Youth Summer Reading and Writing Camps!

Now that the weather seems to be finally warming up, we're breaking out our flip-flops and starting to think about what to do this summer! Of course, there are a ton of options, but we'd like to spotlight some youth camps related to reading, writing, and storytelling. So when your child says in the third week of summer, "I'm tired of going to the pool," you can pull one of these out of your pocket:

The Corbin Art Center hosts a variety of classes, workshops, and camps for all ages:

Fun From A-Z - (registration number 11920)
Ages: 3 Yrs. to 5
Dates: July 5-July 9
Time: 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Fee: $27.00
For a week, let's create from the alphabet! Each day you will select several letters from the alphabet to include in fun art projects.

Creative Theater & Storytelling Camp (registration number 11982)
Ages: 6 Yrs. to 11 Yrs.
Dates: June 28-July 2
Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Fees: $104.00
Description: This is a one week camp with an innovative mix of interactive storytelling and role playing activities, games and prop, costume and mask making, is lots of fun and focuses on teaching skills in communication and concentration. Students assume the roles of characters and collaborate to tell stories in fantasy literature.

Character and Plot Development - (registration number 13737)
Ages: 14 Yrs. and over
Date: July 1
Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Fee: $15.00
Description: This one day workshop is lead by Stephanie Splater. Strong fiction is driven by dynamic characters and enticing plots. Sharpen your skills in these key aspects of fiction writing with activities and discussions geared toward writing fiction that will sell. Bring your current work in progress (or writing samples will be provided) and something to write with.

Writing Fiction - (registration number 13735)
Ages: 14 Yrs. and over
Dates: Tuesdays July 6-July 27
Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Fee: $49.00
Description: Teens and adults are welcome to work with Neal Peters for a whole month of creative writing. Love to write, but feel intimidated to write a full-length novel? Feel the impulse, but never finish writing a story? Here's help to become your own editor and explore ways to finish projects. Topics include writing beginnings, middles, and ends, character construction and plotting. Bring a composition book and pen or pencil.

Pre-registration is required! For a list of the different classes, workshops and summer camps, go here. For general information on the Corbin Art Center, go here or visit spokaneparks.org.

Coeur d’Alene Arts Commission also offers multiple summer classes, but this one is particularly interesting to us:

Book Arts

Ages: grade levels 4-7
Dates: July 13, 14, 15
Time: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Fee: $30
At: Harding Family Center, 411 N. 15th., Coeur d’Alene
Description: Share Sharalee Howard's love of books and art. For the last nine years she has been learning about, creating, teaching, and selling hand bound books. This class will explore a variety of bookbinding techniques.

For more information and to register, visit cdaid.org or call (208) 676-9132.

Saint George’s School offers Summer Camp classes to kids in the community:

Writing Workshop

Ages: grades K-2
Dates: August 16 to 20
Time: TBA
Fee: $125-$150
Complete course description is yet to be announced, but the class follows the primary writing program—words.


Stories Alive - Reader's Theater
Ages: grades 3-6 (and possibly younger)
Dates: June 21 to 25
Time: 9:00 am to Noon
Fee: $150
Words will come alive as you learn to create scripts from stories, poems and your own original work. You will learn about acting, directing and taking a character from the page to the stage. The week will culminate in a performance for friends and family showcasing your work as a writer and actor!

Registration Deadline is May 28. For more information, click here or call 466-1636 ext. 400


Central Valley School District offers the following to enhance reading and writing development:

Ages: elementary students, grades 1-2 or 3-5
Dates: Monday – Thursday June 23 – July 22 (No classes July 5)
Time: session from 8am – noon
At: Broadway Elementary
Fee: $150 per student (scholarships available)
Description: Elementary students in need of additional skill and strategy development in reading and math will benefit from Summer School 2010. Students will work in small groups.

Early Reading and Literacy for grades 1 and 2
A balanced approach to literacy and math is provided to help students become successful learners. Students will work on phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary development and reading comprehension.

Intermediate Literacy for grades 3, 4 and 5
A balanced literacy framework forms the basis for this class. This includes fluency (recognizing new words and reading with ease) and comprehension (making connections between what a student hears and reads and then using thinking strategies effectively). Students will also gain experience writing for different purposes and audiences.

Ages: middle school students, grades 6-8
Dates: Monday – Thursday June 23 – July 22 (No classes July 5)
Time: session from 7:45 – 9:45 a.m. or session 2 from 10 a.m. – noon
At: Central Valley High School
Fee: $75 per session (scholarships available)
Description: Middle school students in need of additional skill and strategy development in reading and writing will benefit from Summer School 2010. Each session is designed to meet the needs of struggling students who would benefit from additional academic support. Teachers will develop a Student Learning Plan that addresses specific learning targets for each student. Each class will provide whole group, small group and individual instruction with a maximum class size of 15 students. Reading/Writing: Students in this class will work on strategies to build reading fluency, comprehension and writing skills using both fiction and nonfiction texts.

These classes are open to all students. For more information on these and high school related summer classes related to language arts click here, visit cvsd.org, or call 228-5400