FAQs

Bright Lights, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that has offered summer learning adventures to elementary and middle school students in the Lincoln, Nebraska community since 1987.

Half-day and full-day camps are available for students who have completed Kindergarten through 8th grade. Register by the grade the student is in as of spring 2025.

The main program site is at Roper Elementary School, 2323 S. Coddington Ave. The remaining classes are held at community sites. Please see our Maps and Directions page for a list of community sites.

For 2025, our camps weeks will be June 2-6, June 9-13, June 16-20, June 23-27 and July 7-11. Half-day camps are from 9 AM-12 PM or 1-4 PM. Full-day camps are from 9 AM-4 PM.

The Camp Schedule will be available on this website in February 2025.  Sign up for our monthly eNewsletter to get all of the latest Bright Lights updates.

Registration opens March 1, 2025 at 8 AM at BrightLights.org. Registration is open until camps are filled or until 1 week before camp begins.

Register at BrightLights.org beginning March 1, 2025 at 8 AM.

Each year, there are always some camps that are more popular than others. Some camps fill quickly because, due to space and equipment limitations, only a small number of students can be accommodated. We have never reached 100% capacity – so there are always spots open somewhere! Encourage your student to make a second and even third choice in case his/her first choice has filled. You may choose to place your student on a waitlist, in which case no payment is collected unless a spot opens up. However, we cannot guarantee if or when a spot will open up, and in the meantime your student may miss out on registering for other camps where spots are still available.

If the camp session you requested is currently full, you can be put on a waitlist for the camp by adding it to your cart and completing the registration process. If you are on the waitlist and someone cancels out of the camp, we will contact you and payment will be due at that time. If you have any questions about this process, please call us at 402-420-1115 ext. 46.

NOTE: In order to complete the scholarship application process, you must register for a camp in which spots are open. We cannot award scholarships to waitlisted applicants; only registered students will receive a scholarship.

Bright Lights strives to offer hands-on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) opportunities in almost all of our camps. Expanding the original STEM concept to include the letter ‘A’ for art and design allows the important inclusion of creative thinking, collaboration, experimentation and exploration into the equation. We recognize the significance of all of the STEAM elements and how they prepare students for future educational opportunities and careers.

No. Bright Lights’ diverse and content-rich camps engage students and build both their academic and non-academic skills. The half-day and full-day camp opportunities allow students to pursue educational activities in focused areas of interest and to maximize their out-of-school time with expanded learning opportunities.

Bright Lights offers summer camps that are high-interest, hands-on, and STEAM-based. Teachers create the differentiated content and assign a grade range for their camp. These ranges are based on the content taught, the interest levels of students at different ages and keeping students in age-appropriate social groups. For example, allowing a 2nd grade student into a camp with 5th graders may be content-appropriate, as the 2nd grader is advanced in his/her academic knowledge but, given the age gap, it may not be socially appropriate. Therefore, grade exceptions will not be made. Bright Lights teachers make every effort to differentiate lessons and activities, adjusting to meet students’ needs and interests in order to create an enjoyable and challenging experience for each and every participant.

Primary classes average 17 students, while intermediate and middle-school camps average 20 students. With one teacher and two assistants, each camp has a staff-to-student ratio of approximately 1:7.

Yes. Bright Lights has no residency requirements and approximately 10% of our students each year come from outside the Lincoln area.

Payment must accompany your online registration. Credit cards and e-checks are accepted. Need-based scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis and additional documentation is required. Apply at the time of camp registration; the scholarship deadline is May 1, 2025.

Standard Program Fee
Half-Day Camp: $145
Full-Day Camp: $290

Camp fees cover unique materials needed for a specific camp, such as art supplies, rental fees, food for cooking, lab expenses or field trip fees.

Bright Lights does not provide transportation to or from field trips. If your student is registered for a camp that offers a field trip, it is the family’s responsibility to take the student to the designated location and pick up at the end of camp. The camp description will mention if a field trip is included during the week so you can plan accordingly. If this imposes a challenge to your schedule, please choose a different camp.

Bright Lights does not provide a daily snack to students during half-day camps for two main reasons. First, as our registrations have increased, so have the number of students with food-related allergies. We want to be abundantly cautious and not expose any student to food that might be dangerous to him or her. Second, we want the three hours spent at Bright Lights to be full of hands-on learning and amazing instruction, which is what our families pay for and expect. Students will still go outside (or in the gym on hot days) for about fifteen minutes in the morning and afternoon to take a movement break with their friends and get re-energized for camp instruction. Water is always available before, during and after breaks.

Yes, Before Care and Lunch Care are both available at Roper Elementary School during Camp Weeks 1, 4 and 5. Lunch Care is also available at Roper during Week 2. Before Care takes place from 7:30 – 9 AM at a cost of $15 for the week. Lunch Care is from 12 – 1 PM at a cost of $20 for the week. Before Care is not available at offsite locations. Lunch Care is included for full-day camps. Students must provide their own sack lunch. Preregistration is required for Before Care and Lunch Care.

Registrants will receive an immediate email confirmation after submitting payment. Please ensure that you have entered a valid email address at the time of registration.

Scholarship applications are reviewed after the deadline and awards are based on financial need until available funds are depleted. Each student is eligible for ONE partial scholarship that can be used toward either a half-day or a full-day camp during Summer 2025. More information can be found by clicking on the link above.

Bright Lights, Inc.
5561 South 48th Street, Suite 220
Lincoln, NE 68516
Federal EIN 47-0708499

Please see Bright Lights Policies and Registration Guidelines.

A minimum of $15 per camp will be charged if a student withdraws through April 1. A minimum of $50 per camp will be charged if a student withdraws between April 2 through May 15. After May 15, no refunds will be issued unless a camp is canceled by Bright Lights. There will also be no refunds given for Before Care or Lunch Care after May 15. The $5.41 processing fee per camp is non-refundable.

If your plans change and your student is unable to attend their registered camp, we will make every effort to place the student in an alternate choice. We do not charge a rescheduling fee if the student transfers to a different camp within the same summer.

If you need to switch camps, please contact the Bright Lights office at 402-420-1115 ext. 46 or email registration@brightlights.org. A student may be transferred to another camp by Bright Lights staff at no additional charge. If you choose to register your student for another camp online yourself and then want to cancel the initial registration, the above refund policy for cancellation will apply.

See our complete refund policy on our Policies page.

A school nurse (LPN) is on staff at the main site (Roper Elementary) when camps are in session during weeks 1, 4 & 5. See the medical policy found in the Policies section of our website. Health support is not available at off-site locations.

Safety is always a top priority at Bright Lights summer camps. We believe students and teachers should enjoy engaging learning opportunities in a safe and secure environment, and we work throughout the year to make that happen.  

We have a comprehensive safety plan in place as well as a standard response protocol for emergencies. Further details are provided in our safety blog post.