Registration for the 2024 Summer Field Studies Season is officially live!
College of the Atlantic’s Summer Field Studies participants explore, play, and learn through a variety of hands-on, minds-on activities to increase their awareness and appreciation of the natural world.
Summer Field Studies for Children is a curricular-based day camp designed to offer young people entering first through sixth grade the opportunity to explore, play, and learn about the ecology of Mount Desert Island. Through an interdisciplinary, explorational, and hands-on approach to learning our goal is to raise campers’ awareness and knowledge of the natural world surrounding Mount Desert Island. With program co-leaders working with groups of 10 - 12 campers, every session is designed to foster a fun and safe educational environment. Our 5:1 and 6:1 ratios let us cultivate a cooperative community based atmosphere that creates a rich space for learning.
Our curriculum is strategically planned with a weekly overarching educational thematic unit that focuses on stacking campers’ knowledge of the natural world around us. Every day will include intentionally planned activities, nature exploration, field games, and arts & crafts related to the day’s learning target that builds on campers’ knowledge to reflect the thematic unit’s learning goals. Activities and excursions are selected based upon the theme of the week and its age appropriateness. All participants will have at least one excursion per week that may include hiking, nature walking, swimming, and/or canoeing/kayaking depending on the age group of the participant and the session in which they are enrolled.
The 2024 Day Camp program will run from June 17 - August 16. There will be no programming on Tuesday, July 4.
Summer Field Studies day camp program runs Monday - Friday from 9 a.m - 3 p.m.
Before care will be offered from 8 a.m - 9 a.m.
After care will be offered from 3 p.m - 4:30 p.m.
Week 1 | June 17 - 21 |
Week 2 | june 24 - 28 |
Week 3 | july 01 - 05 |*Not in session on July 4
Week 4 | july 08 - 12 |
Week 5 | july 15 - 19 |
Week 6 | july 22 - 26 |
Week 7 | jul 29 - Aug 2 |
Week 8 | august 5 - 10 |
Week 9 | august 12 - 16 |
Summer Program
Resident (of Hancock County): $285/week
Non-Resident: $360/week
No programming is offered on July 4. Pricing during this week will be reflected with lower rates: $230/week for residents and $300/week for non-residents.
*A $50 deposit per session will be required at the time of registration unless you are applying for tuition assistance. Remaining payments will be automatically charged on June 14.
Before- and After-Care
Before-care: $10/day, regardless of residency
After-care: $15/day, regardless of residency
Tuition Assistance Program
Tuition Assistance is available and based on financial need. The amount of awards available vary annually due to the amount of yearly donations. Awards range between 10% and 50% of total program fees.
During registration, please select the “Tuition Assistance Application” fee for each session. No deposit will be required. Upon completion of registration, please complete the Tuition Assistance Application and email it to sfs@coa.edu
Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once we receive the completed application we will assess the need and contact you with further instructions.
Cancellations & Refunds:
Please submit written notice of cancellation via email to sfs@coa.edu. Refunds will be issued on the following schedule:
Cancellations received before April 1 will be entirely refunded.
Cancellations received between April 1 - May 17 will be entirely refunded, minus fees paid for the deposit.
Cancellations received after May 17 will be non-refundable.
Registration Opens at 6:00 pm on February 29, 2024
The day camp is divided by grade into four groups. Each group is assigned two program leaders. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services sets legal ratios for the number of children that are allowed to be supervised by one adult (person 18 years and older). This applies to before-care, after-care and the general day.