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2026 Summer Launch Pad

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4-H SUMMER WORKSHOPS

4-H Summer Workshops are learning experiences offered by Extension staff and 4-H volunteers. Our programs are designed to provide engaging hands-on education for youth of all ages. A workshop is a great way for youth to make new friends, learn new skills or spark a new interest! Please take note of suggested age requirements when selecting classes. Youth do not have to be enrolled in 4-H to register for workshops. Projects made during classes can be entered in the Lincoln, Logan or McPherson County Fair!

*All Workshops are located at 348 W. State Farm Rd., North Platte (LLM Meeting Room) unless noted as otherwise* Office Number: 308.532.2683

TRACTOR SAFETY DAY

May 26 & May 27 | 9am-4pm Ages 14+ (including adults) | $60

LLM Extension Office Meeting Room

Federal law restricts youth under 16 from using certain farm equipment unless their parents or guardians own the farm. However, 14- and 15-year-olds can earn an exemption by completing a two-day certification course, which includes a written test and driving exam. Successful completion grants NSTMOP certification, allowing them to operate tractors and certain mechanized equipment on farms and ranches, and obtain a husbandry permit.

Instructor: Randy Saner

GET CRACKIN’

May 28 | 1-4pm | Ages 8-18 | $10 West Central Research & Extension Center 402 West University Drive

Youth will learn the steps of making homemade crackers while experiencing the difference between flours; all-purpose, wheat, and rye. Throughout the afternoon, participants will experiment with assorted seeds to create a delectable treat! Recipes to be make during the workshop include: graham crackers, sesame crackers, wheat thin crackers, and multi-seed crackers (This workshop is co-sponsored by a grant from the Nebraska Wheat Board.)

Instructor: Brenda Aufdenkamp

BUILDING BETTER BABYSITTERS

June 2 | 9am-4pm | Ages 12-18 | $45

LLM Extension Office Meeting Room

Topics covered will include child development, safety, first aid, CPR, nutrition, general care, and the babysitting business. A snack will be provided, and you must pack a lunch!

Instructor: Lauren Bergner

STEM ROCKET BUILDING

June 9 | 10-11:30am | Ages 10+ | $25

LLM Extension Office Meeting Room

Youth will learn the basics of science and engineering by designing, building, and launching their own rockets. This hands-on workshop encourages creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork while exploring the science of flight in a fun and engaging way.

Instructor: Lauren Bergner

WOODEN FAMILY

HERITAGE PROJECT

June 11 | 3-5pm | Ages 8-18 | $20

LLM Extention Office Meeting Room

Create a meaningful keepsake while celebrating the people who matter most! In this hands-on 4-H workshop, youth ages 8–18 will design and paint a custom wooden family heritage display that reflects their unique story. Participants will explore creativity, basic crafting skills, and personal

expression as they build a one-ofa-kind project to take home and treasure. No experience needed—just bring your imagination and love for family traditions!

Instructor: Caitlyn Jacobson

SMART CENTS WORKSHOP

June 18 | 3-5pm | Ages 9-12 | $15

LLM Extension Office Meeting Room

In this fun and interactive 4-H Smart Cents workshop, youth ages 8–12 will build money smarts through games, hands-on activities, and real-life scenarios. Participants will explore needs vs. wants, practice smart spending choices, and learn simple ways to save and plan for their goals. Youth will leave with practical financial skills and confidence to make wise money decisions every day.

Instructor: Caitlyn Jacobson

CLOVER KID DAY CAMP

June 24 & 25 | 1-3:30pm | Ages 5-7 | $30 LLM Extension Office Meeting Room

Explore what 4-H has to offer, create 2-4 projects to enter in county fair, and make a healthy snack. Choose the date that works best for you (1 day camp offered twice)

Instructor: Lauren Bergner

NORTH PLATTE SCHOOLS Summer Workshops

ADAMS SCHOOL

1200 McDonald Rd

POWER PLAY: BUILD IT, BREAK IT, FIX IT

June 29-July 2 | 9-11:30am

Grade: 6-8

Amy Black

Explore and create with Electrical Circuits Students will define and differentiate between open, closed and short cirucuits

Students will identify and explain roles of power sources and conductors

Students will define, brainstorm, construct and refine circuit design

Students will construct functional closed circuit power devices such as flashlights, games, or cardboard house. Explore how electricity works and create different designs using electrical circuits.

