As a parent sending your child to camp for one to two weeks, safety is your first priority—no matter if you’re a first-timer or a seasoned pro. At AstroCamp we take the safety of our campers seriously. We believe that science and fun can only happen in safe and inclusive environments.
In this article, we’ll outline our standard safety practices. If you have any other questions, check out our parent FAQs for more information.
Camper Standards
In order to give campers and staff a safe and enjoyable AstroCamp experience, we developed these camper standards we expect everyone to follow. The foundation of these guidelines is that all words and actions are true, kind, and necessary.
AstroCamp’s Camper Standards of Behavior are:
- Talk in a pleasant manner. Foul language, putdowns, and bullying will not be accepted.
- Be safe! Always obey camp guidelines and staff.
- Treat all equipment and supplies with proper care and respect.
- Show respect to all staff and fellow campers.
- Aggressive behavior that is threatening to a child, staff, or others will not be permitted at camp.
- Have a positive attitude and have fun!
Our Camp Staff are trained in reinforcing appropriate behavior and conflict management through positive reinforcement, redirection, and clear expectation setting.
General Health & Safety
We have exceptional teaching and supervision from instructors who have been trained in specific program areas. Everyone—adults and children—is required to follow safety guidelines for each activity and properly utilize relevant safety equipment.
All of our instructors are trained in CPR/AED for the professional rescuer, first aid, and emergency oxygen administration. Certified lifeguards supervise all of our water activities. Staff utilizes two-way radios for constant contact with the office and camp directors.
During summer camp, a registered nurse lives on-site to manage camper medications and attend to medical needs 24 hours a day. In the case of illness, medical emergency, or a situation requiring additional assistance, we follow all appropriate EMS procedures. You can learn more about our general health and safety guidelines here.
General Staff Awareness & Training
We take pride in hiring the most experienced and qualified staff. A majority of the AstroCamp instructors are required to have at least a Bachelors’s Degree in Physics or Astronomy. So they can answer all of your child’s most creative questions.
Safety is one of our primary goals, therefore all instructors are required to have first aid, CPR-PR, and waterfront lifeguard certifications as well as comprehensive on-site training. Our counselors go through an intensive nine-day training program before any campers arrive.
Staff is trained in team-building, group-leading, child development, safety, and being sensitive to individual camper’s needs and life experiences. We want them to create a nurturing environment for the campers and be able to handle anything that comes their way. All counselors leave training with the tools and knowledge to support campers through common challenges such as homesickness, trying new things, and friendship building.
As a bonus, many counselors were AstroCamp campers themselves! So they know what it’s like to leave family or try welding for the first time.
We take the health of your camper seriously! We want everyone to have the most fun discovering the dynamic adventures in STEM. But in order for everyone to have fun, we need to be safe first. For more information on AstroCamp and our safety standards, you can check out our parent FAQs. If you like what you see and if your kid can’t stop talking about summer camp, we hope to see you next summer.
