by Kelsey Asher
Many kids spend their summers behind closed doors, glued to their shiny screens and poking fingers at their phones. The University of West Georgia’s Department of Continuing Education invites kids to join a holistic, fun learning environment through various summer camp programs. UWG summer camps offer something for everybody, from general science to insects to arts and film, and more. Through these vital programs, children not only cultivate meaningful relationships with others who have similar interests, but they also receive an early glimpse at collegiate life that could create a genuine hunger for life long learning.
“The Wolves Exploration Camp provides rising Kindergartners through 2nd graders with lots of opportunities to run around, get messy, and have fun (while sneaking in a few academic concepts - shhhhhhh, don't tell them!),” Program Specialist Erika McClain said.
“In this test-driven time, schools aren't able to delve into multi-disciplined approaches and allow children to participate in engaging projects. Wolves Exploration Camp will motivate [campers] to travel into the wonders of learning led by the expert team of teachers who lead the UWG Pre-K students during the school year.”
Summer camp at West Georgia isn’t only for young children; teens are invited too. Probably the most notable summer program offered at West Georgia for teenagers is the School of the Arts (SOTA) Film Camp, starting again this July.
“The SOTA Film Camp provides youth ages 13-18 the opportunity to write, direct, and star in their own short films,” Erika said. “The participants will learn what it takes to produce a finished movie from talented faculty devoted to the medium. The camp consists of daily workshops and tutorials on screenwriting, movement and voice coaching, image capturing, and film editing, using both state-of-the-art university equipment and also [the students’] own smart phones and tablets. In addition, students receive […] a special screening of their films, curated by a film professor, at the end of the week, to which family members and friends are invited.”
The Wolves Exploration Camps and SOTA Film Camp not only benefit youth in the Carrollton area, but also college students. Students working towards degrees in fields such as education and science have developed valuable skills by serving as leaders in the camps. Students from the College of Education participated in the IMPACT Science Camps from 2009-2013, and students from the College of Arts and Humanities participated in the Saturday Studio: Youth Art Program in 2013-2014.
For a full list of programs, prices and dates, please visit www.westga.edu/conted.
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