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The Unique Experience of Madarom Science Camp
For over ten years, Madarom Science Summer Camps have been providing a unique educational summer experience for thousands of Israeli children aged 9-18. For some participants, summer camp is the continuation and culmination of year-round involvement in Madarom science education; for others it is a rare opportunity to experience the world of science in an exciting, informal framework. In all cases, the camps are designed to motivate children to deepen their interest in science, and give them the space, time and conditions for exploring what inspires and excites them.
Reaching Out to Children from All Backgrounds
As in all Madarom programs, the target group is residents of the periphery, whose parents cannot afford to send their children to expensive summer camps. About 85% of campers come from disadvantaged communities in the Negev and Galilee. They pay a minimal participation fee to enroll in camp; the rest of the cost is subsidized by the Education Ministry and Rashi Foundation. A special scholarship fund fully covers the cost for families with greater financial needs. All the camps emphasize hands-on exposure to science alongside traditional summer recreation such as swimming, sports and social activities.
Location Location Location
The camps take place at dozens of sites around Israel, with an emphasis on places in outlying areas of the Negev and Galilee, which are engaged in marvelous educational work and employing experts and talented informal educators. Sites such as Ilan Ramon Youth Physics Center and Beit Yatziv in Be'er Sheva, Hai-Negev at Revivim, Migal Science Center in Kiryat Shmona, and Nitzana Educational Community near the Egyptian border are joined by university campuses in Be'er Sheva, Tel Aviv and Haifa.
Proven Success
In 2011, more than 4,500 children participated in Madarom science camps at 18 different sites from North to South: in universities, science centers, research institutes and field schools. Some were 5-night sleepover programs, some were two weeks long day camps . Youngsters chose from an exciting menu of subjects, such as Solar Energy, Astronomy, Ecology and Recycling, Zoology, Botany, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, English, Marine Science, Veterinary Science, Genetics and Biotechnology.
Online feedback forms filled by the participants indicate a high degree of satisfaction with the educational and social program and show that the positive experience increases the children's attraction to science fields and increases their motivation for science studies.
View the 2012 summer camps brochure (in Hebrew)
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