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L I V E • PLAY • DO
2021 PORTLAND SUMMER CAMPS GUIDE PART 1 of 3
MARCH 2021 - DIGITAL EDITION nwkidsmagazine.com
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Editor’s Note After the very longest winter, spring is almost here. Warmer days are ahead and here at NW Kids, we’re thinking about Summer Camp season! This is the first in our 3-part series of Summer Camp Guides. Head to page 8 and see what strikes your fancy! As many camps are finalizing their camp plans a bit later this year, be sure to check back in April and May for new additions and changes. Also, head to nwkidsmagazine.com for a roundup of camps that are offering early registration discounts! Normally we would be seeing many of you at our annual Summer Camp Expo at OMSI. This year, the expo is moving online! Follow us on social media ( @nwkids ) and sign up for our newsletters so you don’t miss a thing. Cheers,
Mary
Cover photography by
WILLOWBROOK ARTS CAMP
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Contents MARCH 2021 8 2021 Portland Summer Camps Guide 19 PJA Perspectives 20 Creative Kids: JP Wooden Design 22 Local Eats: Twisted Gyros
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magazine Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Instagram: @nwkidsmagazine • Twitter: @nwkids • Pinterest: pinterest.com/nwkids NW Kids is published monthly by Miche Media, LLC. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy; sometimes we make errors. Please let us know when we do and accept our apologies. Printed locally; Please recycle.
Publisher Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Editor/Account Manager Mary Brady mary@nwkidsmagazine.com Graphic Designer Robyn Taylor robyn@folkloremedia.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com
Listings Adventure Camp ...........................................10 Aim High........................................................15 All Families Surrogacy...................................25 Alpengirl Camp .............................................25 Backbeat Music Academy..............................25 Bennett Suzuki...............................................26 Camp Wahoo..................................................10 Catlin Gabel....................................................11 Echo Theater Company..................................14 Ekone Ranch...................................................11
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FAIS.................................................................. 3 German International School.......................... 7 Happy Hollow Children’s Center....................26 Herrold Stables...............................................25 ILA..................................................................18 Little Fruit Farm..............................................26 Mad Science...................................................11 OES................................................................... 7 OMEGA Gymnastics.......................................14 OMSI................................................................. 2
Pedalheads.....................................................11 Play Fit Fun.....................................................10 Royal Ridges...................................................11 Schoolita Alegria............................................11 The International School................................18 The International School................................25 THPRD............................................................15 Venvino Art Studios.......................................10 Willowbrook Arts Camp ...............................18 Xstream Learning Center...............................25
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PART 1 of 3
2021 PORTLAND SUMMER CAMPS GUIDE
March is here and with it comes the first in our 3-part series of Summer Camp Guides! Whether your kids are into art, sports, learning a new language, or anything in between, there’s something for everyone!
ACADEMIC Portland Jewish Academy’s Summer Discovery PJA’s Summer Discovery program offers enriching classes from experienced, passionate, professional teachers who incorporate STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) to enhance learning in a fun and nurturing way. pjaproud.org/summer
Summer at Delphian School Summer at Delphian’s program balances academic basics and a wide variety of elective offerings. Summer at Delphian is a day and residential program for children ages 5-18, with overnight available to campers 8 years of age and older. delphian.org/summer21
ARTS & CRAFTS Cognizart by MetroArts Inc. Immersive visual arts, music, theatre, and dance during one-day Spark Camps March-June and week-long Kids Camps this July in Portland. Incredible in-person instruction for kids ages 7-12 to create, collaborate, and shine. Scholarships offered. metroartsinc.org
Fine Art Starts! Love ART? This camp is for you! Fun, top-notch online drawing and painting instruction with professional artist and licensed teacher. Balance your unique ideas with lessons in fine art skills. Small groups, online gallery and art show! Grades K-8. fineartstarts.com
