Summer Camp…these two words inspire all kinds of memories depending on childhood experiences. It could be swimming in a lake or roasting hot dogs over a fire, but for many Riverside kids, it’s the thrill of performing in an original musical or packing up a canoe and traveling like Huck Finn down a river.
Over the past few years, the Riverside summer adventure has included Naturalist Storytelling, Folk Dancing, a villainous Variety Show, and, of course, the iconic Ranger Camp.
This coming summer, however, Riverside has the opportunity to offer something, unlike anything it has previously done thanks to an unprecedented partnership with Wheaton Academy.
The new Creative Arts Camp will be able to utilize the resources available at the state-of-the-art Wheaton Academy Fine Arts Center, and Riverside tutors will offer instruction alongside other creative teachers in a variety of visual and performing arts.
How It Will Work
Younger campers will choose three morning classes from a slate of programming in both the visual and performing arts; campers on the older side can do this as well, or they can decide to take a longer morning workshop, which will allow them to explore an interest more in depth. (The lineup of classes and workshops will be announced as soon as it is finalized.)
In the afternoon, campers will join together to listen to an inspirational speaker talk about their creative talent and give a demonstration. Then, the rest of the day will be spent in either a visual or performing arts intensive.
At the end of the week, there will be an Art Show and a Performance for all campers.
Explaining the Vision
Yes, access to all of these resources costs money, and the fee for the Creative Arts Camp is greater than what Riverside has had to charge in the past.
Consider the power that the Arts have to awaken a greater vision of life in each person. Riverside believes that the Arts inspire, enliven, and offer hope. Our hope is that each child at Riverside will have the opportunity to find their passion. Having access to the Wheaton Academy Fine Arts Center will open doors to new ways to express creativity; Riverside would not be able to offer these outlets on its own, or at least not in such an intensive and immersive way.
From the Visual Arts side, Wheaton Academy has ceramics studios, woodworking shops, and broadcast equipment. Again, the schedule has not been finalized, but there are so many possibilities that it is guaranteed that the classes offered will be high caliber.
From a Performing Arts perspective, Riverside does offer its own quality theatre program throughout the year, and Wheaton Academy’s Fine Arts Director Corbett Burick now works with Peter Searby on Riverside’s shows. The camp classes and workshops will offer a deeper dive into a variety of areas whether it be singing, monologues, dance, etc. These will all be skills that the campers can take with them as they continue to perform whether it be at Riverside or elsewhere.
To sign up for the Creative Arts Camp or to check out our other innovative summer programming, visit: www. rside.org/summer
