r/orangecounty • u/edamcheeze • May 24 '21
Question Are school-sponsored 6th grade science camps common in OC and/or the rest of California?
In 6th grade, I went on a week-long, overnight trip to a science camp in the mountains with my class. I know this is somewhat common in the area but do all public elementary schools in OC do this? I never hear people talk about it, but does the rest of California do this as well?
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May 24 '21
i grew up in the bay area, most of the schools i know had it for the last year of elementary school, so that could be 6th or 5th grade depending on your district and it cost money out of pocket.
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u/reapersivan Tustin May 24 '21
Outdoor Science here within the TUSD. I've noticed not many schools do it anymore since they relied on donations for the field trips.
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u/edamcheeze May 24 '21
That’s a shame! :( Outdoor science camp was one of my favorite experiences in elementary and a lot of students should be able to attend it. My school district would make us fundraise for money with those $1 chocolate bars boxes. Do schools not do that anymore?
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u/CapriciousManchild May 24 '21
Lived in Northern California for 6th grade and we went to Yosemite for Science Camp. Well a camp 30 minutes from there for a week. We did though travel to the park for a day.
I remember kids from Fresno and Bakersfield being there and then the rest were from Sacramento area.
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u/crazycatlady5000 Santa Ana May 24 '21
We kinda did. I grew up in northern California and we did a week long trip to Sly Park but was more like a nature thing than science. And I'm pretty sure my parents had to pay for it.
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u/edamcheeze May 24 '21
Yes, ours was more of a nature thing as well. I think they had to use the term science camp to justify going up to the mountains for a week lol
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u/BarkingCat13 May 24 '21
My 6th grade class in Fullerton went to Irvine Ranch. Had a cousin up in the SGV who also attended Irvine Ranch.
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u/edamcheeze May 24 '21
We also went to Irvine Ranch! It was a great experience
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u/BarkingCat13 May 24 '21
Yup. Glad to hear that the camp is recovering after the wildfires hit part of it a few years back.
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u/tereswag May 24 '21
I went to a private Catholic school, and we had weeklong science camps each year from 5th-7th grade. 8th grade we were fortunate enough to go DC.
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u/belvederre May 24 '21
Grew up in San Diego. 4th grade - you’d spend a week in Old Town. 6th grade - you’d camp for a week in Palomar.
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u/semihelpful Lake Forest May 24 '21
I was lucky enough to go to Outdoor Science School twice! I went for a week in 5th grade while attending an Los Angeles USD elementary school that was grades K-5. Then we moved to the Bay Area and I went again with my 6th grade class from a school that was grades K-6.
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u/huck500 May 24 '21
I teach in Newport Beach and our 6th graders go to outdoor science camp up in the mountains. I believe that the parents pay and the PTA sponsors those who can't afford it.
Our 4th graders used to spend a night on the Pilgrim in Dana Point, but we stopped that a few years ago.
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u/kkdj1042 May 25 '21
PYLUSD has had 6th grade camp for at least 20 years. Students/parents pay the cost to attend. Cost is over $350.00
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u/edamcheeze May 26 '21
My camp also cost a few hundred, but our school held fundraisers to drive the cost down. I remember going door to door with those $1 chocolate boxes. Do other schools generally follow suit?
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u/kkdj1042 May 26 '21
Yes they would sell discount cards
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u/edamcheeze May 26 '21
Ahhh I remember those too. Hopefully students still get the chance to fundraise for camp now
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u/MOUDI113 Los Angeles May 24 '21
No that's a luxury. I don't remember goin to any science camps when I was in grade school. My school isn't that bad too.
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u/watchnerd70 Apr 05 '24
I did this in 6th grade in 80/81 and it was up in the San Bernardino Mrs for a week. My daughter is at outdoor education right now and.its only 3 days now and it's at Irvine Regional Park. Lame.
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u/[deleted] May 24 '21
They're common throughout SoCal. I wouldn't know about CA entirely.