Bend Science Station Programs

Bend Science Station Programs offers school year STEM classes, summer camps, afterschool and homeschool programs, scientific research, 4th Grade Laboratory Science Experience, SPARK, STEM Beyond School, field trips and special events, and teacher resources and training. School year STEM classes are 2-hour lab-based classes held once a week for six weeks on Wednesdays, and summer camps are multi-day day camps in June, July, and August.

Programs

• School year STEM classes — elementary and middle school students; 3rd-5th grade and 6th-8th grade · Wednesdays during the school year; 2-hour classes once a week for six weeks; morning 10:00 am-12:00 pm or afternoon 2:00 pm-4:00 pm / 2:45 pm-4:45 pm depending on grade level · $375 per session · Lab-based STEM classes with four sessions offered in the 2026/27 session schedule.
• Summer camps — 1st-2nd grade, 3rd-5th grade, 5th-8th grade · Summer day camps; multiple multi-day sessions in June, July, and August · $395–$615 per session · Hands-on, lab-based science camps with small group instruction and field trips.
• Scientific research — Guided independent research program culminating in Northwest Science EXPO.
• 4th Grade Laboratory Science Experience — 4th grade · STEM field trip to Bend Science Station for every public school 4th grade student in Deschutes County.
• Afterschool and Homeschool Programs — elementary and middle school students · 6-week sessions · Hands-on laboratory science programs.
• Field Trips and Special Events — Programming partnerships with local youth-serving agencies, including public and private schools.
• SPARK — K-5 · Inquiry-based science instruction custom designed for the K-5 classroom.
• STEM Beyond School — students of color, rural students, and low-income students in Oregon · Out-of-school STEM + SEL learning experiences to bolster academic success.

At a glance

• Ages: 6–14 years old
• Price range: $375–$615 per session
• Current session: Session 1: Electrical Engineering (Sep 30–Nov 18, 2026); Session 2: Life on Earth (Dec 2–Jan 20, 2027); Session 3: Design Lab (Feb 3–Mar 10, 2027); Session 4: Ecology and Field Science (Apr 14–May 19, 2027)
• General schedule: School year classes are offered on Wednesdays during the academic year in six-week sessions. Summer camps are offered as multi-day day camps in June, July, and August.

About the provider

The Bend Science Station was founded in 2002. Its mission statement says it inspires wonder in young scientists through lab-based experimentation, engaging them to be innovators and successful problem solvers. The organization reports 200+ science fair awards and scholarships, says student researchers have won awards and university scholarships, and says it taught 5,000 students from 40 schools across Deschutes County last year, including Targeted Title I schools and Spanish speaking classrooms, with 200+ teachers impacted per year.

• Teacher resources and training — Graduate-level training workshops, access to a science and technology lending library, and supported curriculum.
• Teacher Training | STEM Ed — Professional development for inquiry-based science training; includes access to a STEM Lending Library and NGSS/Amplify aligned curriculum.
• POP Science Online — K-5 · K-5 curriculum including videos and supplies developed for BLPS.
• OSU-C Teacher Education Partnership — Partnership with teaching programs at OSU-C to bring university students into laboratory classrooms.

• register 11/11 at 8:00 am — Registration date for Session 2: Life on Earth
• register 1/13 at 8:00 am — Registration date for Session 3: Design Lab
• register 3/31 at 8:00 am — Registration date for Session 4: Ecology and Field Science

Class size is capped at 14 students. Summer camp registration notes say campers must have completed the specified grade levels. Pre-registration in CampBrain is recommended for new users. Some sessions note no class on certain dates.

Last updated September 10, 2026.