The ACS campus is a busy place this summer with the laughter and smiling faces of boys and girls who are enjoying a variety of fun, safe activities as part of Cougar Camp, which got underway on July 6.
“The kids are enjoying spending time with each other in a safe environment,” said ACS faculty member Eric Tardif, who is heading up the seven-week camp program. “They’re having fun and they’re engaged in everything we’re doing — including arts and crafts, daily Bible devotions and worship, cooking, playing games, and outdoor water activities.”
Tardif said the camp is following the COVID-19 health and safety guidelines of the CDC and the Atlantic County health department. Tardif said each morning upon arrival campers answer a health screening questionnaire and have their temperature taken. Throughout the day, camp staff are also cleaning and sanitizing tables, playground equipment, balls, and other shared items.
Tardif said each week has a different theme, such as shark week, space week, and beach week. For shark week, campers created boats out of aluminum foil and tested them to see how many marbles they could hold before they sank. For space week, campers made moon phases with Oreos and space mobiles to hang in their bedrooms.
Tasty Tuesdays give campers an opportunity to create a delicious edible craft that matches the weekly theme. For shark week, the campers created an ocean scene using graham crackers and icing and they made fishing poles out of pretzel rods and Twizzlers.
Tardif said Water Days on Wednesdays and Fridays are very popular with the campers, when they can cool off with water cannons and the Big Kahuna water slide.
With three weeks of camp left in August, the campers will be spending at least one day a week in the school garden, weeding and planting fall harvest vegetables. “There’s nothing better than seeing the kids smiling and laughing. This is what summer is all about,” Tardif said.
There are still some spots open for camp in August, so parents can still register a child to attend. The Cougar Camp hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with daily Camp Activities running from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. All participants must bring their own lunch, but every Friday is pizza day (cost included in the camp fee). Snacks are provided daily.
CLICK HERE for more information about Cougar Camp and to register.