Graduate Student Outreach: Model of a One-Day "Chemistry Camp" for Elementary School Students

One-day chemistry camps, managed by graduate students from the Departments of Chemistry at the Universities of Virginia (UVA) and Vermont (UVM), have proven successful as an outreach initiative. The camp model engages kindergarten through fifth grade elementary school students in hands-on, inquiry-based science experiments to educate and excite them about science. Chemistry Camp is unique in that it is organized and run by graduate students, providing an opportunity for volunteer experience and professional development. Camps have been used as an effective way to raise funds for the Chemistry LEAD (Learning through Experiments and Demonstrations) Program at UVA and for graduate student travel grants at UVM. The first camp was held at UVA in March 2012 with 75 participants, and a second camp, with more than 90 children, was organized in March 2013. Following a similar model, 60 students participated in the first camp at UVM in April 2013. Herein, the authors describe the planning and execution of chemistry camps at both universities so that readers may implement this model of graduate student outreach at other institutions.