Has your kiddecided to become the next Bill Gates or David Beckham – and nothing else willdo? Then you’re in luck this summer! The Washington DC region has summer campsto fit any kid’s budding interest. You’ll find “specialty” camps that focus on scienceor sailing or soccer – and anything in between!
Here are just afew of the “specialty” summer camps featured both in the FAMILY Magazine and theVirtual Camp Fair.Take a mini vacation from the cold and explore all the great programs online(complete with “wish you were there” pictures of the camps)!
Whale Camp
In recognitionof the value of Whale Camp programs at the Fundy Marine Science Institute, theCollege of the Atlantic is offering scholarships of $40,000 over four years toany Whale Camp alumni recommended by its Director. The College of the Atlanticis a renowned Liberal Arts college located on Mount Desert Island, Maine, hometo Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park on the coast of the Gulf of Maine. COAis an innovative institution, whose primary focus is the relationships betweenhumans and the environment and is part of the Eco-League of colleges.
WhaleCamp programs prepare students with a solid background in the marine sciencesand a deeper understanding of Human Ecology. Of all marine science programs,Whale Campers have far more face-to-face encounters to closely observe andstudy whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and puffins in their own naturalhabitat. Aboard their 65-footsailboat campers collect data to document whale distribution, feeding andbehavioral patterns. Hands-on experience using onboard marine biology equipmenthelps unveil the powerful and endangered processes of life in the sea.
Campersexplore beaches, coastal trails, and fishing villages and investigate life inthe tidal pools and bogs. Whale Camp takes students out to sea three days eachweek to directly encounter the whales and other marine life for an amazingmarine science experience. Whale Camp is a place where inspiration, explorationand discovery abound. www.whalecamp.com
iD Tech Camps
Celebrating their 14th season, iDTech Camps is an independent, family-owned company recognized as the besttechnology summer camp in the nation. Their dedication and desire to be thebest has made them the largest, most recommended camp of their kind.
iD Tech Camps has an unparalleledline-up of over 60 summer camp programs at universities including AmericanUniversity, Towson University, the College of William and Mary, Stanford,Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, and many more. American University also hosts iDProgramming Academy, one of iD’s two-week teen-only pre-college immersionprograms. Other teen programs, held atselect universities across the country, include iD Gaming Academy and iD VisualArts Academy (filmmaking and photography).
By instituting a “No CIT” policyand paying staff well above industry standard wages, iD ensures a unique andpersonalized learning experience. Instructors come from the top universities in the country – often thevery universities where programs are held – and are passionate about makingtechnology fun. They are wonderfulmentors for showing how a hobby can turn into a potential career.
iD Tech Camps also guaranteessmall class sizes, with a maximum student to staff ratio of 8:1. Their highlyqualified instructors guide students through customized curriculum with 1-on-1teaching, making it the ideal environment for fostering creativity.
iD Tech Camps are experts atblending technology programs with a traditional camp experience – they makesure campers aren’t in the lab all day. Camp activities include sports, games,campus tours, gaming tournaments, movie nights, talent shows, and board games.They also allow plenty of extra project time for campers who just can’t getenough of the computer.
iD programs include game design(including 3D game modding), iPhone and Android app programming, robotics, webdesign, video editing and digital photography, and more. Your camper willthrive in the iD Tech Camps environment, whether he or she already identifiesas a tech whiz or is just entering the world of technology!
Location:60+ Locations
Phone:888-709-TECH (8324)
Email: [email protected]
WebSite: www.InternalDrive.com
Camp Watonka
Whether writing computer games,shooting video, or watching the stars, Camp Watonka specializes in hands-onactivities perfect for the budding scientist. They offer boys ages 7 – 15 awide range of science programs and an impressive selection of traditional campactivities.
Camp Watonka was founded toprovide a ‘hands-on’ science program and they offer Astronomy, Robotics, Physics, Photography,Computers, Video, Electronics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Biology – andmore!
Campers choose either one or twosciences to focus on during each two week session. The courses, designedeach year by the teaching staff, are based on practical and fun experimentationand project building. Camp Watonka aims to send campers home with a real enthusiasmfor science and maybe even a new hobby!
