EDITOR'S NOTE: A listing of summer camps is available at http://www.uh.edu/uhtoday/2004/07july/070104camps.html

July 1, 2004

Kids can leave their sleeping bags and hiking boots at home. When they arrive at any of the University of Houston’s summer camps, the only gear required is tennis shoes and thinking caps.

From band to art to architecture, UH is the site of dozens of summer camps. By season’s end, hundreds of children and teens will have emerged with the gift of knowledge and gone home as happy campers.

“These programs introduce youth to careers in architecture, engineering and journalism; sharpen their critical thinking skills while exploring science and computers; hone their athletic and leadership abilities; and enhance their artistic talents,” said Susan Rosthal, UH director of advancement outreach. “Children have fun with a purpose as they learn about all the university has to offer.”

Fun is certainly the theme behind the Summer Arts Workshops, which run through July 29. The interactive art camps allow kids to work with local artists and to create projects based on exhibits being displayed in Blaffer Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston. This summer, kids will draw inspiration from the city of Houston.

“Each artist will select a different aspect of the city and will work with the children using different media ranging from mosaics to sculptures,” said Katherine Veneman, Blaffer Gallery’s curator of education.

While the artists of the future will begin their creative odysseys at Blaffer Gallery, tomorrow’s half-time and concert superstars will hone their skills at the Moores School of Music (MSM). Cougar Band Camp runs July 11 – 16 and offers campers the chance to sharpen their performance skills on the marching field and on the stage. Lessons range from classical chamber music to percussion techniques to music dance and color guard. The camp culminates July 16 when students perform before family, friends and the public at a free concert at MSM.

“Students love the camp,” said John Benzer, Cougar Band Camp director and MSM undergraduate adviser. “We have many returning students, and some of them have siblings in our marching band. Some of them may one day become Cougars, too.”

Potential Cougars also are visiting the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture. The college’s Summer Discovery Program offers high school students architecture lectures, projects and field trips.

Summer Discovery exposes high school students to a college-level architecture program,
according to Drexel Turner, visiting assistant professor.

This year’s field trips will take students around Houston and to Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin. One local venture will take students via light rail to Rice University and Reliant Park.

“This program allows the college to form relationships with future architecture students. Some of them even return to the camp as teaching assistants,” said Turner, who has helped coordinate Summer Discovery since it was developed nine years ago. “Some of these students are the first in their families to attend college. Summer Discovery not only introduces students to a college-level architecture program, but also shows them what learning in a university setting is like.”

Mike Emery
memery@central.uh.edu