Adventure Camp

  • For campers entering 5th through 8th grades
  • Multiple field trips each session
  • One- and two-week sessions
  • Overnight Adventures in Session 1

In Adventure Camp, 5th to 8th graders learn more about themselves through authentic hands-on experiences in our community. In these two-week courses you will explore personal values, develop an awareness of others, and enhance team-building skills. Whether navigating the water or a trail, visiting Minnesota landmarks, creating a theater production, or experiencing a week at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, you’ll challenge yourself daily while learning new skills. Each Adventure Camper leaves with a portfolio of accomplishments and reflections. Specific course dates and times are listed on the BSP registration form.

Environmental Explorations: Overnight Adventures
(first week = AC-101a; second week = AC-101b)
Adventure, awareness and respect are what you will experience in this active and experiential overnight environmental course. You will have the extraordinary opportunity to explore the great outdoors while staying, Monday-Friday, at Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center, located in Finland, Minnesota (www.wolf-ridge.org). There you will soar to new heights while learning to rock climb and tackling the high-element ropes course. You will also study nature firsthand as you participate in classes such as animal signs, stream study, wetland ecology, living lightly, canoeing and Voyageur life. These classes rotate each year to spark the interest of both returning and new campers. Lead by your fearless leaders, Breck faculty Lisa Lokke and Matthew Mendes.

NEW! Urban Investigation: Mining Twin Cities Treasures (AC-103a)
Have you ever wondered why Minneapolis is called the Mill City or what the first settlers were like? How did we join into the fur-trading industry? What was the house of the rich railroad magnate James J. Hill like? Join Breck Middle School science teacher Virginia Amundson to explore historical events, places and buildings in our metro area. You will learn how the Grain Exchange works, understand our historical milling past, delve into the fur-trade era, help out on a working farm, go behind the scenes in the History Center, visit restored homes and businesses and much more! Each day is filled with immersion into our common historical past. Plus we will have great fun traveling through the metro by city bus, light rail, or Breck bus to sites of interest and participate in special programs designed just for us. As a community of learners we will have fun exploring our past.

NEW! Urban Adventure: Getting Down and Dirty in Nature (AC-103b)
What animals live on the Mississippi River flood plains? What is it like to be under the Stone Arch Bridge? Have you ever been geocaching? How does our lock and dam system work? Where can you find deep woods adventure in a metro setting? During this exciting week you will explore our environment while hiking, climbing, and meeting area naturalists. You will embark on a journey, with a team of campers, to learn more about our changing ecology and your role in nature. Breck Middle School teacher Virginia Amundson leads this experience. We will become involved in the exploration and care of our land, waters and natural ecosystems through direct scientific involvement, and fascinating field trips and activities. On our adventure we will use wildlife cameras and GPS units to help guide our travels.  Come join us as we trek through forests, fields, wetlands and more while dirtying our hands and engaging our minds.

NEW! Page to Stage Workshop (AC-201)
Whether you are on stage, behind the scenes or you write the script, this two-week theater camp provides a true stage production experience, culminating with a world premiere performance in Breck's beautiful Cargill Theater. Students will choose a story, adapt it into a script, develop the characters, design the set and costumes, AND perform it all for you on the final day of camp! They will see the amazing satisfaction of beginning a huge project and seeing it through to the very last detail ... and have fun doing it! Facilitated by professional theater artist and Ass't. Professor of Theater at St. Catherine University Nikki Swoboda.

NEW! Boys of Summer (AC-301)
It's back, gentlemen, and it's better than ever! Yes, you will still participate in a spitting distance competition. Yes, this experience is still tailor-made for lovers of baseball, football, soccer, high-dives, mud, video games, loud music, action movies, fort-building, mosquito bites, capture-the-flag, Risk, water-balloon fights, any game that resembles dodge ball, basketball, camping, boot hockey, tug-of-war, go-carts, 500, real-life Survivor, and any activity better suited for a padded room or a dirt field. However, unlike last year, where we only had the opportunity to mix it up in the afternoon, you will now have the chance to do all things boys, all day long. If any of the activities listed above tickle your fancy, this is the adventure for you. Led by Matthew Mendes, Breck faculty.