College for Kids is a six-week, summer enrichment program held at Penn State Behrend in Erie, Pennsylvania, each summer. It is designed to help students learn, grow, and develop critical skills over the summer months when school is not in session. Each week, students between the ages of 6 and 14 have the option to choose up to two courses to participate in during College for Kids. Students must be at least six years old at the start of the program in order to participate in courses. Every summer, we offer over 130 different sessions. Sessions are not guaranteed each summer, and may vary pending the student’s age, instructor availability, and course interest.
Currently, our 2025 Course Schedule (with class descriptions and availability) is being developed. We plan on having this information available on our website sometime in mid-March, with registration beginning sometime in mid-April. All course registrations and payments must be completed through our electronic registration website once it becomes available.
For questions pertaining to the program, please contact Jeffery Barber, College for Kids Coordinator at [email protected]. Please note that all correspondence for College for Kids will be electronic at this time.
In order to stay up to date on each step in the College for Kids process, you can join our electronic mailing list! Simply email us at [email protected] to join! Within your email, please tell us your first name, last name, email address, and inform us that you would like to join our College for Kids mailing list. Previous subscribers and attendants are already enrolled in the system. As a courtesy, we will respond (generally within a week) notifying you that we added you to our servers. Our system will then update you automatically when things like course descriptions and schedules are posted to this website, and when the registration process opens!
College for Kids Program Information
This year, our College for Kids program will begin on Monday, June 9 and will conclude on Friday, July 25. There will not be any CFK courses the week of June 30 due to the 4th of July holiday. Sessions run Monday through Friday each week. Morning sessions are offered from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and afternoon sessions are from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. If a student is an all-day participant, they will have a supervised lunch hour between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. each day. Students are required to bring a brown bag lunch to camp each day if they are an all-day participant. There will not be any early or after childcare options this summer. We apologize in advance for any issues this may cause.
Class descriptions for 2025 should be available on our website sometime in mid-March, close to Saint Patrick’s Day. Our registration link should then become available in April, hopefully around April 15.
While you wait, feel free to check out last year’s course offerings via the 2024 Class Descriptions button below.
Please note that this year we will be switching our College for Kids Registration software from Active Works to Camp Doc in order to align with other campus, programs, and activities across the entire Penn State system. As we transition between software, information pertaining to registering, cancelling, and other areas may change.
Here's your guide to Penn State Behrend's College for Kids program. Jump to any section below to learn more about a topic.
.Registration
As we navigate transitioning from Active Works to the Camp Doc software, please stay tuned for updates and tips pertaining to the new program! Thank you for your patience.
.Payment Options
Online registration is payable by credit card only (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express).
.Cancellation Policy
As we navigate transitioning from Active Works to the Camp Doc software, please stay tuned for updates and tips pertaining to Camp Doc cancellation policies.
Please note that fees can and will be assessed for any cancellations, regardless of reason, during the College for Kids program. The fees associated with cancelling courses are dependent on the fees charged via this new registration software system. We thank you for your patience while we navigate through this transition process.
.Program Location
College for Kids takes place on the campus of Penn State Behrend. All classes originate on campus unless noted in the individual class descriptions. Students are supervised at all times.
.Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedure
- Drop-off and pick-up is handled via a central location within the Fasenmyer Building, part of the Science Complex (unless noted in the individual class descriptions). Please follow College Drive to the end and turn left. You will park in the Prischak lot while you escort your child to drop-off and when you pick your child back up.
- Individual classes leave from and return to this central location.
- Classes utilize many areas on the Penn State Behrend campus, including outside picnic areas and hiking trails.
- Students may be dropped off no more than 15 minutes before the start of class and should be picked up immediately at the end of class.
- Students who are enrolled in both a morning and afternoon class may stay for lunch and be picked up immediately at the end of their afternoon class.
- Any student being dropped off or picked up during class time should call the College for Kids Office at 814-898-6871 to make arrangements.
- Penn State Behrend provides a secure drop-off and pick-up area for your child's safety.
- Parents are required to escort their child/children during both drop-off and pick-up.
- Authorized adults will be required to show Photo ID at time of pick-up, NO EXCEPTIONS.
- In case of inclement weather, please provide appropriate rain gear for our travels to campus classrooms.
Download a campus map.
.Class Schedules
One-week classes are scheduled Monday through Friday. Morning classes operate from 9:00 a.m. to noon, afternoon classes from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., and all-day classes from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
.Code of Conduct/Electronic Device Policy
The Penn State Behrend College for Kids staff is looking forward to providing your child with a fun, educational, memorable, and safe summer camp experience. Each camper has a responsibility to act in a way that assures a positive experience for all. All campers are required to follow these guidelines.
Behavior Guidelines
- Campers shall be responsible for their words and actions.
- Campers shall be respectful of others.
- Campers shall follow directions from staff members.
Prohibited Behaviors
- Endangering the health and safety of themselves, other campers, and/or staff or volunteers.
- Stealing, damaging, or failing to care for University or personal property.
- Continual disruption of the program.
- Refusal to follow the behavior guidelines.
- Inappropriate physical contact such as hitting, tripping, pushing, or biting.
- Using profanity or inappropriate language or displaying pornography or clothing or other personal items with offensive content.
- Bullying or acts of aggression or violence.
