Live in Canton? Registration is open!

Register now!

Live in Akron? Registration is open!

Register now!

 

Since 2012, Camp What If (CWI) has been the go-to summer program for middle schoolers to deep-dive into their city. Middle schoolers visit a broad range of organizations, speak with community leaders, and explore what makes their city tick. They take their learnings, generate ideas to spark positive community change, and create prototypes to pitch to an audience of authentic community members.

Camp What If: What Sets Us Apart

MIDDLE SCHOOLERS MATTER

Middle schoolers don’t just listen—they have a voice. Using our community-based design thinking curriculum, campers brainstorm hundreds of ideas, develop one with a team, and present it to an audience of invested community members during Friday’s closing program.

HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMMING

Camp What If is often compared to many community leadership programs offered to adults. Parents and partners frequently tell us they wish there was a Camp What If for grown-ups.

cOMMUNITY-BASED LEARNING

Camp What If is centered around a specific community. Middle schoolers from that community explore their city, meet community leaders, and create ideas that will directly affect their neighbors. In 2024, CWI weeks occurred in Canton, Akron, and North Canton.

pERSONAL + relational

Leading up to camp, our texts, calls, and emails ensure you and your middle schooler feel connected to the summer staff. By the time camp starts, we’ll know their name, excitement, and any nerves. Plus, you’ll get daily update emails throughout camp to stay in the loop!

After Camp What If, here’s what campers can do…

90%

confidently collaborate with adults and other campers

86%

learn to research real problems in the real world

94%

use their creativity and critical thinking to solve problems

85%

confidently present their ideas to adults and community members

*based on self-reported data from 2024 campers

Read about a real camper’s experience

 

Camp What If Schedule

While every day at camp is different, this will give you an idea of the flow.

During the first four days, we spend time getting to know each other, exploring the community, and talking to community leaders. Campers take all their learnings, dive into Design Thinking, and come up with ideas to help the community thrive.

After the weekend, campers come back for three days and we switch to preparing our idea pitches and prototypes.

The two-week camp concludes with a Community Ideation Celebration, where campers pitch their ideas to engaged community members and are given the opportunity to continue their idea launch in the real world.

Every day includes lunch from a local restaurant and plenty of snacks to keep our energy up!

Monday

Day 1: Ponder our adventures!

Campers ponder the challenges in their community by making connections between their initial ideas, their lived experiences, and their community’s needs. We introduce the idea that middle schoolers have a role in helping their community thrive. Activities are centered around empathy, relationship building, and getting comfortable through play.

Tuesday

Day 2: Explore our community!

We expand our view of the community through immersive Field Discovery Labs: interviewing community experts, going on community-wide scavenger hunts, visiting local organizations, and analyzing community statistics and stories. Campers learn how to ask open-ended questions, analyze data, and document their observations.

Wednesday

Day 3: Explore our community some more!

Another day filled with Field Discovery Labs, community guests, and real-world research!

Thursday

Day 4: Define the challenges and Ideate solutions!

Campers apply critical thinking skills as they reflect on observations and insights from their community explorations to define the needs and challenges they want to tackle. Then discussions start with ideation where no idea is shut down! Campers have the opportunity to generate their own ideas and collaborate with friends to improve their ideas.

Friday-Sunday

Weekend Fun! (at home)

After four days filled with playing games, exploring communities, and generating ideas, campers head home for the weekend with a fun take-home challenge designed to help them reflect on their first four days and prepare them for the last three days – creating and piloting!

Monday

Day 5: Create the idea pitch!

Campers divvy up into teams to start learning the ins and outs of what makes a convincing idea pitch. As a team, they identify each others’ roles for the pitch and start creating their pitch plan, all while evaluating their idea to ensure it’s needed and wanted, new and better, and able to become real.

Tuesday

Day 6: Create the prototype!

Campers spend the day finalizing their pitches and using the Create Space to build prototypes of their ideas. Using anything from Legos to cardboard and tin foil, from 3D pens to Chromebooks, camper teams build prototypes to include during their pitch presentations.

Wednesday

Day 7: Pilot! (and celebrate!)

Camper teams are ready to pitch their ideas to a real audience of invested community members! At our closing Community Ideation Celebration, parents, community members, and organizations are invited to hear campers pitch their ideas, give feedback, and help plan next steps! Campers are then given the opportunity to learn more about our What If You Could project mentoring program, where they can launch their idea in real life!

 

Want to register for Camp What If?

Camp What If: Canton is currently open for registration!

Register now!

Live in Akron? Registration is also open!

Register now!