Cryptids and Hybrids: Find Your Inner Beastie
Monday, July 20th – Friday, July 24th, 2026 | Age: 13 – 17
The Ancient, Wild Art of Deep Listening
Monday, July 27th – Friday, July 31st, 2026 | Age: 13 – 17
New Techniques for Old School Connections
Monday, August 3rd – Friday, August 7th, 2026 | Age: 13 – 17
Social Media as Art
Monday, August 10th – Friday, August 14th, 2026 | Age: 13 -17
Communication Arts Center
Register by May 20th for Early Bird Discount
Details
Cryptids and Hybrids: Find Your Inner Beastie:
There is a great tradition in the human psyche of hybrid creatures, from the Griffin to the Phoenix. These often represent the many parts of the psyche, and the blending of the animal and human worlds. Let’s explore the history of these and write about, and make, our own hybrids that represent the many parts of who we are and how we interact with the world around us!
The Ancient, Wild Art of Deep Listening:
If you’ve ever wondered how birds warn each other in different “dialects,” or how trees send nutrients to their friends through underground fungal networks, this camp is your chance to learn the world’s hidden language and use it to tune into the signals most people rush right past. We’ll explore Stevens Point’s Schmeeckle Reserve with techniques inspired by Buddhism’s mind‑calming focus and technologist‑artist James Bridle’s ideas about learning from the natural world and applying those lessons to your own life. Through art, poetry, science, and non‑linear ways of paying attention, you’ll discover how deep listening helps you connect with people, plants, and animals in ways that feel both energizing and grounding. These skills will guide how you read situations, trust your instincts, and communicate with clarity and creativity.
This camp pairs naturally with New Techniques for Old‑School Connections, but it also stands completely on its own. It’s perfect if you’re heading into high school, college, or any new environment and want to feel more grounded, read situations more easily, and understand yourself well enough to make choices that actually fit who you are. Indoors and outdoors, in small groups and solo moments, you’ll explore, reflect, experiment, and build a listening journal full of insights you’ll carry long after the week ends.
New Techniques for Old‑School Connections:
If you’ve ever wished you were better at starting conversations, making friends, or handling awkward moments without spiraling, this camp is for you. You’ll try out Amy Poehler’s favorite improv lessons, use Thich Nhat Hanh’s Buddhist practices to tune in to yourself and discover your own communication strengths, and learn how to connect with people in ways that feel natural, confident, and genuinely you. We’ll dig into how to navigate conflict and maintain boundaries without blowing things up, and how to use tech in smarter, more creative ways that actually support the kind of world you want to help build while leaving plenty of space for IRL connection.
This camp pairs well with The Ancient, Wild Art of Deep Listening, but it also works great as a stand‑alone experience. Introverts and extroverts alike will find a lot to love here, and it’s especially helpful if you’re ready to stretch yourself—whether that means starting at a new school, joining a club you’ve always been curious about, running for student council, auditioning for something, or just wanting to tell your own story instead of reacting to whatever happens. Indoors and outdoors, in small groups and all together, you’ll walk, talk, laugh, experiment, and build a communication journal full of techniques you’ll take with you long after the week ends.
Social Media as Art:
Explore meaningful and creative ways to bring art, writing, and digital storytelling together on digital platforms. Learn how to conceptualize, design, and launch a creative project that connects with a digital audience in innovative and compelling ways!
Registration
The email you register with, is the email we will send camp information to, so please use an email you check often. To avoid parent information going to spam, add: uwspce-youth@uwsp.edu to your contact list.
You must be able to provide the campers emergency contact, health history, current medications (if any), immunizations, insurance, and health care providers at the time of registration. Parents can also select authorizations for the youth. Camper Profile needs to be complete at least 3 weeks prior to the start of event.
For a $25 discount, register prior to 3/4/2026 with promo code: PRIORITY$25
Cryptids and Hybrids: Find Your Inner Beastie
Monday, July 20th – Friday, July 24th, 2026
Age: 13 – 17
The Ancient, Wild Art of Deep Listening
Monday, July 27th – Friday, July 31st, 2026
Age: 13 – 17
New Techniques for Old-School Connections
Monday, August 3rd – Friday, August 7th, 2026
Age: 13 – 17
Social Media as Art
Monday, August 10th – Friday, August 14th, 2026
Age: 13 -17
Emails will come from: uwspce-youth@uwsp.edu
Instructor
Maud Kelly
Poet, essayist, and associate professor in the Communications Department at UWSP!