SUMMER FUN WITH STEAM: BUILD, CREATE & THINK LIKE AN ENGINEER

June 29-July 2

Grade: 3-5

Amy Black

This class is perfect for curious kids who love to create, take things apart, build things, and figure out how the world works—while making new friends along the way. Give your child a summer experience that’s fun, handson, and secretly super educational. In this engaging STEAM course (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math), students in grades 3–5 will explore exciting challenges that

spark curiosity and creativity. Through building projects, team challenges, and creative problem-solving activities, kids will learn how to think like engineers—without it ever feeling like “school.”

DEVELOP YOUR CREATIVE CODING SKILLS

July 6-10

Grade: 3-5

Amy Black

Learn the basics of coding and develop an understanding of how coding works. We will use a variety of fun activities and programs to code different robots and computer games.

RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE-BUILD YOUR OWN!

July 6-10 | 9am-Noon

Grade: 6-8

Amy Black

Using a variety of materials and your creativity make a monster maze of moving parts that will amaze everyone around. Students will understand physic concepts such as energy transfer, force and gravity all with the use of simple machines.

WWII: THE STORIES, THE CHOICES & WHY IT STILL MATTERS

July 6-23 | M,W,Th | 1:30-3:00pm

Grade: 7-10

Arttie Parker

Ever wonder how the world ended up in the biggest war in history? Or how regular people your age lived through it? In this three-week class, we’ll break down World War II in a way that’s real, relatable, and honestly kind of mindblowing. You won’t just memorize dates—you’ll explore the people, the choices, and the lessons that still shape our world today.

HAPPY HANDS ART

July 13-15 | 10:30am-12:30pm

Grade: K-3

Emily Drake

Messy Masterpieces is a hands-on art class that encourages creativity through process-based, experimental art. Students will explore splatter, drip, and mixed-media techniques while learning that art is about creativity, not perfection.

HAPPY HANDS ART II

July 13-15 | 10:30am-12:30pm

Grade: K-3

Emily Drake

Different project than the previous Happy Hands class; Messy Masterpieces is a hands-on art class that encourages creativity through process-based, experimental art. Students will explore splatter, drip, and mixed-media techniques while learning that art is about creativity, not perfection.

EARTH DETECTIVES

July 28-30 | 9am-Noon

Grade: 3-5

Tara Foster

Outdoor Education Activities & STEM

This class will immerse students in the great outdoors, while they learn a variety of skills including observation, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking through activities and STEM challenges. Students will collaborate to solve real world challenges through STEM activites.

NPHS

1220 W. 2nd

POWDER PUFF

AUTO CLINIC

July 6-10 | 9am-Noon

Grade: 9-12

Johnny Zogg

Teaching a girls only auto class with the basics. Checking fluids maintenance items under the hood of the car, Changing a tire, How to find simple repair information about your vehicle, changing your own oil.

AUTO CLINIC

July 6-10 | 1-3pm

Grade: 9-12

Johnny Zogg

Auto class with the basics. Checking fluids maintenance items under the hood of the car, Changing a tire, How to find simple repair information about your vehicle, changing your own oil.

ART & ANIMATION

July 7-9

Grade: 3-5

Bailey Mason & Phil Willey

This three-day course will consist of three-hour sessions each day. On the first day, students will focus on developing foundational artistic skills. The second day will center on photographing their artwork for stop-motion animation, allowing them to create short videos. On the third and final day, students will learn how their images are transformed into video, participate in an open art studio session, and conclude with an exhibition of their artwork.

MONEY IRL

July 13-16 | 1-4pm

Grade: 9-12

Kathy Welte

Personal Finance Essentials is a hands-on summer course designed to help students build real-world money skills they will use immediately and throughout adulthood. The class focuses on the fundamentals of budgeting, banking, and taxes, giving students practical experience with managing income, expenses, and financial responsibilities.

