CDC Junior Disease Detective Camp

CDC Junior Disease Detective Camp is an educational program first piloted by CDC′s David J. Sencer CDC Museum in 2012 to fill the gap in informal public health education for middle school students. The camp is open to upcoming seventh and eighth grade students and is held at CDC′s headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.

The CDC Junior Disease Detective Camp curriculum is based on contextual and cognitive apprenticeship learning theories. By learning through hands–on activities and interactive presentations, participants completing the camp will be able to:

• Identify five public health careers
• Compare and contrast infectious diseases vs. chronic diseases
• Demonstrate an understanding of basic epidemiologic terms
• Calculate basic epidemiologic rates given an outbreak scenario and data
• Understand the role of laboratory work in public health infectious disease surveillance
• Identify three current event issues related to public health

Over the course of three days, campers will take on the roles of disease detectives to learn about the world of public health. Teams will probe a disease outbreak using epidemiologic and laboratory skills and will document their findings. Activities may include short presentations by CDC Museum staff, a mock outbreak investigation, a modified lab experience, and a look behind the scenes of CDC. The application process for the 2013 Junior CDC Disease Detective Camp is now closed.