Wisconsin STEM summer camps for neurodivergent kids may end after federal government cancels funding

MADISON, Wis. (WMDX) – The future of a local summer camp designed for neurodivergent kids is now up in the air after the federal government canceled its funding. 

Michael Notaro is the director of the Center for Climatic Research at UW-Madison. He started his first STEM camp four years ago in Beloit. The goal was to increase diversity in the atmospheric sciences. 

The camps include content from NASA’s youth citizen science program, and Notaro’s own training from Wisconsin Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE).

Since then, they’ve added two more camps in Madison and Baraboo. They’re geared toward middle and high school students, and inspired by members of Notaro’s family who are on the autism spectrum. 

“The goals of the camps are basically to support and foster neurodiversity, to encourage autistic and neurodiverse youth to consider pursuing science degrees and careers,” Notaro said. “[And to] build on active hands-on nature-based learning, to help engage neurodiverse learners.”

Notaro had applied for and been awarded grants from the National Science Foundation. That’s what funded the camps, until now. 

Because the camps are geared toward neurodivergent kids, the Trump administration sees them as a diversity, equity and inclusion program. The administration has been dismantling DEI programs across government, and revoking federal funding that supports DEI programs.

“It was disheartening. [I] was not surprised at all that had happened,” Notaro said. “[It] had a pretty hard impact. This was right before the summer where we’re getting ready to start up our three camps.”

The Coakley Foundation stepped up to keep the camps running this summer. Notaro is grateful they did, because families rely on this experience. 

“These camps help their kids develop advocacy, build social skills and friendships, really make them feel welcome,” he said. 

Families take long drives just to participate, because it provides such a unique opportunity for neurodivergent kids.

“In the last four years, we’ve had youth from middle school and high school aged kids come from 35 different communities across Wisconsin and Illinois. It’s across about a 300-mile radius,” Notaro said. “It’s a welcoming experience where they feel safe.”

Now, the future of the camps is uncertain. Notaro is searching for other ways to fund the program.