Venvino Art Studios Choose from any of their 36 different themed art camps for kids aged 5 - 14. Kids will paint, create, craft, imagine, play and have fun. Only 12 spots per camp, so register early to save your seat. venvinoartstudios.com 8 | NW Kids Magazine
Willowbrook Arts Camp From June 28 – August 6, go outside to explore while celebrating individuality and interconnectedness. Experience visual arts, performing arts, nature and more in Brown’s Ferry Park. Registration opens March 15. willowbrookartscamp.org
DANCE, GYMNASTICS & ACTIVE PLAY Echo Theater Company Circus Theater Camp is an action-packed week combining the physical challenges of circus with the creativity of storytelling! Each day campers will explore trapeze, aerial silks, acrobatics, juggling, physical theater & their own imaginations! echotheaterpdx.org/etc-school
OMEGA Gymnastics Keep your kids active with OMEGA’s gymnasticsfilled camps. Choose half-day or full-day, one day or multiple - built for flexibility. Full day includes field trip. Camp shirt and annual membership required. omega-gymnastics.com/camps
GENERAL Adventure Camp Adventure Camp includes eleven themed day camps for kids in Kindergarten - 5th Grade. Each week features field trips, art & cooking projects, water slides, STEM activities and much more! Adventure Camp is a ministry of Southwest Bible Church. adventurecampkids.org
Aim High Martial Arts Stable groups of 10 explore new camp themes each week. Camps include daily martial arts lessons, games and take-home and in-camp crafts and projects! aimhighma.org/camps
Catlin Gabel School Join Catlin Gabel on their 72-acre campus or online for summer camps from June 28-August 13. Choose from academics, sports, technology, music, day camps, arts, and more for ages 4-18. Before and after care available. catlin.edu/summer continued on p. 12
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GENERAL (continued) MJCC Summer Day Camp Have an AWESOME summer at MJCC Day Camp! Health + safety is their top priority. Enjoy quality, age-appropriate programs that are super fun. Half + full-day options 9am-4pm. Sports, art projects, games, and more! Open to everyone ages 5-15. oregonjcc.org/daycamp
Oregon Episcopal School Summer is on AGAIN at OES! We did summer safely last year and we’re back in 2021 with in-person and online camps for young people ages 4 to 18. Check out our offerings because we have a camp for everyone! Registration opens March 15. oes.edu/summer
THPRD This year’s camp offerings will include sports, nature and games. For safety, Camp Pods will be limited in size. All camps/classes will be on their website on 4/12 and in-district registration opens on 5/1! thprd.org
HORSES & FARM Camp Wahoo! Camp Wahoo! is a week long summer camp for kids who love horses and the outdoors. Campers experience true adventure, riding daily and living in a rustic pioneer camp. campwahoo.com
Herrold Stables, LLC Herrold Stables is Hillsboro Parks & Recreation approved to provide spring and summer camps. Join them for Horse Riding Day Camp and Horse Farm Fun Days! herroldstables.com
Royal Ridges Royal Ridges offers a wide range of different camps including: Traditional Day Camp, Day and Resident Adventure Camp, Day and Resident Horse Camp and Paintball Day Camp. Ages range from 1st-12th grade, depending on the camp. royalridges.org 12 | NW Kids Magazine
LANGUAGE Atlas Immersion Academy On-site camp at their Gabriel Park location beginning the week of 6/1, in two groups of up to 14 children (group 1: Spanish-English, group 2: French-English bilingual group) Two groups intermingle for presentations, field trips, and at the park. atlasimmersionacademy.com
German International School Join GIS for their German & Mandarin summer camp programs! Their camps offer innovative and unique ways to approach learning language through themebased activities in and outside the classroom. No German or Mandarin language experience needed. gspdx.org
Schoolita Alegria A fun children’s Spanish workshop for ages 3-7. Small group size (10). They sing! Each week, celebrate a new Spanish speaking country! Play outside in the garden! Plant! Theme/spirit days! Yoga/gym day! Cooking day! Water play! Creative centers! schoolita-alegria.com
The International School It’s a world of fun at The International School’s awardwinning summer camp! Chinese, Spanish, or Japanese language and culture come to life through hands-on projects, games, outdoor fun, and more! Learn a new language or practice one that you know! intlschool.org/summer
MUSIC Backbeat Music Academy Backbeat Music Academy is built on the principles of growth mindset, autonomy, inquiry, connection, exploration and fun. Themes include: Try Anything: Try out hundreds of instruments from around the world! Write Music for Computer Games: Harness your kids’ love of gaming to learn music. backbeatmusicacademy.com
NATURE Ekone This year they’ll be offering adapted Family Camp programs as well as a few overnight camps for teens with various themes (art, music, stewardship, construction etc). All participants will have a chance to connect with their herd of Ekone horses. ekone.org continued on p. 16
