S.C.O.R.E. Camp leaves behind lasting legacy

When Sue Renken approached her in 1986 about a science camp for her son, Marla Smith had no idea what lay ahead. Smith had ideas about day camps and park visits while Renken had a vision that was on a much grander scale. What transpired is a 35-year legacy that has touched the lives of thousands.
In 1986, Marla Smith was teaching junior high science and coaching at Imperial Grade School. She was also in the process of creating what would later become SCORE Camp. The first step Renken took was to create the Imperial Grade School Foundation along with the necessary 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. This was not an easy process, by any means, but an important one to ensure that the Foundation could receive donations and grants it could use to fund the science camp. The grant that started it all came from the Peter Kiewit Foundation out of Omaha.
Securing its name at the suggestion of Imperial resident Willard Rouze, SCORE (Science Camps Offering Rewarding Experiences) Camp was officially founded in 1989 and the first camps were held from June 12th-June 30th. From June 12th-16th, 1st and 2nd graders attended camp in the morning and 3rd and 4th graders attended in the afternoon. 5th and 6th graders attended camp from June 19th-23rd while 7th and 8th graders attended from June 26-30. In total, 166 students in 1st-8th grades attended that first year. The inaugural year of SCORE Camp was only open to Imperial Grade School students as Renken and Smith had no idea how the camps would actually go over or how many students would attend. As it turns out, the camp was a smash hit. In the ensuing years, a registration limit was necessary to ensure the integrity of the SCORE Camp goals was maintained.
That first camp was certainly one to remember. Smith insists that Renken’s enthusiasm and refusal to be discouraged were heavily responsible for the epic first SCORE Camp. After being told it wasn’t possible due to scheduling issues, Renken sent birthday flowers to the Director of NASA and, in doing so, secured the organization’s participation in the camp for several years after. That first year, they sent an Aerospace Education Specialist and their Spacemobile. NASA even organized workshops before camp for local teachers. Renken also arranged to have a B-52 Bomber fly overhead during the camp. Smith says that one of her most vivid memories is the 12 ft. Burmese python that was present for SCORE Camp in 1989. She says that it took several students to hold it and she has not seen a snake that large since.
From 1989 until 1993, SCORE Camp was held every summer. Beginning in 1995, the camp took place every other summer to accommodate the massive amount of planning that was necessary for its success. Smith says that even though the format of the camp has changed, the goals have not. The number of days, length of days, number of weeks and ages accepted have all changed throughout the years. Currently, students in grades 1-6, from any school, are able to attend and enrollment is capped at 330 participants. This is essential to guarantee small groups and hands-on experiences. Over the years, campers from all over Nebraska have attended. The camp has also been attended by students from everywhere from Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, California, New Mexico, Texas, Virginia, Hawaii and Alaska.
Smith says that certain concepts have remained consistent since the very beginning of SCORE Camp. Community support has been one of the biggest reasons that the camp has remained successful. Donations from local businesses and community members are essential to support the camp each year. Smith says that in order to “pay back” the community, SCORE has completed several projects including butterfly gardens, nature trails, planting trees, creating a recycling program and much more. SCORE also has several “open house” programs and shows that anyone can attend.
The Outreach Program that allows the public to attend large group sessions is another staple of the SCORE Camp mission. Anyone can attend these sessions and, in the past, they have included presentations from NASA, the Henry Doorley Zoo, Nebraska and Colorado Raptor Recovery Centers, Denver Children’s Museum, Edgerton Explorit Center, Nebraska Strategic Air and Space Museum and many others.
One of the main concepts of SCORE Camp has always been an emphasis on small groups and hands-on experiences. SCORE was designed to give students scientific experiences that are not always possible during the school year or in smaller communities due to time, location and other restrictions. Groups during camp are always small in order to give every camper a chance to participate and ask questions.
Another important element of SCORE that has remained consistent is the involvement of Master Teachers and scientists from across Nebraska and even throughout the country. Some of the teachers are even locals who volunteer their time and expertise to create unique learning experiences for the campers. In fact, volunteers are one of the most important pieces of SCORE Camp.
Hundreds of volunteers are necessary to make SCORE Camp run successfully. They do everything from assist Camp Directors, supervise campers, set up and maintain the facilities, provide snacks, bus students and much more. Smith asserts that volunteers are vital to the success of SCORE.
Throughout the years, another vital part of SCORE Camp has been the various grants–included one from the Upper Republican Natural Resources District–that have been awarded to the camp throughout the years. This, along with donations, has ensured that tuition can remain low.
Smith retired from her position as Project Director and Curriculum Director in 2017 and handed over the reins to Kim Spady and Charlesa Kline. Throughout her time running SCORE Camp, Smith says that safety was always her number one concern. Hundreds of students attend each year along with hundreds of volunteers. In all her years, there were never any major injuries or accidents. Smith credits this all to the hand of God and says that she felt He was guiding her the whole way through. Though she cannot pick out a favorite moment, Smith will always remember the fantastic people that she met and got to work with and the lasting friendships that formed as a result of SCORE Camp.
The final SCORE Camp, “Science Vibes” is scheduled for June 10-14.