FFA members and campers pose for a picture on the last day of Chick Quest Camp, which was held during the summer of 2023.
At first glance, Camp Bio-Med might look like just another summer camp with games and activities, but it’s actually a week full of hands-on learning for middle school students. Every year, the Bio-Med Science Academy FFA Chapter in northeast Ohio hosts the camp, giving kids the chance to explore science and agriculture in a fun and interactive way.
The camp started in the summer of 2023, with FFA members volunteering as counselors. This gives older students the chance to teach younger students and share their love for science. For the campers, it’s a chance to try new things, ask questions and see science in action outside of the classroom.
“I think Camp Bio-Med offers such a great learning opportunity for the kids and counselors involved,” says Lylah Milligan, a volunteer from the summer of 2023. “Every second they spend, they are learning collaborative, educational and powerful skills — not just related to agriculture, but also to personal growth.”
Each year, the camp has a different theme. In 2023, “Chick Quest” focused on birds. Students learned about different types of birds, the chicken life cycle and watched chicks hatch. They watched the chicks grow throughout the week and learned about eggs and how new life starts.
Students gather around newly hatched chicks during Chick Quest camp, observing them up close.
In 2024, the theme was “Field Science.” Campers explored nature up close, learning how to identify trees by their leaves, digging into soil to see its layers and finding tiny microinvertebrates in a wetland area. They even listened to bird calls and matched them to the corresponding species.
Campers pause to explore and learn about the Bald Eagle at Beech Creek Botanical Garden & Nature Preserve.
This past summer, the camp switched things up with a “Murder Mystery” theme. Campers acted like real detectives, learning to analyze fingerprints, blood types, blood spatter and even extract DNA from strawberries. They learned how forensic scientists solve crimes while having fun doing experiments and solving mysteries.
Students work together while learning about the different types of fingerprints.
“I strongly believe that every kid in our camp not only has fun, but actually enjoys the learning part of it,” says Bio-Med Science Academy FFA Chapter Parliamentarian Charlie Kamenash. “We always have a quiet kid every year, but by the end of the week, I always see them smiling, participating and playing/working with their new friends. The amount of smiles, laughs and memories everyone makes each year tells us as the staff that we are doing the right job and we are in the right place.”
For the FFA members, the camp is more than teaching science. It’s about leadership, mentorship and giving back to the community. Campers leave with hands-on experiences, confidence and a deeper appreciation for the world around them.
Through Camp Bio-Med, the Bio-Med Science Academy FFA Chapter shows that agricultural education isn’t just about plants and animals — it’s about curiosity, exploration and preparing the next generation to be leaders, both in and out of the classroom.