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NATURE (continued) ILA French Immersion School Join ILA for another exciting summer. (French Language Proficiency Not Required) Camp hours ar 9am-3pm. Space is limited. Please bring your own lunch and snack. $300/week full day regular camp. ilapdx.org/summer-camps-2021
Portland Audubon Portland Audubon’s Summer Camps are full of truly amazing, nature-based adventures! Their week-long day camps for grades 1-8 combine art, science experiments, & games with explorations of their beautiful, 172-acre Wildlife Sanctuary. audubonportland.org/our-work/ learn/youth-programs/camps-for-kids/summer-camp/
Trackers Earth Experience outdoor sports, wilderness skills, fantasy role-play, art camps & more! Their mission is to inspire kids and families outdoors, creating stories & memories—new friendships & possibilities—within themselves, each other, & the world around them. trackerspdx.com/youth/summer-camps.php
SPECIAL NEEDS Camp Meadowood Springs Camp Meadowood is a unique camp experience for children ages 6-14 impacted by communication or social learning challenges. They also accept all children. meadowoodsprings.org
Camp Yakety Yak Camp Yakety Yak is an inclusive social skills day camp supporting friendship development in children (ages 5-15) with special needs, and promoting social skills in work place instruction for young adults aged 16-22. campyaketyyak.org
SPORTS & ROCK CLIMBING Alpengirl Camp Alpengirl is an overnight summer adventure camp for girls ages 11-16. Their 1-2 week outdoor camps are multiadventure and include a variety of adventure activities such as backpacking, horseback riding, rafting, sea kayaking, rock climbing and more! alpengirlcamp.com 16 | NW Kids Magazine
Avid4 Adventure Experienced instructors empower kids of all ages and skill levels to bike, hike, rock climb and paddle in the outdoors. Day and overnight camps in CA, CO, Portland and Bend, OR. Avid4 has effective COVID-19 protocols and flexible cancellations. avid4.com
Pedalheads Bike Camps Pedalheads Bike is a learn-to-ride bike program for kids ages 2-12, best known for helping children get off training wheels and safely riding on the road! pedalheads.com
Soccer Shots Help your kiddo stay active by joining Soccer Shots for a Summer CAMP, running Monday - Thursday! Campers will develop their soccer skills, their character, and their creativity while having fun and being active. soccershots.org/pdx
STEM Mad Science of Portland and Vancouver Do you have a future Einstein or Marie Curie on your hands? Send them to Mad Science Camp! Their interactive, engaging, hands-on programs allow kids to explore the different fields of science in an interesting and entertaining way. portland. madscience.org
OMSI Camps & Classes Celebrate summer, celebrate science! OMSI offers nearly 50 small group science-focused day camps— including drone pilot training, junior veterinarian, LEGO® robotics, forensic science, and more. soccer omsi.edu/summer
Xstream Learning Center They coordinate with Engineering for Kids to offer summer camps. Their STEM camps offer both full day and half day options. Through interactive, engaging and open-ended projects, campers will learn in a fun, safe environment and explore everything engineers do. xstreamlc.com
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Portland Jewish Academy (pjaproud.org) provides a rich The PJAandPerspective academic cultural learning experience for kids from early childhood through 8th grade. We’ve invited budding writers from the middle school Humanities classes and writing exploratory to join our team for a series that gives you a glimpse into thoughts and life - from their perspective.
Wish by Sydney Walking through the trees of time Blossoms of memory hang and float around me One lands in front of me I almost step on it I almost destroy the memory I pick it up Looking into it A small child on their birthday Blowing out candles Making a wish Their parents crowd around Smiles deep and dear on their faces The smile finds its way onto my face As I let the flower go up up up A tear cascades down my cheek I wish I could’ve been there During that pure, genuine, joyful moment I wish
Sydney is a current 6th grader at Portland Jewish Academy. She enjoys writing, reading, playing Animal Crossing New Horizons, and coming up with smoothie and other food recipes. She also loves hanging out with her cat, Mr. Fuzz.
The Ocean by Beren
Poet, inventor, and artist, Beren is an eighth grader at PJA. When he’s not writing poetry, he likes to play with his dogs, read, and play games.
A silver blue glint Off the sandy shore A simple truth Of something more The rolling waves Down to my core A silver blue glint Of something more NW Kids Magazine | 19
Creative Kids:
JP Wooden Design We recently heard about a pair of friends in Portland who started an Etsy shop, selling the wooden cutting boards and trivets that they make together after school. Allow us to introduce you to Pascual (12) and Jayden (11) and their wonderful shop, JP Wooden Design.
