Camps, events, contests, and scholarships

Camps & Trips

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Young Birders Event: July 12-15, 2018 in Ithaca, New York.
• Camp TALON: TBA 2018 on St. Simons Island, Georgia.
• Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens: June 10-15 or June 17-22, 2018 on Hog Island, Maine.
• VENT’s Camp Chiricahua: TBA 2018 in southeastern Arizona.
• ABA’s Camp Colorado: June 23-29, 2018 or July 3-July 9, 2018 in Estes Park, Colorado.
• VENT’s Camp Cascades: TBA 2018 in coastal Washington.
• ABA’s Camp Avocet: July 28-August 3, 2018 in Lewes, Delaware.
• Teen Week in Costa Rica: December 26-31, 2017.

Conferences

• Ontario Field Ornithologists Alan Wormington Memorial Camp: TBA 2018 in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario.

Contests

Various birding clubs, magazines, and other organizations offer photo, art, and essay contests. These can be a fun way to receive feedback for your work, as well as sometimes get cool prizes.

Young Birder of the Year Contest: This contest is sponsored by the American Birding Association. Winners receive excellent prizes, and all participants receive feedback from the judges. This can be a great way to get critique on your work from birders highly experienced in a variety of birding subjects.

Junior Duck Stamp Contest: This well-known annual art contest selects winners for several age categories in each stage, as well as a federal winner. Plus, the duck stamp program supports the National Wildlife Refuge System and environmental education programs! For most states, the deadline is in mid-March. Check with your state’s coordinator, though, to confirm your local deadline.

Scholarships

Many young birders clubs and local birding clubs offer scholarships for young birders to attend camps and events. Contact your local club for more information. Additionally, the American Birding Association offers some scholarships for camps. For more information, visit their scholarships page. Also see:

• Cape Cod: scholarships from the Cape Cod Bird Club for a teen to attend the Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens camp on Hog Island.
• Western USA: scholarships from the Western Field Ornithologists for young participants in their Montana Conference can get scholarships to go.