Day camp packs in activities for kids

Children from all walks of life participate in the camp, now in its 19th year.
By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- When children attend the 2006 Summer Arts Day Camp at Butler Institute of American Art, their days will be filled with music, art, drama and dance.
The camp, which was initiated by Dr. Louis Zona, executive director of the Butler, is marking its 19th year. This year's camp begins Tuesday and continues for eight weekdays. Participants, who range in age from 8 to 12 years old, live in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana, Mercer and Lawrence counties.
Carole O'Brien, Butler director of education, is enthusiastic about all the camp offers.
"We have three categories of children who attend: those who are fee-paying, those who are from economically disadvantaged families and children with special needs, such as a physical or mental challenge, bipolar, autism or ADD [attention deficit disorder]," she said.
"One purpose of the camp is to integrate children from all walks of life in a museum setting. All the children will participate in equal amounts of music, art, drama and dance over the eight days."
Directing this year's camp is Claire Morey, a museum docent.
Starting out
"When the kids come in at 10 a.m., they all do some kind of warm-up together such as round singing," O'Brien said.
"Then they split off into their core groups. One group, for instance, may spend the morning in art and drama, then another day, do music and dance. At noon, they eat lunch which is provided by Winslow's (the caf & eacute; at the Butler). At 1 p.m., the entire group participates with a guest artist, who is different each day. On opening day, rather than an artist, the museum docents will take the children on a tour of the museum."
Interacting with the children will be James Pernotto, artist; Brian Henings & amp; Associates, dancers; Melinda Dannemiller, storyteller; and Bob Bacha, percussionist.
One day at camp, the children will rub elbows with local celebrities, including Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, WYTV anchor Angie Shaker, WFMJ Channel 21 weatherman Frank Marzullo, Youngstown Councilman Artis Gillam, Zona and Scrappy.
Importance of family
O'Brien said she stressed the importance of involving the entire family in camp activities.
"Kids learn better with their family," she said. "On the second Wednesday, we have a family night, which includes a buffet and cookie table, which seems to be a tradition here in Youngstown. Kathy Young will then lead an art activity. This year, they have an outline of the city which they will be painting. The whole family will participate."
A field trip will highlight another day. "The children will be going on a scavenger hunt to find the penguins that have been hidden in the museum and on campus," O'Brien said.
"All of the penguins are hidden in wheelchair-accessible places. Then they will return to the museum, and a WRTA bus, donated free of charge, will take them to the Children's Museum of the Valley. There are lots of activities there, such as a weather station and a display on Egypt. Butler docents will assist."
On the last day of the camp, the special activity will be a slide show presented by O'Brien.
"I will be in the background taking photos all week," she said. "Then the kids will get to see pictures of themselves."
Besides Young, the art instructor, other teachers leading this year's camp activities are Paula Jasper, drama; Susan Callen-Miracle, dance; and Diane Ausmann, music.
For information on educational programs at the Butler, call O'Brien at (330) 743-1711, Ext. 114.