USF ready to launch Discovery Academy summer camps

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—The University of Saint Francis Discovery Academy will offer summer camp opportunities for young people, including new camps funded through a Lilly Endowment grant.

USF seeks to foster academic exposure for students interested in pursuing a college degree in the future. Camp leaders will encourage students in career exploration, critical thinking and creativity through programs centering on the Franciscan values of learning, leadership and service. Eight USF students will work 1-2 weeks as senior camp counselors, and eight 11th and 12th grade students will work 1-2 weeks as junior camp counselors.

The new camps, developed through the Lilly Endowment grant, are Humanities, Leadership Discovery, Cross Country, Lunar, and Wilderness Skills and Nature.

“Our faculty members have put together such an exciting list of camps for this summer, but regardless of the camps’ academic focus, I am excited to see all the other ways campers will learn and grow,” Discovery Academy Director of Youth Programming Devon Bond said. “The most rewarding thing for me is to see campers build confidence and watch them develop a curiosity about the world and their place in it.”

To register for camps, visit go.sf.edu/camps. Scholarships are available for those who have financial need, and opportunity stipends are available for students who need time off from jobs to attend one of the new camps.

High school juniors and seniors interested in paid junior camp counselor positions for the new camps may apply at hr.sf.edu/openings/.

The Discovery Academy camps include:

Humanities Camp: World Building, June 5-9. A thrilling introduction to the Humanities at USF, 6th through 12th graders work alongside others to imagine, design and create a brand-new country. Fee: $250.

A Passport to Your Future in Healthcare, June 6-7. This camp will help 9th through 12th graders discover the career opportunities that exist in the world of healthcare. Fee: $60.

Leadership Discovery Camp, June 12-16. By improving their understanding of themselves, 9th through 12th graders will discover their capacity for leadership and decision-making. Fee: $250.

Cross Country at USF: Discover the Science of Movement and Nutrition, June 19-21. In this interdisciplinary camp, 8th through 12th graders will train under the supervision of the USF cross country coach while also receiving in-depth instruction on the kinesiology, physiology and nutrition of running. Fee: $150

Lunar Camp, June 29-30. This overnight experience will take advantage of USF’s STAR Bank Observation Terrace for some late-night astronomy. Students in 6th through 10th grade will explore the materials and features of the moon and use them to design their own moon base. Fee: $100.

Beauty Will Save the World, July 9-13. Students in 9th through 12th grade can encounter Jesus in this five-day resident camp. Fee: $200.

Wilderness Skills and Nature Camp, July 10-14. This camp serves 9th through 12th graders and is intended to improve campers’ relationship with the Earth. Wilderness first aid, shelter building, campfire construction, plant and animal identification, wildlife management and conservation will be among the skills taught. Fee: $250.

Youth Summer Art Program, July 10-14 and July 17-21. This program provides children and pre-teens—kindergarten through 7th grade—with a safe, supportive environment in which participants are exposed to a variety of 2D and 3D media. Fee: $125.

Creative Arts Summer Studio Experience for Visual Art and Music Technology, July 10-21. Serving 8th through 12th graders, the Creative Arts Summer Studio Experience provides meaningful training in the arts and supports students in their portfolio development to compete for college arts scholarships. Classes are offered in a variety of 2D and 3D media, as well as music technology. Fee: $500.

City Strings Summer Camp, July 24-28. This camp will include classes for strings (violin, viola, cello, bass) and will serve 4th through 12th graders who have a minimum of two years of playing experience. The day will also include ensembles, group classes, masterclass, scales, rhythm class and music theory. Fee: $275.

For more information, contact Devon Bond at dbond@sf.edu or 260-399-7700, ext. 6164.

Founded in 1890 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition, the University of Saint Francis offers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs through the College of Health Sciences and the College of Arts, Sciences and Business. In addition to its traditional programs, USF designs focused curricula for working adults in Fort Wayne, Crown Point and online. USF Downtown houses the music technology program while offering enhanced internship and networking opportunities for students. The University of Saint Francis, recognized as an NAIA Five-Star Champion of Character institution, has 18 athletic programs boasting two individual and four team NAIA national championships. Approximately 1,900 students from a broad geographic region attend USF.