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Build a Summer Education for Rising 1st-8th Graders

BASE Camp Is Open to Students from Any School

OPEF’s biggest program is BASE Camp, otherwise known as “Build A Summer Education”. Our STEAM summer camp offerings are for rising 1st-8th graders. Families can build their own summer education experience each week choosing between AM and PM sessions. We also offer before and after care. OPEF BASE Camp is open to students from aany school, not just D97 students. OPEF BASE Camps are led by passionate, experienced, friendly teachers-mainly from D97- and youth counselors. Camps are held in local Oak Park D97 schools.

BASE Camp Schedule

Check out the wide variety of summer camps programs for 1st through 8th graders from 2023. The summer 2024 list will be updated in January.

See Schedule

Registration

OPEF Base Camp Registration begins in February 2024.

Register Today

Camp Programs

Check out the BASE Camp descriptions from 2023. Camps will be updated in January 2024.

View Descriptions

FAQs

Get answers to your most important questions concerning BASE Camp.

Get Answers

Gift Card Options

Login or create an Amilia account below for full access to view and purchase gift cards for OPEF BASE Camp. To celebrate the holidays, we are offering 10% off on all gift cards in December!

Purchase Gift Cards

BASE Camp Handbook

A list of the basic information from who to contact to what to bring to camp.

View Handbook

Schedule for OPEF BASE Camp Summer 2024

Schedule available January 19, '24

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Scholarships Open January 17, '24

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Registration begins February 4, '24 @ 2 pm

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1st Week of BASE Camp June 17th

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A Sample of Our OPEF BASE Camps

We are currently planning for Summer 2024. Updated information for Summer 2024 will be available on the website in December 2023.

Science of Sweets

Science of Sweets takes a close look at the delicious science of sugar. Campers examine how temperature influences crystal formation and see first hand how science works to create different textures in sucrose. Density, saturation, and dynamic equilibrium are just a few terms that are explored.

Biking Adventures

During biking adventure, campers learn and practice bike maintenance and biking safety as they ride to destinations such as Thatcher Woods, local cafes and recreation areas. This camp provides opportunities for our campers to become more comfortable on their bike as well as learn more about places that they can bike to in our community.

Experimentation Station

Experimentation Station is all about hands-on experiments with things gooey, strange, stinky, colorful, eruptive, surprising, and always fun! Campers hypothesize about the science behind the reactions they see.

Shoe Drip & Apparel Art

During Shoe Drip/Apparel Art, Campers embellish and customize their own gear. Using paints, bling and other materials, campers design their own unique pair of footwear and other apparel that they then take home.

Earth Ambassadors

Our Earth Ambassadors camp is all about the science of sustainability — from climate change to biodiversity to alternative energy — to help our campers become more informed citizens and effective activists. Campers engage in hands-on projects, guided discussion and immersive field trips.

Cardboard City

During Cardboard City, campers design and construct a small-scale city with upcycled cardboard. Campers learn about the structural properties of different types of cardboard. All design, engineering, and construction is camper-led.

“My kids love OPEF’s BASE Camp. They have done the coolest things every summer with amazing teachers and staff. I can’t say enough about how lucky we are to have this program here in Oak Park”

— Oak Park Parent of Three

OPEF Is Excited to Offer Gift Cards for Camp!

To celebrate this, we are offering a special promotion-for the month of December 2023. Save 10% on your gift card purchase with the following code: BASEcampGIFT10. While this offer expires on Decmember 31st, these gift cards never do. Login or create an Amilia account below for full access to view and purchase gift cards for OPEF BASE Camp.

Scholarships for Families in Need

OPEF is also committed to ensuring that family income does not inhibit a child from attending camp. We have a very generous scholarship program to meet the needs of families.

Scholarship Information