College could also be out for the summer time, however summer time camps — enjoyable studying classes — are maintaining college students busy and engaged within the Altoona Space College District.
The free elementary camps have been created to assist bridge the educational hole attributable to the pandemic, mentioned Paula Foreman, district spokeswoman.
This system started final 12 months utilizing federal COVID-19 ESSER funds, she mentioned, and the district was in a position to proceed the camps this summer time.
With quite a lot of themes, together with crafts, portray, exploring the ocean and house, the camps provide one thing for everybody.
Not solely do the camps present studying alternatives, however in addition they assist kids make new pals, Foreman mentioned. Lunch and transportation are supplied, which provides to the advantages.
Trainer Lauri Mohler spent final week with college students who signed up for the Squishmallow Camp. For these unfamiliar with the Squishmallow fad, these are plush characters in quite a lot of styles and sizes made with marshmallow-soft materials. There are cows, geese, cats and unicorns, however Slushies, mushrooms and avocados, too.
Mohler’s group had enjoyable adorning Squish carrying luggage and designing journals and bins. Additionally they designed and painted a Squish board sport and painted Squish pet rocks.
The camps carry children collectively “to share what they like and what they’ve in widespread,” she mentioned.
Every camp has lesson-based actions associated to the theme, such because the Below the Sea camp the place college students discover the ocean and marine life.
Robert Smith, who was in control of the camp at Ebner Elementary, mentioned packages like these are necessary to children, particularly after the pandemic.
“It will get them used to having extra interplay with different children,” he mentioned.
Trainer Sarah Musselman, in cost at a second Squishmallow camp, mentioned her intention was to assist children have enjoyable and make reminiscences.
Camps are being held on the district’s elementary faculties, however college students aren’t restricted to going to the varsity they often attend. That offers them an opportunity to see different faculties and different children their very own age they won’t know.
“It’s good to see children from the completely different elementary faculties collectively as a result of they don’t get to see one another usually,” Musselman mentioned.
Smith mentioned giving children an opportunity to fulfill different children from all faculties is necessary as a result of it is going to enable them to know extra folks after they transfer as much as junior excessive.
However extra importantly, for the scholars a minimum of, the camps enable them to be children.
For Silas Mielnik, participating within the camp and making a camouflage design for his Squishmallow’s dwelling “is an opportunity to calm down.”
The 9-year-old mentioned he was loving the camp, noting his favourite issues to do have been coloring, drawing and enjoying.
Huey Harader was wanting ahead to the journaling portion of the camp.
“It’s simply enjoyable,” he mentioned of the camp.
Isabella McGregor was excited to make a journal, and mentioned her favourite actions have been something involving artwork.
“We get to make issues we would not get to make at dwelling,” she mentioned.
Ava Granville preferred the camp as a result of it gave her an opportunity to be artistic.
“I like you can create no matter you need,” she mentioned.
Within the watercolor camp Tuesday, college students painted animals utilizing new instruments.
Trainer Sarah Barr mentioned she was exhibiting the children learn how to use goth glue, a combination of glue and black paint to create outlines for his or her work.
“The children are sampling completely different watercolor methods, they usually’re studying about colours and learn how to combine them,” she mentioned.
Darren Focht, 10, created a portray of Altoona Curve baseball mascot Loco.
“For the physique I’ll make it orange, and for the jersey he’s sporting … it is going to be crimson and white,” he mentioned.
In the identical camp, Sophie Houk, 10, created an overview of a wolf as a part of her portray mission.
“I take pleasure in with the ability to do that and discover various kinds of artwork,” she mentioned.
In Misplaced in Area, taught by Gloria Colurso, college students discovered the wonders of house and in regards to the photo voltaic system.
“They’re studying in regards to the completely different phases of the moon, completely different colours in house, the placement of planets in our photo voltaic system in relation to the solar they usually find out about Earth and the place we’re in house,” Colurso mentioned.
Along with exploring the ocean and house, college students may join a camp centered on exploring different nations.
On Tuesday at Logan Elementary, college students discovered about Mexico, together with that the nation has a inhabitants of
12.6 million, camper Jillian Howard mentioned.
The 8-year-old has a connection to the nation, the place the forex is named Pesos, she mentioned.
“My buddy’s mother was born there in order that they go to Mexico each summer time to go to household,” Howard mentioned.
At Ebner Elementary on Thursday, Katie Preusser mentioned the camp gave her extra time to spend with pals. And, she obtained to make ice cream when the Below the Sea and Taking a Journey camps got here collectively for a bunch exercise.
“It’s enjoyable to make ice cream with my pals — I used to be ready so as to add no matter I needed to the ice cream, like sprinkles and pop rocks,” Preusser mentioned.
The camps will proceed via the tip of July, however registration is now closed. Foreman mentioned about 100 college students throughout all the faculties are taking part this 12 months. It’s hoped the district will have the ability to provide the packages once more subsequent summer time.
Mirror Workers Author Cati Keith is at 814-946-7535.