Camps

BYE, BYE ISOLATION. TIME TO THRIVE AT SLEEPAWAY CAMP

Cheley Colorado Camps, operating under stringent pandemic measures that reduced session duration and limited who could come, hosted more than 200 summer campers in 2020 for

horseback riding, hiking, climbing, fireside chats, and other activities. (PHOTO: COURTESY CHELEY COLORADO CAMPS)

The COVID-19 pandemic has stolen so much from our children and up-ended the foundations of their lives.

With online school, reduced social interactions, cancellations of clubs and sports, and for some, the loss of loved ones, youths have, not surprisingly, faced increased rates of depression, anxiety, BROOKE and sadness.

CHELEY-KLEBE As we look toward brighter days this summer, parents who prioritize mental, as well as physical, health for their children often see sleepaway camp as a much-needed summer reset.

“My kids are so eager to go to camp this summer; they need it,” said Jenney Gillikin, a Dallas mom of three.

Going to camp puts children in nature, supporting connections to others and something bigger than oneself.

Being there helps youths live in the moment and find “flow,” a mental state of enjoyment and energized focus that brings a sense of calm. Time spent outdoors promotes healthy sleep patterns through exposure to natural sunlight and exercise.

“As a kid, camp taught me that I was capable of doing hard things,” said Gillikin, adding her children get that experience, too, at the same place she did, Cheley Colorado Camps.

Children will benefit from returning to real-world socializing and nurturing deep connections and friendships, said therapist Bob Ditter. He specializes in children and adolescents and works with camps to train staff and provide guidance on child development.

“If the pandemic has reminded us of anything, it is that virtual connections, including social media, leave something vital out of things for us as human beings,” he said. “This applies equally to our children, who need the social stimulation of other kids; the attention of interesting, appropriate, and realize that we have it exactly backward,” caring adults; and the sense of belonging Ditter said. “Most people think of school as that comes from being immersed in a sup- essential and camp as elective. What I have portive community.” come to realize is that camp gives kids that

According to research deep drink of connection, by the American Camp of creativity, and of inspiAssociation, a traditional As a kid, camp ration that grounds them sleepaway camp — where a child or teen spends one taught me that and fortifies them for the demands of the rest of to four weeks away from I was capable the school year. Socialhome — helps youths experience growth and de- of doing hard ization and deep relationships are not a frivolous velopment beyond what things. add-on for kids – they are specialized day camps or classes can provide. Jenney Gillikin not ‘elective.’” Children need time Sleepaway camps offer in nature with their a chance to develop deep and meaningful peers to heal from the damage done by the friendships through small groups, the free- COVID-19 pandemic. As my grandfather dom of being unplugged, ample fresh air, and used to say, “Great things happen when the growth that occurs with independence. youth and mountains meet.”

“As I’ve thought about all the kids I’ve seen at camps across the country in the last Brooke Cheley-Klebe is the camp director at 40-plus years and all the children and teens Cheley Colorado Camps, which celebrates its I’ve seen in my psychotherapy practice, I 100th anniversary this summer.

SCHOOL AND EVALUATION CENTER

Summer, the Shelton Way, on its brand-new campus.

Something for everyone: academic and enrichment classes EC-Grade 12, some for credit; Shelton Scholars tutoring program for help with reading, writing and spelling; speech/language/hearing program; sports camps Early bird registration date and rates:

April 15th. Don’t take a vacation from learning and enrichment just because it’s summer! The Shelton Way

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Make a donation during the month of April at any Whole Earth store and help support Texas State Parks.

Donate $20 or more and receive a $5 Texas State Parks gift card, good toward fees or purchases at any Texas State Park. For a $50 donation or more, receive a Whole Earth branded Nalgene 32oz water bottle, and the gift card. For a $100 donation or more, receive a Ft. Lonesome custom Texas Patch, the Nalgene water bottle, and the gift card.

The pandemic-induced upheaval drastically changed how campuses look from June to August

By Riley Farrell

People Newspapers

While federal and statewide plans for distributing three vaccines might mean an eventual return to normalcy, face-to-face college programs for summer 2021 are still tentative.

After all, most 2020 summer programs were either canceled or adapted to an online format.

For 2021, three Texas universities - UT Dallas, SMU, and Texas A&M University - shared plans for their summer camps.

UT Dallas

Officials are still deciding whether the university will host any in-person summer camps, said UT Dallas director of programs for minors Carla Garner. If in-person camps are deemed safe, some programs will offer a hybrid format with both in-person and virtual opportunities.

Notably, debate, chess, and computer science camps will definitely be virtual, Garner confirmed.

Last year, all summer camps were held virtually using UT Dallas-approved platforms, like Blackboard Collaborate or Teams, said Garner.

“Camp directors received positive feedback about the virtual environment for the debate, coding, STEM, and biological sciences camps,” Garner said.

You can keep up with summer programs at UT Dallas on its News Center website. Summer campers enjoy an SMU engineering design experience. (PHOTO: COURTESY CARUTH INSTITUTE

FOR ENGINEERING EDUCATION)

There, you can also see programs offered in the past, said media manager Brittany Hoover Magelssen.

SMU

SMU has not yet decided if camps will be virtual or in-person, said Nancy George, the associate director of media relations.

SMU’s popular programs, such as its four engineering camps and three college-prep camps, will be offered either virtually or in-person, she said.

Texas A&M University

In the summer and winter of 2020, all in-person programs and camps were canceled or virtual, said Cynthia Olvera, assistant director of university youth programs.

Texas A&M officials have published a Roadmap to Reopening, which contains plans to guide safe reopening practices. In-person summer programs may proceed with planning for events that occur after May 10, according to the Roadmap. All approved in-person youth programs must be in groups of 10 or less, and no fees can be charged to participants before April 1.

“We are approaching the reopening 2021 OPTIONS

UT Dallas Debate Camp - debatecamp.utdallas.edu UT Dallas Chess Camp – chess. utdallas.edu/summer-camps UT Dallas Computer Science Camp – k12.utdallas.edu/summer SMU Engineering Summer Camp Offerings – smu.edu/Lyle/ Centers-and-Institutes/Caruth/YouthPrograms-and-Camps/EngineeringSummer-Camps SMU College Prep - smu.edu/CAPE/ Programs/College-Prep Texas A&M Galveston Sea Camps - tamug.edu/seacamp Texas A&M TAMU Athletics Department Sports Camp - 12thman.com/sports/2015/3/23/ GEN_2015060142.aspx Texas A&M Veterinary Enrichment Camp - bims.tamu.edu/ future/veterinary-enrichment-camp

with cautious optimism by using Nonpharmaceutical Interventions and cohort systems to meet our risk responsibilities,” Olvera said. “[Texas A&M] offers a multitude of high-quality academic youth programs, athletic youth programs, mentorship programs, and more.”