By Laura Lane
The popular, six-week program gave kids a chance to choose from a wide variety of classes that are educational and just plain fun. Held at Chatterton Elementary School, kids entering first through the sixth grade were busy in classes like puppetry, crafts and even world studies.
With 18 to 23 kids in a class, each child enjoyed quality time with certified teachers as they dabbled in art projects, challenged themselves with science experiments and met new friends along the way.
Teenagers from Bellmore and Merrick were also a big part of making the camp successful. And children enjoyed hanging out with the teens, who often sat at tables with them encouraging campers to take part in activities.
There was a lot of competition among teens to get the coveted jobs. "So many teens were interested, and I got tons of applications," said camp director Donna DeFrancesco, who added that where a teen was placed depended on the applicant's age. "The eighth- and ninth-graders were volunteers who we placed with different classes, while 10th-grade and up teens were hired as assistants who helped teachers. They were also group leaders who helped guide children from class to class."
The teens enjoyed the summer work. One job Melissa De'Alto of Bellmore loved was helping first-graders with crafts. She said she would apply again next year. "This is my second year volunteering, and I really like the kids," said De'Alto, 15. "They depend on me. And they tell me everything."
Teachers also had fun. Many said they enjoyed using creative methods to teach children. And the kids often weren't aware that a fun activity was imparting knowledge. Young children were busy cutting and gluing. Thinking they were making a pretty picture, they were excited. What they didn't know was that the activity also improved their fine-motor skills and taught them about patterns.
In the puppetry room, children were busy making a stage and tickets for their upcoming performance. They'd already made several different puppets from paper plates and socks. And they'd spent much time crafting background props, too.
When the Herald visited the puppetry class, there was an excitement in the room, shared equally by the children and their teacher, Nick Coppola. "During the year, I'm a second-grade teacher," said Coppola. "But in the summer, I'm a master puppeteer. These kids are great."
Art teacher Anthony Riccio has taught at the camp for many years. He keeps coming back, drawn by the children's enthusiasm. One technique Riccio uses is to relate art to movies, showing children how to make fish like the characters in Disney's "Finding Nemo," which he said children enjoyed.
Fun was the key word at the recreation program this summer. And regardless whether a child learned to sing in Japanese in the world-studies class, or made a volcano in science, all were smiling. And they were learning.
Comments? Llane@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
