Youth Garden Project kids summer camps make hands-on education fun
by Robin Willscheidt
Contributing Writer
Jul 18, 2013 | 1609 views | 0 0 comments | 436 436 recommendations | email to a friend | print
YGP summer camp participants work on a poster during the “bug week” camp earlier this summer. Photo by Robin Willscheidt
YGP summer camp participants work on a poster during the “bug week” camp earlier this summer. Photo by Robin Willscheidt
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Participants in the Youth Garden Project’s (YGP) summer camps for kids are gearing up this week for the camp’s annual theatre week. The kids are spending the week building sets, designing costumes, and practicing a play – all leading up to a final performance on Friday afternoon at Star Hall.

This year, participants will perform “Harvest Time,” a play based on the book “Charlie’s Harvest Time.” The play will be performed at Star Hall on Friday, July 19, at 3:45 p.m. The performance is open to the public and there is no charge to attend.

The camp is open to 25 first- through sixth-grade students each week and runs Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., through August 16. Ten week-long camps are held each summer.

“This is a program that we really put a lot of energy into. It meets a need in our community of structured programs for kids during the summer,” said Delite Primus, the YGP’s Executive Director. 

Each weekly summer camp features different themed and education-based activities.

“We’ve had weeks like bug week, garden week, and science week to keep the kids engaged throughout the summer,” said Primus. “We’ve also partnered with SPLORE to go river rafting during our water week. We keep our activities education and fun based.”

The camp has three themed activities a day and participants spend most of their time on-site at the YGP’s 1.5-acre garden. Kids participate in garden time, water play time, snack and lunch time, and personal choice time, along with the activities.

“We have water time every day so that the kids can cool off. Sometimes we go to Mill Creek. Other days we set up sprinklers and wading pools at Rotary Park instead,” said Primus.

The Youth Garden Project’s mission is to “cultivate healthy children, families and communities through educational programs and the profound act of connecting people with food from seed to table.” YGP also offers many programs in the community, including the weekly Farmers’ Market at Swanny City Park, which is held Thursday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m. YGP Weed ‘n Feed events feature organic garden meals in exchange for light garden work begin at 6 pm every other Wednesday (the next being July 24th) at the YGP and are open to community members of all ages.

The cost for each YGP Summer Camp is $120 per week. The group offers financial assistance to families who cannot afford camp for their children.

Though the 2013 camps are all full, a waiting list is available for the remaining camps.

For more information, contact YGP staff at 435-259-2326, or visit the website at www.youthgardenproject.org.
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