Summer Program

Registration now open!

St. Mary’s Academy camps are filled with adventures, hands-on activities, and a variety of fun games to pique every girl’s interests. Current SMA students serve as camp counselors, facilitating valuable learning experiences and mentoring campers. Attending summer camp is the perfect way to familiarize yourself with the unique educational culture and community of St. Mary’s.

Read more about each camp in the descriptions below. Camps are for girls entering either grades 5-6 or 7-8 this fall. Information about drop-off/pick-up, cancellation policies, and more is available on our FAQ page.

*Athletics camp information available during Spring Break

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Grades 5-6

June 27 - July 1, The Leadership Collaborative

The Leadership Collaborative | Girls Entering 5^th and 6^th Grade
June 27-July 1 (9am-4pm Monday-Thursday and Friday 9am-12:30pm)
Topic: Leadership
Price: $325

If you’re interested in growing (or finding!) your leadership strengths alongside other powerful girls, this is the camp for you. During the week, campers will learn more about their leadership style, work on communication techniques, practice playing different roles on a team, and grow their own confidence while encouraging and supporting each other. High school mentors facilitate empowering experiences that allow girls to explore their unique gifts free from judgment. In addition to leadership activities, campers will have lots of time to craft, play games, and form new friendships. Campers leave this transformative camp a step ahead, with greater self-awareness and new leadership skills to embrace the coming school year!

Camp Director | Caitlin Whitty '08, St. Mary’s Academy Director of Service

July 5 - 8, SMArts Camp

SMArts Camp | Girls Entering 5^th and 6^th Grade
July 5-8 (9am-4pm Tuesday-Friday)
Topic: Visual Arts
Price: $300

Explore your creativity by diving into new artistic mediums while making new friends. Spend a week at St. Mary’s Academy exploring and creating using clay, watercolor paint, sculpture, photography, and drawing. We will peruse the collection of the Portland Art Museum and learn more about historic and contemporary artists. Join us for indoor and outdoor art fun; no art experience necessary!

Camp Directors | Julia Grieve and E.K. Metsker, St. Mary’s Academy Art Teachers

July 11 - 15, Inside the Human Body

Inside the Human Body | Girls Entering 5^th and 6^th Grade
July 11 – 15 (9am-4pm Monday-Thursday and Friday 9am-12:30pm)
Topic: Anatomy
Price: $325

Investigate the wonders of the human body in this fun, interactive camp. A variety of craft projects will help campers identify the components of and understand the relationship between the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. These future scientists and physicians will actively participate in lab experiments, including dissections of cow eyes and pig hearts. Multiple body systems will be examined so that campers leave with greater scientific knowledge and meaningful ways to care for their own bodies.

Camp Director | Savannah Scott, St. Mary’s Academy Anatomy and Physiology Teacher

July 18 - 22, Center Stage at SMA

Center Stage at SMA | Girls Entering 5^th - 6^th Grade
July 18 – 22 (9am-4pm Monday-Thursday and Friday 9am-12:30pm)
Topic: Theatre
Price: $325

Build confidence and prepare for a future in the spotlight! Campers will gain valuable theatre skills through exercises and games facilitated by St. Mary’s Academy high school mentors. Take advantage of unique adventures in downtown Portland including lunch on the waterfront and backstage tours of local theatre venues (if COVID protocols allow). This week concludes with a showcase of performances developed by campers. Don’t miss out on the chance to take center stage at St. Mary’s Academy!

Camp Director | Jordan Beck, Guest Theatre Teacher

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Grades 7-8

June 27 - July 1, The Babysitter's Club

The Babysitter’s Club | Girls Entering 7^th and 8^th Grade
June 27-June 30 (9am-4pm Monday-Thursday) and optional July 1 (Friday 9am-12:30pm)
Topic: Life/Entrepreneurial Skills

4-Day Price: $300
5-Day Price with CPR/First Aid Certification: $350

4-Day Camp Option: Join our SMA staff and student leaders for a week of babysitting skill-building and fun! Campers will learn the fundamentals of babysitting from safety and child-development to entrepreneurial and business-skills. All the while, we’ll incorporate fun and play into our week! Campers will play games, do arts and crafts, dance, and enjoy a week of lively entertainment together. There will be a focus on problem-solving, how to navigate new or unfamiliar situations when you’re “in charge,” and practical skills that will serve new and experienced babysitters alike. Students will determine how to market their babysitting business, determine fair pricing, exchange professional communication with families, and set up appropriate expectations for all. These leadership skills can easily be transferred into daily life as campers grow in their independence as middle-schoolers and consider future leadership and job opportunities.

5-Day Camp Option First Aid/CPR Certification: As an optional skill-building experience, families can sign their camper up for a half-day training on Friday. During this time, third-party trainers will provide CPR/First Aid training and certification. Not only does this training make students more marketable and well-prepared sitters, it is also a transferrable skill for life outside babysitting! Students who wish to gain official CPR/First Aid certification must enroll in this 5-day option.

