May 29, 2014

Media Advisory -- Summer Camps June 1-14

Reporters, photographers and news crews in search of interesting summer activity stories will find many opportunities at Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s summer camps.

Continuing Education and Outreach coordinates most of the camps while Touch of Nature Environmental Center, Saluki athletics and other campus units handle others.

The 2014 summer camp schedule for June 1-14, along with a brief description of each camp, opportune times to capture good stories or footage and contact information includes:

  • Eco Camp, two sessions of the experiential camp for children in grades 2-7 are set during this period.  Animal Adventures is June 2-6, while Survival 101 is June 9-13.  Both meet from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Touch of Nature Environmental Center, about eight miles south of Carbondale on Giant City Road. The camps give children a heightened ecological awareness of the world around them through fun, educational, hands-on activities.  For more information, call 618/453-1121 or email tonec@siu.edu.
  • Cooperative Youth Conference, June 5-6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Agriculture Building.  The conference provides participants an exciting yet educational opportunity to learn about cooperatives and the seven cooperative principles through hands-on activities.  During a field trip, students will have a chance to see a local cooperative in action. For additional information, contact Peter Dirks at 618/453-3080 or by email pdirks@siu.edu.
  • Camp Little Giant, the therapeutic recreation camps for children and adults of differing abilities, has two sessions during this time period.  Camp Olympia I is June 8-13, while Camp Olympia II is June 8-20.  Both are for adults 21 and older with high care needs and low mobility/wheelchair needs.  The camps meet at Touch of Nature Environmental Center, about eight miles south of Carbondale and provide participants with a true summer camp experience.  For additional information, contact Vicki Lang at 618/453-1121, ext. 231, or by email at vickl@siu.edu. 
  • Beginning LEGO Engineering, June 9-13, 8:30 a.m. to noon, for children in grades 1 and 2, Quigley Hall.  Campers will use basic LEGO parts and construction to create motorized and non-motorized projects including a level and catapult, car, pulley, conveyor, gears, gears with belts, simple crane, gears with chains, turnstile, folding chair, drawbridge, player piano, windshield wipers, helicopter, airplane, conveyor belt and a merry-go-round.  There will also be a take-home project, as well as challenged creative time.  For details, contact Jon Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at davey@siu.edu.
  • Advanced LEGO Engineering, June 9-13, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., for children in grades 3-5, Quigley Hall. Campers will create motorized and non-motorized projects including a street cleaner, disk car, hand-held and other types of crane, mechanical hammer, disk speedster, balance, balance with dial, windmill, sail car, go-cart, rail, walking stick, dog, dragster, tow truck, helicopter and airplane.  There will also be a take-home project and challenged creative time.  New projects will explore renewable energy sources; investigate energy supply, transfer, accumulation, conversion and consumption; and use measurements and data analysis to describe and explain outcomes through hands-on activities.  For more information, contact Jon Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at davey@siu.edu.