Feb. 4, 2003
Gearing Up for Round Two
GW’s Summer Camp Enrichment Program Gets Set
for Second Season
By Thomas
Kohout
“The GW Summer Tour: Curious Minds Rock,” is back and ready
for another season of education and entertainment. Heading into its
second-year, the University’s summer day camp has nearly doubled
its roster of enrichment classes, expanded its range of students eligible
to attend, added a third two-week session, and developed a special program
focusing on issues of particular interest to eighth and ninth grade
students.
The camp’s offerings have expanded to 130 enrichment options and
athletic activities. Bridget Cooper, director, hopes the expanded offerings
will swell enrollment from 160 campers per-session to potentially 300
or more. Much of that is dependent upon how the course offerings fill
up.
After a year of experience, this year’s enrichment programs feature
several new courses and many returning courses whose curriculums have
been refined.
“We found that the kids had some suggestions, and we had some ideas
to make the courses run more smoothly,” says Cooper. “An example
is the “ER for Me” class taught in the medical center last
year. It was less hands-on than we had planned. This year we’ve
renamed it to be “Medicine and More.” It will be a lot more
thorough and comprehensive in terms of a medical experience.”
Leading the list of favorites last year were the television and radio
production courses, such as “Lights, Camera, Action!” which
puts campers behind the scenes of their own television newscast. The
cooking courses and the computer game design class also were big draws.
In terms of athletics, the social sports, such as bowling and mini golf,
were crowned favorites, but swimming, fitness training, yoga, and team
sports including basketball, football, and volleyball, were predictably
popular as well.
One of the strengths of the Summer Tour is the variety and freedom offered
to campers. Registration works about how you might expect on a college
campus, with students customizing their camp experience, registering
for the classes that interest them until those offerings fill up. Campers
design their day, choosing from eight to 14 different offerings four
times per day. The alternatives vary from cooking classes and expressive
arts offerings, to communications, science, technology, and international
affairs courses
“The comment I heard most from parents last year was, ‘Can
I come? If I put my hair up in pigtails would you notice that I was
there,’ ” says Cooper. “I told them I’ll take your
word for it on your medical form, I don’t check IDs. If you want
to come I can’t stop you, you just have to pay the piper.”
A lot of thought has gone into implementing this program. Senior Vice
President for Student and Academic Support Services Robert Chernak created
a similar program in Hartford, CT. Cooper recalls that when she first
came to GW, she and Chernak often discussed how the University could
launch a summer camp program. A year and a half ago things started falling
into place.
When developing the program, Cooper, Chernak, and Associate Vice President
Mike Gargano spoke with educators, summer tour staff who had worked
with children or who had children, and they spoke with their future
customers — kids. Relying on those resources, they compiled a list
of activities and classes they thought kids would enjoy. So large in
fact that they decided it was better for the inaugural season to stick
to the University’s strengths initially and build on those in subsequent
years.
“Last year we took a select few of those we thought we could do
the best, that we already had contacts with people who could do them,
and that each in their own way would contribute a different aspect to
the program,” explains Cooper.
They decided to narrow the population and focus attention on the core
group of campers most likely to come to camp. Since it was their first
year, Cooper says they decided trying to be too broad might not be the
most successful strategy. Instead they confined their enrollment to
grades three through eight.
Under the administrative direction of Helen Cannaday Saulny, special
assistant to the senior vice president, this year the camp has expanded
its offerings to kids on either end of the age scale. Students entering
second and ninth grades are now eligible to participate. The camp also
features an enhanced program for eighth- and ninth-graders directed
more toward leadership development and career exploration, as well as
helping students figure out who they are and how they fit into the world.
“We wanted to give them a more intimate experience that is appropriate
for their developmental track, one that focuses on peer relationships,
relationships with self, those kinds of social issues which are more
relevant at that age. What better place to explore those kinds of topics
than on a college campus,” explains Cooper.
Summer Tour activities kickoff each day starting at 9 am, with drop-off
times between 8:45 and 9 am, and the campers don’t slow down again
until 4:45 pm, just in time for the 4:45 and 5 pm pickup. Families who
need extra time can arrange for pre-tour and post-tour programs, starting
at 7:30 am and ending at 6 pm.
The 2003 GW Summer Tour programs are offered in three two-week sessions.
Session I July 7–18; Session II July 21–Aug. 1; and Session
III Aug. 4–15. Tuition for the camp is $715 for one session, $1,330
for two sessions, and $1,995 for all three sessions. The camp also offers
family discounts.
The GW Summer Tour still has some openings for teaching staff and other
opportunities. Those interested in subjects such as cooking, law, journalism,
or photography should send E-mails to bcurious@gwu.edu
or call 994-CAMP.
Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu
