Creative Connection Series

Our Creative Connections programs are designed specifically to meet the needs of our youngest CTY participants. The imaginative and interactive programs include one-day and overnight learning experiences for students and parents at prestigious museums, science and nature centers, and aquariums. Program structure varies at each site, but every event includes hands-on activities designed to provide a stimulating environment in which families can learn together and discover fascinating new interests. We look forward to welcoming our youngest students and their parents to the CTY family!

* A note about our overnight programs: Unless otherwise indicated, families spend the night in the host institution. It is highly recommended that participants bring sleeping bags, foam pads, and pillows to these programs as they will be sleeping on the floor.

One Day Programs  •  Overnight Programs

 

One Day Programs

New York Botanical Garden • Bronx, NY
Sunday, June 2, 2013
In this fascinating program, we will observe plants to discover healing properties helpful to human wellness; visit a garden evocative of the Botanical Garden of Padua, the first botanical garden established in association with a medical school; learn about the therapeutic uses of plants by creating our own herbal blend using scientific observation of plants; and hike through a native forest to find out how its first inhabitants, Native Americans, used native plants for food and medicine. This program begins around 8:30 a.m. and ends around 3:30 p.m. Morning refreshments and lunch are included.
Cost: $95 per person.  CLOSED

NEW DATE

Monterey Bay Aquarium • Monterey, CA
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Begin the day by taking part in private feedings as you learn how the staff cares for the more than 30,000 plants and animals. Students will then join the Underwater Explorers Diving program, where they will get a “fish-eye” view of the Great Tide Pool by donning masks, regulators, and dry suits for a surface SCUBA experience. The Aquarium’s certified dive staff will assist students in the water and introduce them to the animals that live along the rocky shore. Top that with a special discovery lab experience and a behind-the-scenes tour of the galleries and exhibits, and you will have a day of marine discovery like no other! This program begins around 7:30 a.m. and ends around 3:30 p.m. Morning refreshments are included. Please note: Monterey Bay Aquarium requires all children be at least 8 years old and not older than 13 to participate in this program.
Cost: $175 per student • $125 per adult. Register now

Ocean Institute • Dana Point, CA
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Join us for a hands-on scientific adventure in the tide pools, open ocean, and the lab. Families will investigate how scientists study the lifecycles of tide pool animals by using microscopes, dissecting a squid, and visiting the touch-tank. We will learn how the changing seasons affect the shoreline environment and its inhabitants. The adventure continues with a trip to see the tide pools first hand, and then it’s on to the Research Vessel Sea Explorer to look for dolphins and whales! This program begins around 9 a.m. and ends around 3:30 p.m. Lunch is included.
Cost: $120 per person.  CLOSED

Monterey Bay Aquarium • Monterey, CA
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Begin the day by taking part in private feedings as you learn how the staff cares for the more than 30,000 plants and animals. Students will then join the Underwater Explorers Diving program, where they will get a “fish-eye” view of the Great Tide Pool by donning masks, regulators, and dry suits for a surface SCUBA experience. The Aquarium’s certified dive staff will assist students in the water and introduce them to the animals that live along the rocky shore. Top that with a special discovery lab experience and a behind-the-scenes tour of the galleries and exhibits, and you will have a day of marine discovery like no other! This program begins around 7:30 a.m. and ends around 3:30 p.m. Morning refreshments are included. Please note: Monterey Bay Aquarium requires all children be at least 8 years old and not older than 13 to participate in this program.
Cost: $175 per student • $125 per adult.  CLOSED

UPDATED

Beverly Hills Chess Club • Beverly Hills, CA
Saturday, August 10 and Sunday, August 11, 2013
This two-day program has been opened up for all level of players. Whether you are a total beginner or have experience playing chess, this program has something for you! We will: learn or review rules, tactics, and strategies; do a study of different types of openings and topics, such as king safety, pawn structure, opposition, and decoy;  play match games; participate in a simultaneous exhibition with skilled chess players; and take part in stimulating chess puzzles. Discover exciting variations in chess, such as Bug House, a team chess game played by four people, and Monster Chess, a game in which players have unequal armies. Focusing on chess strategies will be an integral part of the program which will be headed by International Master and author, Roman Yankovsky. The program will begin around 10:00 a.m. and end around 4:00 p.m. each day. Continental breakfast and lunch are included. This program will have different sections based on skill level.
Cost: $165 per person.  Register now

Overnight Programs
 

Mount St. Helens Institute • Amboy, WA
Saturday, July 27 – Sunday, July 28, 2013
Join us for this overnight adventure and experience a volcano at night. Be introduced to the ever-changing landscape of Mount St. Helens and the fascinating geological discoveries being made on the mountain; engage in hands-on scientific activities; take a night hike and learn about the stars; and visit the Johnson Ridge Observatory where constant monitoring of this active volcano is ongoing. This “campout” in the Coldwater Visitor Center offers spectacular views of the crater and lava dome, and sits in the shadows of magnificent Mount St. Helens. This overnight program begins around 4 p.m. on Saturday and ends around 11 a.m. on Sunday. Dinner and light breakfast are included. Families should bring sleeping bags, mats, and pillows as you will be sleeping on the Visitor Center floor.
Cost: $165 per person.  Register now

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