Every summer, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Atmospheric Sciences (NCAS) conducts a series of summer weather camps across the country for middle and high school students. These camps are aimed at individuals who express an interest for weather and wish to learn more about weather concepts and careers. In order to promote evolving camp programs, college level evaluators were hired by NCAS. Evaluators were tasked with the role of observing, analyzing, and interacting with various aspects of the camps.

NCAS weather camps contain a variety of activities and opportunities for students to learn about the world of meteorology. Speakers are invited to discuss parts of the public, private, and academic sectors of meteorology. Field trips to various locations near the camp provide exposure to weather impacted companies, NOAA buildings, and/or weather disaster areas. In addition, activities that teach weather topics within an open atmosphere are used to enhance learning. At some camps, students are required to work on individual projects to be presented at the end of the camp.

As the NCAS summer weather camp program continues to expand, the evaluation process is now an essential ingredient. This paper will describe the process and how it has helped improve camp management and experiential learning.