Friday, August 17, 2018
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Volunteers from the ODNR pulled a live fish from a tank to show campers and teach them about fish that live in Ohio as part of the annual Adventure Camp in Boardman Park.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Campers in the kindergarten through first-grade age group along with camp director Karen McCallum listened to the ODNR division of wildlife's presentation in Boardman Park on Aug. 7.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Campers in the kindergarten through first-grade age group listened to the ODNR division of wildlife's presentation on Ohio fish in Boardman Park on Aug. 7.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.A volunteer from the Ohio Division of Natural Resources divison of wildlife came and spoke to a group of campers about Ohio fish on Aug. 7 in Boardman Park.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.ODNR presenters called up a volunteer to discuss the types of fish that live in Ohio at the annual Adventure Camp in Boardman Park on Aug. 7.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Volunteers from the ODNR division of wildlife held live fish for the children to see and determine the species during Adventure Camp in Boardman Park.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Campers in the kindergarten through first-grade age group, along with camp director Karen McCallum listened to the ODNR division of wildlife's presentation in Boardman Park.
By JESSICA HARKER
Boardman Park hosted its annual Adventure Day Camp for 10 weeks this summer.
The camp was started by Karen McCallum in 2003 and ran Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 3:15 p.m.
“We have had such a wonderful amazing summer full of activities,” McCallum said.
She said that in the 80’s the park offered an “old school camp experience,” put on by teachers, but that it eventually capered off.
After McCallum got hired by the park she said her goal was to start a new camp and bring a school setting to an outside experience.
Each day children attend five subjects, science, sports, arts and crafts, creative arts and team building.
The activities for each day are always new and original.
“The fun thing is with science we can bring them down to the creek, and they can go into the creek and learn about trees and really experience out doors,” she said.
McCallum said that the camp often brings in guests to interact with children and do special sessions.
Some guests this year have included the Ohio Department of Natural Resources division of wild life, The Green Team, the fire department and representatives from the YSU anthropology department.
“Wonderful speakers have come in and worked with our campers to have a great summer camp season,” McCallum said.
On average the camp has had 120 campers a week. This number fluctuates throughout the summer because the camp offers parents the opportunity to pay for individual weeks or the whole camp.
The camp is broken down into groups with each age group, kindergarten through sixth grade, broken into their own section except kindergarten and first who go together.
The camp also employees one counselor for every 10 children.
McCallum said one of the best parts about the camp is that it gives children the opportunity to explore the outdoors, but also gives them a structure to do it in comfortably.
“They really get used to knowing what session they have next and having a set structure and schedule,” McCallum said, “We are all creatures of habit.”
McCallum said that she believes the standard of care is what really makes the camp stand out.
“That’s what we stress, to leave the electronics at home and to really enjoy being a kid and being outside,” she said, “We want them to get something out of their time at camp.”
To learn more about Adventure Day camp and look into signing up for next summer, visit www.boardmanparkcamp.com.