Mixed age group walking down a trail towards desert landscape with a large round camp map visible.

Field Trip Update

We're excited to announce that we will be resuming in-person field trips. If you are interested in scheduling a field trip for the 2021-22 school year, please complete our Field Trip Interest Form.

 

 

Field Trip Interest Form

Camp Cooper is Back In Session

Camp Cooper overnights are unforgettable - picture of student arriving with overnight gear.

After a year of strictly online field trips, Camp Cooper is now accepting field trip requests for the 2021-22 school year ahead. Teachers are encouraged to complete this simple form to indicate your desired program, dates and additional teachers you might be interested in coordinating with. We can't wait to see you and your students!

Wildlife at Camp Cooper

Here at Camp Cooper, we use a wildlife camera to capture candid videos of wildlife around our wildlife watering hole. Camera trapping, as it is sometimes called, is a way to observe desert wildlife in a way that is both intimate and non-intrusive. There's nothing more exciting than watching the videos from the previous day, and finding something amazing!

Bring Camp Cooper Home!

Camp Cooper Online is a free, online portal to environmental learning made fun and new, brought to you by our amazing team of educators. Activities have been tailored to being done at home using original videos, downloadable worksheets for older kids to complete independently or for younger kids to complete with parents.

Camp Cooper Facility Improvements

 

Major Upgrades Ahead!

  • We are excited to introduce Phase I of the Camp Cooper Master Plan: Eco-friendly bathroom and shower facility construction, replacing facilities built more than 45 years ago.
     
  • Energy-saving construction features will include: solar energy, composting toilets and rainwater harvesting to serve as a model for sustainable outdoor education facilities.

Learn More

 

Cooper Center News

Director Colin Waite speaks to a crowd on the amphitheater steps with a campfire burning nearby.

Cooper Recognizes Outstanding Tucson Teachers at Best Attended Event in Cooper History

Wednesday

On November 20th, Camp Cooper opened its gates for the first public event in over 18 months. The occasion was to celebrate outstanding Tucson teachers - teachers who had made a difference in the lives of students and teachers who employ hands-on learning in the classroom.  Attendance was a record for a public event at Camp Cooper.

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Former Cooper Center Intern Wins Teaching Award

Monday

Congrats to Maddie Schepper, University of Arizona College of Education alum and former Cooper Center Intern. Maddie teaches at Borton Magnet School and is being recognized as part of TUSD's 2021 Science Teacher of The Year Award.

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Image of Paige and their dog, with Meet Our Staff up top and Paige written below.

Meet our staff member Paige (they/them)!

Monday

Paige grew up in central Massachusetts and completed their B.S. in biology at Kansas State University. In an attempt to escape winter weather forever, they moved to Tucson in 2018 and joined Cooper’s educational team as an instructor shortly after.

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Compost Cats Demonstration Garden Construction Nears Completion

Nov. 19, 2021

We are excited to announce that the UArizona Compost Cats, UArizona Office of Sustainability and Cooper Center for Environmental Learning (Camp Cooper) have joined forces to create a garden space that incorporates a new compost and vermicomposting system as well as a native food plants and native pollinator plants garden. The aim of this demonstration site is to create and maintain a space that will allow Camp Cooper to utilize available space for educational purposes, showcasing live examples of desert gardening, traditional composting, native pollinators, vermicomposting, rainwater harvesting, and more. 

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Direct Your Tax Credit To Camp Cooper Kids

Nov. 13, 2021

Tax credits are a way to allocate your Arizona state tax payments to a cause you support. What could be better than supporting a classroom full of students having a Camp Cooper experience?

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Crowd seated at tables eating with desert in background. Evening light.

RSVP Today!

Nov. 4, 2021

As you probably know, we are hosting our Campfire Celebration on November 20th. I am meeting with the caterer today and I have to give them our final event head count tomorrow (Friday). Once our head count is set, we may have to limit admission to this free event. So I'm asking all of our friends and fans to get your tickets today!

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Cooper Center Events

Cooper Center for Environmental Learning - Tucson, AZ

"I am amazed at the effort put into the activities and how great the staff are with the kids"

- Parent of Tolson Elementary student

 

Cooper Educational Videos

Get to know our educational staff as they take on on virtual walks, hunts for flowers, share some of their favorite books and animals, and lead you in fun activities to do from home or in your neighborhood! 

 

 

 

More Educational Videos

 

Preschool Nature Day 2020 at Camp Cooper, Tucson AZ

"Exploring the desert with the kids was life changing. I'm not a Tucson native, so I learned so much!"

-Parent of Lineweaver student

Get To Know The Cooper Center

In celebration of the Cooper Center's September fundraising campaign, we hosted a live stream happy hour event featuring musicians and storytellers, cartoonists and crooners, researchers and teachers, as well as donors and supporters.

Thank you to everyone who performed, presented or donated during Happy Hour! Together with Tucson Electric Power’s matching gift we raised close to $12,500 to support our September fundraiser.

 

WATCH THE EVENT!