of projects unique to each field. Meet and learn from professionals representing a diversity of STEAM careers, and discover what about their work excites you, in everything from sports science to engineering; computer science to movie making. We encourage you to register at least 3 days before the first meeting day. Registration will not close until the end of the first day of camp.

  • Cartography Creators | June 23 - 27
  • Media Creators | July 7 - 11
  • Cartography Creators | July 14 - 18
  • LEGO Robotics Creators | July 21 - 25
  • Caretaking Creators | July 28 - August 1
  • Animation Creators | August 4 - 8
  • Coding Creators | August 11 - 15 (Affinity Space)
  • Engineering Creators | August 18 - 22 (Affinity Space)
Select from the following:

Take ownership of the places you inhabit! Experiment with GIS or Geographic Information Systems, a technology that combines data with maps! GIS can be used to analyze, manage, create, and map data representing an essential tool for creating awareness and understanding about how our environment impacts our world. Get hands-on practice using top-notch technology provided by the University of Portland and learn from experts in the field. 

REGISTER HERE

Learn to embrace the tools of storytelling and technology in this one-of-a-kind sampler! From filmmaker to graphic designer, music producer to journalist, exercise the entrepreneurial mindset, while dabbling in unique art forms that support your message.

REGISTER HERE

Take ownership of the places you inhabit! Experiment with GIS or Geographic Information Systems, a technology that combines data with maps! GIS can be used to analyze, manage, create, and map data representing an essential tool for creating awareness and understanding about how our environment impacts our world. Get hands-on practice using top-notch technology provided by the University of Portland and learn from experts in the field. 

REGISTER HERE

Creators use LEGOs as the vehicle to turn thought into action, putting energy in motion. Program machines, tackle coding challenges, and embrace LEGO as a medium that connects you to a world of unique professions and skills.

REGISTER HERE

Join us for this special deep-dive into the world of professional healthcare! With an emphasis on anatomy and physiology, students will develop foundational language for a medical future. Each day features a unique professional in healthcare with fun challenges, skills, and STEAM-inspired projects to make the joy and challenges of a career in healthcare. 

REGISTER HERE

 

Give life to your ideas and stories! This camp invites students to enliven their imaginings by creating moving images. Start by tackling the process of translating idea to story, then get to know the software needed to craft dynamic animations. Campers apply their learnings to a final project to be shared with an audience!

REGISTER HERE

Saturday Academy is offering this camp as a safe and empowering space specifically for students identifying as female, afab, or nonbinary to explore the world of coding!

Explore the transformative process of turning ideas into coded scripts using more advanced tools such as Python and Blockly. This camp focuses on identifying needs and crafting programs to address them, providing a hands-on introduction to computer science careers. Campers engage in a variety of skills, from animation to robotics, inspiring them to discover the magic behind technology. With an emphasis on creative expression, problem-solving, and ethical considerations, students will leave empowered to create, innovate, and explore a more inclusive future in STEAM.

REGISTER HERE

This week of summer programs takes place in-community.

Location: Portland State University - 1930 SW 4th Avenue, Portland, OR 97201

Saturday Academy is offering this camp as a safe and empowering space specifically for students identifying as female, afab, or nonbinary to explore the world of engineering!

This unique affinity space embraces exploring possible solutions to real world problems, leveraging a range of engineering skills and discipline. From civil engineering to environmental, explore state-of-the art research labs and engage first-hand in the power of engineering design, to imagine a more inclusive future for STEAM.

REGISTER HERE

Scholarship Support

We are proud to offer need-based Scholarship Support!

We invite you to complete this Scholarship Application for consideration. Your request will be processed in a timely manner; the typical turnaround time is one week after your application is submitted.

Further Questions or Dialogue?

We are happy to help! Please contact Saturday Academy at 503.200.5858 or email Education@saturdayacademy.org with questions.

Our programs are made possible through our corporate partners:

WEIR Logo

Summer Programs Made Possible With Support From:

Nest Egg Real Estate Logo

Our Youth Programs are made possible through the generous support of:

Clark foundation logo
Ronald W. Naito MD Foundation
Henry Lea Hillman, Jr. Foundation Logo
Lineberger Foundation
Saturday Academy's SA Circle Logo

 

 

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Saturday Academy

5000 N Willamette Blvd
Portland OR 97203

503.200.5858

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