This after-school program is composed of intermediate and experienced student players with at least 3-4 years of experience with their instrument who wish to deepen their knowledge of music, and develop their artistic skills alongside peers. The program concentrates on advanced technical and expressive skills in chamber and full ensemble settings. Students receive weekly group instruction with emphasis on technique development, musical expression, and collaborative playing.

Public concerts will be given to enhance learning and reward accomplishment. This will include opportunities to play for senior communities and earn volunteering hours for community service.

The ensemble will meet for sessions on Wednesdays from 6-8pm, running from January 17th through May 15th (with no session on January 24th and March 20th), and culminate with a performance showcase in May 22nd.

The program is led by Katherine Roselli, who began her career playing the violin while living in Poland. After moving to the U.S. at age 16, she played in high school and university orchestras.  Katherine pursued her music studies at Mannes College of Music under Barbara Krakauer and Kean University under Sharon Roffman. She performed in orchestras and summer camps affiliated with the Paris Conservatory of Music in France. Katherine currently teaches orchestra in Toms River school district and leads the Kean Preparatory Symphony Orchestra.

Secret Agent Lab - Funky Forensics

Step into the shoes of a detective— uncover the science involved in evidence gathering and analysis. Using your observational skills, collect evidence and analyze the clues left behind. Recreate the scene of a crime using schematics. Use science to connect the dots and help sniff out the suspects in this hands-on investigation into the science of sleuthing!

Launching with Legends

Anyone can be an inventor! Discover the work of da Vinci, Edison, Tesla, and Benjamin Franklin and use what you learn to invent solutions to everyday problems. You’ll prepare a proposal and receive a patent certificate for your very own invention. Build your own catapult, and even launch projectiles off a large trebuchet! You’ll bring home countless cool inventions and a squadron of paper airplanes the Wright brothers would be proud of!

For ages 8-12.

Campers must wear sneakers each day.

It's the squishy, squashy camp that started it all! You and a STEAM Team of friends will learn the science of slime and design your own Slime Factory. You'll open your own Slimetopia Theme Park and fill it with different slimey lands like Under the Sea Slime Land, Mine Slime Land and Once Upon a Slime Land. From butter to bubble; from crunchy to glossy; from fluffy to floamy to every slime in between, we've got you and your STEAM Team covered (in slime, that is!). Don't miss out on this timeless Challenge Island bestseller!

For ages 8-12.

Campers must wear sneakers each day.

Customize your own Minecraft world and mod the classic game in this one of a kind class. Learn scripting and logic statements as you create your first mods. Students will create a wide variety of new elements, gameplay mechanics, and world generating mods to change the way you play Minecraft. Projects will be available on a password protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. Students will work in pairs or teams.

Students must own a Java version of Minecraft to take this class.

Tablet, phone, and game console versions of Minecraft are not compatible. Returning students can create more advanced projects that build on previous years.

For ages 8-14.

Calling all innovative and inventive kids to an adventure in STEAM and entrepreneurship! You and your STEAM Team will design, create and open new businesses every day: From PIZZApreneur Day SWEETreprenur Day to SLIMEtrepreneur Day to PETrepreneur Day to HAUNTrepreneur Day. Can you convince the island sharks that your STEAM Team's business belongs in the new Challenge Island Mall? Don't miss out on this-one-of a kind entrepreneurial experience!

For ages 8-12.

Campers must wear sneakers each day.

LEGO™ BRIXOLOGY

Our LEGO™ BRIXOLOGY camp was developed in partnership with LEGO™ Master Builders! Team up to build exclusive creations that will test your engineering abilities! Build carnival rides, paddle boats, mechanical animals, and even a vehicle that moves. Try your hand at nautical, structural, and even biomechanical engineering! Let the tinkering begin!

Mad Machines and Rocking Rockets

Whether you enjoy building or destroying structures, you’ll love this camp! Work with simple machines such as pulleys, wedges, screws, and levers, to build your own catapults! Experiment with tessellation with triangles and cubes. Exercise your ability to work with others while constructing a geodesic dome big enough for everyone to fit inside! Let the building begin!

For ages 8-12.

Campers must wear sneakers each day.

Floss on over to Fort Island! You and your STEAM squad will ride your balloon bus into into an unforgettable screen-free and violence-free adventure inspired by the world's most popular game. You'll play and engineer your way through Fort Island hotspots like Perfect Park, Pirates Cove and our Power Potion Ball Arena. You'll design your own skins, show off your favorite dance moves, and have a STEAMtastic time at this unforgettable Challenge Island camp!

For ages 8-12.

Campers must wear sneakers each day.

Robots! Path to Power

Explore the discoveries and inventions that have made robots possible. From learning how robots light up to getting them moving with gears. After learning the fundamentals, we will experiment with different sources of energy and even get to take a hand-powered generator home. We will see how these energy sources affect the environment and how they compare with sustainable energy while thinking about future energy sources!

NASA STEM Explorers

Developed in partnership with NASA, our campers will think and act like NASA innovators during this hands-on program inspired by the NASA OPTIMUS PRIME Research Challenge (NASA OPSPARC). Use creative and collaborative skills to design a mission patch, train like an astronaut, build a Mars rover and solve real-world engineering problems. How might you use space suit cooling tubes be used to solve a problem here on Earth?

For ages 8-12.

Campers must wear sneakers each day.