Summer starts for Boardman begins Adventure Day Camp

By Bruce Walton

bwalton@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

The Boardman Park Adventure Day Camp had its first opportunity this week to educate and entertain its young campers.

Karen McCallum, camp recreation director, said the camp gives children the same amount of learning in school but with a better approach for the summer that’s more natural for young and active minds.

“There’s no pressure. There are no tests at the end of the week,” McCallum said. “This is all fun, and there’s no limit on questions.”

The camp consists of 97 children from kindergarten to sixth grade. It began Monday and continues to Aug. 19.

Campers participate in arts and crafts, team-building exercises, creative arts, science activities, and sports every day. The camp started its 10-week program with a presentation about anthropology through a collaboration with Youngstown State University’s Anthropology Colloquium.

Through the week, a team of nine YSU anthropology students and alumni came to teach campers about anthropology, leading to a culmination of those skills and information on a Friday excavation event.

On Tuesday, the YSU students introduced themselves to the campers, then spent Wednesday and Thursday teaching them about the different parts of anthropology and techniques on how to dig for fragile objects buried in the ground.

In addition to teaching the children, Hannah Scarazzo, colloquium president, said she and the college students learned a lot from the campers.

“Being able to see that light in that child and the innocence taught me many ways how to act, how to carry myself and the meaning of fun and getting down and dirty, and that is truly important,” Scarazzo said.

Using their newly acquired skills, campers came to the park’s sand volleyball court and dug in designated areas looking for artifacts consisting of shells, polished rocks and fool’s gold, which each camper can take home at the end of the day.

Scarazzo and McCallum said they appreciated teaching the children, especially the girls, since STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – is such a male-dominated area.

“For the girls, this is a great way to see that there’s cool things about science,” McCallum said.

McCallum also appreciated the collaboration between the camp and YSU, the only educational institute that’s worked with them.

McCallum said she hopes more departments at YSU or other academic institutions will work with them. The camp is still accepting youngsters. Parents can register their children at www.boardmanparkcamp.com