EDUCATION

Educational Programs

It can be difficult to engage children and adults alike in meaningful conversations about the environment in traditional classroom or lecture settings. Let the Ned Smith Center help jump-start those conversations! The NSCNA believes that educating individuals though hands-on, inquiry-based activities is the key to building an important and inclusive relationship with the environment. Students who receive a well-rounded environmental education are statistically shown to have increased self-confidence, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, personal responsibility, and academic achievement.

We believe that nature itself can be a form of art and that art can be an extremely meaningful way to express one’s observations and feelings about nature. As such, we offer programming on a wide range of environmental education topics, but also offer arts-focused programming as well.

NOTE FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR:

If you’ve visited the Center or participated in educational programming with us before, we are happy for your continued support and interest! Our program offerings, pricing, and scheduling have changed, so please be sure to thoroughly read the section relevant to your type of group before submitting a program request form.

Planning a Field Trip to the Ned Smith Center

Summer Camps

Join us as we discover our world together!
At the Ned Smith Center’s acclaimed Summer Camps, campers will not only experience authentic connections with nature, but with each other as well! We offer a wide variety of summer camp options for kids ranging from 4 to 12 years old.

Camp Registrations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Full payment is due upon registration; scholarships are available, please apply before registering. Registration opens on March 3r, 2025 for members and March 10, 2025 for non-members.

2025 Summer Camps

Summer Camp Registration

Summer Camp Scholarship Application

Educational supplies rental

The Ned Smith Center is happy to provide support to educators in whatever way educators might need, even if it is simply in the form of educational resources. The Center has a number of educational resources available to loan to schools or educational organizations, free of charge! We have several simple lesson plans and materials educators may find useful in their existing environmental education programming. To request supplies, please complete the form linked below and an educator will be in contact with you shortly. Please note that requests are approved based on availability of supplies and fulfilled on a first-come first-serve basis.

Supplies Available

Request Form

Youth Art Contest

This year marks the 32nd annual Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art Youth Art Contest! After so many years, we’ve seen thousands of entries from extremely talented artists all over the world. Because the contest has become so large, we are excited to announce some changes to the contest which will ultimately help us better represent Ned’s legacy and engage young artists.

Ned Smith was a wildlife artist who had a deep appreciation for nature and understood the importance of observing wildlife to better understand his subjects. Our contest theme this year brings us back to those roots, encouraging young artists to study their chosen subjects' relationship with their habitats and seasonal changes.

Theme: Gone for the Day: SPRING

This year’s youth art contest theme requires artists to depict a nature scene as it would appear in the season of spring. There must be a main subject (plant, animal, fungus, etc.) and there needs to be some inindication of the season being spring (habitat, seasonal trees/plants, springtime behavior, etc.).

Artists will be divided by grade into four categories: grades 1-3, grades 4-6, grades 7-9, and grades 10-12. Prizes will be awarded in each category: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention. One piece will be awarded Best in Show. Winners will be announced by the end of June and be on display in the Romberger Gallery at the Center.

Note: the rules and entry process have changed for 2025, so please read carefully to ensure your artwork is submitted correctly. Please read the rules at the link below for full details of the contest and entry process.

Contest Rules

2025 Contest Winners

Prizes provided by Blick Art Materials

Discovery Series

Join us at the Center for our Discovery Series programming targeted to families and adults. We host a wide variety of events from art workshops, to citizen science programs, to hands-on nature experiences. We always appreciate pre-registration, as certain events may be attendance dependent and others fill up so fast, you’ll be glad you reserved your spot early!

If you have questions about any Discovery Series Events during this time, please call the Ned Smith Center at 717-692-3699.

2025 Discovery Series Events

Discovery Series Registration