Date: June 3, 2010
Contact: Carol Connelly, Director, Media & Communication Services, ext. 5267, cconnelly@pnc.edu

PNC to Host Summer Camp 2010 for Area Youth

Westville – Purdue University North Central will bring area young people to its campus this summer as part of its Summer Camp 2010 from June 28 through Aug. 5. The camp will introduce the students to the campus and give them a taste of university life as they take part in age-appropriate learning with PNC faculty and staff as their instructors.

The young people, ages six to 12, are participants in a full-time summer program that is part of the La Porte County Coalition of Youth Serving Agencies (YSA), including Imagination Station, Boys and Girls Club, Michigan City Parks and Recreation, Safe Harbor, Barker Woods and North Central Community Action Agencies in Michigan City.

Indoor and outdoor activities will keep the young people mentally and physically engaged for their time on campus with 160 children spending one morning a week at PNC for the six-week program. During the remaining hours, they will participate in activities offered by their youth programs.

The curriculum will feature:
“Science Inquiry and learning a bit about PNC,” a scavenger hunt around campus will serve as an introduction to the six-week program, taught by Dr. Mary Jane Eisenhauer, assistant professor of Education and Deb Pratt, continuing lecturer of Education.

Pratt will lead a separate session about character development traits, with students learning the characteristics that are needed to be successful in college, such as teamwork and trustworthiness.

“Let's Look at Educational Websites” with Dr. David Pratt, associate professor of Education and director of Student Teaching, with Dr. Jason Curtis, associate professor of Biology. Students will interact with educational websites as part of this session.

“Outdoor Odyssey Sculpture Tour” by Judy Jacobi, assistant vice chancellor of Marketing and Community Relations. Students will tour the sculptures on the PNC campus and learn more about what they depict, including

“Haints + History” which represents the migration to the U.S. after the Civil War through the Civil Rights era which includes the slave trade, the Underground Railroad, Jews who are escaping the Nazis tyranny and the Irish leaving the potato famine; “Demeter” a sculpture of the mythological goddess of the Harvest and Agriculture; “ho-MA-ge,” a tribute to cellist Yo-Yo Ma; “Rainbow Flyer” presenting the colors of a rainbow; “Odysseus” a representation of Homer's “Odyssey,” which will be the starting point for a discussion of Cyclops, the Trojan War, the Trojan Horse, Penelope and mythology.

There will be a tour of Shakespeare's Garden and Bards' Pond with a discussion about Shakespeare and Homer.

“Birds Are Our Friends" led by Joan Wisniewski , president of the Potawatomi Audubon Society. This program will introduce the young people to the birds that make their home on the 268-acre PNC campus. They will look at the birds and their nests outside and enjoy indoor activities of bird bingo, word search, bird maze, scramble words and a bird memory game. Students will take home a feeder and bird buddy bracelet.

Tara Wiltfong, PNC director of Field Experiences, will lead brain games and problem solving activities.

Fuirther information about the summer camp can be obtained by contacting Liz Bernel, PNC coordinator of Special Events and Marketing at 785-5200,ext. 5719 or ebernel@pnc.edu . Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Bernel.

 

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