Camp FAQ

Four weeks, campers attend 1-2 weeks.

• June 23^rd - June 29^th – Boys (ages 10–12)
• June 30^th - July 6^th – Capstone 1 (ages 12–14)
• July 7^th - July 13^th – Capstone 2 (ages 12–14)
• July 14^th - July 20^th – Girls (ages 10–14) 

Four Daily STEM Classes

Classes are announced in April. They are limited to about 15 people per class each year. There are two sessions of two different classes. Campers pick their top 10 preferences on the first evening of camp and we place them according to their camp registration date. Some past classes have included: Calculus, CSI, Art & Science, Astronomy, Robotics, Programming, 3D Printing, Minecraft, Popsicle Stick Bridge Building, Model Rockets, Catapults, Healthy Forrest, Rube Goldberg Machines, Ceramics, Sports Science, and many more.

Traditional Summer Camp Activities

We do not have a lake, canoeing classes, boating, archery, sport competitions, or overnight hiking field trips. We have a campfire a few nights, a large indoor swimming pool, we do camp family skits, and songs, and eat S’mores. Other afternoon and evening activities include tie dye, bracelet making, cooking, board games, rock climbing (at UMPI), Virtual Reality, Monster Night*, mega waterslide, theme days*, Gaga pit, and many more.

* Some activities will be explained more later.

Campers

We usually have about 70 to 100 overnight campers and 10 day campers per week. We can hold up to 120 campers per week, but we are packed in.

Staff

We have some seasonal staff (teen & adult) and about 5 administrative members. The youngest are 15-year-old Counselors who are often ex-campers. Then there are senior Counselors who are at least 18 years old and often in their 20s. Finally, we have the adult instructors who are usually educators from around Maine, though sometimes they come from all over the US! This year we are developing a leadership position for 14-year-old campers who will be given some low-level responsibilities for their camp families. Though not a paid position, they will get to stay up later than the campers and have some other rewards. They will also get leadership experience and we can watch them in case they apply to work for camp the following summer.

We will also have Dorm Parents who are adults directly related to a camper and have some light duties in the mornings and then afternoons off. The camper would come to camp for free and the parent gets gas money reimbursed as well as a $100 salary for the week. While at camp, parents get three meals a day and a dorm room for the week. Contact mcdonaldr@mssm.org for more information.

History of Camp

We started in 1997 and are proud to be celebrating our 27^th year of keeping kids academically stimulated during the summer. Loring AFB was in Limestone from 1947 to 1994. When it closed, the town went from 20,000 people to 2,000. The previous Limestone Community School building was now empty and became our dorm. The academic building was the old LCS high school. Now MSSM and LCS share the building. The school opened in 1995 graduating its first class in ’96, and the camp opened the following year in 1997.

Is my child ready?

That’s hard to say. We have about 1-2 students leave each week who get here and just don’t like being away from home or mom and dad. It’s not ideal for this to be their first week-long stay away from home. Do they want to come home from sleepovers just minutes away? Have they stayed with grandparents for more than a few nights? It’s a question only you can answer. It helps to not say things like “I am going to miss you while you are away at camp.” That makes them feel like they are doing something wrong. Try, “You are going to have so much fun, I can’t wait to hear about all your adventures after camp.” This year we have awards for most mail from home, most creative mail from home, most photos around the room of family, friends, and pets, and other ways to make campers feel welcomed.

Dietary

We can accommodate most dietary needs including gluten-free, vegetarian, lactose-intolerant, etc. The one area that is more difficult for us is serving full meals outside of regular meal times. We have had campers on medications that make them not hungry during meal times and then very hungry during breaks or snack times. It is possible, but difficult and there will be speed bumps.

Medications

We prefer “blister packs” where medications are pre-packed and clearly marked, but we can handle pill bottles if the pharmacy is not able to accommodate that. We have a very experienced camp nurse who is also an RN. She can talk to you before camp if your camper has special needs with medication. We are a peanut free campus during the summer.

Behavioral Issues

We give 2-3 warnings before calling the parents. We do not tolerate bullying and will immediately investigate incidents and take action. Our camp brings in quiet, introverted types who may not speak up for themselves. If your camper mentions it, please contact us immediately at mssmsummercamp@mssm.org. We have also had a few incidents of campers arguing about politics. We discourage this and our staff will not engage.

Special Needs

We have ramps and elevators everywhere in both buildings. Apart from any mechanical issues, someone in a wheelchair can get to all parts of both buildings. Some outdoor activities may be troublesome, but all classes and indoor activities have ramps. There is a large amount of travel during the camp. Even with ramps and elevators, the academic building and dorm are a ways away and campers are often going back and forth or outside to the field.

Health Forms

We are hoping to reduce the number of forms we have and make more web forms, but they are all done in the interest of safety for your camper. If we have an urgent medical issue, we don’t need to be flipping through a file cabinet looking for medical records.

Homesick

Each week we have 1-2 campers that either really want to go home or actually do. This is not the camp for everyone and we know that. Please don’t say things to your first-time camper such as “We are really going to miss you.” Though well-intended, it makes the child feel like they are abandoning them or did something wrong. We suggest “I can’t wait to hear about all the fun you will have when you get back.” We can only process partial refunds if the camper leaves by Monday. We are usually unable to transport campers as our driving-age staff are not able to leave during camp. 

Food / Snacks:

Campers get three meals a day in our dining hall as well as 2-3 snacks throughout the day. There are also random ice cream treats (and equivalents for lactose-intolerant campers) as well as other treats for those staying two weeks. We ask that parents do not send many treats with campers because we have to confiscate anything with peanuts or anything made in a facility with peanuts. We return the snacks on the last day of camp as they are leaving or getting on the bus.

Facilities:

The MSSM STEM Summer Camp uses the dorm and academic building of Maine School of Science and Mathematics. The dormitory has X rooms and several adults that live on the wings year-round. There are very few singles, some doubles, some triples, and a few quads. There’s a lower lounge, kitchen, dorm office, mailroom, and gym. The wings have alarmed locking doors on both the internal and external exits. Campers are locked and alarmed in the wings each evening. The doors lock from the outside, but people inside can leave in an emergency. Opening the door will set off an alarm.

There is a laundry facility that takes a card that can be purchased. There are also vending machines on site. Wings have full bathrooms in the hall and campers sign up for shower times. Wings are opened in the morning and locked at night. Staff will check on the campers before locking the wing doors.
 

Check in / Check Out / Bus:

Check-in is on each Sunday and goes from 2 p.m to 4 p.m. It will be in the dorm gym so please park between the buildings. There will be a large sign directing you to the entrance. It is difficult for us to accommodate campers checking in before 2 p.m.

Check-out is on the Saturday at the end of the week, or two weeks. It is in the same location as check-in but goes from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. It’s possible to check out campers earlier than 9 a.m., but slightly problematic after 11. A staff member will call to confirm who is coming to get the camper before Saturday.

Bus: We hire school buses from MSAD1 to drop off kids on Saturdays from Houlton to South Portland, Maine Mall. It stays the night and returns along the same route leaving the mall parking lot at 8 a.m. and arriving at camp in the early afternoon. The cost is $30 each way and reservations open for it in late winter. Assuming COVID restrictions are lifted by then, they stop for lunch and several bathroom breaks.

Past stops have included:

South Portland (Maine Mall) Lewiston, Augusta Civic Center, Palmyra Walmart, Orono, and Houlton