Camp Director | Maura Timoney-DeVille '09, St. Mary’s Academy Director of Retreats

June 27 - July 1, SMArts Camp

SMArts Camp | Girls Entering 7^th and 8^th Grade
June 27-July 1 (9am-4pm Monday-Thursday and Friday 9am-12:30pm)
Topic: Visual Arts
Price: $325

Camp Directors | Julia Grieve and E.K. Metsker, St. Mary’s Academy Art Teachers

July 5 - 8, Cooking With Confidence

Cooking with Confidence | Girls Entering 7^th and 8^th Grade
July 5-8 (9am-4pm Tuesday-Friday)
Topic: Cooking/Life Skills
Price: $325

Grab your apron, and join us in the kitchen for a culinary adventure! Young chefs will learn a variety of cooking techniques by preparing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and appetizers. High school mentors empower campers to experiment in the kitchen and grow into confident chefs, and everyone enjoys plenty of food games along the way! Proud of their culinary accomplishments, young chefs will be ready to surprise family with breakfast in bed and tasty snacks for sleepovers. Whether you’ve never boiled water or you’re an aspiring chef, this camp is appropriate for all skill levels but is not recommended for picky eaters or those with food allergies.

Camp Director | Kelsey Hui ’10, St. Mary’s Academy Associate Director of Admissions & Summer Program

July 11 - 15, Dungeons and Dragons Camp

Dungeons & Dragons Camp | Girls Entering 7^th and 8^th Grade
July 11 – 15 (9am-4pm Monday-Thursday and Friday 9am-12:30pm)
Topic: Role-Playing Games
Price: $325

Whether you have experience with Dungeons and Dragons or want to learn how to play, this camp is for you! Daily activities include tutorials, character building, actual gameplay, painting mini-figures, raffles for cool supplies, and more.

As Wizards of the Coast says: The core of D&D is storytelling. You and your friends tell a story together, guiding your heroes through quests for treasure, battles with deadly foes, daring rescues, courtly intrigue, and much more.

Camp Director | Kirk Ellis, St. Mary’s Academy English Teacher

July 18 - 22, Inside the Human Body

Inside the Human Body | Girls Entering 7^th and 8^th Grade
July 18 – 22 (9am-4pm Monday-Thursday and Friday 9am-12:30pm)
Topic: Anatomy
Price: $325

Camp Director | Savannah Scott, St. Mary’s Academy Anatomy and Physiology Teacher

July 25 - 29, Upcycled Fashion Camp

Upcycled Fashion Camp | Girls Entering 7^th and 8^th Grade
July 25 – 29 (9am-4pm Monday-Thursday and Friday 9am-12:30pm)
Topic: Fashion, Sustainability, Design Thinking
Price: $325

Turn something old into something new and beautiful! Through hands-on design projects, campers will upcycle materials into mixed media collages, sculptures, jewelry, fashion, and more! Campers are encouraged to bring used clothing, accessories, and other objects to practice upcycling techniques during camp. While learning about slow fashion and clothing sustainability from high school mentors, campers will gain inspiration for reducing their own carbon footprints. A field trip to local nonprofit SCRAP Creative Reuse is on the weekly schedule—if COVID protocols allow. By nurturing self-expression, creativity, and true design thinking, this camp is perfect for the budding fashionista!

Camp Director | Kira Smith ‘14, St. Mary’s Academy Technology and Design Teacher

August 1 - 5, Camp Brave

Camp Brave | Girls Entering 7^th and 8^th Grade
August 1 – 5 (9am-4pm Monday-Thursday and Friday 9am-12:30pm)
Topic: DEI & Leadership
Price: $325

Be brave. Be bold. Be YOU! Research shows that girls experience a decline in confidence and willingness to take risks during middle school. Camp Brave works to combat this by celebrating the unique gifts of each camper, strengthening their sense of self, and instilling self-love. DEI Program Specialist Iris Martin brings a multicultural approach to camp activities that encourage girls to explore identity and their role as advocates. Each day of camp includes time for games, movement, and crafts. The week culminates with individual projects that dive into the strengths, goals, and values of each camper. Join Camp Brave to uncover all that makes you uniquely YOU!

Camp Director | Iris Martin, St. Mary’s Academy DEI Program Specialist

August 1 - 5, Science in the Summer

Science in the Summer | Girls Entering 7^th and 8^th Grade
August 1 – 5 (9am-4pm Monday-Thursday and Friday 9am-12:30pm)
Topic: Science
Price: $325

Girls take a fun, hands-on approach to science at St. Mary’s Academy! A variety of activities will engage campers in the basics of physics, chemistry, and biology including analyzing polymers like the ever-popular slime. High school students work with campers individually and in teams, encouraging girls to discover their potential as future scientists. Grab your goggles, don your lab coat, and spend a week exploring the science labs of St. Mary’s Academy.

Camp Director | Rachel Sloan, St. Mary’s Academy Science Teacher