April 7, 2007

Summer fun almost here for campers

Camp Galileo to offer full camp experience with art, science and outdoor fun in Evergreen

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Summer’s coming, and for those wondering how to keep the kids busy this summer with a new educational experience, Camp Galileo just might do the trick.

Campers give Camp Galileo the thumbs up for a learning good time. Photo courtesy of Pineapple Creative

“Camp Galileo’s mission is to inspire kids to imagine and create, whether in the arts, sciences, or through physical activities,” said Galileo Edu-cational Services Founder and CEO Glen Tripp, who operates Camp Galileo. “Bay Area kids have built amazing towers, developed solar powered cars, created Pollock-style paints, designed Egyptian cartouches and much more. And they learn to work together and debate ideas. And we have high quality educators to deliver the programs. At Camp Galileo; our dream is not only to create a camp culture where kids can flourish, but also our staff.”

Camp Galileo’s Ever-green location is James F. Smith Elementary School, offering kindergartners to fifth graders a “learning-made-fun” curriculum emphasizing art, science and the outdoors developed in partnership with the de Young Museum, The Tech Museum of Innovation and Klutz. One element of Camp Galileo is the design challenge educational approach, where campers are divided into small groups to create hands-on solutions to science and engineering challenges such as building a model bridge to replace one damaged in an 8.4 magnitude earthquake. All of this comes with the added fun of camp ceremonies, theme days, and a rubber chicken mascot at Camp Galileo.

With an expected 11,000 enrollments this summer at 15 Bay Area locations, parents have welcomed the five-year-old Oakland-based camp for its impressive partners and environment, promoting growth and a creative educational approach. In 2006, Bay Area Parent named Camp Galileo the “Best Camp for Kids” for the third year.

“All three of my children have attended Camp Galileo,” said Smith Elementary School PTA co-president and Camp Galileo site council member Rena Malkofsky-Berger. “Jeffrey, now 11, was in fourth grade and thought the science parts were great. Hannah, 9, and Jason, 7, have gone the last two years. My kids love the counselors. I loved the enthusiasm of the counselors and how well they worked with Jason his first year when he was very shy. I also like the mix of science and art projects. The game, capture the chicken is a favorite each year, and they all say the counselors are really nice, helpful and don’t make you do things that you don’t want to, but encourage the kids.”

An Evergreen Camp Galileo camper displays her personalized cartouche which she created in the camp’s art curriculum. Photo courtesy of Pineapple Creative

Evergreen’s Camp Galileo director is Chrissy McPheeters, who is returning for her fourth year, including her third as manager. McPheeters has an undergraduate degree in recreational management and is currently attending San Jose State University earning a teaching credential. Formerly, she was a physical education teacher at Portal School in Cupertino and worked at the YMCA summer camps where she taught kids the fundamentals of sports and teamwork.

“We have an absolute blast at Camp Galileo,” said McPheeters, who was inspired to become a teacher by working at Camp Galileo and started teaching sixth grade this past January. “We have been growing every single summer at Evergreen; our first summer with about 350 (campers), last summer with almost 500, and this summer we are projecting close to 600 campers. There is definitely a buzz around town about Camp Galileo. It is exciting to see the camp growing, see the campers grow right before our eyes and really build solid relationships with our camper families over the years.”

Part of Camp Galileo’s mission is a commitment to make summer camp available to kids of all socioeconomic backgrounds, granting 1,000 scholarships over its 15 locations, and providing a child with
a full week of camp. The Galileo Scholarship Program provides full and partial awards to low and middle-income families who need financial assistance.

Monica Walton is a single mother with a limited income whose 9-year-old son Deriyan received a full scholarship to Camp Galileo’s Evergreen site at Smith Elementary School the last two summers.

“Camp Galileo is one big learning summer party,” said Walton. “It builds the foundation of learning for kids that they eventually take home and to school.”

Aside from the learning experience at Camp Galileo, the kids take home memories to last a lifetime. And that’s what summer camp is all about.

For more information on Camp Galileo call 1-800-854-3684 or visit www.campgalileo.com.