Selkirk's children's programs in the Boundary a hit
By Contributor
With the help of many generous partners, Selkirk College wrapped up another successful season of children’s summer programing in Grand Forks and Christina Lake.
“We ran upwards of 100 children through our programs this summer and broadened our programming to include Art and Theatre,” says Continuing Education Coordinator Jennifer Wetmore.
This was the second year for childrens’ programing in the Boundary with programs that ranged from full day art camps to three-day theatre and science camps. All the instructors employed were local and brought varied experience to their respective programs. The science camp in particular underwent significant curriculum change under the guidance of instructor Christine Carlson and forged beneficial partnerships with the Kettle River Watershed Management Plan.
In total six camps were held. The feedback from the instructors, support staff, students and the parents was positive.
“The experiences had by everyone, myself included, were truly remarkable,” says Wetmore. “To be able to provide such rich learning experiences in a fun interactive environment for such a broad spectrum of children in our community is the most rewarding experience I’ve had at Selkirk College.”
The success of the camps in Christina Lake and Grand Forks were not mirrored in the other programs offered in the West Boundary where uptake wasn’t enough to run the camps. Undeterred, organizers will once again test the broader waters in 2014.
“We really wanted to get some camps off the ground in the West Boundary,” says Wetmore. “But the numbers we needed never came to fruition. We’ll continue to look at all kinds of options for the camps including cost and duration to see if we can ensure that all kids throughout the Boundary have a chance to experience these fun, educational experiences”.
All the instructors involved were local talent and all brought a rich and varied background of experience to their respective programs. Once again, local students at the high school level were employed as support staff, some of them returning for their second year.
“We are very lucky to have a community base that is so engaged in learning,” says Wetmore. “They come to the table because they want to, not because they have to”.
The generous support of sponsors made the programs possible, enabling Selkirk College to purchase much-needed equipment, supplies, cover facilities costs and provide t-shirts for the students. Most notable were Community Futures Boundary (platinum sponsor), The Kootenay Association of Science and Technology (KAST), the Grand Forks Bottle Depot, the Kettle River Watershed Management Plan, and the Granby Wilderness Society.
For more information on Children’s Programming at Selkirk College, contact Jennifer Wetmore at 250-442-2704.
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