June 27, 2014

Media Advisory -- Summer Camps

Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s summer camps offer numerous opportunities for reporters, photographers and news crews to find many interesting stories. 

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

The 2014 summer camp schedule for Sunday, June 29, to July 12, along with a brief description of each camp, opportune times to capture stories, photographs or footage, and contact information includes: 

•  Eco Camp, June 30-July 3, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., for youths in grades 2-7, Touch of Nature Environmental Center, about eight miles south of Carbondale on Giant City Road. The experiential camp provides children with an increased ecological awareness of their world through fun, educational hands-on activities.  For more information, call 618/453-1121 or email tonec@siu.edu

•  Camp Little Giant, a therapeutic recreation camp for children and adults of differing abilities, offers Camp Traditions IV, July 6-11, for adults 21 and older with physical, cognitive or development disabilities. The camp is at Touch Nature Environmental Center and provides 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, July 7-11, 8:30 a.m. to noon, for children in first and second grades, at 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, simple crane, gears with chains, turn stile, folding chair, drawbridge, player piano, windshield wipers, helicopter, airplane, conveyor belt and a merry-go-round.  To learn more, contact Jon Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at davey@siu.edu

•  WeDo Robotics LEGO Camp, July 7-11, 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.  For more information, contact Jon Davey at 618/453-3734 or by email at davey@siu.edu

•  Summer Art Day Camp, will offer two camp sessions July 7-11, with both meeting in the Allyn Building, Room 202.  The “Take Five -- Exploring 2-D and 3-D Art Camp” is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for children in grades 6-10.  The camp provides an intensive exploration of various area media, methods and techniques and involves working with different art forms every day, including drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media.  The “Art for Young Hands Summer Art Camp” is for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children and meets from 2 to 4 p.m.  Participants will explore art via the use of pencils, pastels, watercolors, acrylic paint, clay and wood as they create inspired pieces.  Contact Continuing Education and Outreach at 618/536-7751 or dcereg@siu.edu for details. 

•  Girls Softball Pitching Camp, July 8-9, 1-3:30 p.m., for players entering grades 1-12, at the Student Recreation Center.  Campers will participate in drills and receive specialized instruction for throwing various pitches.  For more information, contact Kerri Blaylock at 618/453-5466 or by emailing mook@athletics.siu.edu.  

•  Saluki Track and Field Throws Camp, July 12, 13, 19 and 20, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., for students in grades 6-12, at the Lew Hartzog Track and Field Complex, 405 Saluki Drive.  Participants will work to learn new skills and enhance their performance in shot put and discuss.  To learn more, call John Smith at 618/453-7243 or email jjsmith@athletics.siu.edu.