The camp has eleven, modern,fully equipped laboratories. The classes have no more than eight students withone or two instructors to ensure plenty of individualized activity. Theinstructors are all experts in the topics they teach and passionate aboutshowing kids how much fun science can be!
Along with its cool scienceprogram, Camp Watonka offers a full range of great summer camp activities -including water sports, mini bikes, marksmanship, and one of the largest ropesadventure courses in the North East. Whether your kid is a beginner or regularsportsman, our team of experienced counselors can also offer qualifiedinstruction in soccer, tennis, basketball or hockey.
As the only boys science camp accredited by the American Camping Association,Camp Watonka is a perfect fit for boys already interested in the sciences – orfor boys who want to color outside the usual summer camp lines this year!
Location:Hawley, Pennsylvania
Phone:570-226-4779
Email:[email protected]
WebSite: www.Watonka.com
Camp Sea Gull
Camp Sea Gull for boys and CampSeafarer for girls are all about enjoying the open water – they teach campershow to have safe, responsible fun while developing serious seamanship skills.The camps are located in Arapahoe, N.C., on a five-mile-wide stretch of openwater on the Neuse River with over 3,000 feet of shoreline perfect for theircamp activities.
With a fleet of more than 250boats and US Sailing and Powerboating certification courses, Camp Sea Gull andCamp Seafarer teach campers good seamanship, boat handling, navigation, andmaintenance. All sea activities are monitored by U.S. Coast Guard licensedcaptains.
It’s not “all water all thetime” during the camp sessions. Whether hitting a bulls-eye on the archeryrange, scoring a birdie on number 17, or making it to the top of the alpinetower, campers have fun and learn on dry land as well during their stay.
Camp Sea Gull for boys and CampSeafarer for girls provide campers with a safe environment, surrounded bypositive role models and can-do attitudes. They strive to provide campers aplace to make decisions, to challenge themselves and to succeed in the process.
A session at Camp Sea Gull& Camp Seafarer creates a lasting impact. Their four week session givescampers time to build seamanship skills, gain new confidence, and strengthentheir character. By living and learning with others for an extended period,campers develop lifelong friendships and return home with a stronger sense ofself.
Knowing that not all kids areready for a four week session, they offer a one week Starter Camp and two weekMariners sessions to give campers as young as six a structured introduction toovernight camp along with the fun and challenge of their seamanship program.Come aboard for an exceptionalsummer!
Location:Arapahoe, North Carolina
Phone:252-249-1111 or 252-249-1212
Email: [email protected]
WebSite: www.SeaGull-Seafarer.org
Camp Motorsport
At Camp Motorsport, kids reallyget to drive. They drive every day at camp in race cars, dirt karts, and racinggo-karts that are specially sized for kids. And to top off their day, they getto ride in the awesome Vexton Mark 1 Ride Car (think Indy style race car) on areal racetrack!
Camp Motorsport is for girls andboys at ALL driving experience levels, from never-evers to those with manyhours behind the wheel. Even kids who are already competitive drivers willenjoy Camp and benefit from the experience. No driver’s license or priorexperience is required. Kids from 9 – 17 can participate in the camp sessions.Rest assured, campers are placed on age level teams so driving activities are safeand appropriate.
The kids not only get to feeltheir need for speed at Camp Motorsport, they also have all of the fun oftraditional summer camp activities like taking a dip in the pool, fishing,playing sports & games…and a whole lot more!
Camp Motorsport knows thatrecreational can be educational as well. Camp Motorsport is not only a seriousracing instructional environment, it offers the great life-skills experiencesof a traditional summer camp experience. They even “sneak” in some academicaspects that will help your child succeed in school or even help them figureout a career path.
Campers will learn teambuilding,safe driving, life skills in a group setting, applied math and science,physical heath and wellness, racing-technology based environmental educationand racing career exploration.
All that’s left to say to be sureyour kids have the best summer camp experience is: Start your engines!
Location:Alton, Virginia
Phone: 434-822-2999
Email: [email protected]
WebSite: www.campmotorsport.com
