COMET students get a summer camp experience during the school year

For decades, the Science Museum has partnered with ISD 622 (North St. Paul, Maplewood, and Oakdale) for COMET (Creating Opportunities for the Multi Educationally Talented). The program invites students who are identified as gifted and talented to come to the museum and participate in popular summer camps during the school year.  

The fall 2022 COMET program took place in late October and early November, with close to 50 fourth and fifth grade students attending for a week at a time. They spent their time at the Science Museum participating in programs made popular in the museum’s summer camp season, like Video Mashup, Magic at the Museum, Get Set to Be a Vet, Intro to Chemistry, and Maker Space: Make Your Space.  

According to Summer Camps Program Specialist Jace Carlson, one highlight of COMET this session was its animal visitors. “We hosted an animal visitor each week from North Star Therapy Animals to spend time with our Get Set to Be a Vet participants,” Carlson says. “Welby joined us the first week and Nugget joined us the second. The students loved it, and the thank you notes they made for the dogs and their handlers reflect that really well.” 

COMET is a perfect example of a Science Museum program that is showing its participants the power and possibilities of STEM. It is a favorite among Science Museum instructors, as well as the students and teachers of the district!