In 2025, we are continuing to hold a weighted lottery for full-day camps. Families have from Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 26 to indicate their interest in the full summer (June 16th – Aug 29th) or one of the 2-week sessions. The weighted lottery randomly selects registrants with additional entries given to students who have been historically underserved and underrepresented. Families not selected in the lottery will automatically be waitlisted. Once notified of selection, families will have the option to register for camps.

Why did you change registration to be this way?

• We felt and received feedback that our previous registration process was becoming too competitive, making it inequitable and stressful for families.
• We believe moving to a lottery system will help us become more equitable and inclusive. As summer camp slots have continued to fill more quickly each year, this new process will allow families to register at a more reasonable time and pace.
• The lottery will take more coordination up-front on our end which will require some patience from registrants, but we believe this will give more families in our community an opportunity to experience summer camp at ALNC.

How does the lottery work?

• Each child needs to have a lottery form filled out.
• In support of our inclusion initiatives, our enrollment form includes some weighted questions, which will help us identify campers who may have been historically underserved and underrepresented. These families will be given more entries in the lottery.
• We will randomly select registrants for the summer camp sessions from families who sign up during the 10-day registration period.
• Once we have selected campers, we will contact families who can either accept or decline a spot at camp.
  • If they decline, we will randomly select another camper.
  • If they accept, we will put the remaining families on the waiting list.

How do siblings factor into the lottery?

• Siblings will be paired together for the lottery. If one child is chosen for a session, their sibling gets chosen for that same session as well (with each put into their appropriate age group) as long as space allows.
• If siblings want to attend different sessions, you will need to fill out a separate lottery form for each child.
• This applies for campers in sprouts, tadpoles, polliwogs, wanderers and explorers. Adventurers will have their own separate lottery because they follow a different schedule.

Can I sign up for just one week of camp?

• No, we are only offering full summer (11 weeks) or 2 week camp sessions
• If you’re seeking a more flexible summer camp experience, we do have separate mini camp sessions from 1-3pm M-F that you will be able to register for 1 week at a time. This registration will begin on Thursday, February 20 and will not be a lottery.

If sessions are two weeks, can I sign up for two different weeks that aren’t in a row?

• No, the sessions are preplanned.
  • Session #1: June 16-27
  • Session #2: June 30-July 11
  • Session #3: July 14-25
  • Session #4: July 28-August 8
  • Session #5: August 11-22

Can I sign up for more than one session?

• To increase access, children who do not enroll in the full summer session may attend one two week session.
• There may be unlikely instances such as low lottery enrollment or cancellations where we may allow campers to enroll in additional sessions.

How do I know which price to choose?

• ALNC has 2 pricing options for families to choose from, a full price option and an access price option. The access price reflects a 20% discount off the full price and is intended for families at the 300% FPL or below. The chart below is meant to be a guideline based on 2024 income, but doesn’t fully cover all applications.
• WI Shares or child care subsidy payments are accepted.
• ALNC can offer tuition assistance. Tuition assistance requests are not guaranteed; we also lottery these funds in order to equitably distribute them.

When will I be notified and how?

• All registrants will receive an email on or before February 7 notifying you whether your child got into a camp session or was placed on the waitlist.
• Once a family makes their deposit payment during the acceptance period, we will send additional enrollment materials and information.

How long do I have to accept?

• You will have 48 hours to accept the camp session your child got into. You will need to confirm your acceptance and make a non-refundable deposit during this time period in order to reserve your spot. Please let us know if this amount is prohibitive for you and we can discuss an alternative amount.

Can I get on a waitlist?

• Once the lottery is finished and all families have been notified and accepted, we will create waitlists for remaining families for each session option.
• The waitlist will be done by lottery at random as well, so there is no way to update families on the order of the waitlist.
• If you miss the January registration lottery window, you can still be added to the waitlist after the fact in the event an opening becomes available.
• There is no deposit required to be/remain on the waitlist.

Can I make a buddy request for my camper?

• Once your child gets into a camp session, there will be forms to fill out and you can put a buddy request on those forms. In order to be paired, both campers need to be enrolled in the same age group and camp session.

Do I have to pay or make a deposit to enter the lottery?

• No, you do not need to make a deposit or payment to enter the lottery. You will only need to fill out the lottery enrollment forms during the registration window from January 17-26.
• Once you are notified that your name has been selected through the lottery, you will need to make a non-refundable deposit.

