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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2014 21:49:42 GMT -5
Has anybody here sent a kid to Space Camp in Huntsville, AL? Any advice? Worth it? My son has wanted to go for forever and I'm considering sending him over Spring break next year if we can swing it, but I'm torn. He also wants a better telescope and that might be a better investment.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2014 22:08:24 GMT -5
A lot of friends sent their kids (because we live in Alabama), but we never did. Our kids weren't really into that.
It is supposed to be awesome. That is second-hand testimony, though.
I have been to the Space & Rocket center there several times, and this is first-hand testimony that it is also awesome. Lots of hands-on stuff is there. I would imagine Space Camp is much the same way.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2014 22:25:06 GMT -5
He is so into anything that has to do with space, I'm pretty sure he would love it, but it is spendy. He's saved up about half the $1000 himself and still has a birthday and Christmas to beg for donations, but there would also be travel. We would just make it into a family vacation or maybe his Dad would take him. From what I can tell, all the sessions except for the ones in July and August fill up almost as soon as they open (my only guess is nobody wants to be in AL in July and August!), so I'm not sure if getting spring break week would even be feasible.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2014 22:28:56 GMT -5
The new telescope he wants costs about the same. He's had a Dobsonian one since he was 4 or 5 that I think I paid about $300 for. It's really good though, the other night he was showing me Saturn with it and you could see the rings and everything, but now he wants this big computerized behemoth.
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suesinfl
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Post by suesinfl on Jul 6, 2014 23:46:11 GMT -5
MPL, I wish that I would have sent my son a few years ago, and am thinking about it next year. Look into whatever scholarships are available and don't be afraid to hold a fundraiser or two. From what you have posted, he sounds like a great kid that would benefit from the experience. Who knows, the experience may lead him to be the next man on the moon!
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JustLurkin
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Post by JustLurkin on Jul 7, 2014 4:29:13 GMT -5
It is supposed to be awesome. That is second-hand testimony, though. I went, still have the uniform, it was awesome.
Awesome as far as camps go though, I have plenty of other camps I went to that were awesome as well.
Please know the movie "Space Camp" is about the Space Academy that is offered, I think it was older kids and had a higher price tag, but has more of the things that were in the movie.
ETA: My fondest memories are of the regular ole summer camp held at the local elementary school. It was led by Mr. Wilson. It's too bad I came up in a time when adults had no first name other than "Mr." or "Mrs.", if I knew his name I'd thank him. So, those of you involved in that sort of thing and wondering if you made a difference, the answer is YES. But, yea, Space Camp was pretty awesome.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Jul 7, 2014 5:34:02 GMT -5
I'd do the camp. I've got nothing to back that up-but who wouldn't love space camp! This could be a great chance for him to meet kids who share his interests and let him come out of his shell.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Jul 7, 2014 6:22:58 GMT -5
I just want to say go for it if you can. I was always super jealous of the girl that I knew that got to go to camp.
They have scholarships. You should be sure to apply. I'm betting that's how that girl went. She was a foster kid, and her parents had a rather large bio family (4 kids, I think). They also lived in rural WI...not exactly a hot bed of high paying job opportunities..
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Jul 7, 2014 7:15:23 GMT -5
I want to go to space camp!
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steph08
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Post by steph08 on Jul 7, 2014 7:15:40 GMT -5
My brother and I went years ago. It was a lot of fun but I am sure completely different now than it was in the early 90s!
It it sucks that the clearest memory I have from it was a huge bully named Mallory who made the week miserable.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 8:10:56 GMT -5
It is supposed to be awesome. That is second-hand testimony, though. I went, still have the uniform, it was awesome.
Awesome as far as camps go though, I have plenty of other camps I went to that were awesome as well.
Please know the movie "Space Camp" is about the Space Academy that is offered, I think it was older kids and had a higher price tag, but has more of the things that were in the movie.
ETA: My fondest memories are of the regular ole summer camp held at the local elementary school. It was led by Mr. Wilson. It's too bad I came up in a time when adults had no first name other than "Mr." or "Mrs.", if I knew his name I'd thank him. So, those of you involved in that sort of thing and wondering if you made a difference, the answer is YES. But, yea, Space Camp was pretty awesome.
I didn't know there was a movie! We'll have to check that out. DS is going to be 12 next week and going into 7th grade, so he is in the Space Academy age group.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 8:11:42 GMT -5
I just want to say go for it if you can. I was always super jealous of the girl that I knew that got to go to camp. They have scholarships. You should be sure to apply. I'm betting that's how that girl went. She was a foster kid, and her parents had a rather large bio family (4 kids, I think). They also lived in rural WI...not exactly a hot bed of high paying job opportunities.. Awesome! I didn't know there were scholarships, I'll definitely look into that.
