Summer camps are a staple of any childhood. They’re a kid’s favorite vacation. For a few weeks you can be completely engulfed in a passion, be it arts, writing, or even sciences.
By the end of June, most camps are past their final registration dates. However, In Oxford, the university’s Outreach program and Yoknapatawpha Arts Council (YAC) both have options that are still available for sign up.
The university still offers three camps to choose from: Ecology Camp, College Admissions and Scholarship Writing, and a Creative Writing Workshop.
One of the more recent additions is the College Admissions and Scholarship Writing program. While the name might not be as catchy as other programs offered, students will be taught how to optimize their chances of receiving an admission offer or scholarship award.
“There’s a wide range of students in this class,” said Cass Dodgen, Director of Summer College for High School Students. “Some may be applying for ivy leagues and others are applying for junior colleges, and those in the writing center will tailor the writing assignments to the students’ needs.”
The students will also be taught how to write admissions and scholarship essays that can be easily repurposed.
“I taught high school for 15 years,” said Dr. Ellen Shelton, Executive Director of Pre-College Programs, ”One of the things we always talked about was writing several different essays that can be repurposed. That’s what we’re discussing here, having those kernel essays that can be tweaked for different audiences.”
The Creative Writing Workshop is open to students in 11th or 12th grade and runs from July 17–22. Much like the stem camp, this week-long workshop covers the topic broadly. The program aims to cover as many writing style as possible over the week so that the students leave feeling more confident in their writing.
“Our goal, truly, is to provide as many different opportunities for K–12 students,” said Dr. Shelton. “And really to enhance academic options.”
YAC has two camps left this summer: Great Masters Camp and Look Who’s Singing 1950s Music.
The Great Masters Camp aims to teach students various techniques for painting as well as teaching them about the history of art. The camp offers a beginner & intermediate course (ages 3–9) as well as an advanced course (ages 10–17).
The Look Who’s Singing 1950s Music Camp starts July 5 and ends on July 8. The camp offers kids a chance to learn the music stylings of a generation they’ve likely not heard before. The students will first learn about the different genres of music. They then pick a song from their favorite genre and practice for their live performance on the last day of camp at noon.
While summer vacation might be halfway over for most of us in Oxford, there are still options available for those wanting to enjoy a week of fun and learning.
Open slots for both YAC and UM Outreach are going fast. 
