Big Sky Build It! 2008

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put my 7 year old in the 8-10 group or my 10 year old in the 11-14 group?

If at the time of the camp your child is within one month of turning the required age and you have received permission from Michael, it is possible.

Can my child take the same workshop twice?

Absolutely.  In the world of invention and engineering who does a project only once?

I can't find the registration and camp schedule information.  Where is it?

Above these very words are bulleted lists of underlined text. These are links to the information you seek.

Can I pay by credit card?

Our online payment station will accept your credit card or PayPal payments.  You still have to sign and send your registration forms by snail mail.

How do I receive a scholarship?

Click the Build It! 2008 link on the red bar on the left side of this page.  Scroll down until you see information and links to the scholarship information page.

Will the little kids and big kids be working or playing together?

Each group has its own room.  During some science demonstration times we will have a multi age group.  At times older students will visit the younger groups to peer teach and to show off their big kid constructions.  During lunch time and some outdoor play times there will be monitored time when students from different camps are allowed to mix.

Who are the teachers?

Each camp is led by a lead teacher,  Lead teachers are carefully selected for their fun and creative teaching style and for their experience working with their specific age group.  Lead teachers are assisted by Michael and by a project manager who...well...manages the projects.  Lead teachers are also assisted by interns from the College of Santa Fe who are in the teacher training program.  Carefully selected high school juniors and seniors also serve as inters and round out the 5:1 student teacher ratio.

Are the workshops safe?

At Big Sky we provide young learners with access to real world tools.  Students of all ages can learn to cut with sharp tools, solder with lead based solder, use hot glue guns and drills.  In 12 years of the camps we have had a handful of minor (and educational) hot glue burns and only one cut requiring stitches (from a pair of scissors).  We have found that kids are extremely careful when using potentially dangerous tools.  They learn to follow rules, to demonstrate real responsibility and develop a pride in their initiation to the adult world of work.  

Are you serious?  You use lead solder?

Yes.  After years of attempting to teach soldering with lead free solders we found that students (and the rest of us) were unable to make consistent working electronic connections.  After consulting with a local medical expert who wrote a book about children and lead exposure, we learned that lead does not penetrate through skin.  With proper hand washing and ventilation the risks of lead exposure were easy to mitigate.  In a world where the average person is in daily contact with far too many toxic chemicals, we pride ourselves in being a place where kids gain the skills to handle them safely.

Why is it so expensive?

It's not.   The type of activities and learning experiences you get at Build It! are difficult to compare with other nature, sports or arts programs.  The preparation, staffing, space rental and materials costs are many times what other programs cost.   Similar programs in other states cost as much as $1000 per week per child.  In order to bring you Build It! at Santa Fe summer camp rates, many hours and dollars are donated by generous individuals.