Camp Fairs
A camp fair is an opportunity for parents and their children to meet and talk with camp directors and their staff, see videos and slides of the camp, and get an instant feel for the camp,” says Barbara Rubin, director of Women’s American ORT, one of the largest non-governmental education and training organizations in the world. ORT’s 20th Annual Summer Camp Fairs will take place at three locations in New Jersey.
The first fair, and the closest to West Windsor-Plainsboro, takes place on Sunday, January 11, at Freehold Gardens Hotel and Conference Center, Route 537 and Gibson Place, in Freehold around the corner from the Raceway Mall, from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For information call Barbara Rubin at 732-469-8910 or e-mail her at BKRubin@aol.com.
Participating camps from Maine to Florida include programs for horseback riding, the academically talented, pre-college programs, teen travel, and children with special needs. Camp directors are also interested in meeting teens and adults interested in summer camp positions.
If you call or e-mail ahead, ORT provides a free booklet containing information about contacting camps and viewing web pages. She suggests that parents and their children highlight camps which are of interest and then meet the camp directors at the fair.
Other camp fairs will be held on Sunday, January 18, at the Bridgewater Marriott, and on Sunday, January 25, at the Sheraton Parsippany. For information about camps registered for the fair, visit www.summercampfairs.com
Summer Programs for Teens Only
Teens and parents of teens can learn about a variety of enriching summer experiences at the Summer Trip and Program Fair at Princeton High School on Wednesday, January 14, from 7 to 9 p.m. Over 30 camps will be represented at the event, hosted by the Princeton High School Parent Teacher Organization. Open to the entire community, it is sponsored by Tips on Trips and Camps, a free overnight camp consulting service for ages 8 to 18. Admission is free.
“When teens outgrow traditional overnight camps or want to go away for the first time, there are many enriching and challenging opportunities to choose from,” says Helaine Isaacs, a consultant with Tips on Trips and Camps.
Students can travel throughout the United States or the world while performing community service projects, participating in language immersion or cultural exchange programs, traveling on a teen tour, taking part in a wilderness expedition, or choosing from a variety of outdoor adventure activities. Some of the programs are more academically-based; others are more physically challenging.
Programs include living in an artist’s colony, traveling cross-country, learning to sail and scuba dive in the Caribbean, biking throughout France, or living with a family in Florence. Teens can rock climb, raft, and hike in Colorado; snowboard in British Columbia; renovate a community hospital in Peru; or star or direct in a Broadway musical.
For more information on the fair or for a free consultation on summer opportunities, contact Helaine Isaacs at Tips on Trips and Camps, 609-497-3434 or E-mail her at helaine@tipsontripsandcamps.com.
