Bucks’ “Kids on Campus 2015” brings more fun to summer, adding 17 new camps to the over 150 exciting enrichment programs offered for kids and teens.
Kids on Campus, or KOS, offers a number of hand-on workshops and a variety of activities that have been incorporated throughout the years.
Last year alone 2,800 campers attended the numerous programs offered. As of last month, 900 campers were already registered for camps beginning on June 22.
Campers are grouped together by age and activities are selected based on these age groups. Every activity is planned to be completely hands on.
The summer 2015 program offers new classes for ages 5 to 6. In Fairy Tale Discovery, campers will experience how strong the imagination can be while stepping inside a fairy tale. In the Let’s Build Something workshop, kids will use recycled materials and everyday items to stimulate their creative minds and build different structures.
Campers ages 7 to 9 can take part in the Wedo Lego Robotics program or the new Who Dunnit mystery-solving workshop.
Campers ages 10 and up, can learn how to do programming with the Alice 3D programming workshop.
The growing list of programs offered has everything from art classes for the little ones to SAT Prep classes for teenagers.
Over the years, the program has done some incredible things and continues to do so. The music and voice production workshop partnered with East Coast Recording, giving the campers an opportunity to record and share their music.
“[Campers] learn about something, learn how to do something, then have something to take home,” said Rick Snyder, summer programs coordinator.
Snyder explained the principles the program is designed around: “Content, process, and production.”
The key to the program, Snyder explained, is to have the atmosphere of each program be “academic, but not schoolish.”
Snyder has 40 years of experience as a Pennsbury schoolteacher for gifted students, which has given him much insight on how public schools are not incorporating extracurricular activities.
His passion to introduce an atmosphere where kids and teens can experience both education and fun plays a huge part in what KOC is today. The model is that of an enrichment program.
Snyder said that KOC has just become its “own entity” within the last couple years, before it was part of the continuing education program.
The concept though, started to take shape back in 1975. There were eight programs offered, including activities like tennis and reading.
The evolution over the years has continued, and the list of activities and programs is still growing.
Snyder said there are more plans to be implemented this summer and all the details will be available at www.bucks.edu/kidsoncampus when planning is complete.
KOC has made it easy and affordable to register. Registration for each camp can be done weekly, leaving parents the freedom to choose which workshop their child/children will attend. The array of activities offers an opportunity to try something new each week.
The camp staff is made up of approximately 80 instructors and 50 assistants. All instructors are at least 18 years old, and each has either a certification in teaching or has experience in the field. So far this year, Snyder said that 43 instructors will be returning from last year.
Sara Ulkloss, assistant to the summer programs coordinator, said she has been with KOC for 11 years. She started as a counselor and is now Snyder’s right hand in the office. The atmosphere is one that employees want to return to.
KOC brochures can be requested on their website www.bucks.edu/kidsoncampus. All registration information can be found on the website or parents can call 215-968-8409.
Additional information about the extra programs offered can also be inquired about, such as the lunch program and the Before and After Camp Care where KOC partners with the Tri-Hampton YMCA.