FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, April 4, 2022
Dr. J. Scott Smith, Superintendent of Schools, 301-475-5511, ext. 32178
Dr. Maureen Montgomery, Deputy Superintendent of Schools, 301-475-5511, ext. 32135
LEONARDTOWN, MD – St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) is pleased to announce the registration period for the 2022 Summer Activities is now open and will remain open until Tuesday, May 31, 2022. For more information regarding these programs and/or to register for an event, please visit the St. Mary’s County Public Schools’ Summer Activities page at http://www.smcps.org/strategic-planning/summer-activities.
Summer Arts Academy (This session is for students entering grades 4-9. Band and strings students need to have at least one year of playing experience)
At the Summer Arts Academy, students have the opportunity to explore multiple topics in the arts through engagement in the creative process. The Summer Arts Academy will run June 27-30, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Leonardtown High School.
Thinkers’ Space: A Place for Rad Scientists and Other Inquiring Minds (This session is for students entering grades 2-8)
This program will present a variety of courses in the STEM fields, offering opportunities for students entering grades 2 through 8. Over four days, students will explore concepts such as Space Citizenship, Environmental Science, Coding, Space Science, Aeronautics, and Robotics, with an emphasis on developing 21st-century skills such as Problem Solving, Design Thinking, Teamwork, Leadership, Communication, Confidence, and Persistence. This program will run July 11-14, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Leonardtown Middle School.
Environmental Explorers Camp (This session is for students entering grades 3-8)
Environmental Education focused outdoor nature camp for children entering grades 3 through 8. Students will explore, play, and create in a variety of natural settings ranging from the Chesapeake Bay to marshes, ponds, forests, and fields. Possible activities will include seine fishing in the Chesapeake, birdwatching, capturing insects, turtles, amphibians, games, nature journaling, and nature arts and crafts. The Environmental Explorers Camp will run simultaneously on July 11-14; July 18-21; and July 25-28, 2022, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Elms Environmental Center, St. James Church Road (NOT Elms Beach Park).
Tech Kids Summer Camp (This session is for students entering grades 5-8)
Tech Kids Summer Camp will run July 18-21, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Dr. James A. Forrest Career and Technology Center. Session offerings are as follows:
Theater of the Mind (rising 5th-8th graders)
Campers will work in teams to come up with an original story and then turn their story into a script for a short “Theater of the Mind” audio production. You’ll experience voice acting, producing sound effects, creating music using GarageBand, scriptwriting, directing, and audio editing. Whether you call it radio theater or audio plays, the types of programs that were once popular on old-time radio are popular once again in the form of podcasts. With the assistance of the instructor or an aid, campers will edit a final version of their “Theater of the Mind.” Completed productions will be posted to the Forrest Tech Center’s TC Radio & Bulldog TV podcasting site (tcradio.podbean.com).
Calling All Aspiring Chefs! (rising 5th-8th graders)
Looking for a team of great chefs who are ready to learn how to prepare something new and exciting each day. Enjoy sampling your culinary creations and leave with your own recipe book. WOW your friends and family with your AWESOME cooking skills as you recreate these tasty dishes at home.
Spark the Imagination of a Young Graphic Artist (rising 5th-8th graders)
Campers will unleash their creativity through art! Explore the world of digital art. Learn how professional artists make great designs and artwork. This course gives campers the opportunity to learn the digital media basics and the principles of art, using Adobe® Photoshop and digital photography. Every student will explore their creativity by using professional digital art techniques. Project work may include designing a pop art poster, photomontage, and making buttons.
"The Human Body, A Work of Art" Learn about the amazing human body through fun, hands-on projects (rising 5th-8th graders)
Campers will learn about the body systems by doing fun, engaging hands-on projects. They will learn about the respiratory system by building “lungs” with straws and paper bags, and they will build a model of the skeletal system out of clay, toothpicks, and straws. Campers will also learn about the circulatory system, specifically, red, and white blood cells, and platelets through an engaging art project. They will discover more about 4 of the 5 senses (hearing, taste, smell, sight,) by creating games to show how we use our senses and how they work. Fun craft activities will be included each day after students have completed their body system projects. Activities may include rock painting and making slime, bouncy balls, friendship bracelets, and much much more!
For more information on summer camp offerings, please call 301-475-5511, ext. 32133