June 12, 2014
Media Advisory -- Summer Camps June 15-29
Reporters, photographers and news crews can find many interesting story opportunities during Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s summer camps.
Continuing Education and Outreach coordinates most of the camps, while the Touch of Nature Environmental Center, Saluki athletics and other units on campus also handle activities.
The 2014 summer camp schedule for June 15-29, along with a brief description of each camp, opportune times to capture stories, photographs or footage, and contact information includes:
• Summer Wings Aviation Camp, June 15-20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for youths in grades 9-12, Southern Illinois Airport. The SIU Department of Aviation Management and Flight offers high school students the opportunity to experience first-hand the thrill of flight. Teens will attend ground school classes, use flight-training devices and aircraft, weather permitting, and enjoy evening activities on campus. For more information, contact Lorelei Ruiz at 618/453-9265 or by email lruiz@aviation.siu.edu.
• Girls Make Movies, June 15-20, throughout the day and evening, for girls in grades 9-12, in the Communications Building. Participants will work in a number of film and video formats including documentaries, experimental films and fiction. Faculty and SIU students will encourage creativity, storytelling efforts, and artistic vision as students express themselves as moviemakers. For more information, email Clare Mitchell at clarem79@gmail.com.
• Kid Architecture Camp, June 16-20, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for children in grades 4-6, in Quigley Hall. Participants will learn how buildings are constructed and why they work as they do, how things are built and reused, and what architects and interior designers do. There will be group discussions and projects, hands-on activities and a field trip the last day to St. Louis to look at historic architecture. For details, contact Jon Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at davey@siu.edu.
• Two Challenge to Excellence camps are scheduled, June 15-20 for grades 6-8, and June 22-27 for grades 9-11. Each camp runs from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in various locations around campus. The summer residential camp, in its 31st year, offers academically talented students from the Midwest a variety of activities and opportunities that will enhance their higher-thinking skills and creativity in areas including math, psychology, journalism and biology. For more information, contact John McIntyre at johnm@siu.edu or at 618/453-4223.
• Camp Little Giant, the therapeutic recreation camps for children and adults of differing abilities, has four sessions during the upcoming two weeks. Camp Olympia III is June 15-20 for adults 21 and older who have high care needs and low mobility/wheelchair needs. Camp Traditions I is June 15-20, Camp Traditions II is June 17-27 and Camp Traditions III is June 22-27. All of the “Traditions” camps are for adults ages 21 and older with physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities. The camps provide participants with a true summer camp experience and take place at Touch of Nature Environmental Center, about eight miles south of Carbondale and. For additional information, contact Vicki Lang at 618/453-1121, ext. 231, or by email at vickl@siu.edu.
• Involving Girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Agriculture Day Camp, June 16-18, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for children in grades 6-8, Engineering Building. With assistance from faculty and students in engineering, science and agriculture, the camp promotes an interest in engineering and science through hands-on experiments, demonstrations and design challenges involving energy, water, and climate. For more information, contact Lizette Chevalier at 618/453-4321 or by email at cheval@engr.siu.edu.
• Saluki Baseball Camp, June 16-19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., for youths ages 7-13, at Richard “Itchy” Jones Stadium. Campers will work with players and coaches to improve their hitting, pitching, fielding and base running skills. For details, contact Ken Henderson at 618/453-3794, or by email at hendu@siu.edu.
• Challenger Sports British Soccer Camp, June 16-20, from 9 a.m. to noon for ages 6-10 and from 1 to 4 p.m. for ages 11-16, at Stehr Field. The camp includes instruction in individual ball control, foot skills, fakes, moves, juggling and core techniques as well as a focus on sportsmanship, leadership, respect and responsibility. For additional information, contact Continuing Education and Outreach at 618/536-7751.
• Advanced LEGO Engineering, will feature two sessions for children in grades 3-5. The camps will take place from 8:30 a.m. to noon June 16-20, and from 1 to 4:30 p.m. June 23-27 at Quigley Hall. Campers will create motorized and non-motorized projects including a street cleaner, disk car, mechanical hammer, windmill, sail car, go-cart, dragster, tow truck, helicopter and airplane. Additional projects will include exploring renewable energy sources, investigating energy supplies, 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.
• WeDo Robotics LEGO Camp, June 16-20, 1-4:30 p.m. for children in grades 3-5, at Quigley Hall. Children will participate in creative learning experiences in science, literacy, math and social studies through the use of LEGO Education WeDo hardware and software. The “Wild Animal” themes include “Hungry Alligator,” “Flying Bird” and “Roaring Lion. To learn more, contact Jon Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at davey@siu.edu.
• Eco Camp has two sessions of the experiential camp for children in grades 2-7 scheduled during this period. Blue Planet is June 16-20 and Spaceship Earth is June 23-27. 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 by email at tonec@siu.edu.
• Girls Softball Hitting and Defense Camp, June 17-18, from 9 a.m. to noon, for children in grades 2-8, at Garden Grove Events Center (formerly Sports Blast) at 1215 E. Walnut St., behind University Mall in Carbondale. Players will utilize drills, participate in hitting and bunting work and receive personalized instruction. For details, contact Kerri Blaylock at 618/453-5466 or by email at mook@athletics.siu.edu.
• LEAD SI Institute, June 18-20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., primarily at the Student Center, but also in other locations across campus. LEAD SI is a youth engagement project designed to foster an appreciation of the region through networking, leadership and community development skills opportunities. Incoming high school juniors and seniors meet with SIU and community professionals and participate in activities that enhance their communication, leadership, problem-solving, team-building and decision-making skills. Sponsors include Connect SI, SIU, Bates Foundation and Black Diamond Harley-Davidson. For additional information, contact Andy Morgan at 618/453-5714 or by email at amorgan@siu.edu.
• Beginning LEGO Engineering, June 23-27, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, for children in grades 1 and 2, Quigley Hall. Participants 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, folding chairs, windshield wipers and a merry-go-round. For details, contact Jon Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at davey@siu.edu.
• Young Writers Workshop, June 24-28, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., for students in grades 10-12, at Faner Hall. This program, in its 16th year, helps students explore and develop their talents in poetry and prose writing through daily critique sessions, panels, readings and discussions under the direction of creative writing faculty and graduate students. For more information, contact Allison Joseph at 618/453-5321 or by email at aljoseph@siu.edu.