JSU Unveils Summer Youth Camp Lineup
05/02/2023
by Buffy Lockette
In just a few short weeks, the final bell will ring at schools across the region and parents will be scrambling to find ways to keep their children active and engaged. Once again, Jacksonville State University has organized several summer camps and programs to get future Gamecocks off the couch and on campus this summer.
Sports Camps
May-July
The Gamecocks have organized several team and individual athletic camps again this summer to help young athletes improve their game. Baseball, men's and women's basketball, soccer and football have already announced their programs, while other teams are still finalizing their offerings. Continue to check the Gamecock Sports Camps website for additions.
Camp UREC
May 30-August 4
JSU’s Recreation and Fitness Center is offering a variety of weekly summer camps to get kids up and moving. There’s a total of 10 week-long sessions, each with a different theme, running from May 30 to Aug. 4. Participants can experience what it's like to be a true Gamecock during Future Gamecock Week, get their best costumes ready for Costume Week or interact with wildlife during Animal Week. The camp day is 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with drop-off at 7:30-8:30 a.m. and pickup at 4-5 p.m. Registration is $125 for JSU affiliates or $150 for non-affiliates. Discounts are also available for early bird registration and families with multiple children.
JSU College for Kids
Beginning June 1
The Children's Corner at Houston Cole Library will host its fourth JSU College for Kids beginning on June 1. The free summer program gives children a “college experience," with free lessons on a variety of topics, taught by real JSU professors over the course of several weeks. Those who attend ten classes or more will be awarded a diploma in a special graduation ceremony. The program is geared toward children ages 5-10 (slightly negotiable). Younger children are invited to join the new Sir Cluckerton's Club for Baby Gamecocks, which will feature eight storytime events throughout the summer, complete with coloring, snacks and early literacy fun. Individual dates and topics will be announced on May 20. For more information, contact Laurie Health at lheathcock@jsu.edu or Laura Pitts at lepitts@jsu.edu.
Canyon Kids
Beginning June 1
Starting Thursday, June 1, through the rest of 2023, the JSU Field School at the Canyon Center will offer an outdoor adventure for kids on the first Thursday of every month. Children ages 3-8 are invited to participate in these hands-on lessons in nature. The session on June 1, 10:30-11:30 a.m., will focus on frogs and amphibians. Registration is free but limited to 15 students. To sign up, call 256-845-3548 or email rmtaylor@jsu.edu.
Gamecock Arts Summer Program (GASP)
June 4-9
The Gamecock Arts Summer Program (GASP) offers high school students, ages 14-18, the opportunity to further their arts and humanities education, focusing on a chosen area of focus: creative writing, visual arts, costuming/cosplay, musical theatre, and filmmaking. The musical theatre segment of camp is open to ages 8-18. The classes and workshops will be taught by faculty and graduate students of the Art and Design, Music, Film and Theatre, and English departments. In addition to participating in workshops, performances and art shows, students will also have recreational time on campus, as well as dining at the Jack Hopper Dining Hall or the Theron Montgomery Building food court. Residential and commuter options are available. The registration deadline is May 5. For more information, please email Morgan Worsham at mworsham@jsu.edu.
Grand Camp at the Canyon
June 14-16
Grandparents and other trusted adults are invited to bring children ages 5-8 to the JSU Canyon Center in Fort Payne for environmental education and outdoor fun each day from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registration is $50 per child. For more information and to register, call 256-845-3548 or email rmtaylor@jsu.edu.
Plants and Their Remedies
June 17
Plant enthusiasts ages 14 and up are invited to this one-day class at the JSU Canyon Center on Saturday, June 17, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Led by herbalist Donna Smith, participants will learn more about our native plants and their many uses, including how to grow and process them in your own home medicinal herb garden. Registration is $65. Learn more and register online.
STEAM Summer Camp
June 20-21, 22-23
The JSU College of Education and Professional Studies is hosting Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Camp for children who have completed 3rd-6th grades. Participants will take part in robotics and coding, science experiments, literacy and math activities, team building exercises and more. Two sessions will be offered: June 20-21 for students who have completed 3rd or 4th grade and June 22-23 for those who have completed 5th or 6th grade. Both sessions will run 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and be held at Ramona Wood Hall. Registration, which includes lunch and a t-shirt, is $40. The deadline to sign up is May 20.
Other summer fun at JSU:
- Youth ages 5-18 are allowed to visit the Rec Center with a member adult for $6/day.
- Swim lessons are available at the Rec Center for children and adults, open to both members and non-members.
- Enjoy the Children's Corner on the fifth floor Houston Cole Library.
- Play tennis on the JSU courts, located behind Pete Mathews Coliseum. Take your own racquet and tennis balls. It's open whenever not in use by JSU Tennis.
- Ride bikes or take a nature walk on the Ladiga Trail.
- Visit the JSU Canyon Center in Fort Payne, including the annual Bluegrass on the Rim festival on June 10.