Camp, School or Both?
Camp United in Cottonwood Falls entertains and educates
By Brandy Nance (Contact)
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Evan Grayson, center, places a card on the foreheads of Conway Smith, left, and Devon Swartz while playing a game of forehead math at Camp United in Cottonwood Falls.
Cottonwood Falls — In Cottonwood Falls, summer camp is not just about having fun — it’s also about learning.
The first annual Camp United, a summer day camp program held in the mornings at Chase County Elementary School, is offered at no cost to students who are enrolled at Chase County Elementary School. The month-long program is held Monday through Thursday and ends this week.
Janet Ayers, summer camp manager, said five groups are involved in the camp: the Chase County school district; Chase County Recreation Commission; Imagine Chase County; Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Flint Hills; and the Chase County Sheriff’s Department. Ayers said Interstate Brands, which owns the Dolly Madison bakery in Emporia, donated snacks for the students and has volunteered to be a corporate partner in 2007.
The camp combines two previous summer programs, the school district’s Summer Scholastics program and the recreation commission’s morning recreation program.
“Shortly after we put the program together, Imagine Chase County proposed a summer lunch program,” Ayers said. “Then, Big Brother’s Big Sisters of the Flint Hills asked if they could join and provide group activities. With 20-30 children (in the program) crossing the highway to reach the swimming pool, the Chase County Sheriff’s Department joined to provide security and safe passage to the park.”
There are 73 students enrolled in Camp United, about one-third of the students at Chase County Elementary School, Ayers said. The program gives the students a chance to learn and have fun at the same time.
A typical day includes physical activities, a flag salute, a march in to patriotic music, summer scholastics, morning recreation, lunch and then an extra activity after lunch.
Justin Geiss concentrates while reading a book out loud to Breanna Riley at Camp United in Cottonwood Falls Monday morning.
Monday morning, Chase County Elementary School was devoted to the summer camp. In the library, first-grader Sierra Jones was reading an accelerated reading edition of “The Lorax,” by Dr. Suess. After she read the book, she took it to a computer and took a quiz on the book. The quiz offered five questions designed to test her knowledge of the book she just read.
Other kids were sitting around tables reading with volunteers and staff.
“They love it,” Ayers said. “They are very happy.”
Over in the kindergarten room, children were learning to read by playing a game. Cassie Luder, kindergarten camp leader, held up flash cards. The kindergartner who first called out the word on the card received play money that could be spent for prizes at the end of the week.
In the computer lab, second-graders were busy playing computer games, which were very much unlike the “Oregon Trail” game that many people in their 20s and 30s grew up with. The games the students were playing were animated, interactive and full of color and graphics.
While the students played the game, they learned about letters and numbers. One game called for students to solve fraction problems to advance and another game had students match up the numerical form to the alphabetical form of numbers.
In another classroom, students were using wireless laptops. The same type of instructional tools were used on the laptops as in the computer lab.
In Ayers’ classroom, students were playing “forehead math,” in which students sit in a group and use playing cards on their foreheads to add numbers together.
Students at Camp United take weekly field trips that pertain to the theme of the week. The first week, students studied ways to count money. The field trip was to the Exchange National Bank and the Cottonwood Valley Bank. The second week, students studied fractions, length dimensions and weight. The students’ field trip was to Huth’s Lumber and Hardware store to weigh nails and sand and to Croy’s to measure carpet. On the third week, campers walked to the Millstream Motel to look at the geometric designs in the bridge and to learn about the amount of water pouring over the dam. This week’s field trip will focus on dates. Students will go to the Chase County Historical Museum and the Roniger Museum.
Chase County Elementary School Principal Cammy Oneck said she enjoys the camp.
“This isn’t a camp where they (just) have fun,” Oneck said. “It’s learning and fun. What I like as an administrator is that they are learning stuff they are tested on.”
Students also learn responsibility, Ayers said. Older students are teamed up with younger students, creating a peer-mentoring atmosphere.
Comments
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sjmlem (anonymous) says...
Great idea! Chase County is lucky to have such a wonderful new summer school program and to have a teacher who could created it for those children. Thanks also to all the groups and Dolly Madison for their part in this successful program. And thanks to their school board.
June 26, 2007 at 2:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MelissaE (anonymous) says...
"Dolly Madison bakery in Emporia, donated snacks for the students and has volunteered to be a corporate partner in 2007."
There are so many issues with this statement.
First of all, I wonder if Dolly is sponsoring anything like this in Emporia? Where the majority of their employees work? Whose children are in school in Emporia? Or, better yet, whose children need daycare during crappy working hours? (you know, because there's never enough time to make Twinkies so they must do it 24-7).
Secondly, with all the fat kids in America, I'd think a better idea would be to serve fresh fruits & veggies instead of Twinkies & Ho-Hos. I mean, for crying out loud, even the employees of Dolly Madison don't eat the stuff they make or feed it to their children.
Too many roaches in the plant. Too many "particles" found in the food.
M
June 26, 2007 at 3:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MelissaE (anonymous) says...
But, I'd like to say that I think this is a great program, and anything to improve a child's education while also providing something to do (besides video games) during the summer is great.
M
June 26, 2007 at 3:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
daveedailey (anonymous) says...
Well said Melissa. Now lets hear from the die hard Emporians about how well life is here! Rmember Interstate brands is still in litigation for bankruptcy. They need all the tax write offs they can get. I wonder if the city will give them a tax break for just staying open and letting the long termers keep their jobs to keep the town afloat. Sorry I will write more later on this issue!
June 26, 2007 at 3:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
truman (anonymous) says...
Let's focus on Camp United and the wonderful opportunity it offers the children and families in Chase County. The five groups supporting Camp United should be applauded. It sounds like the local businesses are also welcoming the students and reinforcing the goals of Camp United. The school district and the recreation commission must be proud of the program. Way to go Chase County! Let's hope most readers can stay positive and look at the good program provided for the children.
June 26, 2007 at 3:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madhouse (anonymous) says...
This is a very good program. However the school board has not been 100% behind the program. The recreation commission and Imagine Chase County have been major supporters of the program. Hopefully now the school board does see the need for this program and will do all they can to support this program in the future.
June 27, 2007 at 6:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )