July 05, 2019

Media Advisory – Summer Camps July 7-Aug. 9

Southern Illinois University Carbondale is hosting dozens of camps for people of all ages this summer. Reporters, photographers and news crews and find many great opportunities for appealing activity stories, photographs and video. Although summer is nearly half over, there are still numerous chances to capture camp activity stories between July 7 and the end of the camp season on Aug. 9.

Conference and Scheduling Services and Touch of Nature Environmental Center coordinate most of the camps, while Saluki Athletics and other units on campus handle the rest.

Media opportunities July 7 to Aug. 9

The schedule for camps between July 7 and the end of the 2019 summer camp season which welcome media attention is below. Included are brief descriptions of each camp’s activities, opportune times to capture appealing stories, photographs or video, and the camp’s contact information. The camps include:

  • Track and Field Throws Camp includes sessions July 6 and 7 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lew Hertzog Track and Field Complex. Campers ages 12-18 will work on their shot put, discus and hammer skills to improve and learn new techniques. Media are welcome any time. For details contact JC Lambert at jlambert@siu.edu or 618/453-7243.
  • Mindfulness Camp offers two sessions, July 8-12 and July 15-19. Both are for children ages 6-12 and run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily in Morris Library, Room 480. Participants will learn tips, tricks and techniques, including breathing and yoga, to improve their minds and focus, reduce anxiety and enhance their overall awareness and well-being. Media are welcome any time. To learn more, contact Ayla Schmick at schmicam@siu.edu or Jackie Welch at jackiew@siu.edu or 618/453-5672 or 618/922-6499.
  • Two sessions of Exploring Fiber Design – Print, Dye and Sew art camp will take place July 8-12 at the Student Center’s Craft Shop. Grades 4-8 will participate from 9 a.m. to noon and grades 1-3 will participate from 1-4 p.m. Children will design and create their very own fabrics using a variety of techniques and then transform their handmade, screen print fabrics into pillows, tote bags and other projects. For details, contact Stephanie Dukat at stephaniedukat@siu.edu or 618/453-5209 or Jackie Welch at jackiew@siu.edu or 618/453-5672 or 618/922-6499.
  • LEGO camp sessions are set for July 8-12 and July 15-19 from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. in Quigley Hall, Rooms 118-120. Participants will construct fun projects with the LEGO building blocks. Some of the camps use regular LEGOs while some involve Mindstorms software and hardware that enables campers to create programmable robots. Other camps are WeDo Robotics Engineering LEGO camps involving various robotic projects. Members of the media can come during any time during the camp sessions but the best time to get good photographs, video and stories is generally the last hour of each morning and afternoon session when projects are wrapping up. For more information contact Jon Davey at 618/559-8931 or jdavey@siu.edu, Scott Frisch at sfrisch@siu.edu or Rebecca Dycus at rdycus@siu.edu or 618/453-1141.
  • Architecture Camp – Camp I is July 7-12 for grades 7-8 and Camp II is July 14-19 for grades 9-12. From 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day, participants will learn about the built world around them during this award-winning camp at Quigley Hall, Room 133. They’ll do hands-on projects and visit sites to see interesting architecture. Media can come any time during the camp but the last hour each day offers the best opportunity to see completed projects. For addition details or to schedule a visit in advance, contact Jon Davey at 618/559-8931 or jdavey@siu.edu, Scott Frisch at sfrisch@siu.edu or Rebecca Dycus at rdycus@siu.edu or 618/453-1141.
  • Saluki Sprints, Hurdles and Jumps camp offers sessions 8 a.m. to noon on July 12 and 2-6 p.m. on July 13 at the Lew Hertzog Track and Field Complex. Youths entering grades 6-12 will learn sprint, hurdle and jumps techniques and skills from SIU coaches and student athletes. Media may come at any time. Contact Ashley Caldwell at caldwell@siu.edu or 618/453-7242 or Jackie Welch at jackiew@siu.edu or 618/453-5672 or 618/922-6499 for more information.
  • Two EdVenture Eco Camp sessions are at Touch of Nature Environmental Center July 8-12. Each session runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday but Wednesday is generally the best day for media coverage. Media are welcome other days as well, though. Call in advance to get specific schedule details and arrange a visit. Contact Bryn Blackburn or Dena Haun at 618/453-1121, or Pat Jones at 618/453-3947 or 618/521-9455. The sessions include:
    • X-Treme Kids Day Camp Session 2 invites children ages 7-10 to enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities including hiking, paddleboat rides, zip lining, rock climbing, making a souvenir T-shirt, creating nature art and having other adventures.
    • Way of the Paddle Day Camp, for youths ages 13-15, focuses on learning canoeing and kayaking skills and takes participants to all sorts of water “hot spots” in the region. Campers will paddle on Little Grassy Lake, Devil’s Kitchen Lake and enjoy an interpretive paddle at the Cache River State Natural Area. American Canoe Association certified instructors facilitate the instruction.
  • The Student Center Craft Shop is hosting two art camps July 15-19 for various ages. Media are welcome at any time during these workshops. For more information about any of the camps, contact Stephanie Dukat at stephaniedukat@siu.edu or 618/453-5209 or Jackie Welch at jackiew@siu.edu or 618/453-5672 or 618/922-6499.

