Summer ThinkCamps are OK!

Registration is underway for Westmont’s innovative ThinkCamps, summer day camps in the arts and sciences for elementary, junior high and high school students. ThinkCamps, launched by the Gaede Institute for the Liberal Arts four summers ago, offers six camps this year: Somos Amigos, a Spanish language camp; Discovery Camp, a science camp; Bravissimo!, a musical theater camp; Computer Quest, a computer camp; Living Like Writers, a creative writing camp; and Creative Youth Project, an art camp.

Bravissimo (June 19-July 2) concludes with three fully-staged theatrical productions of “Oklahoma!” July 1-2. Co-directors Rebecca Leftwich, director of the Westmont Women’s Chorale, and Miller James, Westmont adjunct instructor in stage craft/costume design, will lead students entering the 7th–12th grades through workshops focusing on singing technique, acting, set-design, costuming and technical direction.

Somos Amigos is offering a new second level of more advanced Spanish for returning campers (Somos 2: July 19-23). Beginning Spanish speakers have two opportunities (Somos 1: July 5-9 and July 12-16). Somos Amigos teachers interact in Spanish with the students, who will learn and play with fluent Spanish speakers.

Creative Youth Project (June 28–July 2 for entering grades 7th-8th) has expanded to include a week for high-school-aged students (July 5-9 for entering grades 9th12th). The camp, led by Dan Barnett, head of Santa Barbara High’s Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA), and Josephine Tournier Ingram, instructor in SBHS’ Multimedia Arts and Design Academy (MAD), nurtures and challenges young artists in creativity and imagination and improves their art-making skills.

Discovery Camp (Aug. 2-6), co-sponsored with Endowment for Youth Committee, has a new curriculum this year. Campers will expand their knowledge of science through hands-on chemistry experiments.

Living Like Writers (June 14-25), the earliest camp of the summer, focuses on creative writing. Over the course of two weeks, campers will read examples of all different styles and genres of writing and then choose their own writing project to draft, edit and publish.

Computer Quest (July 12-30) is dedicated to teaching the next generation of computer-savvy students. There are three different course offerings, including Computer Explorers, Video Game Creation and Online Design. All courses take place in Westmont College’s new Mac lab.

Campers can register online at www.thinkcamps.org. Scholarships are available.