What is the staff to camper ratio?

At full capacity, we have a maximum of 25 campers per classroom. We employ seven Lakehead University student instructors, several high school student instructors, plus many wonderful volunteers. Each classroom will have two university level instructors, one high school instructors plus no less than three volunteers. With this amount of staff, Superior Science camps strive to keep our staff to camper ratio at the lowest possible level. Our programs usually have a ratio of 1:4 or 1:5 depending on the age group.

Who are the Superior Science Program Instructors? What are their qualifications?

Our staff members are Lakehead University students, studying in STEM-related fields. For the 2023 summer, we are thrilled to have instructors studying Biology, Chemistry, Life Sciences, Software Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Kinesiology, among others! We also have high school students with our team, working as Junior Instructors and many high school student volunteers. University student instructors are all trained in Standard First Aid and CPR Level C (at minimum). Additionally, all staff have completed Police Record Checks (Vulnerable Sector) to ensure the safety of the campers.

Are the camps different from last year?

Yes! We create distinct camps every year! During the spring months, our instructors are hard at work preparing new and engaging STEM content for our campers child.

What weeks does camp run?

Camp weeks change every year based on the calendar, as well as the age groups that are most in demand. For this summer’s camp schedule, please visit our “Register Here” page.

Is lunch provided for the summer camp?

No, we do not provide lunch, however, there is an optional pizza lunch on Fridays. Campers can purchase either pepperoni or cheese pizza for $2.50 per slice. Details about ordering and payment must be given to the instructors no later than Thursday evening at 5:00 PM. 

What should my child bring to camp?

Further information will be included when you receive your parent information package in June, but generally, we ask our campers to bring:

  • Lunch and Snacks: We have two snack periods and one lunch period, we ask that you bring peanut-free options to accommodate campers who may have an allergy

  • Superior Science Camper T-Shirts: Your child will receive their t-shirt on the first day of camp and we ask that they continue to wear this shirt for the duration of the week. This helps us keep track of all our campers.

  • Sunscreen, Hat and Water Bottles: We will do outdoor activities and we regularly eat lunch outside, we ask that you pack proper sun protection for your child and a water bottle to make sure they are well hydrated.

Can I request that my child be put in a different age group?

Depending on the circumstances, different age groups may be arranged. We suggest that your child only moves up or down an age group by one level (e.g., if your child is going into grade five, you could potentially arrange to put him in the Circuit group or the Gadget group, but not the Sprocket group). Please contact the Superior Science Directors at supersci@lakeheadu.ca to discuss more.

What building/room is the camp located in?

To protect the safety and privacy of our campers, that information is not made publicly available. Families will receive an information package upon registration that will detail drop-off and pick-up locations, and will receive information on their child's camp room location on the first day of camp.

Do you go outdoors? Are all the activities science-related?

Superior Science strives for a balance of all activities. We offer a mix of science and engineering activities, including dissections in our Biology lab, building challenges, coding and programming lessons and more! We also offer a mix of indoor and outdoor activities! Campers get to be in real university labs and classrooms for many activities, but we also love to go outside! Weather permitting, we go outside for lunch, as well as for our pick-up and drop-off. Some of our activities also require us to go outdoors, like our Earth Science and nature activities.

What activities will my child do at camp? Can I see the schedule?

Every May & June our Program Instructors work hard to develop brand new content for our campers. We don't want to give away all the exciting activities we have planned, but, we will cover STEM topics (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). This will include numerous subjects in science (Animal and Plant Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Ecology, Kinesiology etc.), technology, engineering, incorporating math (counting, patterns etc.). Every year we also offer our campers the opportunity to experience a dissection in our university lab rooms.

At the end of each camp week, we host a Parent Showcase where our University Instructors provide parents with an overview of everything their child did at camp during the week. 

Because we like the campers to be surprised each day when they come to camp, we do not currently provide parents with our camp schedules. If you would like more insight as to what your child will be doing during camp, please don't hesitate to contact the directors. We may be able to provide you with examples of activities that have been completed in past camps. 

Do you go on field trips during summer camp?

Superior Science summer programs keeps all of our activities on campus - but we do to tour all kinds of cool labs on campus, and may visit the Lakehead University Fieldhouse too!