Summer ThinkCamps to Use New Facilities
Westmont’s innovative ThinkCamps, summer day camps in the arts and sciences for elementary, junior high and high school students, will enjoy the new Adams Center for the Visual Arts this summer. Two separate ThinkCamps, Computer Quest, a computer camp, and Creative YOUth Project, an art camp, will move into the new facilities that opened to Westmont students this fall.
There are four other ThinkCamps this year, including Somos Amigos, a Spanish language camp, Discovery Camp, a science camp, Bravissimo!, a musical theater camp and Living Like Writers, a creative writing camp. Campers can register online at www.thinkcamps.org. Scholarships are available.
ThinkCamps were launched by the Gaede Institute for the Liberal Arts at Westmont five summers ago. “Think Camps are designed to encourage students to continue to explore areas of interest outside of the classroom, whether that be art, graphic design, creative writing, theater, science or foreign language,” says Diana Small, ThinkCamps coordinator.
Bravissimo (June 18-July 1) concludes with three fully-staged theatrical productions of “The Sound of Music” June 30 and July 1. Co-directors Rebecca Leftwich, dean of students and music instructor at Providence Hall, 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 three weeks of camp divided by age (June 13-July 1 for ages 5-12). Somos Amigos teachers interact in Spanish with the students, who will learn and play with fluent Spanish speakers.
Creative YOUth Project (June 27–July 1 for entering grades 7th-12th) will once again be led by Daniel Barnett, head of Santa Barbara High’s Visual Arts and Design Academy (VADA). Creative YOUth Project nurtures and challenges young artists in creativity and imagination and improves their art-making skills.
Discovery Camp (July 25-29 for entering grades 5th-8th) will be led by Carrie Stein, Westmont lab coordinator and chemistry instructor. Campers will expand their knowledge of science through hands-on chemistry experiments.
Campers in Living Like Writers (July 25-29 for entering grades 6th-8th) will write poetry, short stories and a play while gaining valuable skills such as careful observation, sharing one’s work with others and editing. Campers will also write song lyrics that will be performed by Santa Barbara songwriters.
Computer Quest (June 27-July 15 for entering grades 1st-8th) 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’s Mac lab in the new Adams Center.