Yukon College Science Camp Reaches Out to Communities

Whitehorse –Yukon College’s Summer Camps for kids expanded this year to include the communities of Teslin and a partnership with the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre. These additions are inclusive of camps that run in Pelly Crossing, Carcross, Teslin, and Dawson City and Whitehorse. The summer program has expanded its outreach since its initial 4-weeks of camp at Yukon College in 2005.

Skookum Jim Friendship Centre which has been running summer camps for kids, will use Yukon College, for the first time, as a base for activities. Campers will have access to the gymnasium, the green space surrounding the College, science labs, and classrooms. The camp runs until Friday, August 19.

In early August, Science camp was run in Teslin for 12 enthusiastic participants. The camp’s focus was on fish, wildlife, and forest management. The highlight for the Teslin campers was a visit to the Bird Studies Canada station where hands-on demonstrations of bird banding and migration routes was provided.

Yukon College Summer Camps provide themed programs and are for children, ages 8-15. Campers are introduced to computers, trades, and science through film making, carpentry, electricity, culinary arts, fine arts, and recreational activities. The participants in the Computer Camp were introduced to Sketchup and Claymation, The Youth Exploring Trades had a hand in culinary arts, heavy equipment, engineering, and building marshmallow guns, go-karts, or trebuchets. Science Camps provide more activities centred on the environment and wildlife.

Funding was made available to provide eight science camps, seven computer camps, and six trades camps. Can-Nor(Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency) was a major funder for the Science Camp in Pelly Crossing and the collaboration camp with Skookum Jim Friendship Centre.  Furthermore, funding for the 6 other science camps was provided by Actua, a national non-profit organization which advocates for learning and life changing experiences in science and technology.  Bursary information and qualifications are available at

{filedir_3}bursaryform2010.pdf