Virtual and in-person summer camps offered at Western

Contact: Erika Carr
A girl looks at something on a desk closely through a magnifying glass.

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—In-person youth summer camps will return to Western Michigan University, pending approval of safety plans and registration with the Office of Precollege Programming.

In-person and virtual summer camp opportunities are being added online in the coming weeks. Some of the options already planned this year include virtual and in-person courses through the Academically Talented Youth Program (ATYP) and virtual camps through the College of Aviation

ATYP holds summer programs for all students in grades six to nine each summer. Virtual and in-person camp opportunities begin Monday, June 14, and include Graphic Novels, Playwriting, SurvivalCraft, Cryptography, Where Does Your Water Go?, Virtual Reality and Scratch Multimedia Games. In addition, ATYP offers a Writing Your College Admissions Essay camp for students entering their senior year of high school. You can learn more and register online.

The College of Aviation also holds summer camp activities in July to spark interest in aviation careers. A fun and safe way to keep young people learning throughout the summer, the program also will provide them with unique experiences and opportunities. You can find more information and register online.

Faculty and staff interested in conducting an in-person summer camp at Western should review the following instructions to secure approval:

  • Register your summer camp through the Office of Precollege Programming's website. All programs must review and update, as necessary, their information annually through this website. 
  • Submit a safety plan for your summer camp. This plan will be reviewed and potentially approved by the University's COVID-19 team. Submit those plans as soon as possible to secure approval before summer begins. Summer camps without this approval will not be allowed to operate. 
  • Follow all expectations as outlined previously in the Minors on Campus policy including training, background checks and filling out admission data cards.

Additional information

  • Faculty and staff working youth summer camps are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Instructions were already sent, which included a spreadsheet to all known summer programs. Contact the Precollege Programming office for instructions.
  • Summer camps may also be allowed in the residence halls and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Contact Roshona Porter, associate director of Housing and Residence Life, if your camp has housing needs.
  • Note changes in camp plans may be required if requirements from the state of Michigan change once a camp is approved. Be prepared to respond to changing conditions with COVID-19.

For more information, contact the Office of Precollege Programming at (269) 387-2773 or by email.  Additional information on youth outreach, including sample required forms for summer camps, is available on the website.

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.