By Loyalist College Business graduate and PR post-graduate Public Relations student Mariah Brough
Summer vacation is here! What are your kids doing for the summer? Adventure, mystery and fun-filled learning await at Loyalist. The College has a variety of summer camps to educate and entertain. Camps for kids of different ages and every interest are running until August 15. Whether they like art, travelling, adventure, reading, drama, writing or dance, kids are sure to find a camp they’ll love! They will explore new hobbies and interests, meet new friends and have great stories to tell at the end of every day.
Summer starts with a bang the week of June 30. Campers can experience Art Wonder, Rockin’ Space Adventures, Batawa Dino Days, Batawa Hike ‘n’ Bike, or Rock ‘n’ Read.
Rock ‘n’ Read camp gives six to eight-year-olds a chance to let their imaginations run wild. Swap their swim trunks and goggles for a great book, and watch them dive into their favourite stories. The children spend a week exploring exciting new destinations, playing games and using their imaginations to bring their favourite stories to life. Children can take a step into fairy tale land, or travel around the world in one day, all through the magic of books. Every day offers new stories, with planned activities that show how fun reading can be.
“For some children, reading in school can be scary, tedious and difficult,” says Melanie Burton, instructor of the Rock ‘n’ Read camp at Loyalist. “Camp gives them a new environment and takes the fear out of reading. Being in a small group gives them confidence. It’s also great for kids who already love to read and want to explore different types of reading.”
Melanie is the creator of Reading Rocks, a program that runs at the Links to Learning Resource Centre in Belleville. It promotes literacy and helps children set goals for reading, and then reach them. Melanie started Reading Rocks when she was only 11 years old. Since then she has raised thousands of dollars towards books and resources for the program. In 2009, she was awarded the TeenFlare Volunteer Award from Flare Magazine and in 2011 she was featured in Chatelaine Magazine’s Women of the Year – Hot 20 Under 30. With her knowledge of reading programs and her love of teaching, Melanie makes reading interesting for campers. She plans crafts, games and outdoor activities based on the stories they are reading, using a variety of reading techniques to keep children engaged. Campers have the opportunity to grow in a new social environment and gain great new friendships.
“I have always wanted to teach,” explains Melanie who is returning to Queen’s University in the fall to study Education. “I offer a free reading assessment at the beginning of the week to all the children, and at the end of the week we do it again to see how they have progressed. Parents are more than welcome to follow up after camp, and we love to see children continue on with the Reading Rocks program after the camp is over.”
Rock ‘n’ Read runs from June 30 until July 4. Other exciting camps offered this summer at Loyalist include World Travellers, Urban Art, Mixed Media Mania, Wacky Wild Water Week and sports such as volleyball. For more information or to register, call 613-969-7900 or visit loyalistfocus.com.