CHARLOTTE — Affordable summer camps can be hard to find. With that in mind, St. John Neumann Parish created a low-cost, faith-filled alternative offering four "tracks" for children to choose from this summer. For only $30 per child, the parish was able to host more than 130 children for the week of July 18-22, where they could enjoy arts, sports, drama and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) activities.
Sixty-five adult and teen volunteers helped run the weeklong camp. Christina Stevens served as the assistant camp director this year.
"This year's theme was Exodus, the story of Moses, and how God led His people to freedom," Stevens explained. "We started each day with a prayer and our theme song, 'Alive' by Hillsong Young and Free. After morning snack, we broke into our tracks for an hour and a half, focusing on different skills each session."
Campers made everything from prayer stones to stained glass windows, learned how to take pictures and put different textured pictures together to make a collage. Some learned how to run flag football plays, pass the ball and block, as well as the value of good sportsmanship and teamwork. STEM track campers learned about science each day, including chemistry, geology, physics and engineering, and flight and space. They had fun using everyday household items and food, such as graham crackers and marshmallow fluff, to explain plate tectonics. The theater track learned about blocking (finding your place on the stage), making props, setting the stage, and memorizing lines.
"Each day, lunch was sponsored by a different company or group, including our very own Knights of Columbus," Stevens said. "Once lunch was over, we split into two groups, rising first-fourth and rising fifth-eighth graders, for our one-hour devotional sessions, where we were able to focus more on the story of Moses and the surrounding themes of teamwork, faith and being set free. Our campers had the opportunity to put their faith into action in their afternoon tracks."
To bring the campers' attention back in, camp director Meg VanGoethem, and Stevens would say "SJN Summer Camp!" and the campers would respond "Let my people go!"
Three campers at St. John Neumann Parish's Exodus-themed summer camp show off their creation. Photo provided by Christina Stevens)Campers ended the week by celebrating with an art exhibit, a STEM exhibit with their experiments, a theater performance of "The Prince of Egypt," and flag football games.
Campers and volunteers also had the opportunity to share the new things they learned or ways that they saw God in each other throughout the week by writing them down in the "Book of Glory Stories and Good Things."
One camper wrote, "Since this is my last year as a camper at SJN Summer Camp, I wanted to say thank you to everyone for making camp awesome! I can't wait to come back next year and be a counselor!"
An adult volunteer wrote, "I am so excited to see so many teens involved in sharing their faith this week!"
Father Pat Hoare, pastor, celebrated Mass for the campers twice during the week, incorporating the Exodus theme into his homilies. Campers helped serve at the Mass and sing in the choir. They also participated in Eucharistic Adoration on the last day of camp.
Father Pat said the parish's long-term goal is to find a way to include more students so the parish can open the program to the surrounding community.
"I can think of no better way to introduce a family to the Catholic faith than through a fun, wholesome summer camp opportunity that taps into their God-given gifts and talents," he said. "And I am amazed, and humbled, by the gener-ous response of so many volunteers who lovingly share their artistic, athletic and intellectual skills with the next generation. God is so good!"
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter