Summer vacation begins in less than five months. Have you finalized (or even begun) your child’s camp plans yet? There are camp fairs and open houses scheduled in the area throughout February. The News’ Annual Camp Issue, scheduled for Friday, February 20, will list camps, as well as programs featuring sports, arts, and academics. To get you started in the meantime, Mercer Community College offers an open house for its summer youth camp programs on Sunday, February 8. The snow date is Sunday, February 15.
The event, a family-friendly introduction to programs for children ages 7 to 17, takes place from noon to 3:00 p.m. in the student center, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. The open house is also the first day for camp registration, so families registering at the event will get their first choice of Mercer’s numerous offerings.
Camp directors will be on hand to answer questions and describe camp offerings, trips, and new activities for the 2004 summer season. Tours of the facilities will be available. Mercer’s regular camp season runs from June 21 through August 13, with a pre-camp week offered Monday to Friday, June 14 to 18. Extended camp hours and after-camp swimming are available.
Four camps run simultaneously on the Mercer campus from June to August. Camp College, for children ages 7 to 12, is offered in two four-week sessions. Campers in this innovative program develop their own schedule from more than 60 interesting choices. In Mercer’s Sports Camps, young athletes participate in weeklong sessions taught by high school coaches and college-level players in eight popular sports: baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, golf, tennis, lacrosse, and in-line hockey.
Tomato Patch is Mercer’s long-running visual and performing arts program for youngsters entering grades 5 through 12, which includes a performance and exhibit at the end of both sessions. Mercer also offers Specialty Camps, including “Sea Camp at Sandy Hook” and other short-term sessions in the sciences, culinary arts, computers, chess, and aerospace.
The camps seek counselors (students ages 17 and older) and teachers interested in summer employment.
Camp College Open House, Sunday, February 8, 609-586-4800, ext. 3291, or e-mail campcollege@mcccc.edu. To learn more about Mercer’s summer youth programs or to register, visit www.mccc.edu or call 609-586-9446 for a brochure.
