Summer Camps Filling up Fast


By Jamese Slade
NCCU Staff Writer
the Durham VOICE
thedurhamvoice@gmail.com

Summertime is near, when schools close their doors and kids roam free. Durham Parks and Recreation wants to keep children in a fun yet safe environment at their summer camp programs. Registration started last Saturday and the camps are filling up fast.

DPR is offering 17 summer camps and under eight programs, with a variety to choose from that fits different children’s interests and needs.

“The camps offer education enrichment,” said Kendrick Van, Recreational Supervisor for DPR. “At the camps recreational and physical play is a must everyday.”

The Teen Camp and Youth Camp held at the Holton Center are filling up fast.

The Youth Camp has a capacity of 65 and currently has 49 campers signed up, while the Teen Camp has a capacity of 25 and 12 campers signed up.

At the Teen Camps the teens will go on job readiness trips and will do activities such as rock climbing, said Jeff Forde, recreation supervisor. “It gives them the opportunity to make friends.”

Fees for the camps vary, but most are $120 per week. City residents with Play More Cards pay less than city residents without a Play More Card.

When registering, parents must pay the full amount for the first week of camp and 10% of the full amount for rest of the weeks to reserve a space for their child.

For example if a child is going to an 8-week camp that is $100 per week, they have to pay $100 for the first week and $70 to cover the 10% for the seven weeks left. At the beginning of each week the parent would now pay $90 because the 10% of the $100 is already covered.

The prices for the camps can be adjusted for parents registering their kids if they qualify for the sliding fee scale depending on their financial status.

Sliding fee applications are available to parents at any DPR center. Sliding fees reduce the camp’s weekly fees by percentages of 10. If a parent does qualify to receive a reduced price for the camps, the reduction can range from 10-100% off the original price.

When registering for the summer camps, parents should bring proof of their child’s age, guardian contact information, emergency contact information, health insurance information, physician and dentist contacts, medical information, and any special needs the child may have.

According to DPR’s website the campers can participate in a “wide range of activities including…swimming, arts and crafts, computer enrichment, environmental education, and dance…”

All of the camps provided through DPR are day camps. The date for the camps to open is June 14. The last camps close on Aug. 13.

“Camps gives kids something to do and it keeps them off the streets,” said Forde. “It keeps their minds and body active and exposes them to things they’ve never done before.”

The camps provided by DPR are DPR Summer Day Camp, Camp Edison Johnson, Teen Camp, Eno Discovery Camp, Camp Discover 1 and Camp Discover 2, Camp Explore, Art Ventures and Pedal Paddle Play Adventure Camp.

Tuesday and Thursdays the kids go swimming and once a week they go to the movies.

The biggest camps are Edison Johnson which holds 100 and Campus Hills that holds 90.

The Teen Camp and Youth Camp held at the Holton Center are filling up fast.

The Youth Camp has a capacity of 65 and currently has 49 campers signed up, while the Teen Camp has a capacity of 25 and 12 campers signed up.

At the Teen Camps the teens will go on job readiness trips and will do activities such as rock climbing, said Forde. “It gives them the opportunity to make friends.”

Due to the high demand this year Edison Johnson is holding a lottery to pick their campers.

“A lot of parents would be out there at two o’clock in the morning,” said Van. “This site was bombarded by parents.”

This camp is very similar to the other camps offered, but it has “popular amenities like an indoor pool and the Museum of Life and Science right across the street,” said Van.

DPR has three special programs camps that cater to people with special needs: ArtVentures, Camp Discover, and Camp Explore which are all camps that are available to people up to age 21. “The camps that go through ages 21 are typically special needs camps,” said Forde.

“Art Ventures is a theatre camp,” said Kristen Randall Recreational Assistant Supervisor and overseer for Art Ventures.

Art Ventures is a 3-week camp that helps children explore through visual arts, theatre, dance, and sculpture. “It is for youth and teens with and without disabilities,” said Randall.

Randall said camps like this help give more acceptability for special needs people. “A typical peer starts to see beyond the disability and learns that special needs people have talent too.”

Registration sites vary for the camps. If you are interested in a particular camp and want to find out more information or contacts go to http://www.ci.durham.nc.us/departments/parks/summer_camp.cfm .