July 12, 2013

Media Advisory -- Summer Camps

As summer activities begin to wind down, reporters, photographers and camera crews can continue to find numerous interesting stories at Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s summer camps.

The camp schedule for Sunday, July 14, through Aug. 3, along with brief descriptions, contact information and available details about media opportunities, includes:

  • Middle School Architecture, July 14-18, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Quigley Hall.  Campers come from around the country and the world to learn about the built environment, design and architecture at the award-winning camp.  For additional information, contact Jon Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at jdavey@siu.edu.
  • WOW (Wild Outdoor Week) Camp, July 15-19, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Touch of Nature Environmental Center, about eight miles south of Carbondale on Giant City Road.  Children entering fifth through eighth grade will enjoy this introduction to the great outdoors and the many programs that Touch of Nature offers through hands-on activities. The camp leads students to personal growth, exploration and learning about new things.  Campers will enjoy activities that include hiking, team building, canoeing, rock climbing, swimming and the high ropes course.  For more information, call 618/453-1121.
  • Beginning LEGO Engineering, July 15-19, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Quigley Hall.  Participants will create a variety of projects featuring basic LEGO parts and construction,  The projects include a level and catapult, car, pulley, conveyor, gears, gears with belts, simple crane, gears with chains, motorized gears, motorized turn stile, motorized car, folding chair, draw bridge, motorized player piano, motorized windshield wipers, helicopter, airplane, motorized car, motorized conveyor belt and a motorized merry-go-round.  Students will also build a take-home project and have challenged creative time.  For more information contact Jon Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at jdavey@siu.edu.
  • Advanced LEGO Engineering, two sessions (July 15-19, 1-4:30 p.m. and July 22-26, from 8 a.m. to noon), Quigley Hall.  Campers will use LEGOs to create a variety of projects including a street cleaner, disk car/speedster, hand-held crane, mechanical hammer, walking stick, rail, go-cart, sail car, balance with dial, sail car, tow truck, airplane and much more.  Many projects will be motorized, and students will have a take-home project along with challenged creative time.  Hands-on activities will explore renewable energy sources and also investigate energy supply, transfer, accumulation, conversion and consumption.  Students will use measurements and data analysis to descript and explain outcomes.  For details, contact Jon Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at jdavey@siu.edu.
  • Artist in Action Camp, July 15-19, 9 a.m.-noon, Willow Street Studios, 205 W. Willow St., Carbondale. Student artists will explore various painting, drawing and sculptural media and keep a sketchbook as they experiment with materials and recording ideas.  They will find inspiration in the world around them, in addition to the work of other artists and look at how different materials and art forms best express ideas and tell stories.  To learn more, contact Kathleen Frye at 618/319-1196 or by email at kfrye.studio@gmail.com.
  • Explore Art Camp, July 15-19, 1-4 p.m., Willow Street Studios, 205 W. Willow St., Carbondale. Participants will make drawings, paintings, and use sculptural media.  They will keep sketchbooks, experiment and record ideas while creating their own art.  For details, contact Kathleen Frye at 618/319-1196 or by email at kfrye.studio@gmail.com.
  • Mythbusters, July 15-19, two sessions (8:30 a.m. to noon and 1-4:30 p.m.), Quigley Hall.  Youngsters entering third through eighth grade will test a wide variety of myths and learn more about their world a camp that brings the Discovery Channel’s “Mythbusters” to the campus setting. Activities include finding out if a phone book can really hold thousands of pounds, if the ‘five-second rule” on dropped food on the ground is true, and much more.  For more information, contact Miranda Tucker at 618/453-6162 or by email at lumina@siu.edu.
  • Softball Pitching, July 16-17, 1-3 p.m., Student Recreation Center.  This camp is just for pitchers, and with a one-to-five coach-to-camper ratio there is plenty of individualized instruction for girls from first-grade to high school seniors. Players will focus on pitching drills and also practice specialized pitches.  To learn more, contact Kerri Blaylock at 618/453-5466 or by emailing mook@siu.edu.
  • High School Architecture, July 21-25, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Quigley Hall.  High school students will explore the world around them through architecture and the built environment through a variety of hands-on activities, field trips and more. For details, contact Jon Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at jdavey@siu.edu.
  • WOW Southern Adventures Camp, July 22-26, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Touch of Nature Environmental Center, about eight miles south of Carbondale on Giant City Road.  Youths in seventh through ninth grades will explore the beauty of the great outdoors and experience many programs Touch of Nature offers during this camp.  They will enjoy the high ropes course, the zip line and other camp components, explore local natural and wilderness areas, and go rock climbing on the sandstone bluffs around Makanda.  Students will also learn camping, hiking and basic survival skills, wrapping up the week with an overnight campout.  For more information, call 618/453-1121.
  • LEGO WeDo Robotics, July 22-26, 1-4:30 p.m., Quigley Hall.  Campers will participate in engaging learning experiences involving science, literacy, math, and social studies.  Using the LEGO Education WeDo hardware and software in combination with these activities, students will think critically, solve problems and be creative.  Activities cover wild animals theme models of Hungry Alligator, Flying Bird and Roaring Lion.  Each model incorporates mathematics, literacy, science and social studies activities while utilizing visuals arts, dramatic arts, music, physical education and technology.  There will also be a take-home project and challenged creative time.  For additional details, contact John Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at jdavey@siu.edu.
  • Globetrotters Camp, July 22-26, 8:30 a.m.-noon, Willow Street Studios, 205 W. Willow St., Carbondale. In recognition of the inspiration artists draw from around the world and from throughout time, participants will explore the many ways people of different cultures tell their stories and express themselves through art.  Students will create a variety of art forms using various materials including puppets of different styles and media, books, masks, textiles and more.  For details, contact Kathleen Frye at 618/319-1196 or by email at kfrye.studio@gmail.com.
  • Inspired by Nature Camp, July 22-26, 1-4 p.m. Willow Street Studio, 205 W. Willow St. in Carbondale.  Young artists will create art using inspiration from nature and the world around them using various types of two- and three-dimensional media. They will also look at stories and poetry that reflect the use of nature as artistic inspiration.  For more information, contact Kathleen Frye at 618/319-1196 or by email at kfrye.studio@gmail.com.
  • Camp Little Giant, the therapeutic recreation camp for children and adults of varying abilities, has three camp sessions during this period.  Camp Shawnee I is July 14-19, Camp Shawnee II is July 14-26, and Camp Shawnee III is July 21-26.  All three camps are for youths ages 8-21 with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities.  In addition, Dyna Camp is July 28-Aug. 3, for youths ages 8-19 with attention deficit, hyperactive disorder.  All camps meet at Touch of Nature Environmental Center, about eight miles south of Carbondale.  Participants enjoy a true summer camp experience.  For additional information, contact Vicki Lang at 618/453-1121, ext. 231 or by email at vickil@siu.edu.