Henry Hall Summer Scholars
Free Camp for Baltimore City Youth
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Duration
Multiple Days
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Grades
5 - 12
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Price
Free
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Where
In the Field
Overview
The National Aquarium's Henry Hall Summer Scholars program offers immersive week-long summer camp opportunities that bring aquatic science to life through hands-on experiences in different habitats around the United States.
The program provides exciting excursions focused on educational and career opportunities for students interested in marine and environmental science.
Henry Hall Summer Scholars Applicant Guidelines
Baltimore City Public Schools students in good standing rising into grades 5 through 12 and 2025 graduates may apply to take part in these endowment-funded opportunities at no expense to their families. Applications are competitive and include written answers and a teacher recommendation.
- Applicants are not evaluated on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identification or physical ability.
- Henry Hall Summer Scholar applications will only be accepted from Baltimore City Public Schools students in good standing rising into grades 5 through 12 and 2025 graduates.
- Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
- Priority will be given to applicants demonstrating financial need.
- Prior participation does not guarantee applicant acceptance.
- Before beginning your application, please review the camp descriptions available for your grade level and select your first and second choice camp programs.
Students who participate in Henry Hall camps may also be eligible for one-year $1,000 scholarships as they progress to college-level studies in biology, engineering, environmental science and aquatic science.
Application Timeline
- Applications will open in early January 2025.
- Please complete and submit your application by February 14, 2025.
- Submit your teacher recommendations by February 21, 2025.
- Applicants will be notified during the week of March 10, 2025.
Contact
Please get in touch with us at HenryHallCamps@aqua.org with any questions related to camp programs or the application process.
2024 Application
Applications are closed for this year's summer camp opportunities.
2025 Camps
Date: July 28 to August 1, 2025
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day
Baltimore's Inner Harbor is one of America's oldest seaports. Join National Aquarium educators to learn about the initiatives within the city to enhance, protect, and create habitats for our local wildlife. Tour some of the city's most iconic locations, discover the harbor's biodiversity and experience Baltimore's cultural history! This day camp includes transportation from the Aquarium to day trip locations and lunch. Three Aquarium educators lead this camp.
Date: June 16 to June 20, 2025
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day
Have you ever wondered what animals live in and around the Chesapeake Bay? This five-day study explores the Chesapeake Bay's watershed as we seine for fish, discover aquatic invertebrates and learn how to protect our local habitats. Spend a day kayaking in the Chesapeake Bay and explore the Aquarium's connection to the Bay. This day camp includes transportation from the Aquarium to day trip locations, kayaking instruction and equipment, and lunch. Three Aquarium educators lead this camp.
Date: July 14 to July 18, 2025
Spend the week at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Horn Point Lab on the Eastern Shore. Discover Chesapeake marshes and waterways through beach seining, canoe trips, water testing and other aquatic exploration. Visit an oyster hatchery, sail aboard a skipjack and tour the Chesapeake Maritime Museum. This summer camp includes round-trip van transportation from the Aquarium, lodging and meals. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on June 21, 2025.
Date: August 11 to August 15, 2025
Did you know that there are no natural lakes in Maryland? Spend the week exploring the shoreline, wildlife and unique biodiversity of Lake Erie, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world! Investigate freshwater lakes' challenges by joining the hunt for invasive species, exploring lake biodiversity and kayaking along a watershed unlike our own. Camp lodging will be at Camp Judson in North Spring Field, Pennsylvania. This summer camp includes round-trip van transportation to and from North Spring Field, accommodation and meals. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on July 26, 2025.
Date: June 30 to July 2, 2025
Join the National Aquarium and Living Classrooms for three days aboard the skipjack, Sigsbee, as we sail and explore parts of the Chesapeake Bay. Campers will navigate, assist with sail handling and interact with Bay wildlife. Our trip will also include fishing, water sampling, water quality testing and more. In the evenings, Sigsbee will dock, and campers will set up tents at our reserved nature sites. While on shore for the night, campers can play games and make s'mores around the campfire. This summer camp includes all lodging and meals and will depart from Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park. Three Aquarium educators lead this camp. Medically trained personnel will be on location during the program.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on June 7, 2025.
Date: August 4 to August 8, 2025
Travel to the white sand shores of the Gulf Coast to Dauphin Island, Alabama. Campers will spend the week at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, next to the historic Fort Gaines. We will spend the week learning about the dynamics of a barrier island through lessons on sea level rise and wave science and participating in marine engineering opportunities such as building an ROV or ocean drifter. Campers may go out on DISL's R/V Alabama Discovery to learn about Mobile Bay animals and how the Sea Lab conducts research. Camp lodging will be at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab Campus. This summer camp includes round-trip airfare from BWI, transportation to and from Dauphin Island, lodging and meals. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on July 19, 2025.
Date: July 29 to August 1, 2025
From prehistoric creatures to oyster pirates, there is so much to discover along Maryland's waterways. Spend the week in southern Maryland learning about the prehistoric past that helped shape the Chesapeake Bay into what it is today. Campers will search for fossils from Calvert Cliffs at Cove Point Lighthouse, kayak around the Ghost Fleet of Mallows Bay, meet with and learn from local scientists from the Calvert Marine Museum and more as we dig up the past. This camp includes meals and round-trip van transportation from the National Aquarium to Camp Maria Retreat Center in Leonardtown, Maryland. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on July 12, 2025.