Do I have to pay all at once? How does payment work?

• Families who are accepted into sessions will need to make a non-refundable deposit to reserve their spots. Please note: Explorers camps add $10/week to totals below because of 1/week offsite trips. Payment plans will differ.
• The following payment plans are available for each session:
  • Full summer: June 16-August 29
    • Full Price: $3,850 | $175 deposit required to reserve spot; $1,225 due June 1; $1,225 due July 1; $1,225 due August 1.
    • Access Price: $3,080 | $155 deposit required to reserve spot; $975 due June 1; $975 due July 1; $975 due August 1.
  • Session 1 payment plan: June 16-27
    • Full Price: $770 | $200 deposit required to reserve spot; 50% of balance ($285) due May 1; remaining balance ($285) due June 1.
    • Access Price: $615 | $100 deposit required to reserve spot; 50% of balance ($257.50) due May 1; remaining balance ($257.50) due June 1.
  • Session 2 payment plan: June 30-July 11
    • Full Price: $770 | $200 deposit required to reserve spot; 50% of balance ($285) due June 1; remaining balance ($285) due July 1.
    • Access Price: $615 | $100 deposit required to reserve spot; 50% of balance ($257.50) due June 1; remaining balance ($257.50) due July 1.
  • Session 3 payment plan July 14- July 25
    • Full Price: $770 | $200 deposit required to reserve spot; $50% of balance ($285) due June 1; remaining balance ($285) due July 1.
    • Access Price: $615 | $100 deposit required to reserve spot; 50% of balance ($257.50) due June 1; remaining balance ($257.50) due July 1.
  • Session 4 Payment plan July 28-August 8
    • Full Price: $770 | $200 deposit required to reserve spot; $50% of balance ($285) due July 1; remaining balance ($285) due August 1.
    • Access Price: $615 | $100 deposit required to reserve spot; 50% of balance ($257.50) due July 1; remaining balance ($257.50) due August 1.
  • Session 5 Payment plan August 11-August 22
    • Full Price: $770 | $200 deposit required to reserve spot; $50% of balance ($285) due July 1; remaining balance ($285) due August 1.
    • Access Price: $615 | $100 deposit required to reserve spot; 50% of balance ($257.50) due July 1; remaining balance ($257.50) due August 1.
  • Adventurers
    • Session 1 (June 16-20): $450 | $200 deposit required to reserve spot, remaining balance of $250 due May 1.
    • Session 2 (June 30-July 3): $360 | $200 deposit required to reserve spot, remaining balance of $160 due June 1.
    • Session 3 (July 14-18): $450 | $200 deposit required to reserve spot, remaining balance of $250 due July 1.
• WI Shares payments are accepted. Families are responsible for any remaining balance not covered by WI Shares. If you need tuition assistance from ALNC to cover this amount, please indicate this in your lottery enrollment form. Tuition assistance requests are not guaranteed; we also lottery these funds in order to equitably distribute them.

How does tuition assistance work?

• If you have financial need for assistance, you will have an opportunity to indicate this on the lottery form. If your name is selected in the lottery, we will work with you on tuition assistance and financial needs as indicated on your form.
• ALNC may provide up to 75 % off the full price of camp.

Are there themes for each week?

• Yes, there are still unique and engaging themes for each week. They are listed on our summer camp brochure.

Are you offering overnight trips this summer?

• Yes! We are offering three 1 week Adventurer camps for ages 11-13 years old. The weeks will consist of daily offsite activities with a 1 night overnight.
• The dates and topics for those weeks are:
  • Wonders of Water: June 16-20
  • Adventure Your Way: June 30-July 3 (no camp July 4)
  • Geology Rocks!: July 14-18
• These camps will be included in the lottery registration.

We already know we will be missing days or weeks during the sessions we’d like to register for – will we be able to receive refunds for these?

• No. To account for our new more accessible enrollment process, the sessions must be used as a full block, and we’re not able to make exceptions for absences. However, the sessions are priced in bulk rates to account for this. You can still sign up for a session even if you cannot attend all of the days.

Whom do I contact with questions?

• Contact Lauren Mordini, Camps Manager, with any questions.
  • Email: camps@aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org
  • Phone: 608-216-9374