- Possession or use of illegal substances, tobacco, or alcohol.
- Possession of weapons – any object that may cause harm to another or place another person in fear of his/her safety may be considered a weapon.
Steps Taken for Failure to Follow These Behavior Guidelines
- College for Kids staff will redirect the camper to a more appropriate behavior in line with the behavior guidelines.
- If the behavior persists, staff will discuss the problem with a parent/guardian.
- If the problem persists, the camper may be suspended or dismissed from camp and the parent/guardian will be notified to pick the child up.
- Physical or verbal abuse to others will not be tolerated or if a camper's behavior at any time threatens the immediate safety of him/her, other campers, or staff, the parent/guardian will be notified and expected to pick-up the child immediately.
Failure to comply with the Code of Conduct may result in the removal from the program and/or additional fees. There will be no refunds given for campers who are removed from the program due to violations of the Code of Conduct. I have reviewed the code of conduct with my child, who agrees to follow these guidelines.
Electronic Devices
Cellphones are not permitted to be used during any College for Kids sessions at this time. If a device is brought to camp and is lost, broken, damaged or stolen, Penn State Behrend and the College for Kids program are not responsible or liable for the device. Failure to comply with our no electronic policy may result in the student being sent home early or removed from the program without refund.
Students who require the use of a device for medical issues like diabetes will be permitted to bring an electronic device pending a medical excuse. A medical excuse allows the student to use an electronic device for medical reasons only. Students with medical excuses will be held to the same standards and sent home early or removed without refund if they use their device for any other reason.
We apologize for any inconvenience or issues the new cellphone policy may cause and thank you for supporting our decision at this time.
.Lunch and Snack Times
- Breaks: Each class has a 10-minute break during each class session. While snacks are not provided by the program, students may bring a drink and snack or purchase these at our snack cart upon arrival to the program. Water bottles are always permitted and encouraged.
- Lunch Break (Noon-1:00 p.m.): If your child is attending camp all day, the program will supervise the lunch hour at no additional charge. PLEASE NOTE THAT LUNCH IS NOT PROVIDED BY THE PROGRAM. Children attending camp all day MUST bring a brown bag lunch.
- Food Allergies: Please be sure to note any food allergies your child may have on the Medical Release form required at time of registration and please notify College for Kids staff of food allergies upon arrival to class.
.About the Instructors
Penn State Behrend and College for Kids are proud of its roster of instructors that includes Penn State Behrend faculty and staff, experienced community teachers, and local professionals such as bakers, artists, weathermen, and more!
Instructors are hand selected based on a rigorous course proposal system and offer a diverse class selection in a safe learning environment. This ensures an ability to enhance a child’s education by challenging their imagination, creativity, and desire to learn, while allowing them to socialize and have fun.
Instructors are generally available at the drop-off location prior to class. Feel free to visit them during the drop off and pick up process. Instructor’s emails will also be provided via the registration process as well.
If you are interested in becoming a College for Kids Summer Enrichment Instructor, please contact Jeffery Barber at [email protected] for further assistance.
.Medication Policy
This information will be provided with online registration.
If at all possible, medication should be administered at home. Medications will be allowed at the Youth Program only when failure to take such medicine would jeopardize the health of a child and he/she would not be able to attend the Youth Program if the medicine were not made available.
The parent(s)/legal guardian(s) of Youth Program participants are required to disclose their intention to bring medications to the Program, especially to treat potentially life-threatening conditions (i.e. inhalers, EPI-pens, insulin injections). Upon arrival to the Program, parent(s)/legal guardian(s) should plan to meet with a member of the Youth Program staff at registration to review medication issues for a Youth Program participant and complete additional required paperwork if not completed prior to arrival. For identification purposes, a current picture of the child is to be provided upon registration.
All medications (prescription and over-the-counter) must be stored in the original product packaging and clearly labeled with the participant’s name. Prescription medication(s) must also include a label with the medication’s name and dosage instructions, as well as the prescribing physician’s name and telephone number.
All medications will be kept in a securely locked cabinet used exclusively for storage of medications. Medications that require refrigeration will be stored and locked in a refrigerator designated for medications ONLY. Access to all medications will be limited to approved personnel. The need for emergency medication may require that a Youth Program participant carry the medication on his/her person or that it be easily accessed (i.e., inhalers, EPI-pens, insulin injections). Penn State Youth Program staff will NOT purchase medications of any type (prescription or over-the-counter) for Youth Program participants of any age.
If a Program has professional medical staff on-site, then the medical staff may administer over the counter medications (e.g., ibuprofen or Tylenol) supplied by the parent(s)/guardian(s) per package instructions. Medical staff may monitor the self-administration of medications, if necessary, upon written consent of the parent(s) and/or legal guardian(s) and/or physician orders.
If there are no medical staff on-site, Penn State Youth Program staff will not dispense medications, but may monitor the self-administration of certain medications if necessary, ONLY upon written consent of the parent(s)/legal guardian(s) and /or physician’s orders.
It is NOT permissible for a participant to share any medications with any other participants.
It is the responsibility of the parent(s)/legal guardian(s) to be sure that the participant’s medications brought to the Youth Program are not left behind at the end of the Program. Failure to do so will result in the medications being destroyed within three working days after the participant’s last day at the Program. Absolutely no medications will be returned via mail regardless of circumstance.