
Nitro-X Camps were created in 2015 to help garner interest in transportation careers with young people. The camps are designed for middle school students to learn more about careers in transportation and are hosted by Minnesota State Colleges and Minnesota High Schools. Nitro-X offers students opportunities to learn about how vehicles work, build their confidence with technical skills, work in teams to develop life and employability skills, gain exposure to the industry, and show off their skills with a race.
This 3-day camp offers exciting technical sessions, hands-on tinkering with RC cars, two VIP industry tours, painting an RC car body in a professional paint booth, and an epic race day where campers compete for the best time with friends. Over the years, Nitro-X has reached nearly 600 campers across eight locations in Minnesota, including Albert Lea, Anoka, Brainerd, Hibbing, Rosemount, St. Cloud, White Bear Lake, and Willmar. We aim to expand the program and bring Nitro-X camps to even more cities, inspiring the next generation of technicians.

New! We’ve partnered with the Southeast Service Cooperative, which now serves as Nitro-X’s fiscal host. All sponsorships and donations will be processed through them.
Our Goals & Mission
Mission Statement
At Nitro-X summer camps, our mission is to inspire curiosity, creativity, and a love for learning through engaging, hands-on experiences in a supportive and inclusive environment. We aim to empower campers to explore their interests, develop new skills, and build teamwork skills while fostering a sense of adventure and a connection to the transportation industry. Our dedicated teams are committed to providing a safe, fun, and educational camp experience that nurtures each camper’s unique potential and encourages them to discover the joy of learning by doing.
Goals of Nitro-X Summer Camp
- Raise awareness of careers in transportation.
- Gain exposure and knowledge about the secondary and post-secondary educational programs in transportation.
- Learn new technical skills.
- Learn communication and group/teamwork skills.
- Prepare middle school-aged youth for the secondary system where they feel encouraged and confident to take courses that align with a career in transportation.
- Build trust and confidence in the participant’s abilities.
- Have fun in a safe, yet new environment of higher education
Sponsorship Levels
Your sponsorship helps bring our camps to life by funding things like RC car bodies, decals, spare parts, staff tech shirts, camper T-shirts, transportation for industry tours, stipends for our dedicated camp leaders and instructors, and our Statewide Coordinator that makes it all happen!

Become a Sponsor
Ways to Pay
After you fill out the sponsorship form you can pay either by check or a credit card.
- Mail a check directly to:
Southeast Service Cooperative
â„… Accounting Team
210 Wood Lake Drive SE
Rochester, MN 55904
Please write “Nitro-X” in the memo line - Pay over the phone with a Credit Card
Our Statewide Coordinator will connect you with the accounting team.
Tax Benefits of Donating to a Cooperative
In Minnesota, donating to a service cooperative can offer similar tax benefits to donating to a 501(c)(3) organization because service cooperatives are considered governmental entities, and donations made to governmental units for public purposes are tax-deductible under federal and state law. Here’s how it works:
- Tax-Exempt Status of Service Cooperatives: Service cooperatives are governmental entities, meaning they are automatically tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 170(c)(1). Donations to service cooperatives, when used for public purposes, are eligible for the same tax treatment as donations to 501(c)(3) organizations.
- Federal Tax Deduction: Contributions to a service cooperative can be deducted as a charitable donation on your federal income taxes, provided you itemize your deductions. The donation must be used for a public purpose, such as supporting educational programs, extracurricular activities, or facilities.
- Minnesota State Tax Benefits: Minnesota offers additional incentives for charitable contributions:
- Charitable Contribution Deduction: If you itemize deductions on your state taxes, you can deduct contributions to service cooperatives just like you would for 501(c)(3) organizations.
- Charitable Contribution Credit: Minnesota provides a nonrefundable tax credit for charitable contributions if you do not itemize deductions. This credit is based on a percentage of the amount you donate, subject to income limits.
- Receipts and Documentation: To claim a deduction, you need a receipt or acknowledgment from the service cooperative that specifies the amount donated and confirms it was for a public purpose.
Questions?
Please contact our Statewide Coordinator:
Jeannie Meidlinger
Statewide Nitro-X Camp Coordinator
Phone: 507-206-9963
Email:Â [email protected]Â Â
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