Summer day camps draw more Seminole residents
By BOB McCLURE
Article published on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007
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| Archery is among the programs offered at Seminole’s summer day camp. |
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SEMINOLE – The city’s youth summer day camps are becoming more popular with city residents.
Recreation Director Jim Sheets told the City Council Sept. 11 that city resident participation in the camps was about 80 percent this year, which he said is up about 10 percent from a year ago.
“I don’t know if it tells you if younger families are moving into the city limits or what,” Sheets said. “I haven’t been able to put a finger on it but we’re seeing more and more city participation.”
The popular camps are open to city and non-city residents. However, this year registration priority was given to city residents, which may have been a factor.
Camp Chill Zone, a general day camp for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade, had an average weekly attendance of 190 and 80 percent were city residents. The gender breakdown was 57 percent boys and the 8 to 9 age group comprised the largest age segment at 40 percent.
Chill Zone campers participated in a number of activities at the Recreation Center and traveled once a week to such places as Seminole Lanes, Celebration Station, Lowry Park Zoo, Laser Tag and county parks. The group also collected school supplies as a community project and delivered them to three Seminole area elementary schools.
Teen Extreme, a general day camp for kids in sixth through ninth grades, had an average weekly attendance of 36 and had the largest number of city participants at 87 percent. The gender breakdown was 59 percent male and the largest age group was 13 to 15, which constituted 59 percent.
This group traveled between two and three times a week to such things as canoe trips, the beach and rock climbing.
The Sunshine Bunch, another day camp aimed toward kids not old enough for Camp Chill Zone, pulled in 15 kids for learning and social interaction that included story time, games, swimming and craft projects. This camp was the exception to the rule and included 64 percent non-city residents.
The city’s sports and specialty camps, for kids ages 5 to 14, focused on archery, basketball, soccer, art, taekwondo, baton and dance. City residents made up 61 percent of the 233 children that participated and the gender breakdown was 54 percent boys.
Swim lessons also were popular. The city offered four, two-week sessions for beginners on up to competitive swimming and a 152 children participated. Of that number, 50 percent were city residents and 57 percent were girls.
In addition, the Recreation Division conducted its four-week Junior Lifeguard program for kids ages 11 to 14 and the Seminole Landsharks Triathlon Team, for ages 8 to 15, participated in six youth triathlons.
This was the third year for the triathlon team, which had 24 kids participate throughout the summer – up by 10 from 2006.
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Article published on Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007
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