VSU Offers After-School Enrichment Opportunities for Kids

VALDOSTA — Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 20, Valdosta State University will offer after-school enrichment opportunities for community boys and girls in the elementary grades through its Regional Center for Continuing Education.  

“Our teachers for this program, Kara Bunte and Molly Hill, are delighted to try out some fun activities with the kids,” said Suzanne Ewing, program coordinator with VSU’s Office of Continuing Education. “We are very excited to pilot this new program and hope that it meets the needs of the community.”

Camp Discovery: After-School Edition is an outgrowth of Camp Discovery, a summer day camp program offered through VSU Continuing Education each year that provides enrichment opportunities for area children and teens.

“We have had parents of Camp Discovery campers asking for after-school programs for the last couple of years, and last year we had a request from some homeschool families to offer some enrichment activities, particularly in art and science topics,” Ewing said. “We are hoping that both homeschoolers and public and private school families will want to take advantage of the new program.”

For the first Camp Discovery: After-School Edition season, which will run through the month of April, Ewing said she and her staff chose three of the more popular summer Camp Discovery topics and redeveloped them for the after-school hours:

• Awesome Artists After School: This camp is for boys and girls in kindergarten through third grade who want to learn about painting, sculpture, crafts, and more.

• Crazy Science After School: This camp is for boys and girls in kindergarten through third grade who want to learn some basic principles of biology, chemistry, and physics.

• Fun With Food After School: This camp is for boys and girls in third through fifth grade who want to learn a little nutrition, mathematics, and chemistry as they measure, mix, and decorate their own edible treats.

Each enrichment opportunity will feature lots of hands-on activities. A small snack will be provided each day; kids in the food class will make their own snacks.

The Regional Center for Continuing Education is located 903 N. Patterson St.

Visit http://www.valdosta.edu/academics/extended-learning/continuing-education/documents/fy15s_kids_afterschool.pdf to view the complete Camp Discovery: After-School Edition schedule and associated fees.

Contact Suzanne Ewing at (229) 245-6484 or sewing@valdosta.edu to learn more or register for Camp Discovery: After-School Edition.

Valdosta State University’s 2013-2019 Strategic Plan represents a renewal of energy and commitment to the foundational principles for comprehensive institutions.

Implementation of the plan’s five goals, along with their accompanying objectives and strategies, supports VSU’s institutional mission and the University System of Georgia’s mission for comprehensive universities. 

The above story reflects the university's commitment to the following goals: 

Goal 1: Recruit, retain, and graduate a quality, diverse student population and prepare students for roles as leaders in a global society.

Goal 3: Promote student, employee, alumni, retiree, and community engagement in our mission.

Goal 4: Foster an environment of creativity and scholarship.

Visit http://www.valdosta.edu/administration/planning/strategic-plan.php to learn more.