NW Kids: Hi Pascual and Jayden! I’m so excited to talk to you and learn more about JP Wooden Design! First of all, how long have the two of you been friends and how did you meet? JP Wooden Design: We met in 3rd grade when we both joined the same basketball team. NWK: What gave you the idea to start making cutting boards and other woodcrafts? Were you already doing woodworking before you turned it into a business? JPWD: We have been making woodcrafts before we started the business. NWK: Cool! Did you save up money to get started with the tools and materials you needed? Were there some tools and materials that your families already had at home? JPWD: We started with the tools that were free and available, then once we started to make more money we bought a few fancy tools. 20 | NW Kids Magazine
NWK: The JP Wooden Design tiger wood cutting board that I have is so beautiful and substantial! Did you do research to find the best type of wood to use? JPWD: Everyday when Jayden’s dad came home he would bring back some scraps of tiger wood so we would just use whatever was available. NWK: Well it sure makes for a beautiful finished product! When you’re creating new pieces do you each have a separate part in the process or do you work together? Which parts do you each like the best? JPWD: When we make a new board I [Pascual] draw out the board on a piece of wood and then Jayden uses a jigsaw to cut it out. Then we both sand down the board. NWK: Teamwork! My kids are 9 and 14 and with the pandemic and being home most of the time, they definitely get bored. Has starting JP Wooden Design helped to keep some of the Covid boredom at bay for you two?
JPWD: Starting JP Wooden Design has definitely helped us get rid of the boredom and we see other kids starting businesses on Etsy too, so it feels good to inspire others. NWK: I love that kids are seeing what you’ve done and are inspired. Is there anything else you want to share about JP Wooden Design? JPWD: We want to inspire other kids to start businesses. And put the money to good causes. NWK: You’re not just an inspiration to other kids; you’re also an inspiration to adults. Thank you so much for talking to us about JP Wooden Design! Check out Jayden and Pascual’s Etsy shop here etsy.com/shop/JPwoodenDesign and give them a follow on Instagram! @jpwoodendesign Do you know of any other talented kids who have started their own business during Covid? Tell us about them!
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Local Eats:
TWISTED GYROS A full year into the pandemic, our cooking and dining habits have changed a great deal. While we try to navigate supporting our local businesses while also following the changing safety guidelines (and our own comfort levels with being out and about), food trucks and carts have filled a space between ordering in and sitting down in a restaurant. After seeing Twisted Gyros outside my neighborhood taphouse several times last year and hearing rave reviews from friends, I decided to walk over and order a gyro. This was unlike any gyro I’d ever had and included a combination of flavors that could not be imagined, but are perfect. Fast forward to today: I follow them on social media and when they are visiting my area I order ahead online [HOT TIP ALERT! They do sell out and ordering in advance secures your deliciousness]. Over time I’ve had the chance to chat with Jason and Widi, the husband and wife team behind the magic, and it’s no surprise that they are just as lovely as the food that they create. Mary Brady: Hi Jason! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with me. Can you tell me a little bit about how you and Widi conceived of Twisted Gyros? Jason Kupper: We have been eating gyros for a long time, going back to our dating days. What started as date night became more of a routine and soon we had become gyro connoisseurs, checking out different spots throughout our travels. The one common theme was that all of the ingredients stuffed inside the pita were relatively the same which didn’t always fulfill our adventure seeking palettes. After working in hospitality for many years, we decided that it was time for us to venture out on our own and create a concept that was true to our heart. We decided to share our love of gyros with our guests but wanted to take it to a different level. Hence, the fusion aspect of Twisted Gyros was born, which allowed us to impart our experience and culinary style into each of the dishes on the menu. Our goal was to have a diverse enough menu that guests would want to branch out and explore new options that they might not have 22 | NW Kids Magazine
ever considered. Basically, we wanted to tap into the community and create a relationship with our “regulars”. MB: Well, you’ve certainly done that! As you know, I’m a big fan of your falafel gyros and rice bowls. I know there are Greek, Korean, Middle Eastern and Mexican influences on the menu. Any others that I’m missing? JK: Our menu is diverse and has many touches from around the world. Greece, Korea, Mexico, and the Middle East make up a large portion of it; but there are other influences that make their appearance from time to time. One such dish is our Piña Colada Shrimp which plays on Widi’s South East Asian heritage. We marinate the shrimp with rum before breading in Japanese breadcrumbs and coconut. We then cook them until ‘GBD’ (golden brown & delicious) and serve with a pineapple corn salsa, pickled carrots, cabbage, cilantro vinaigrette and peanut sauce. Another dish we are debuting this week is our house made Honey Roasted Char Sui BBQ Pork which celebrates the flavors of China and is also timely with the arrival of the Chinese Lunar New Year. We serve it with edamame, red pepper, carrot, cucumber, fried noodle, toasted almonds, orange and a sesame ginger vinaigrette. Both of these dishes can be ordered as a pita bread gyro, a saffron rice bowl, or a refreshing greens salad. MB: I saw the new pork dish on your Instagram and it looks delicious! Do your daughters have any influence on what makes its way onto the menu? JK: Since Widi is from South East Asia, we’ve been fortunate enough to bring the kids along when she’s returned home. We’ve taken them to the craziest of restaurants with hundreds of small dishes on display and to the heart of these cities to experience the street food which they are known for. Throughout these trips they have often lent their opinion on certain meals we have enjoyed and, in the process, started to develop their
