10/27/2026
Ascension Test Pilot Weekend
November 14–15, 2026 | Aradyn, Wolfe County, Kentucky
Help us build a new kind of summer camp!
At Newton's Attic, we're known for dreaming up some pretty ambitious ideas and then figuring out how to make them happen. Our latest idea is Ascension, a new summer camp experience combining STEM, outdoor adventure, field skills, creative problem-solving, and elements of role-playing games (RPGs), all set in the world of Aradyn.
Before we get too far along, we'd like some help from the people who matter most: the students who will actually experience it!
We're inviting a small, select group of boys and girls ages 12–16 to spend a weekend at Aradyn, testing our ideas and helping us shape Ascension before its summer 2027 launch. Participation is FREE, but space is limited, and students will be selected through an application process.
After years of working with students, we've learned that some of the best ideas come from them. They see possibilities we haven't considered, ask questions we didn't think to ask, and sometimes come up with solutions that are far better than ours.
That's exactly what we're hoping for during our Ascension Test Pilot Weekend!
What Will We Be Doing?
Think of this as part adventure, part brainstorming session, and part experimental workshop.
We'll introduce activities, challenges, and concepts we're considering for Ascension and invite our test pilots to put them through their paces.
We want to know what excites you, what challenges you, what doesn't work, and what would make this an experience you'd want to come back to year after year.
We'll be exploring how to combine real-world STEM and outdoor skills with the imagination and excitement of a role-playing game. And we'll be listening! Your feedback will help us decide what stays, what changes, and what new ideas deserve a try.
Along the way, we'll enjoy pizza on Saturday evening, a bonfire, and some time to get to know one another.
The Weekend Details
When: Saturday, November 14 – Sunday, November 15, 2026
Time: Midday Saturday through Sunday afternoon
Where: Aradyn, Newton's Attic's property in Wolfe County, near Campton, Kentucky
Who: Girls and Boys ages 13–16, selected by application
Cost: FREE!
Transportation: Families are responsible for getting students to and from Aradyn. Parents of students who don't drive will need to arrange Saturday drop-off and Sunday pickup.
Overnight accommodations: This is a students-only overnight experience. Parents and family members will not be staying on the property.
Selected families will receive additional details about arrival and departure times, sleeping arrangements, what to bring, and other weekend logistics.
Who Should Apply?
We're not necessarily looking for experienced outdoorsmen, STEM experts, or students who have played every RPG ever invented.
We're looking for boys who are curious, imaginative, willing to try unfamiliar things, and comfortable sharing their opinions—even when those opinions are that one of our ideas isn't particularly good!
Our test pilots will get an early look at Ascension and a genuine opportunity to influence the finished camp. We're also considering some special benefits for participants, possibly including a discount on next summer's program.
Interested? We'd love to hear from you!
Apply for the Ascension Test Pilot Weekend
Looking Ahead to Summer 2027
We plan to open registration for the full Ascension summer camp at the end of November, just in time for Christmas gifting. Camp descriptions, pricing, payment plans, and registration details will be available then. We anticipate age and eligibility requirements similar to those for the test pilot weekend.
We have a vision for Ascension, but we'd much rather build it with the help of some bright, adventurous young people who aren't afraid to tell us what they really think.
That's always been part of the fun at Newton's Attic and we can't think of a better way to begin this new adventure.
Ready to help us build something EPIC? Newton’s Attic is developing Ascension, a brand-new RPG-style STEM and field skills summer camp set in the world of Aradyn, and we need creative, curious, adventurous boys ages 13–16 to help us bring it to life! Apply for the Ascension Test Pilot Weekend (N...
