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Academic camps foster learning and fun
Posted on Fri, May 15th, 2009
Written by: J.B. Baker, Editor
email: cdparentpg@aol.com

Summer is a time to explore, meet new friends, join in adventures and … go back to school? Summer camp at school that is, and there are a number of local facilities for learning, including The College of Saint Rose in Albany, Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs and Bethlehem Children’s School in Delmar, that are keeping their doors open through August with a diverse offering of summer learning and fun.

Now in its 17th summer hosting enrichment programs for youth, The College of Saint Rose knows a little something about how to run a great summer program, offering a wealth of fun and learning for children entering grades six to 10 (the musical theater program allows children up to grade 12).

Running from July 6 through Aug. 14, the Summer Youth Academy offers one- and two-week programs in science, technology, international culture, music, art, theater and writing, all on the college’s campus in Albany.
“We are very careful about the recruitment of our instructors. They have to have content knowledge, a passion for teaching, and they really know how to teach to this age group,” said Colleen Flynn Thapalia, director of graduate admissions and continuing education. “Our philosophy is that this is an enrichment program, but doesn’t feel like school.”

Thapalia said one of the benefits of the Saint Rose program is that the kids get the experience of what a day is like on  a college campus, a bonus for some of the older kids who will moving on from high school in a year or two.
One of the new offerings for 2009 is a class that teaches kids how to sing like a pop star (think “American Idol”). Thapalia said the class is just one way that the college staff keeps its finger on what is current in culture.

Tuition ranges from $140 to $400, depending on the program. There are also discounts are available for students registering for two or more programs.
Visit the Summer Academy Web site at www.strose.edu and click on “Future Students” and then “Continuing Education” and finally “Summer Academy for Youth” for details and to register. To check availability or for more information, call The College of Saint Rose at 454-5144.

Camp Northwoods on the Skidmore College campus, offers a very different experience, focusing on a program of sports, cultural arts, nature study and relaxed play for children entering grades one through six in September.
“We want to teach the kids about teamwork and that there is nothing they can’t do,” said Program Director Debra Madden. “That is possible because there is so much available on the campus, kids can hike and learn about the environment or even visit the Tang museum.”

Northwoods campers take a daily swim lesson and participate in arts and crafts, ceramics, games and hiking, taking advantage of the beautiful grounds of the college.

The staff, interns and special guests also take the children on unique adventures like white-water rafting, a high-ropes course or even a kayak ride down the Batten Kill River.

Camp Northwoods runs from June 29 to Aug. 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Sessions one through three, including Camp X-Treme, Adirondack Adventure and To History and Beyond are two weeks each, and session four, the End of Summer Madness is one week. There is a $30 nonrefundable application fee and two-week sessions are $375, while the one-week session is $200.
For information, call Madden at 580-5591 or visit the Web site at cms.skidmore.edu/odsp/programs/camps/northwood.

It is easy to just be a kid at Bethlehem Children’s School, an independent kindergarten through eighth-grade school, according to parent and BC school graphic designer Sandra Gardner, of Colonie, whose son Lazlo Peters, age 6, attends the school.

Established in 1995, the school allows children to learn cooperatively by working together and by setting individual goals. The pace of learning is determined by each child's own developmental readiness, rather than a standardized timetable determined by age. That same philosophy is what makes the summer camp so attractive to children, Gardner said.

“The summer camp is very hands-on. It is all about what the children are interested in,” she said. “What is great is that each week is its own special week, so if kids want to sign up for just one, they can, but if they come every week it is a different experience.”

Camps are run from June 15 to Aug. 28 and offer everything from a circus theme that allows kids to "run away and join the circus without packing a suitcase" taught by veteran Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performer and owner of Circus Theatricks, Sean Fagan, to a healthy cooking week where the kids learn to prepare and serve nutritious snacks, main courses and delicious desserts. A highlight of the cooking week is a "visit" to Morocco, where kids get to sample traditional Moroccan foods, dried fruit, pastries and tea. Other weeks include outdoor adventure, masterful magicians, a Disney-themed week, Mad Science, a literature-based camp, a puzzle-solving week, a week devote to dance, lessons in outdoor survival and on opportunity to “travel” around the globe.

All camps are open to kids in grades kindergarten through eight and run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30.p.m. (unless otherwise stated) and cost $185 per week. Aftercare is available every day from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. for $75 per week (for a total of $260). For more information, call the school at 478-0224 or visit the Web site at www.bcschool.nycap.rr.com and click on the “Summer Camp” link.

A number of other academic institutions offer summer camp opportunities. See our complete listing on pages 6 and 7 in this issue of Capital District Parent Pages.



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