Date: July 21 to July 25, 2025
Sea turtles face many threats to their survival, but you can help improve the odds! Join researchers to collect information on sea turtle life cycles, discover the rescue and rehabilitation process injured sea turtles go through and explore the coastal habitats of Jekyll Island. There will also be time to experience Georgia's beaches and enjoy beachcombing! Camp lodging will be at the 4-H Tidelands Center on Jekyll Island, Georgia. This summer camp includes round-trip airfare from BWI, transportation to and from Jekyll Island, lodging and meals. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on June 28, 2025.
Date: July 8 to July 10, 2025
The headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay are a treasure trove of history and adventure! We'll explore the freshwater tributaries of the Susquehanna by kayak and search for macroinvertebrates and other life existing beneath the water's surface. Learn about Native American tribes that inhabited this land and how they survived and thrived off the bounty of the Bay's upper regions. Investigate how modern man-made achievements have changed the river system's ecology and ways conservationists are helping species overcome these changes. This camp includes round-trip van transportation from the National Aquarium to Gifford Pinchot State Park in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, two nights of tent camping (tents provided) and meals. Three Aquarium educators lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on June 14, 2025.
Date: June 16 to June 20, 2025
Discover the incredible diversity of life on the rocks on Maine's southern coast. Explore rocky shorelines, learn about lobster biology and take a wildlife spotting cruise looking for puffins, seals and other marine life. Camp housing will be at The Ecology School at River Bend Farm in Saco, Maine. This summer camp includes round-trip airfare from BWI, transportation to and from Saco, lodging and meals. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on May 31, 2025.
Date: June 23 to June 27, 2025
Situated within the 300,000-square-mile Colorado Plateau, the Colorado River's Ruby and Horsethief Canyons provide a unique environment to learn about the wonders of the high desert. Join Canyonland Field Institute on a rafting trip from Loma, Colorado, to the Westwater Ranger Station in Utah. Campers will be introduced to archeological features (like ancient stepways that tell stories of past inhabitants) and view examples of unique geological features as they traverse the river. Our days will be spent rafting, while the evenings will involve camping at beach campsites. Along the way, we will take in the beauty of various wildlife while learning the technical skills of navigation and teamwork on the river. This summer camp includes round-trip airfare from BWI, transportation to and from Loma, lodging and meals. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on May 31, 2025.
Date: July 21 to July 22, 2025
Have you ever wanted to experience the life of a shark biologist? Join Aquarium educators in this overnight study as we delve into the world of shark research. Explore Ocean City's coastal marshes, dunes and grasslands; join shark biologists on a shark tagging cruise and learn more about ongoing research in Maryland. This overnight camp includes round-trip van transportation to and from Ocean City, one night's lodging at Salisbury University and meals. Three Aquarium educators lead this camp. Medically trained personnel will be on location during the program.
There will be an optional virtual pre-trip meeting on June 28, 2025, in preparation for this camp.
Date: July 14 to July 18, 2025
Cape Cod is known for being home to some of the best oceanographic research on the East Coast. In this camp, we will travel to Cape Cod and learn about sharks, ocean currents, waves, careers in oceanography/ocean science and recent research from some of the best research institutions. We will get to know the people and organizations working to unlock the secrets of the ocean and its inhabitants—all while exploring the nooks and crannies of the Cape! Camp lodging will be at the Craigville Retreat Center in Centerville, Massachusetts. This summer camp includes round-trip airfare from BWI, transportation to and from Cape Cod, accommodation and meals. Three Aquarium educators and an EMT lead this camp.
A required pre-trip meeting for this camp will be held at the Aquarium on June 21, 2025.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice
The Henry Hall Summer Scholars program and the National Aquarium strive to create a welcoming environment that prioritizes diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.
Who Was Henry Hall?
Henry Hall (1896–1979) was an engineer, world traveler, teacher, aquarist, inventor and philanthropist. He served as a mentor to Baltimore's black engineers, recognizing a lack of opportunities and resources for professionals like himself within his profession. His community involvement and belief in learning helped shape the Aquarium and its relationship to the city and its students.
Hall traveled the world, observing and collecting aquatic animals. He devoted his entire Mosher Street basement to the care of rare freshwater tropical fish, an alligator, an electric eel and a shark. In 1977, he donated his animals to the future National Aquarium, which opened in 1981. To carry on the late Hall's dream, the Aquarium established the Henry Hall Endowment Fund in August 1982 to provide free educational opportunities for students who attend Baltimore City Public Schools. Since then, more than $1 million in awards have been provided to these students through Henry Hall Summer Camps. Every summer, more than 200 Baltimore City students are given the opportunity to explore the aquatic natural world through hands-on experiences, making memories that will last a lifetime.
Hands-On Learning, Beyond Baltimore Empowerment Through Experience
Through the National Aquarium's Henry Hall Summer Scholars camp program, Baltimore students trade city neighborhoods for natural environments and gain a deeper understanding of the connection we share with water.