Choose From 3 Exciting Tracks...

Engineering Track
Campers will enjoy a variety of activities centered on computers, electronics and structures.  They will take part in hands-on activities exploring different areas of the Engineering field and learn about the career opportunities available.  Some of the activities will include:

• Computer Dissection
  Did you ever wonder what was inside a computer?  During this activity you take apart a working computer with a hammer and screwdrivers.  This dissection will give you the opportunity to see what the inside of the hard drive looks like.  What the inside of that CPU chip looks like under a microscope.  You can explore the inner workings of the power supply, motherboard, modem card and other periphery devices.
• Electronics and "Clean Room" Tour
  Can you solder an electrical circuit?  In this session you will be able to learn how by creating a control or audio device.  You will learn how to solder safely and correctly.  You will learn about “microcircuits” and how computer chips are manufactured with a field trip and tour of the Cornell Nanoscale Science and Technology Facility.  There you will have the opportunity to tour the “clean room” a state of the art facility in the manufacture of microcircuits. 
• Building and Designing Structures
  Here’s your opportunity to see how much weight a structure made out of plastic drinking straws can hold.  Using your imagination, can you build a structure that will hold more weight than your fellow campers’ structures?  Here is a great opportunity to show off your engineering skills or just have some fun.
• Camp Activities
  In addition to exploring the engineering fields, you will have opportunities to take advantage of the extensive activities that Camp Babcock Hovey offers.  Your choices are swimming in the large pool, testing your skills on the High Ropes Course, boating on the lakefront using canoes, rowboats or kayaks.  You can also take advantage of the rifle or shotgun or archery range.  Plus, there is nothing like sitting around a campfire in the evening and reflecting on the day’s activities.

Aerospace Track
Campers will explore the universe and learn about constellations, airplanes, rockets and the exploration other planets.  They will take part in hands-on activities to explore different areas of the Aerospace field and learn about the career opportunities available.  Some of the activities will include:

• Rockets
  Campers will learn how rockets fly and identify the different components and their function.  They may build an Estes model rocket or one from available materials and launch them.  What color do you want to paint your rocket?  How high will it go and can you find it when it comes back down?  Have you ever launched a soda bottle rocket?  This fun activity will test your knowledge of how a rocket flies using nothing but a soda bottle, water and compressed air.  Do it right or your rocket will flop!
• Airplanes
  In this activity you will learn what an airfoil is and how it works.  How does that airplane stay up in the sky?  You will determine what forces are acting on an airplane in flight.  Campers will build a rubber band powered airplane and test their skill on how long it will stay in the air.  What do you need to do to extend the flight time?  Campers will also visit an airport and explore aircraft on the ground.
• Mars Rover Field Trip
  Campers will visit the Mars Rover Project at Cornell University.  There, you will receive a detailed presentation on the Mars Rover Project and be able to ask that one question you have always had about Mars.  You will get to see some awesome photographs transmitted from Mars.  This is an opportunity to learn what we are doing on the big red planet and what are the future’s plans for exploration.
• Exploring the Skies
  Did you ever wonder where the North Star is or where the different constellations are located?  A portable star lab will be available for you to learn the locations of different constellations.  Using a telescope, campers will get to gaze upon the heavens and get a look at the rings of Saturn, the craters on the moon and other planets. 
• Camp Activities
  In addition to exploring the aerospace fields, Campers will have opportunities to take advantage of the extensive activities that Camp Babcock Hovey offers.  Your choices are swimming in the large pool, testing your skills on the High Ropes Course, boating on the lakefront using canoes, rowboats or kayaks.  You can also take advantage of the rifle or shotgun or archery ranges.  Plus, there is nothing like sitting around a campfire in the evening and reflecting on the day’s activities.

Ecology and Geology Track
Campers will get the opportunity to explore the world around us.  How does the environment affect us and how do we affect the environment?  What is the latest technology in insect control?  How were the Finger Lakes created and search for fossils?  They will take part in hands-on activities to explore different areas of the Ecology and Geology fields and learn about the career opportunities available.  Some of the activities will include:

• Geology
  Campers will learn about local geology and the geologic history of the Finger Lakes.  They will explore creeks and gorges hunting for fossils and what they teach us about the history of life.  You will take part in a field trip to the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca, NY for an extended tour exploring volcanoes and plate tectonics.
• Agricultural Technology and Insect Control
  Campers will learn about the latest technology in plant growth and insect control.  They will take a field trip to visit the New York State Agriculture Experiment Station in Geneva, NY and work with experts in these fields.
• Environmental Impact
  What is global warming?  What can we do to reverse the effects and protect the environment?  What items can be recycled and what can’t be.  How long does it take for different objects to decompose?
• Renewable Energy Sources
  Campers will have the opportunity to learn about and observe renewable energy technology.  How does a wind turbine work?  What is solar or thermal energy and how does it work? 
• Camp Activities
  In addition to exploring the environmental fields, you will have opportunities to take advantage of the extensive activities that Camp Babcock Hovey offers.  Your choices are swimming in the large pool, testing your skills on the High Ropes Course, boating on the lakefront using canoes, rowboats or kayaks.  You can also take advantage of the rifle or shotgun or archery range.  Plus, there is nothing like sitting around a campfire in the evening and reflecting on the day’s activities.