Franklin College’s annual summer camp, CampGRIZ, offers middle and high school students who will be entering grades 5-10 in Fall 2026 experience and insight into the value of higher education.

Campers will learn from Franklin College faculty in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the arts, and interact with Franklin College students and alumni to gain a real-world perspective on the benefits of higher education. The camp strives to prepare youth for the future with information, resources and the mindset to experience the world with curiosity, understanding and self-confidence.

Campers are encouraged to choose one of the five hands-on learning experiences offered:

• Avian Adventures: Take flight this summer. Explore avian biology through hands-on adventures and research experiences. Band geese with wildlife biologists, dissect owl pellets to uncover predator-prey secrets and master the physics of flight with gliders and feather experiments. Build birdhouses, design nests and contribute real data to citizen science projects while sharpening observation skills through birdwatching and sound mapping.

• Clay Creations: Discover the magic of building clay pieces from the ground up. Try out cool techniques like slab, coil and pinch construction. Create a masterpiece on the pottery wheel. Finish your pieces with glaze and fire them in the kiln. It’s hands-on fun.

• CSI: Franklin: Put yourself in the mind of a crime scene investigator to solve mysteries this summer! Learn all there is to know about the science behind collecting and analyzing evidence from a crime scene, including DNA and fingerprint analysis, unknown powder investigation, and more. Investigate and solve a crime scene yourself.

• The ElectroKART Lab: Build. Charge. Race. Are you ready to hit the fast lane? Join us this summer for an electrifying adventure where you’ll uncover the secrets behind electric vehicles and clean energy. Design, build and race your electric go-kart, power it using solar-charged stations you create and learn how the sun drives all the excitement. As a bonus, you’ll also get the opportunity to build and launch a giant catapult.

• The Newsroom: Find the truth and share it with the world this summer. Each day offers a different adventure: learn to write a perfect news story, grab a mic and interview friends on a podcast, embark on a photography scavenger hunt, learn to spot fake news, and investigate a mystery. Transform into a curious and resourceful reporter ready to take on the world.

The cost of the camp is $275 per camper; however, students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch through their school can register at no cost. The camp will provide breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks for campers at no additional cost.

The camp will last from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, June 8–12, 2026. Campers may be dropped off as early as 8:30 a.m. and must be picked up by 5 p.m. There is free childcare offered until 6 p.m. for those who sign up. For Marion County and rural Johnson County campers, limited free bus transportation will be offered to those who are interested. Please contact Youth Programs Coordinator Mackenzie Taylor at mtaylor@FranklinCollege.edu or (317) 738-8861 with questions, to secure transportation and reserve your camper’s seat if needed.

Registration is required at bit.ly/CampGRIZ2026 and is limited, so register early to secure the preferred academic track. If the preferred track is filled, you will have the option of being placed on a waiting list.

Major sponsors of CampGRIZ include Hubler Automotive Group and OneAmerica Financial.

CampGRIZ is made possible through the Lilly Endowment Inc. Indiana Youth Programs on Campus (IYPC) initiative. IYPC is an initiative designed to support Indiana colleges and universities in their efforts to create new, expansive and enhanced existing high-quality, on-campus programs for Hoosier youth, ages 5-18.

Media seeking more information should contact the Franklin College Office of Communications at (317) 738-8185.