Classrooms across the Clark County School District (CCSD) were silent as students took a day off during staff development day. But UNLV’s campus came alive with the energy and creativity of dozens of curious kids eager to explore college life.
Nearly 100 students in kindergarten through 5th grade converged on campus Jan. 26 as part of an Early Outreach Day Camp, the initiative that transforms a break in the CCSD academic calendar into a day of discovery for young minds. Through two simultaneous camps — Camp Cosmos Jr. and the gaming- and entertainment-focused From Strip to Stage: A Las Vegas Story — youngsters were invited to engage in the college experience through hands-on activities, campus tours, and lessons designed just for them.
The pupils explored the farthest reaches of the galaxy alongside astrophysics students. They created their own skits and games in an exercise on how entertainment, engineering, and gaming intersect. There were UNLV Fine Arts performances, lessons on campus history, and even a chance to try their hand at high-tech 3-D printing.
UNLV Early Outreach director Devan Harris said the day camps serve as both an educational and community need.
“Our goal is for students to understand the history of the city they live in and how many different paths exist for them in the future while also providing age-appropriate learning experiences that build on and enhance what they’re learning in their elementary classrooms,” she said.
Exploring Home, Las Vegas Style
For James I. Gibson Elementary 3rd grader Ada Mave Winkelmann Poppel, this year’s camp experience fit the bill. She was among From Strip to Stage campers who were introduced to various UNLV programs that prepare college students to enter industries shaping Las Vegas’ evolution from an entertainment hub to a sports mecca.
Students learned about Las Vegas gaming history from UNLV International Gaming Institute staff, took a behind-the-scenes tour of the Thomas & Mack Center, and learned how Entertainment Engineering and Design students combine their arts, tech, and storytelling skills to create visually exciting performances and showpieces on the Las Vegas Strip.
But Ada’s favorite part was taking in a concert led by a UNLV Fine Arts pianist and singer, then working with her peers to create their own performances. The repeat Early Outreach camper said the arts-focused activities stood out to her immediately and she felt completely at home on stage.
“I really liked the opera performance we did. I was a witch, and my friend was my pet bat. We were brewing a potion and then it exploded!” Ada exclaimed. “This has probably been the best camp I’ve gone to.”
Reaching for the Stars
And the learning is mutual: Early Outreach Day Camps provide an educational experience for UNLV students who lead the camps too.
Graduate students Isabelle Perron and Kaelyn Clement, both master's in astronomy who aspire to teach students in the future, designed the sessions for Camp Cosmos Jr. The half-day program for 3rd through 5th graders serves as an intro to space exploration, as well as a preview of a weeklong summer version for middle schoolers offered through UNLV Early Outreach’s Young Rebels program.
Calling astronomy a “gateway science,” Camp Cosmos director and astrophysics professor Jason Steffen said “once kids get curious about space, it opens the door to so many other sciences.”
Perron agreed: “Growing up, I knew I liked space, but felt intimidated by how little I knew about it. I never knew that it was possible for me to learn so much about astronomy, yet alone pursue a career in it. My hope is that the kids attending this camp realize that they have a place in science and that their curiosity is their biggest strength.”
Clement said watching the students discover potential new paths feels rewarding.
“Kids learn broad knowledge about a lot of things at school, but they don't often spend a lot of time on just one subject like astronomy,” Clement said. “Even if a kid isn't mainly interested in astronomy, these camps are still beneficial because they foster curiosity. We teach kids how to think scientifically and creatively and stretch their brains in ways they haven't before.”
An Added Bonus
Perhaps the biggest perk of Early Outreach Day Camps for some parents, like Niovy Lopez, is watching how the learning immersion in a new environment with a different set of peers can help their children further develop soft skills.
Lopez, a UNLV graduate student studying early childhood development, said Monday’s session was the third UNLV Early Outreach camp she’s enrolled her daughter Layla in since the fall. From learning about Las Vegas history at the Springs Preserve in September to visiting the Hoover Dam in October to getting a crash course in gaming and entertainment this month, Lopez has seen her kindergartener’s independence and confidence grow each time.
“Layla’s vocabulary has increased. She tells us things we haven’t taught her. Even when she gets scared, she still goes for it,” Lopez said. “I truly believe in the research that says you want to impact a child’s environment, and coming onto a college campus where there's professionalism, education, and knowledge is a recipe for success.”
About Early Outreach Day Camps & Young Rebels
Early Outreach Day Camps launched in 2022 and have become one of UNLV’s most in-demand youth programs. It also gives kids a glimpse at other UNLV Division of Early Outreach offerings, including Young Rebels summer camps and workshops/group experiences offered during the academic year. Visit unlv.edu/early-outreach to sign up or learn more.
