Now that summer has reached the midway point, many parents may be hearing the same old childhood refrain, “I’m bored.” If it is time to put down the game controllers and look for more engaging ways to spend the final days of school vacation, look no further than the summer courses offered through Comal ISD’s Community Education Department.
Summer camps are still available through the end of July and into early August for almost every interest including music, art, science, robotics, Legos, engineering, geology, medicine and more. These camps are half or full day classes Monday through Thursday at one of the Comal ISD campuses.
“The summer community ed classes are not only a fun way for students to spend their summer break,” says Becky Farrow, Comal ISD community education associate, “but they keep them engaged in learning.”
During a Glow-in-the-Dark art and science camp, for example, campers made their own glow-in-the-dark art including a t-shirt, painting, drawing and sculpture. They even made slime.
Art Time Owner and Instructor Liliya Colston has been offering camps and classes to Comal ISD students for 15 years, and she never repeats one with the exception of her Glow-in-the-Dark projects, which are popular and fun for the students and for herself.
“This has been such a fun summer so far,” Colston says. “Every camp, I say to myself that this is the best group of campers, until I meet the next group.”
Colston teaches campers basic science concepts through fun art experiments such as learning how black light works or the different types of paint that glow in the dark, teaching the difference between fluorescence and phosphorescence.
Besides Art Time, summer camps include Piano for Everyone with Arkadiy Grinman who teaches students from kindergarten through fifth grade, and the popular Jr. Doctor with John MacLaren, jrdoctor.org. Jr. Doctor summer camps remaining include Jr. Doctor, Extreme Science, Chess/Board Games, Rockets & Blasters, theater and Harry Potter Camp.
Several camps offer a science, technology, engineering and math or STEM focus. Camps managed by Bricks, Bots & Beakers is offering a Future Vets camp and a Geology and Rocks camp for ages 7 through 12. Bits, Bytes and Bots of San Antonio has a Video Game Creation camp and Soar into STEM camp in August for grades third through eighth. Play-Well TEKnologies offers STEM engineering summer camps with Lego materials in July through August for kindergarten through fifth grade.
Robotics Clubs USA also offers summer camps for robotics and Lego engineering such as Lego Mania: STEM for Everyone, Star Wars Engineering, Lego Minecraft Engineering, Robot Challenge, Robotics & Droids and Wanna Go Dron Crazy.
Check out all the remaining summer camps and register for one here.
Be sure to watch for information about the upcoming fall offerings from the Comal ISD Community Education classes as well. The staff works diligently to find classes for children and adults. The fall preview includes a wide selection of dance, music, art, sports and more classes for kids which meet after school. These classes provide a great way for kids to try different activities and possibly find their passion.
From left McKenna Bown, Mason Savage, Joaquin Flores, Kye Davis, Camila Flores and Abey Greissinger have fun during the Glow-in-the-Dark summer Art Time camp.
From left, Logan Ciseneros, Griffin Davis and Keira Farrell watch their fluorescent volcanoes explode during the Glow-in-the-Dark summer Art Time camp.