Summer Adventures 2012 registration form (PDF) or fill out the form at the bottom of the page to register online.

For children who are entering 1st through 6th grade and Teen Leadership opportunities for children 12-14 years of age
Beginning of summer: June 18-22, June 25-29
End of summer: August 20-24, August 27-31
From 8:30am-3pm, late day option until 5pm

Fee: $250 per week, $15 a day for late day (possible option: swimming at the Salem YMCA depending on location of program)

We pick up where other camps leave off!
Summer Adventures @ Phoenix are offered at the beginning and the end of the summer. From outdoor exploration of natural habitats to the real world excitement of technology and the arts, come spend some of your summer with The Phoenix School. Summer Adventures at Phoenix is a series of week long programs held for two weeks at the end of June and the last two weeks in August.

June Programs
June 18-22, June 25-29, 2012

Gold, Silver, Bronze
June 18-22, 2012
Ages 6 to 11 $250 per week
Instructor: Will Sargent


Can’t get to London this summer for the Summer Olympics? Never fear! Become a member of the ‘Olympic Committee’ charged to design Olympic events to be held right here in Salem. Create an official mascot for the event. Then, invent your country, uniform, and flag. Pack your suitcase and gather up your passport as you prepare to represent your county at the Olympic Games no further away than the Salem Common. Here you will participate in the Opening Ceremonies, compete in events, and win a medal for your country. Use video cameras to film the events and use Web 2.0 tools to create a slide show, animation, or movie of the Salem Summer Olympics 2012.

Dragons & Wizards
June 25-29, 2012
Ages 6 to 11 $250 per week
Instructor: Will Sargent


Pack your imagination in your backpack and head off to the Will’s Wild World of Wizardry where you will create and train your very own dragon. Team up with other wizards to build castles in the sand for your dragon to guard, create magic potions and spells, and invent and play magical games. Use video cameras and other Web 2.0 tools to create animated movies of adventures you and your dragon have as you work together to save the world.


August Programs
August 20-24 and August 27-31, 2012

Animal Extremes
August 20-24, 2012 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Ages 6 to 11 * $250 per week
Instructor: Mike Smith

Discover animals’ amazing strategies that allows them to live all around us in all kinds of environments from the frozen seas of the Arctic, the amazing coral reefs, the deep sea hydrothermal vents and even our local tide pools. This week we will be looking into these environments while learning through experiments and outdoor adventures. You’ll get to look up close at a strangely adapted fish, the lamprey, while learning through a dissection. We’ll also be looking into communication strategies some of our local animals use to express their feelings. During this week we will be spending two days at Winter Island in Salem and three days at the Salem Conservation Lands.

Up, Up, and Away - A Global Adventure
August 20-24, 2012 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Ages 6 to 11 * $250 per week
Instructors: Barbara McFall and Betsye Sargent

Join a team of intrepid explorers who tour the world seeking exciting discoveries to film. Ride in an imaginary hot air balloon or dive into the deep in a submersible, travel on the Orient Express or across the desert in a caravan -- each day will be a different adventure as we dig into the sands of time to find clues to ancient civilizations. We will use web 2.0 tools to create a movie guaranteed to be a box office success.

Ship Ahoy
August 27-31, 2012 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Ages 6 to 11 * $250 per week
Instructor: Mike Smith

Embark on a week long adventure where you will learn about all kinds of boats from tall sailing ships, to hovercrafts, to rafts as well as learn some sea shanties and basic knots. Experiment and test out a variety of boat shapes. Become the captain of your very own vessel -- one that you designed and built -- as you watch your boat float down the salt marsh creek on its maiden voyage. Develop your sea legs while sailing on board the schooner Fame. The week will consist of two other days at Winter Island in Salem and another two at the Salem Conservation Lands. Don’t be left onshore! Scrubbing the decks not included.


Save the Animals - A Global Adventure
August 27-31, 2012 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Ages 6 to 11 * $250 per week
Instructors: Barbara McFall and Betsye Sargent

Become a conservationist trying to save animals throughout the world. In your imagination fly to endangered environments to carefully capture some of the world’s most unusual creatures. Discover and name new species and construct a special zoo in which they can live. Document your animal discoveries in a variety of ways for future generations to enjoy. You might make a 3-D model, or use technology like iMovie, Lego robotics, Pico Cricket, Scratch, clay animation, and a variety of web 2.0 tools to announce your zoological discoveries to the world.

Teen Leadership Program
June 18-22, June 25-29
August 20-24, August 27-31, 2012
For 12 – 14 year-olds
Hours: 8:30 to 5:00
Fee: $100 per week

The Teen Leadership Program (TLC) is for young people who are too old for formal summer programs, too young for a formal job, but interested in spending a week assisting our course teachers in the field or engineering/inventions, mentoring younger children, helping out with the activities for the day, supervising recess or play at the park. TLCs will be given special assignments by their directing teacher and be responsible for various odd jobs that make the course run smoothly.
Interest in science, animals, or the environment or expertise in LEGO Robotics — a plus.

TLCs should have had previous experience working successfully with younger children, be able to work as a member of a team, and have a basic understanding of how children learn through active exploration. 1-2 applicants will be accepted for each course.

Along with their Registration Form, interested TLC applicants should send a list of their experiences working with young children and a letter that explains their interest in the program. On your Registration Form rank the courses in order of preference and submit your application by June 2nd. You will then be invited for an interview and further clarification of our expectations.

Accepted applicants will meet with the course teacher before each session begins. They will work closely with course teachers and be given feedback on their performance. A final evaluation will be written that may be used as a recommendation for future summer employment with young children.