Students will create a personal budget based on real-life scenarios, learn how checking and savings accounts work, practice reading bank statements, and understand how to make smart banking decisions. The course also introduces students to the basics of taxes, including understanding paychecks, W-2s, and simple tax forms, so they

know what happens to their money before and after it reaches them. The class emphasizes active learning through simulations, case studies, budgeting challenges, and real-world examples. By the end of the course, students will leave with confidence in handling everyday financial tasks and a foundation for making informed financial decisions.

STITCH LAB

July 13-17 | 1-4pm

Grade: 9-12

Liz Odle

Sewing 101- Come learn how to sew. We will start simple with a bag, move on to reading a pattern with a project of your choice.

LET’S MAKE A PODCAST

July 14-16

Grade: 6-8

Philep Willey

A three day journey where students where students will ultimately create their own show. Students learn the basics of podcasting, including communication and interview skills, episode planning and scripting, basic audio production, and how to record, publish, and share a podcast episode.

Community College | 601 W. State Farm Rd.

ANIMATION 1.0

Section 1: July 20-23 | Section 2: July 27-30

Ages 9-12 | 10am-Noon | Mon-Thurs | Erica Larsen-Dockray

$85 before April 15 | $115 regular price

All materials provided

This is our entry level animation course taught by our founder and a staple of our program since day one!

In this fun, hands-on class, students will learn about animation history, principles, and concepts then create their own animations!

We will animate paper, clay, and more to learn principles of animation and other techniques that make it oh so easy to make something come to life!

Students who take this class will learn theories that apply to any animation technique they may decide to pursue. No animation or drawing experience necessary, but a spirit of exploration is required!

Students who may want to participate in our animation

Afternoon, 2.0 or 3.0 classes will need to take this class first.

ANIMATION 2.0

CHARACTER ANIMATION BASICS

Prerequisite:

Animation 1.0/Animation Playground/By approval*

Section 1: July 20-23 | Section 2: July 27-30

Ages 10+ | 1-4pm | Mon-Thurs | Erica Larsen-Dockray

$100 before April 15 | $150 regular price

All materials provided

This course, made especially for our returning animation students, covers basics of character animation including walk and run cycles, acting, and creating dance loops for a super fun animated dance party!

Using found footage and/or recording their own reference videos, students get to animate pretty much any action they want! This allows us to play with every frame and further understand all the amazing ways animation can make any action look totally unique and interesting! !

Students will have the option to bring their characters to life using a technique they are most comfortable with including 2D digital animation on the iPads, table top or downshooter stop motion, hand drawn, pixilation and more!

Students are welcome to bring in characters they’ve created and any actions they want to try and make them do.

Come join us for a super fun way to get into character!

*Students who want to take this course need to have taken an animation class with us in the past. Anyone who has not previously participated in our animation classes can email us to inquire about participating.

**Younger students can register if they are familiar with file management and recording video.

We are working on flying out industry professionals to North Platte to add more amazing offerings to this line up! Please check out our website at calibraska.org for new classes and to subscribe to our newsletter so you are the first to know when they drop!

Mid-Plains

AROUND TOWN

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

Date | 5:30pm | Ages 4-10 | FREE csorls@hotmail.com | 308-534-7004

Activities include Sunday and midweek worship services, several adult Bible studies, womens missionary groups and a faith based preschool.

YOUTH MENTORING & GROUP ACTIVITIES

January 1-December 31 | 5:30pm Ages 7-10 Grades K-7 | FREE mentor@communityconnectionslc.org 308-696-0975

Community-based mentoring program that matches young people with a caring adult mentor to spend 4-8 hours a month together including our monthly group activities. Activities include a wide variety fun, engaging and educational experiences such as art, kayaking, stem lessons, tours of local businesses, monthly Impact Nights with dinner and monthly workout at Nebraska Athletic Club.

