Summer Camps

Frequently Asked Questions

QuestionQ:When does registration begin?
QuestionQ: How can I register?
QuestionQ: Can I buy a membership and register for camp at the same time?
QuestionQ: I'm an individual member of the Friends of the Arboretum. Can I still register during the members-only period?
QuestionQ: I'm a grandparent who is a member of the Arboretum. Can I register my grandchild for camp?
QuestionQ: When is payment due?
QuestionQ: What types of payment do you accept online?
QuestionQ: When I try to register, it asks me to log in. How do I get a log in?
QuestionQ: Can I check out as a guest?
QuestionQ: I've forgotten my or password. What do I do?
QuestionQ: I'm a NC State University employee/student and have a Unity account. Should I log in using my Unity account?
QuestionQ: I'm still having trouble with my user account. What should I do?
QuestionQ: The camp I want to register for says "This activity is currently full." What should I do?
QuestionQ: Camps have ages and grades listed for them. Do I have to register my camper based on that? Is it the current school year or next school year?
QuestionQ: How many campers and staff are in each camp?
QuestionQ: What should my camper bring to camp each day?
QuestionQ: Is lunch provided?
QuestionQ: My child has food allergies and/or special needs. Are they able to attend?
QuestionQ: Will my camper have to wear a mask or submit health attestations?
QuestionQ: Where do camps take place?
QuestionQ: What happens on rainy days or extremely hot days?
QuestionQ: Where is camp drop off and pick up?
QuestionQ: What happens if I need to pick up my camper early?
QuestionQ: Our summer plans have changed and I need to cancel our registration. Can I get a refund?
QuestionQ: Are there any camp forms required? How can I get a copy?
QuestionQ: I still have questions. Who can I contact?

QuestionQ: When does registration begin?

AnswerA: 2026 Camp registration dates are listed below:

• Tuesday, January 27, 2026, 12:30pm – Registration opens for Friends of the JC Raulston Arboretum at the Family/Dual level or above. Registration links will be emailed to JCRA Members.
• Monday, February 2, 2026, 9:00am – Registration opens to the public.

QuestionQ: How can I register?

AnswerA: Registration is completed through our online system, Reporter. Full payment for camp will be due at the time of registration. Camps are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. When a camp fills, a waitlist will be started.

You must have an active JCRA Family/Dual level or above membership by Monday, January 26 at noon to gain access to early registration. Become a JCRA Member or renew your membership today!

JCRA Members at the Family/Dual level or above will receive an email the morning of Tuesday, January 27 with registration links and instructions. Emails will be sent to the email address on file in your membership record. If you have not received the email by 11:00 am on January 27, check your spam or junk email and search for an email from jcraprograms@ncsu.edu. If not there, please contact Elizabeth Overcash at elizabeth_overcash@ncsu.edu or (919) 513-7011 before noon on January 27 to gain access to the registration links.

The registration links will not be visible on our website until camp registration opens for the public on Monday, February 2.

QuestionQ: Can I buy a membership and register for camp at the same time?

AnswerA: Yes and no. You can purchase a membership and register for camp on the same day, but you will need to do it through two separate transactions. To register for camp, you will need to register and pay through the Reporter registration system. To purchase a membership, you can join or renew your membership online here.

If you join the same day, please type "joined today" in the membership number field on your camp registration.

QuestionQ: I'm an Individual member of the Friends of the Arboretum. Can I still register during the members-only period?

AnswerA: Early registration is for Family/Dual level and above members. For just $25.00, you can upgrade your Individual membership so you can take advantage of this Family/Dual level benefit! To upgrade your membership, contact Kathryn Wall, membership and volunteer manager, at (919) 513-7004 or kbwall@ncsu.edu.

QuestionQ: I'm a grandparent who is a JCRA Member. Can I register my grandchild for camp?

AnswerA: Yes! What a wonderful gift! If your membership is a Family/Dual level or above, you can register your grandchild during the members-only registration period.

