Visitors to the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs open a doorway to fascinating discoveries about paleontology among the largest concentration of mammoth remains in the world. Starting in 2024, The Mammoth Site will invite children ages 8-12 to make their own discoveries by opening a free, multi-day summer camp.
The goal is to expand kids’ comfort with—and access to—science. “Summer programming can get expensive, but we didn’t want the cost to prohibit kids from being able to participate in science,” said Seth Vandenberg, Science Educator at The Mammoth Site.
“We don’t want there to be anything blocking kids from becoming a scientist if they want to be one.”
Seth Vandenberg, Science Educator at The Mammoth Site
In support of the camp, the Black Hills Area Community Foundation directed a $16,000 grant for a structure to shade a simulated dig site. Under the shade structure, children will excavate, record, and interpret a fossil site filled with bone specimens.
This type of experience “helps kids realize that science isn’t something to be afraid of – it’s a bunch of dedicated people working together trying to answer questions and find solutions. Our hope is that kids realize they can be part of that process,” Vandenberg said.
Even if the kids don’t find a passion in paleontology, the experience may spark their interest in other fields like medicine or geology. In this way, the camp may ignite a broader journey of fulfillment and engagement for youth in the Black Hills.
“We don’t want there to be anything blocking kids from becoming a scientist if they want to be one,” said Vandenberg.