Eligible middle school day campers are those who will complete 6th or 7th grade at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. Interested students must complete the application packet (link at the bottom of this page) and send it to the Marine Science Station at the address or email address printed on the top of the application. Application review will begin April 12th and notification of acceptance letters will be mailed out no later than April 18th.
We will be hosting two Middle School summer day camp experiences: Each camp is 4 days in length and operates from 8:00am-4:30pm
Monday, June 3, 2024 - Thursday, June 6, 2024
Monday, June 10, 2024 - Thursday, June 13, 2024
Camp will be limited to 28 students per week (A waiting list will be established in case someone is unable to attend).
The Marine Science Station facilities are located on a fifteen-acre marsh hammock that fronts the Salt River to the north with the remaining sides facing the tidal marsh. Site amenities include dining hall, student classroom/wet laboratory with aquaria, a fifty-foot observation tower, waterfront gazebos, and recreational areas all available for student use.
The experience that students have during a visit to the Marine Science Station is enhanced by the fact that they are under the supervision of certified teachers and an administrator from the Citrus County School District each day. The station setting is an isolated community having continuous and consistent leadership.
During camp, the students will participate in various activities while exploring the unique coastal habitats of West Central Florida. Daily excursions will take students on exciting explorations of the fresh water spring systems of the area, the estuary system as well as into the Gulf of Mexico, where they spend time snorkeling and swimming in order to experience these unique areas first hand. The station has boats capable of carrying up to 15 passengers and 1 boat operator for field studies and excursions. All boats meet U.S. Coast Guard safety requirements for recreational vessels and are operated by the MSS Staff. All costs of operating the boats during Coastal Camp Citrus are funded through a grant from the Southwest Florida Water Management District and donations from the Kings Bay Rotary Club.