Please note that all communication will come to the email address, mailing address, and/or phone numbers associated with the membership used for registration. Camp registration requires waivers and other forms to be signed by the parent or legal guardian of the camper. Please make sure to have these forms signed by and communicate all information to the appropriate person.

QuestionQ: When is payment due?

AnswerA: Payment will be due at the time of registration. When you are in the Reporter system, make sure to check out and complete your payment. Only after your payment has been received is your camp registration complete.

QuestionQ: What types of payment do you accept online?

AnswerA: Our online registration system accepts American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa.

QuestionQ: When I try to register, it asks me to log in. How do I get a log in?

AnswerA: When you click on the "Login to Sign Up" button, a popup window will appear giving you the option to use your Brickyard login or sign up for an account. If you have already set up an account in the Reporter system, use your email address and password associated with Reporter. If you haven't created an account in Reporter, choose to create an account.

QuestionQ: Can I check out as a guest?

AnswerA: No. In this registration system, you will complete health forms, waivers and other required forms for camp online. Because of this, you will need to have an account so that you can access these forms for your camper and complete online prior to camp.

QuestionQ: I've forgotten my password. What do I do?

AnswerA: On the Reporter website, click on the "Forgot Password?" link located on the Login window that appears when you click the "Login to Sign Up" button. Instructions for resetting your password will be sent to the email address used to create the account.

QuestionQ: I'm an NC State University employee/student and have a Unity account. Should I login with my Unity account?

AnswerA: No. You must have a Brickyard account to register for camps. Reporter wants to keep your employee/student account and family account separate.

To create a Brickyard account for personal activities such as camps, click your name in the top right corner (if you are already logged into your Unity account), sign out, then use the "Create New Account" button on the homepage. When creating your personal account, use a personal email address rather than your NC State Unity email account.

QuestionQ: I'm still having trouble with my user account. What should I do?

AnswerA: Click the Help link located on the top right of the screen. Choose the topic you need help with or use this step-by-step instructional guide that includes screenshots.

QuestionQ: The camp I want to register for says "This activity is currently full." What should I do?

AnswerA: Camps are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. When a camp fills, a waitlist will start. To be placed on the waitlist, click the "Add to Waitlist" button. You will be prompted to select a child to add to the waitlist.

During the members-only registration period (January 27–February 1, 2026), only JCRA Family/Dual level or above members are placed on the waitlist. Nonmembers registering for the waitlist during this period will be reordered behind any JCRA Members registered for the waitlist during the members-only registration.

If a space becomes available, families will be contacted and given the opportunity to accept or decline the space. The open camp spot will be held for 24 hours. Upon accepting the open space, payment will be due within 24 hours of acceptance.

QuestionQ: Camps have ages and grades listed for them. Do I have to register my camper based on that? Is it the current school year or next school year?

AnswerA: For our preschool camp, Garden Critters, campers must be four years old prior to the first day of camp and fully potty trained. For all other camps, register your camper based on his or her 2026–27 school year grade level (current kindergartener = rising 1st = will be in 1st grade during the 2026–27 school year).

Our camps are designed with grade levels and ages in mind. Activities and content are based on age level expectations and abilities. Please double check that you are registering your camper for the correct grade level camp to help ensure they have the best possible camp experience.

QuestionQ: How many campers and staff are in each camp?

AnswerA: Camp sizes vary depending on the ages of the campers.  Our preschool camp has 12 campers while the elementary and middle school camps range from 16 to 24.

Camp staff is made up of a camp teacher, a camp assistant and may also include additional support provided by JCRA volunteers. Staff and volunteers are supervised by JCRA staff and must complete a background check and training prior to working with camps.

QuestionQ: What should my camper bring to camp each day?

AnswerA: Prior to camp, you will receive a letter welcoming you to camp. This camp letter will give you more details about your camp week and review camp policies that were given at registration.

QuestionQ: Is lunch provided?

AnswerA: No, campers are asked to bring a snack and lunch each day.

QuestionQ: My child has food allergies and/or special needs. Are they able to attend?

