SPACE QUEST
Discover your passion.
Hands-on STEM learning opportunities July 8th – 12th at Valley Christian Schools.
Space Quest is a STEM camp experience designed to inspire students in grades 5th through 10th in Space, Robotics, Cyber Security, and Oceans.
Quest for Excellence programs include unprecedented access to the International Space Station, an underwater ROV 900 meters beneath the ocean’s surface, individual robotics experiences, and a cybersecurity course for beginners.
Summer 2024
Space Quest at Valley Christian Schools
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This summer camp is to bring back joy, wonder, and inspiration through a hands-on STEM camp.
And it’s not just about SPACE! We offer robotics, oceans, and cybersecurity along with our ISS space program.
Quest Summer Camp is led by the same leaders that helped VCS win an XPRIZE (Ocean Discovery), launch an underwater ROV with Monterey Bay Research Aquarium Institute, and send experiments to the International Space Station.
In other words, our programs are created to do real-world tasks in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
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Campers
5th/6th grade
7th/8th grade
9th/10th grade (half-day only)
Dates
Session one: July 8th - July 12th, 2024
Full-day M-F; 8:30 AM - 3:15 PM
*9/10th grade - half-day only (12:15-3:15 PM)
Location
Valley Christian Schools
100 Skyway Drive
San Jose, CA 95111
Experience the pinnacle of educational excellence at Valley Christian Schools in San Jose, California, where we proudly feature an array of exceptional facilities, including our cutting-edge AMSE (Advanced Math, Science, and Engineering) center. Our state-of-the-art AMSE facilities provide a dedicated space for students to explore the frontiers of mathematics, science, and engineering. Equipped with advanced laboratories, innovative technology, and expert faculty, Valley Christian Schools empowers students to excel in these critical fields.
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The five modules Quest will offer for our Space Quest summer camp are the following:
5th/6th grade:
Space.100
Robot.100
Oceans.100
Innovation & Engineering Workshop
7th/8th grade:
Space.100
Robot.100 (or Robot.300)
Oceans.100
Innovation & Engineering Workshop
9th/10th grade:
Cyber.100 (half-day camp only — 12:30-3:30 PM; M-F)
Disclaimer: Many portions of this program can be found in VCS’ semester based CyberQuest program
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All of our instructors are current VCS teachers, mentors, and facilitators! In other words, our instructors are experienced and among the Bay area’s best.
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The cost of one week of the Quest Summer Camp (M-F) is $1199 USD per camper. (This includes lunch and snacks, which Quest will provide.)
There is a sibling discount of 10% for each additional sibling.
Spots are limited. Those who reserve their spots now (with a nonrefundable $100 fee) will have priority.
*The cost of Cyber.100 (half-day camp; 12:30-3:30 PM) is $599 per camper.
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What does a typical day look like for a camper?
Take a look this sample day schedule.
Our Partners
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ISS National Lab
For over 20 years, the International Space Station has served as a hub for cutting-edge research managed by CASIS. Collaborating with NASA, it aims to advance scientific understanding of space for the benefit of humanity.
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XPRIZE
The XPRIZE foundation is a non-profit organization that designs and hosts public competitions to solve the world’s most impossible problems intended to encourage technological development to accelerate an abundant and equitable future for all.
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MBARI
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute is a renowned oceanographic research institution dedicated to advancing the understanding and stewardship of the ocean through cutting-edge scientific research, technological innovation, and education.
SpaceQuest
What Campers Are Saying
“My daughter loved getting to know all the other teens in her group…. She came home both days with a list of teens to keep in touch with, mental notes of who was good at what, inspiration from Danny Kim's story, and probably other thoughts she didn't share with me!”
— Parent of camper
“Hi, Just wanted to express my gratitude for the incredible space camp! From exploring space to building a robot and diving into virtual reality, it was a perfect mix of fun and learning, Thank you for giving us this opportunity 😊”
— Camper (KL, Malaysia)
“It was an amazing experience and we got to do things we normally can't. I'm glad I made a lot of new friends through this camp. I'm also thankful for my facilitator for helping me throughout this camp. Thank you Space Quest!”
— Debbie (Camper)
“The camp has made me realize that everything is possible and to never give up on our dreams. I'm very thankful for the facilitators for helping us throughout the camp and guiding us. Thank you so much Space Quest!”
— Joelle (Camper)
Reserve Now
Reserve Now
SPACE.100 SPACE.200
The mystery of Space engages students as they build a heat experimentation platform, during which they learn grade appropriate concepts in mechanical, electrical and software engineering. They then create and run heat transfer experiments on earth and hypothesize what will happen in microgravity. Their software is then uploaded to the ISS and the results are returned for analysis. The whole experience is created to inspire students to aspirations that they never thought available to them.
Ocean.100
Practice driving your underwater bots at VCS’ pool facilities; go through a series of demanding underwater driving challenges.
ROBO.100 ROBO.300
Industrial Strength Technology
The Robo.300 kit is a gateway into the field of advanced robotics. While the goal of the program is to inspire participants to customize and expand the platform beyond what the kit provides, Quest does provide many components that allow for advanced functionality right out of the box. Raspberry Pi 4 is the computer founda- tion including, a high-performance 64-bit quad-core processor, dual-display output via two Micro HDMI ports, up to 4K resolution, hardware video decoding at up to 4Kp60, up to 4GB of RAM, dual-band 2.4/5.0 GHz wireless LAN, Bluetooth 5.0, Giga- bit Ethernet, USB 3.0, and PoE capability, which allows for a quick start as well cus- tomization capable of taking you as far as your imagination will allow. Compli- mentary components include pan/tilt camera assemblies, advanced electronics with I/O support, custom software with support for teleoperations, and a widget-based, expandable user interface.
Clever Custom Competitions
Customize your own robot to complete various tasks in the competition. Mimic the drivers of the Mars Rover by driving your robot by only using the cameras that you put on the bot. Students teleoperate through their computer browsers behind blinds or thousands of miles away. They can’t see the whole landscape they can only see what their bot sees.
No Limits Robotics.
CYBER.100
CyberQuest is a 5-day intensive course that provides students with a fundamental understanding of cybersecurity — led and taught by real industry cybersecurity experts.
Here’s what you can expect:
👩💻 4 hands-on labs
🛠️ Students will be equipped with industry-standard tools
🎯 Teaching aims:
📡 Wireless hacking
🌐 Web app hacking
🛡️ Host hardening
🔒 Network security
😎 Ethical hacking principles
✅ Upon completion — the ultimate hands-on cybersecurity challenge 💪:
🤖 Students defend their own robot
💥 Hack into other teams' robots
🎮 Navigate an obstacle course
