Space
Camp for
Interested
Visually
Impaired
Students
SCIVIS Creed
"We are all here to learn with our peers. Let us celebrate our similarities and our differences. Let us respect other cultures, religions, and languages. At our beginning, many were given little chance but due to the people in our lives, we find ourselves in a wonderful place with wonderful people. Let us flourish in our learning, find joy in our experiences and remember our friends and knowledge we gained at Space Camp." -- Dan Oates
Note: the forms on this site are specifically for blind and visually impaired students attending Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students. Go to Space Camp for forms and programming information for non-visually impaired students.
SCIVIS Facebook Group - for photos, messages, and other information about SCIVIS
REGISTRATION for SCIVIS 2025 (35th Anniversary)
will be late May - early June
Dates: Sept 28 to Oct 2, (departure Oct. 3)
Pricing:
- Camp, Academy, MACH 1 - $1395,
- Academy & Aviation Challenge MACH 2 - $1467
- MACH 3 & Advanced Academy - $1539
Airport Transportation: $ 75 round trip/per student. No cost to chaperone(s).
Early Arrival: $150/night/per student. No cost to chaperone(s).
Linen Bedding packs (sheets, blankets, etc.) are available for a rental fee of $10 for the week. This will be made available upon registration.
BUNK1 photo package FREE
SCHOLARSHIP applications are Open!
Eschenbach Optik of America, Inc. is proud to sponsor two students from the U.S. who are visually impaired to attend The Space Camp for Interested Visually Impaired Students (SCIVIS) 2025. July 15 deadline.
Age Requirements
Space Camp & Aviation Challenge MACH 1 – Ages 9-11, grades 4-6 at the time of camp
Space Academy & Aviation Challenge MACH 2 – Ages 12-14, grades 7-9 at the time of camp
Advanced Space Academy & Aviation Challenge MACH 3 – ages 15+, grades 10-12 at the time of camp
As always, I will be happy to answer questions by email scivis.oates @ gmail.com or by phone 304-851-5680. If you call, please leave a message or I will assume it is a spam call and block the number.
Hotels
There are hotels nearby for chaperones, parents and guests. The Marriott at the US Space and Rocket Center is the closest. Watch the SCIVIS Facebook page for group rates. Chaperones may stay at an off site hotel at their own expense.
NASA Internships
NASA Internships, Fellowships, and Scholarships (NIFS) at https://intern.nasa.gov/. Summer internships run from early June until early August for college students and from late June until early August for high school students. All student interns get paid. Contact information for students with visual impairments Dr. Craig Moore (craig.e.moore at sign nasa.gov) or Dr. Robert Shelton (robert.o.shelton at sign nasa.gov.
News!
- SCIVIS Graduation videos - many years! Thanks to Vincent Vazzo (Space Camp Hall of Fame - 2007) for recording and posting this!
- Why attend Space Camp? - Kate's Story
- YouTube of a Heidi Jackson singing her original song about space. She attended SCIVIS in the 2012. The lyrics are included on the YouTube page.
- A chance to Reach for the Stars
- Article from WonderBaby.org by students who attended SCIVIS
- Nic Boone, from Australia, attended SCIVIS in '99 and '00 is getting his Ph.D. in Astronomy. He is talking about his experiences at SCIVIS on YouTube.
- SCIVIS discussion group formed (Chaperones only)
- SCIVIS in the News
SCIVIS is actually 5 separate programs.
- Visually impaired students flying high at Huntsville's Space Camp (Huntsville Times 9/28/2011 includes video)
- A week long camp that takes place at the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama
- Coordinated by teachers of the visually impaired
- Accessible; computers used by students in the Space Camp Programs have been adapted for speech and large print output; materials and equipment used during missions are available in braille and large print
- Participatory - students participate fully (each student is screened based on their eye medical condition --limitations may be placed on some)
- Space Camp
- Space Academy
- Advanced Academy
- Aviation Challenge (Mach I, II, III).
- Robotics