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giramomma
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Post by giramomma on Jul 7, 2014 8:14:16 GMT -5
I just want to say go for it if you can. I was always super jealous of the girl that I knew that got to go to camp. They have scholarships. You should be sure to apply. I'm betting that's how that girl went. She was a foster kid, and her parents had a rather large bio family (4 kids, I think). They also lived in rural WI...not exactly a hot bed of high paying job opportunities.. Awesome! I didn't know there were scholarships, I'll definitely look into that. www.spacecamp.com/scholarships
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 8:19:26 GMT -5
My brother and I went years ago. It was a lot of fun but I am sure completely different now than it was in the early 90s! It it sucks that the clearest memory I have from it was a huge bully named Mallory who made the week miserable. That does suck. For you and your parents. I'd hate to spend all that money and travel and then have your child just get picked on the whole time.
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CarolinaKat
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Post by CarolinaKat on Jul 7, 2014 9:21:47 GMT -5
I went. Had a ton of fun, so i went back again!!!
Then again I'm a giant nerd. It was fun and I learned a lot. The part that was annoying is having to visit my distant relatives in AL after the camp. (they are not people I like)
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jul 7, 2014 9:29:45 GMT -5
My DS always wanted to go. I wasn't able to afford it. I always felt bad about that. He'd have loved it. DD wanted to go as well but it really wasnt her. DF said something to his former stepdaughter about taking her son to a driving school when he got older because it was a great experience and would give bonding time with the kid and DF. She immediately jumped on Space Camp. At 3X the cost. I bluntly told her THAT wasnt going to happen.
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suesinfl
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Post by suesinfl on Jul 7, 2014 10:16:50 GMT -5
My brother and I went years ago. It was a lot of fun but I am sure completely different now than it was in the early 90s! It it sucks that the clearest memory I have from it was a huge bully named Mallory who made the week miserable. My son went to Camp Kiwanis last year and hated the whole week because of one kid. This year he went to a Boy Scout camp and loved every minute of it! Well, except the food but that's to be expected and part of the experience.
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Sunnyday
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Post by Sunnyday on Jul 7, 2014 10:17:07 GMT -5
I think that the space camp would be a better investment. I'm sure that the will learn more and get to use cool tools whereas if he got a better telescope, he would just have a better telescope.
You should ask him what he would prefer, prefacing it with "it's all hypothetical because you don't know if the money is there yet."
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 10:26:49 GMT -5
My DS always wanted to go. I wasn't able to afford it. I always felt bad about that. He'd have loved it. DD wanted to go as well but it really wasnt her. DF said something to his former stepdaughter about taking her son to a driving school when he got older because it was a great experience and would give bonding time with the kid and DF. She immediately jumped on Space Camp. At 3X the cost. I bluntly told her THAT wasnt going to happen. Yeah, it's not cheap, which is why I'm trying to make sure it's one of those childhood memories that sticks with him forever. $985 for the week. It would pretty much replace most of his camps for the year outside of scouts which he funds himself. He's old enough now that he can just stay home instead of going to camps every single week like he used to. This summer he only has 4 or 5 and for Invention Camp he's going to be a Jr counselor this year instead of a regular camper, (lord help those kids). Plus, I had saved up a few thousand dollars that was supposed to be for starting private school this Fall, but that's not happening anymore. He's staying in the Montessori for 2 more years and probably will go to public high school unless something really changes.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 10:40:18 GMT -5
My DS always wanted to go. I wasn't able to afford it. I always felt bad about that. He'd have loved it. DD wanted to go as well but it really wasnt her. DF said something to his former stepdaughter about taking her son to a driving school when he got older because it was a great experience and would give bonding time with the kid and DF. She immediately jumped on Space Camp. At 3X the cost. I bluntly told her THAT wasnt going to happen. this comment makes me really sad....how do you know it wasn't her? maybe it was something she was interested in and you squashed it.....similar to that commercial about girls and science and math.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Jul 7, 2014 13:55:36 GMT -5
I knew because I knew her. She's way more outgoing and would enjoy a horse camp. For DS. That'd be torture. He's very cerebral and it would have fit him very well.
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JustLurkin
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Post by JustLurkin on Jul 7, 2014 17:53:33 GMT -5
I went, still have the uniform, it was awesome.
Awesome as far as camps go though, I have plenty of other camps I went to that were awesome as well.
Please know the movie "Space Camp" is about the Space Academy that is offered, I think it was older kids and had a higher price tag, but has more of the things that were in the movie.
ETA: My fondest memories are of the regular ole summer camp held at the local elementary school. It was led by Mr. Wilson. It's too bad I came up in a time when adults had no first name other than "Mr." or "Mrs.", if I knew his name I'd thank him. So, those of you involved in that sort of thing and wondering if you made a difference, the answer is YES. But, yea, Space Camp was pretty awesome.
I didn't know there was a movie! We'll have to check that out. DS is going to be 12 next week and going into 7th grade, so he is in the Space Academy age group. It's on youtube: Space Camp
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2014 18:39:08 GMT -5
I didn't know there was a movie! We'll have to check that out. DS is going to be 12 next week and going into 7th grade, so he is in the Space Academy age group. It's on youtube: Space CampNice. DS and I were looking on Netflix and Amazon Prime today, but couldn't find it.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Jul 7, 2014 19:45:45 GMT -5
My sister's kids went. They loved it.
2 of them are in college. Neither are STEM majors. One was in engineering, and she hated it. Now in graphic design.
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