Schedule – Cryptids & Hybrids: Find Your Inner Beastie
| 7/20 – Monday | 7/21 – Tuesday | 7/22 – Wednesday | 7/23 – Thursday | 7/24 – Friday | |
| 9 – 11:30 a.m. | EXPLORE: The Deep History of Hybrids. From Cave Paintings to Ancient Mesopotamia | EXPLORE: Medieval and global hybrids (Japan, West Africa, Indigenous Americas). How cultures blend human, animal, and spirit worlds. | EXPLORE: Modern cryptids and urban legends. Why new creatures keep appearing and what they say about our current anxieties and hopes. | EXPLORE: Personal mythologies. What would your own Inner Beastie protect, reveal, or challenge? | PREPARE: Set up the Inner Beastie Gallery. Arrange creatures, labels, and reflection prompts and practice 2-3 minute talk |
| 12 – 12:30 p.m. | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
| 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. | MAKE: Paper‑and‑marker beasties. Focus on shape, symbolism, and the “parts of self” each feature represents. | MAKE: Collage beasties. Layering textures, influences, and identities to build more complex creatures. Brainstorm ideas for your own Inner Beastie. | MAKE: Work on making 3-D Inner Beasties using wire, fabric and found materials. Begin writing short “origin stories.” | MAKE: Finalize Inner Beastie builds. Write artist statements about meaning, symbolism, and identity. | SHARE: Showcase for family and friends including Inner Beastie Gallery Walk + Artist Talks. |
| 4 p.m. | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up |
Schedule – Ancient Art of Deep Listening
| 7/27 – Monday | 7/28 – Tuesday | 7/29 – Wednesday | 7/30 – Thursday | 7/31 – Friday | |
| 9 – 11:30 a.m. | OUTSIDE: Exploring Schmeekle Reserve: Birdsong and Butterfly Wings | OUTSIDE: Exploring Schmeekle Reserve: Mushrooms, Mosses, Plants, and Trees | OUTSIDE: Exploring Schmeekle Reserve: Swimmers & Slidey Guys | OUTSIDE: Exploring Schmeekle Reserve: Hey, Do You Like This Rock? | OUTSIDE: Sharing Schmeekle Reserve: Setting up for our Deep Listening Showcase |
| 12 – 12:30 p.m. | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
| 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. | INSIDE: Translating our Schmeekle Experience (Art, Improv, Etc.): The Music and Movement of Sharing Ideas | INSIDE: Translating our Schmeekle Experience (Art, Improv, Etc.): Rich Connections Built Slowly Over Time | INSIDE: Translating our Schmeekle Experience (Art, Improv, Etc.): Ways to Feel at Home In the World | INSIDE: Translating our Schmeekle Experience (Art, Improv, Etc.): Sharing Hobbies, Finding Friends | OUTSIDE: Showcase for Family and Friends: A Look and Listen Tour of Schmeekle Reserve |
| 4 p.m. | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up |
Schedule – New Techniques for Old School Connections
| 8/3 – Monday | 8/4 – Tuesday | 8/5 – Wednesday | 8/6 – Thursday | 8/7 – Friday | |
| 9 – 11:30 a.m. | EXPLORE: Big Ideas about Small Talk. Love it or hate it, it’s the first thing you have to do in almost every interaction, and guess what? There are ways to learn to love it. We’ll listn to a comedian who LOVES small talk to learn what he knows, then we’ll explore how we feel about it and find surefire ways to interact from the get-go. | EXPLORE: Let’s look back at communication through the ages. From oral tradition to the internet, the human need to connect has taken us to incredible places. What have we gained, what have we lost, and how do we bring it all together? | EXPLORE: Build-up and Breakdowns. We’ll find out how to build deeper connections at the right pace. From tried and true etiquette techniques that help us navigate public spaces to the deeply connective communication philosophies offered by the Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, we’ll learn how to bring the comfort of home wherever we go. | EXPLORE: Why are some things so hard to discuss, especially nowadays when people seem so intent on staying in separate corners? Let’s explore some ways to approach the big issues while maintaining our own and other people’s dignity and experience. | PREPARE: Set up for the Talk to Me Mixer |
| 12 – 12:30 p.m. | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