AnswerA: Food allergies are handled easily since campers bring their own snacks and lunches. In cases of severe allergies to food, we can request other families to avoid those foods in their campers' snacks and lunches to help protect your camper. Please let us know of any allergy and severity in the registration information so we are able to make accommodations.

If your camper has behavioral, physical or psychological considerations, please contact Elizabeth Overcash at (919) 513-7011 or elizabeth_overcash@ncsu.edu prior to the registration period to discuss the camp experience.

QuestionQ: Where do camps take place?

AnswerA: Camps take place on the grounds of the JC Raulston Arboretum. The indoor portion of camp takes place either in the Education Yurt or the Ruby C. McSwain Education Center. Outdoor activities take place in various gardens of the JCRA.

QuestionQ: What happens on rainy days or extremely hot days?

AnswerA: The best part of our camps is the ability to explore and use the gardens as part of our camp activities. We aim to be outside everyday as much as possible. When the weather doesn't cooperate, the camp activities are adapted for indoors. Make sure to pack rain boots and a raincoat on rainy days as we may still go out if it's only drizzling or light rain!

We have severe weather procedures that include guidelines for activities based on the heat index and air quality. This is a camp in a garden setting, so campers and their families should expect they will be outside in the North Carolina summer temperatures!

QuestionQ: Where is camp drop off and pick up?

AnswerA: Campers are to be dropped off and picked up at the Bobby G. Wilder Visitor Center. You may enter the parking lot and use the brick circle to drop off and pick up instead of parking. If you are going to linger with your camper, please park in the parking lot and walk up to the Visitor Center.

If you are late arriving to camp in the morning and don't see the group, you will need to walk your camper out to the Education Yurt or to the Ruby C. McSwain Education Center. Please do not send them unattended to find the camp.

We require parents or caregivers to sign campers in and out each day. Make sure to initial the attendance sheet each time you drop off or pick up your camper to help us maintain a safe environment for our camp families.

Please try your best to be on time for drop off and pick up. We want each camper to feel part of the camp group and don't want to start the day's activities without all our campers. When you are late arriving, there are other campers anxiously waiting to get the day started. When you are late to pick up your camper, they are excitedly waiting to tell you all about their day and worrying where you are. Late fees may be charged as explained in our policies.

QuestionQ: What happens if I need to pick up my camper early?

AnswerA: Let the camp staff know at drop-off or as early as you can. We can let you know where to pick up your camper and also make sure they are at a point in their day that they can easily leave the activities.

QuestionQ: Our summer plans have changed and I need to cancel our registration. Can I get a refund?

AnswerA: If you can no longer attend camp, you will need to log in to your Reporter account. Under "Upcoming Youth Activities," select the camp/child that you need to cancel. Click "View Details" and select "Cancel Registration" on the "Youth Activity Details" window. After providing a reason for the cancellation, click "Cancel this Registration" and your request will be sent to JCRA staff. Once the cancellation has been received, you will get an email letting you know that your camper has been removed from the camp.

Participants withdrawing from a camp prior to May 22, 2026, will receive a refund minus a 15% administrative fee per child per camp. No fees will be refunded if registration is canceled after May 22, 2026. Memberships purchased in association with a camp registration are not refundable.

QuestionQ: Are there any camp forms required? How can I get a copy?

AnswerA: Yes, we have four forms required for camp participation: NC State University General Participation Agreement, an insurance and medical form, a photo release form, and an emergency contact form.

Forms are all available online through the Reporter registration system. Once you have paid for the camp, you will have the option to complete the required forms on the order confirmation page. If you do not complete the forms at that time, you can access the forms from the home screen under "Upcoming Youth Activities." Any camp you have a child registered for will be listed. Choose the "View/Edit Forms" option to view and edit the camp forms. Completed forms are required prior to the first camp day, and campers will not be able to be dropped off at camp without completed forms.

QuestionQ: I still have questions. Who can I contact?

AnswerA: Please contact the Education Team with your questions!