STAR Camp 2025
Science, Technology, Achievement, & Research
Northern Utah's premier Space and Science Summer Camp
Northern Utah's premier Space and Science Summer Camp
Summer Camps Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a question that isn't answered here? Email [email protected]
Where is camp being held?
DSSF has partnered with Utah Military Academy and DaVinci Academy of Science and the Arts. Spring Break camps will be held at the DaVinci Flex campus in Kaysville (858 W 350 N, Kaysville, UT). All summer camps will be held at UMA in Riverdale (5120 S 1050 W, Riverdale, UT).
Where do campers sleep?
Read full dorm policy here
STAR Camp will use 4-5 rooms for camper dorms. These rooms are regular classrooms during the school year. Campers will be sleeping on air mattresses or cots in these rooms, provided by STAR Camp. The number of dorm rooms will depend on enrollment for each camp, with 4-12 campers in each dorm. At registration, campers should select a dorm: Girls, Boys, Mixed Gender. If choosing a gender-specific dorm, we kindly request that you select the dorm of your child's gender assigned at birth.
STAR Camp participants should remember that while we invite and encourage you to stay overnight, this aspect of camp is optional. A camper will not miss out on any activities if they choose to go home at night. The decision to stay overnight or be picked up at the end of each day is reversible at any time, through clear communication between parents and the STAR Camp directors.
STAR Camp will use 4-5 rooms for camper dorms. These rooms are regular classrooms during the school year. Campers will be sleeping on air mattresses or cots in these rooms, provided by STAR Camp. The number of dorm rooms will depend on enrollment for each camp, with 4-12 campers in each dorm. At registration, campers should select a dorm: Girls, Boys, Mixed Gender. If choosing a gender-specific dorm, we kindly request that you select the dorm of your child's gender assigned at birth.
STAR Camp participants should remember that while we invite and encourage you to stay overnight, this aspect of camp is optional. A camper will not miss out on any activities if they choose to go home at night. The decision to stay overnight or be picked up at the end of each day is reversible at any time, through clear communication between parents and the STAR Camp directors.
Are there showers?
YES. Utah Military Academy has three individual showers in the boys' locker room, and three in the girls'. We arrange a shower schedule at each camp, so every camper has an opportunity to shower most days if they wish. We encourage all campers to shower at least once while at camps that are four days or longer.
Where and what do campers eat?
Campers will eat in the UMA cafeteria. All meals while at camp are provided. The menu is subject to change at any time, but will generally follow this schedule:
- Day 1: Lunch--uncrustables; dinner--pizza
- Day 2: Breakfast--sausage on a stick, fruit, yogurt; Lunch--lasagna; dinner--sub sandwiches
- Day 3: Breakfast--french toast sticks; Lunch--mac and cheese; dinner--Potato bar
- Day 4: Breakfast--cereal; Lunch--chicken nuggets
Will friends and family be put on the same team?
Because of the wide variety of students attending camp we cannot guarantee friends and family members will be put on the same team. Our long experience has shown that it is beneficial if a camper gets to know new people. Each camper will have the opportunity to interact with students from across the country and make new friends. Campers will have the opportunity to submit a dorm mate request when camp packets are mailed in May, and requests will be granted to the best of our ability.
What if my child has special dietary needs?
Each student is required to fill out a simple medical form during registration. Please list any food allergies on this form so we can keep our kitchen and cafeteria safe for all campers. If your child requires special meal accommodations, please contact the camp director at least two weeks ahead of camp.
What if my child needs to take medication while at camp?
Utah State Law prohibits us from dispensing medication of any type to campers. Any prescribed or over the counter drugs must be sent with the student to camp. You will need to list all medications sent with the student on the medical form along with the dosage information. We can remind the student to take their meds at the parents’ request, but they must self administer them. If medication requires refrigeration, please let us know and we can take care of that. Because our days can sometimes be very long, it is advisable that parents send a small supply of over the counter headache or stomach ache medicine (e.g. Ibuprofen, Pepto Bismol tablets, etc.).
How can I contact my child during camp?
Campers will have the opportunity to call or text before breakfast and before lights out. If your camper does not have a cell phone, they may borrow a director’s phone during these times for a few minutes to make a phone call (no texting). Cell phones must be stored in suitcases during daytime hours. If you need to contact your child at any other time, you must call or text the camp number: 801-917-4829
How well are the campers supervised?
The director, Annika Jensen, and 5-7 other staff members stay on site 24 hours a day while camp is in session. Annika’s husband, Ryan, is on site at night to provide extra security and supervision. We have tried very hard to set up a program that we, being parents ourselves, would feel comfortable sending our own children to.
Can my child attend more than one camp in a summer?
Absolutely! We have many campers who spend multiple weeks with us each year and we love it! A discount is automatically applied at checkout when you have multiple camps in your cart.
Are discounts available?
We work very hard to keep tuition as low as possible for all campers, and never want the cost to be the reason a child can't attend STAR Camp. Families who are registering multiple children for overnight camps will receive a 10% discount for each subsequent child. The children do not need to attend the same camps. You must register all children at the same time to receive the discounts. Contact us if you are adding children at a later date.
All campers are encouraged to apply for a scholarship.
All campers are encouraged to apply for a scholarship.
Is financial aid available?
We are always looking for individual and corporate donors to be able to offer scholarships. Please see our scholarship page or contact us for more information. Scholarship application deadlines, when available, are always in late April.
Who can attend the graduation ceremony?
We encourage all immediate family and grandparents to attend camp graduations!
What should my child pack for camp?
Packing lists for camp will be sent with the complete camp packet in May.
STAR CAMP Testimonials
Throughout elementary school and junior high school, STAR Camp was the highlight of my summer. It was a place where I could step out of my comfort zone and try new things, like repelling or scuba diving, while also learning the value of hard work and teamwork. Most of all, STAR Camp was a place where my curiosity and wonder were fostered and supported. I am grateful for the community I experienced and the confidence I gained to pursue whatever sparks my interest. |
I started attending STAR Camp because it was something my older brother and cousin had loved when they were younger. Space was never the aspect of STAR Camp that captured my attention, but rather the stories of the men who helped forge the path to space. I was in awe of the tales of military giants who transitioned their skill, discipline and drive into something they truly believed in. I fell in love with a more militaristic version of summer camp that the Douglas’s offered called Academy Camp. I have always felt a deep desire to serve my country and my experiences at STAR Camp helped solidify those desires into tangibles goals. STAR Camp helped nurture the seed which led to my graduating from the United States Air Force Academy. I look back on my memories, connections, and relationships that I gained while in those summer programs fondly and am grateful that they assisted in the growth of my dreams. |
STAR Camp was the highlight of my summer as a youth. It fueled my passion for space while building my knowledge and character in the areas of physics, problem solving, leadership, and teamwork. The overall atmosphere of the camp made me feel right at home and helped me come out of my shell and develop lasting friendships. In January of 2021 I will start the last semester of my bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with an aerospace emphasis. I currently work in a lab where I have had the opportunity to design, build, assemble, and test components that will fly on the SPORT CubeSat in 2021. I attribute much of my academic and life success to lessons I learned at STAR Camp. |
