Prairie Waters Hosting Outdoor Youth Summer Camps
VALLEY CITY, N.D. (VCSU) – Valley City State University’s Prairie Waters Education and Research Center is hosting three separate 2026 summer camps that provide opportunities for students to learn more about water ecosystems and have fun doing it.
Splashin’ Around at Prairie Waters, Fishin’ Around the Prairie Waters and STEM Explorers: Water Research Institute all provide different opportunities for students in grades 5-12 to interact with water ecosystems in a variety of fun activities.
Registration for the summer camps is currently open. Students are encouraged to register early as camps fill up fast. Learn more or complete online registration at vcsu.news/prairiewaters.
STEM Explorers: Water Research Institute | June 9 – 11, 2026
This camp runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day and is designed for students who have completed grades 9 – 12. Camp sessions will vary daily, and students can sign up for one, two or all three days. There is no cost to register and VCSU offers up to $75 in mileage reimbursement available to each participant.
- June 9 – Water Quality Day: Students will travel to local lakes/streams to collect water samples and then bring them back to VCSU to test the water quality.
- June 10 – Macroinvertebrate Day: Students will travel to a local stream to collect aquatic insects and sample mussels. Students will identify the macroinvertebrates at VCSU and learn about their use in assessing water quality.
- June 11 – Fish Day: Students will sample fish in a local stream. They will learn about fish stomach contents and how to age fish at VCSU.
Registration link for STEM Explorers
Splashin’ Around at Prairie Waters | July 20 – 22, 2026
This camp is designed for kids entering 5th and 6th grades. Activities include:
- Wading in streams
- Find out what lives in our waters with a water hunt
- Learn about stream health and do water testing
- Other fun outdoor activities
There is a $95.00 registration fee that includes lunch, snacks, a t-shirt and transportation from VCSU – the bus leaves campus at 8 a.m. and returns at 5 p.m. each day. Financial assistance with the registration fee is available by contacting Ellen Fehr at prairie.waters@vcsu.edu.
Splashin’ Online Registration Link
Fishin’ Around the Prairie Waters | July 27 – 29, 2026
This camp is designed for kids entering 7th and 8th grades. Activities include:
- Exploring fish habitats
- Canoeing the Sheyenne River
- Boat fishing
- Catching fish without fishing rods
- Other fun outdoor activities
There is a $95.00 registration fee that includes lunch, snacks, a t-shirt and transportation from VCSU – the bus leaves campus at 8 a.m. and returns at 5 p.m. each day. Financial assistance with the registration fee is available by contacting Ellen Fehr at prairie.waters@vcsu.edu.