THE SALVATION ARMY SUMMER DAY CAMP

May 18-August 7 | 7:30am

Grades K-7 | Volunteers grades 8-12 $700 for full summer vicki.collins@usc.salvationarmy.org 308-532-2038

We offer a Day Camp that serves 75 youth from K to 7th grade. Also a volunteer program for 8th-12th graders. Summer staff w/ 2 weeks of training and 10 weeks of day camp.

EDUCATIONAL ARTS CENTER

May 26-August 6 | 10am 1hr Classes | 3hr Open Studios

All age | $16+ holly@prairieartscenter.org 308-534-5122

Kids classes, summer workshops, open ceramics, galleries.

BUILDING CHARACTER THEATRE CAMPS

June 1-5 | 9am-3pm

Grades 5-12 | $150

Performance June 5 | 6pm

June 9-12 | 1-5pm

Grades 1-4 | $100

Performance June 12 | 6pm

suemckain@gmail.com

308-696-0975

NPCP offers 2 theatre camps for kids. We will hold auditions for the full production on June 15.

BETHEL BIBLE CAMP

Non-denominational summer Bible Camp

HIGH SCHOOL CAMP

June 1-6 | 4:30pm | Grades 9-12

$70 ($60 early bird registration) camp@bethelbiblecamp.org 425-308-4203

JUNIOR 2 CAMP

June 8-13 | 4:30pm | Ages 10-13

$60 ($50 early bird registration) camp@bethelbiblecamp.org 425-308-4203

JUNIOR 2 CAMP

June 23-27 | 4:30pm | Ages 7-10

$50 ($40 early bird registration) camp@bethelbiblecamp.org 425-308-4203

BRIGHT MINDS

SUMMER ART CAMP

Tuesdays

June 2-July 30 | 9-11am or 5-7pm Ages 5-9 | $30

Thursdays

June 2-July 30 | 9-11am or 5-7pm Ages 10-14 | $30

jaelyn.dicke@gmail.com

402-430-3282

Bailey and Jaelyn are so excited to offer a weekly art camp to kids in the community. We will be helping children express themselves through art! Kids are not taught art in schools anymore, and we are trying to keep creativity alive for these kids. We are substitute teachers in the NPPSD who love teaching students and helping the community. We will be completing several projects including; canvas painting, portraits, stained glass, bean mosaic’s, magnets, etc.

SUMMER CAMP & CLASSES

June 8-July 31 | 9:30am | All Ages Cost depends on age legacystudiooffice@gmail.com 308-532-3882

Legacy Dance & Gymnastics is dedicated to giving families a place for their kids to grow, learn, thrive and have fun!

SUMMER TENNIS CLINIC & MINI TOURNAMENT

June 18 | 10am | 1hr Clinics

All ages | $20 jared.daily@gmail.com 308-532-1112

Promoting tennis in the community. Rackets and tennis balls provided.

SMART CENTS

4-H WORKSHOP

June 18 | 3-5pm | Ages 7-10 & 8-12 | $15 caitlyn.jacobson@unl.edu 308-532-2683

2026

HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL CAMPS

July 6-7 |

1

2

3

*Please return registration form by May 31 to ensure t-shirt upon arrival.

Registration

To register your team for team camp contact Alexa McCall | mccalla@mpcc.edu

Format

Guaranteed six pool play games followed by a seeded tournament. Officiated by paid officials.

McDonald-Belton Gymnasium

601 W. State Farm Rd.

North Platte, NE 69101

Junior Camps

VOLLEYBALL | BASKETBALL

Volleyball camp | 10am-12:30pm Basketball camp | 1:30-4pm

June 24-26 | entering grades 3-5

July 8-10 | entering grades 6-8

$120 for both camps | $100 for one camp

Pizza by the slice and a bottled water can be purchased at a cost of $3 per day or you may provide for lunch on your own.

Camp t-shirt is free if application is received before May 31. If application is not received by the deadline camp t-shirts will be made available for $10.

Applications will be accepted on a first come first-served basis. Student-athletes are enrolled unless notified otherwise. Completed applications must accompany a $40 non-refundable payment to ensure a spot.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Parents have the option of having their daughter take a physical exam or they can waive the physical exam by signing the waiver on the application form.

npccknights.com

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