| 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. | MAKE & DO: Make: Conversation Journals. Do: Practice the first 3 principles of Improv (Amy Poehler’s): Keep Saying Yes, Be a Good Listener, and Find Your Team | MAKE & DO: Make: Stationary to send messages like it’s olden-days and you’re pining for your crush who lives an impossible distance away, like across town or over the next hill. Do: Practice the next 3 principles of Improv (Amy P’s): Find the Game, Take Up Space, Don’t Be Halfway In | MAKE & DO: Make: Plans for all kinds of interactions. Do: Practice the final 3 principles of Improv (Amy P’s): Don’t Bail On Your Partners, Don’t Worry About Being Cool, and Play with Status | MAKE & DO: Make: Conversation Stations. Do: Practice having “impossible conversations,” navigating conflict, and keeping your boundaries without losing your friends. | TALK TO ME MIXER: Friends and family are invited to join us for a light, fun hour of snacks and small talk. Campers will host conversation stations where guests can learn tips and tricks to better their own speaking and listening skills. |
| 4 p.m. | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up |
Schedule – Social Media as Art
| 8/10 – Monday | 8/11 – Tuesday | 8/12 – Wednesday | 8/13 – Thursday | 8/14 – Friday | |
| 9 – 11:30 a.m. | EXPLORE: What do you care about? What do you notice? What do you want to say? Brainstorm ideas through writing, improv, and visual prompts. | EXPLORE: What’s the best platform for your idea? To figure that out, we’ll peruse interesting feeds that spark new ideas. We’ll do some walk-and-talk processing and consider our own creative direction and project look and feel. | EXPLORE: What are your goals for this project? Is it short-term? Long-term? Narrative? Lyrical? We’ll explore ways to get organized and think about the dimensions of your project and what you’ll need to pull it off. | EXPLORE: | PREPARE: Set up Digital and IRL Gallery. Test displays, sound, captions, and flow |
| 12 – 12:30 p.m. | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
| 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. | WORK & WORKSHOP: We’ll start lo-fi with big paper and sharpie to create storyboards, sketches, and more. | WORK & WORKSHOP: Explore the creative direction and project look and feel. Play with some digital tools like adobe fresco, instagram stories and reels, tik tok studio, etc. and see what happens. Take time to give and get feedback. | WORK & WORKSHOP: Let’s really take some time to get into the flow. Decide what to do and go do it. | WORK & WORKSHOP: Final assembly + artist notes. Polish a short and sweet version of your project. Prepare your project for digital presentation. | LIKE, FOLLOW, SHARE: Digital Art Premiere — a guided walkthrough of each student’s project |
| 4 p.m. | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up | Pick Up |
Youth Camp Information
Scholarship Information
If you are expecting a scholarship through your school or your community or would like more information about camp scholarships, please email: uwspce-youth@uwsp.edu and use “Scholarship Applicant” in the subject line
Click below for Scholarship forms:
Cancellation Policy / Accommodations Statement
Youth Camps/Clinics (excluding Suzuki and Athletics):
If cancellation occurs 42 days or more before the camp start date, registration costs (minus credit card fees) will be refunded.
If cancellation occurs 14–41 days before the camp start date, 50% of registration costs (minus credit card fees) will be refunded.
If cancellation occurs less than 14 days before the camp start date, registration costs are non-refundable.
- Please contact jbrzezin@uwsp.edu if extenuating circumstances arise.
Astronomy Camp reserves the right to send home, without refund, any camper who fails to behave in an appropriate manner or breaks any local/state/federal laws or camp regulations.
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least three weeks in advance. Please contact Continuing Education at 715-346-3838 or uwspce-youth@uwsp.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Camp Sponsors
Interested in helping youth grow, learn, and explore career paths? Want to help sponsor youth professional development and events? Email our youth inbox for information on how you or your company can sponsor youth events: uwspce-youth@uwsp.edu
Continuing Education Contact Information
For assistance with registration, please email Customer Service at uwspceweb@uwsp.edu
For camp information, please email the program manager at uwspce-youth@uwsp.