The July 15-19 camps are:

  • The Hand Built and Wheel Thrown Pottery art camp from 9 a.m. to noon. Children in grades 3-8 will make a variety of class projects using different techniques.
  • The Ceramics: Themed Dishware art camp is from 1 to 4 p.m. Children in grades 4-6 will create a personalized set for dishware using wheel thrown and hand-built clay techniques.
  • The Eco-Graffiti art and design camp is July 15-19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Allyn Building, Room 102, for grades 7-12. Learn to share your voice responsibly through this unique art form. Media can come throughout the camp. Contact Jody Paulson at paulson@siu.edu or Jackie Welch at jackiew@siu.edu or 618/453-5672 or 618/922-6499 for more information.
  • A pair of Art and Design camps are set for July 22-26. Each will take place at the Allyn Building, Room 102. Media can visit at any time during these sessions. For additional information about these camps, contact Jody Paulson at paulson@siu.edu or Jackie Welch at jackiew@siu.edu or 618/453-5672 or 618/922-6499. The July 22-26 art and design camps include:
    • Art About Me from 9 a.m. to noon. Children in grades 1-3 will explore what makes each and every one special, including fingerprints, footprints, hands, and voices and then create special themed artwork with plaster, paint, ink and other media.
    • Printmaking Processes is 1-4 p.m. Grade 6-9 campers will use various printmaking processes to create unique art on paper, T-shirts, their body and other places.
  • There will be two Student Center Craft Shop art camps July 22-26. Media can come any time during these workshops. For more information about of the camps, contact Stephanie Dukat at stephaniedukat@siu.edu or 618/453-5209 or Jackie Welch at jackiew@siu.edu or 618/453-5672 or 618/922-6499. The camps set for July 22-26 at the Craft Shop are:
    • Adornment – Wearable Sculpture art camp takes places from 9 a.m. to noon High school students will explore that various studios and create their own unique jewelry from metal, clay, paper and other materials. Media are welcome any time.
    • Playing the Game art camp is from 1 to 4 p.m. for grades 1-3. Students will check out existing contemporary board games and then, using various art and found materials, invent their very ow board games, creating them by hand, complete with hand-bound instruction booklets.
  • Two sessions of Space Odyssey, a Student Center Craft Shop art camp, are scheduled for July 29-Aug. 2. Session one is for grades 4-8 and runs from 9 a.m. to noon while grades 1-3 will participate 1-4 p.m. Participants will explore all sorts of intergalactic things as they visit the various Craft Shop studios, learn about different media, and create space-themed artwork. Media can visit any time. Contact Stephanie Dukat at stephaniedukat@siu.edu or 618/453-5209 or Jackie Welch at jackiew@siu.edu or 618/453-5672 or 618/922-6499 for details.
  • A pair of art and design camps will take place July 29-Aug. 2 in Allyn Building, Room 102. Media are welcome any time. Contact Jody Paulson at paulson@siu.edu or Jackie Welch at jackiew@siu.edu or 618/453-5672 or 618/922-6499 to receive more information about these camps.
    • Unusual Materials camp is from 9 a.m. to noon for grades 2-5. Children will discover how to create art from fund materials, creating a pretty vase from a plastic bottle, an ancient warrior from a toy car and more.
    • Wearable Art camp is 1-4 p.m. for grades 4-8. Youths will work with fibers, clay, wire and various media to create their very own clothing and jewelry.
  • The final 2019 summer Student Center Craft Shop camps are slated for Aug. 5-9. Members of the media can visit any time. For additional information, contact Stephanie Dukat at stephaniedukat@siu.edu or 618/453-5209 or Jackie Welch at jackiew@siu.edu or 618/453-5672 or 618/922-6499.

The Aug. 5-9 Craft Shop art camps are:

  • Art in Action Camp from 9 to 11 a.m. welcomes pre-kindergarten and kindergarten children to discover the many materials available to help them create unique art. They will learn a bit of history and make their own projects using crayons, markers, clay and paint.
  • Medieval Art and Architecture is 1-4 p.m. for grades 1-3. Campers will create small- and large-scale castle forts inspired by the medieval age. Cardboard, paint, fabric and found materials will be transformed into a village from eons ago. Campers will also create sculpture and wearable items with a medieval theme.
  • Camp Little Giant, which provides people with various disabilities a complete summer camp experience, offers several camp sessions during this time period. The camps take place at Touch of Nature Environmental Center, located about eight miles south of Carbondale on Giant City Road and the best times for media to visit the camps are Monday through Thursday during daytime hours.

Campers and counselors do fun, interactive “circle up” times at 8:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. each day and media are welcome. Each morning features a wide variety of activities, including horseback riding at Giant City Stables, arts and crafts, games and nature hikes. Mid-afternoon usually involves a pontoon boat ride or beach activities while late afternoon schedules often reflect talent shows and karaoke, typically in Burke Lounge, adjacent to Freeberg Hall. On Monday and Wednesday evening campers fish at Donut Pond or do other activities while Tuesday evenings there is typically a themed hayride. Members of the media are asked to call ahead to confirm details and schedule a visit. Contact Janelle Noldin at 509/821-1931 or Janelle.noldin@siu.edu; Mike Horton at 618/917-1589 or michort@siue.edu; or Pat Jones at 618/453-3947 or 618/521-9455.  Camp Little Giant sessions include:

  • Camp Traditions I is July 7-12 for adults ages 21 and older who have physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities.
  • Camp Shawnee is for youths ages 8-21 who have physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities. Camp Shawnee I is July 14-19; Camp Shawnee II is July 14-26 and Camp Shawnee III is July 21-26.
  • Dyna Camp is July 28-Aug. 3 for youths ages 8-12 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Find the complete 2019 summer camp schedule and additional information at conferenceservices.siu.edu. Or, contact Conference and Scheduling Services at 618/536-7751 or conferenceservices@siu.edu to learn more. For more details about the Touch of Nature Environmental Center camps, visit ton.siu.edu/camps-and-retreats, call 618/453-1121 or email tonec@siu.edu.