time we have at camp together and we always get to see our friends again when we come back.” Why would you encourage other kids to go to camp? “It’s a lot of fun, and there are a lot of things that you can really learn from in the aspect of it’s like school, where you’re learning the whole time, but you’re learning without the same structure. It’s still structured, but it’s a little bit looser with what you can do. You can speak your mind about things, and you don’t have to be afraid to ask questions, or to fail and try again. If you fail a test — boom, it’s done; you can’t re-do it. But if you’re doing a sailing course, and you mess up on the sailing course, you can try again tomorrow, or later that day. It’s a place where you can keep trying, and trying until you get it the perfect way that you want it. I think that’s incredible. It’s like you get to decide what your grade is by trying again. At camp, you’re learning the whole time, but you’re having fun while you’re doing it.”
Ezela Manko attended Camp Invention
last summer for the third time.
She started going to the week-long camp in second grade. She has learned skills like teamwork and working together as a group. At Camp Invention, participants create a variety of inventions from recyclable materials that have been gathered by campers. Each year, campers are taught a different curriculum. Monica Shadle, Coordinator of gifted services at Louisville City School District, has been directing Camp Invention for more than 10 years. She says campers like Ezela learn through hands-on science activities and creativity in an environment that’s fun. The kids participate as a group and they are with their group throughout the week. Camp Invention draws attendees from the Louisville City School District, as well as other surrounding school districts. Camp Invention also works with students who have special needs.
EZELA TALKS ABOUT HER CAMP EXPERIENCE...
What was your camp experience like? “It was very fun, and it gave me something to do during the summer, when I didn’t really have anything to do but go outside and play. So, we got to build things and do other activities. They kept us really busy.” Tell us about your early camp experiences. “I didn’t want to go the first time, but then when we went, I realized it was really fun and that I should keep going.” What are some of the things you learned at camp? “We learned that we can be friends with everyone, and we don’t just have to be friends with two or three people.” What were some of the activities that you did during the day? “We got to eat lunch with everyone and we worked on projects together. We had - CONTINUED ON PAGE 14 -
2020 Summer Camp Guide - NortheastOhioParent.com
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