own distinct palettes. So, when it comes to the menu at Twisted Gyros, by nature they have become our first line of defense when we test out new ingredients or dishes. We value their opinion because we know that they represent the future of our clientele. We also have a motto that if we wouldn’t feed something to our own kids then we certainly wouldn’t feed it to yours. MB: I love to see families stopping by, kids in tow, to pick up their dinner. What’s your secret to appealing to a full spectrum of ages and palates? JK: What has worked for us is taking the time to listen to what people are looking for in their meals. We find that the key is offering flexibility and allowing a certain level of customization. The basis for our concept is that everything on the menu can be enjoyed as either a pita gyro sandwich, saffron rice bowl, or refreshing greens salad. When you take these formats and multiply them by our eight standard menu items and possibly more with our weekly specials; we are automatically offering more options than can normally be found on your typical food truck. This cast a wide net and allows us to tap into a broad range of diners. When it comes to customization, we generally shy away from breaking a dish down so much that it no longer represents its original form; but we do allow for many requests that have become second nature in both of our culinary backgrounds. Vegan options, allergies, aversions, and gluten free scenarios pop up every day and we try our best to accommodate them as much as we can. We look at all of our patrons whether they are five or ninety-five in the same lens. At the end of the day, the guests always know what they want and if we can help them to achieve that then it is a win-win situation. MB: With the pandemic, have you found yourself and other food truck owners to have more flexibility than dine-in restaurants? Any plans for a brick and mortar? continued on p. 24 NW Kids Magazine | 23
JK: The pandemic has provided many challenges in our operation but being mobile has allowed more flexibility than that of most dine-in restaurants. We are missing our large-scale events like Portland Night Market just as much as the next person but we are still able to maintain a regular amount of business from our dedicated stops and routes that we’ve established. We are able to stay open the majority of the time since the truck is a self-contained unit; a “kitchen on wheels” to be exact. On top of that, we are a family run business so we keep a tight control on every aspect of our sanitation practices and safety standards for our guests. Transitioning to a brickand-mortar restaurant is definitely a question that has been asked lately but at the moment we are focused on the truck and waiting for the right moment to take that next step. We feel like we have a good proof of concept with the reception from the community so we’ll just have to see what happens next! MB: I’m excited to see! When you’re not cooking, do you have any favorite spots that work for your whole family? JK: Some our favorite places to eat as a whole family are Mr. Bento Burger in Hillsboro, Matts BBQ in Portland, and Sugarpine Drive-In in the Gorge. MB: I’ve been to some outdoor weddings and birthday parties that had food trucks on site. Do you do private events? JK: Part of our business is based on a “by appointment” model where we book events throughout the year. In the past we have done work with the 24 | NW Kids Magazine
Portland Children’s Museum for their Building Bridges Event which was super cool because we got to interact with almost all kids that day and also had the chance to meet with DJ Lance Rock from Yo Gabba Gabba who is AWESOOOOOOME! A very popular booking for us is milestone events such as birthdays and anniversaries. The comforting nature of our menu lends well to the fun environment often associated with birthdays when guests are looking to think outside the box when it comes to the food offering. We also have done weddings and have a few already booked for this coming summer. The great thing about weddings in Oregon is the beautiful outdoor venues that a lot of people are choosing from vineyards to historic barns and farms. In addition, we do private events for many local companies that want us out to feed their staff for lunch, treat them to an employee appreciation day, or for quarterly business meetings. Private events can be booked by visiting our website at twistedgyros.com and heading to the “Contact Us” tab. MB: I’m jealous of your DJ Lance meeting! Thank you so much for chatting with me, Jason! I follow you on Facebook and Instagram to see when you’ll be in my neighborhood. Is that the best way to keep track of your schedule? JK: Yes. We can be found on both at @twistedgyros. As the season progresses, we will let our clientele know where we will be and how to order. We have an online ordering platform for days of events at twistedgyrosonline.com MB: We’ll be following along!
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