Registration for teens and kids summer camps in Mobile, as well as after-camp care, is opening on Monday, April 1. The camps are put on through the Mobile Parks and Recreation Department (MPRD).
The city’s Teen Career Exploration Camp will allow middle and high school students to dive into career opportunities. Sessions will take place June 3 – August 2, Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Each week students can explore different industries and workplaces.
Teen Career Exploration Camp weekly themes include:
—6/3- 6/7 Arts and Culture
—6/10- 6/14 Medical Field
—6/17- 6/21 IT
—6/24- 6/28 Business
—7/1- 7/5 Legal and Public Safety
—7/8- 7/12 Sports and Fitness
—7/15- 7/19 Architecture and Engineering
—7/22- 7/26 Innovation
—7/29- 8/2 Entrepreneurship and Trades
“Our Exploration Camp is so fun, and it's really something I wish I would have had at that age, because it gives you an insight of different fields to go into,” said LaNisha Penn, recreational supervisor for the community centers and programs at MPRD. “It's showing them those different things that they may not normally see on a day-to-day basis. So, they're learning more about these different fields, and can actually have that experience of seeing it up close and personal to decide this ‘Is something I may want to do?’”
Penn said activities and field trips during the camps will prepare and instruct students on specific career fields and give them the opportunity to see the work in action. She said one of her personal favorite highlights from last year’s camps was the medical field week. Penn explained the experience was a hit last summer and helped teens explore careers to consider for the future.
“We have so many kids now in high school and middle school, they're thinking about going into the medical field. What we do during that time is try to prepare them and give them instructions and take them to different areas where they can learn more about the medical field,” she said. “One of the field trips we did last year, we went to the University of Mobile. Upstairs in one of their buildings, they have a makeshift hospital. So, the kids got a chance to see what it's like to go inside and see the nursing students working in the hospital with the patients. I think a lot of them enjoyed that because it made them think ‘I can work in the hospital, or I can do that as well.’”
Penn said presentations and professionals throughout the camps during the summer will show campers some of the city’s best industries and how to get into the trades.
Students ages 13-15 are eligible for Teen Career Exploration Camp. Each week’s camp costs $25 per week, per student. Parents can register students for the entire summer or individual weeks. Camp participation is on a first come, first served basis.
MPRD is also offering Kids Summer Camp sessions for ages 5-12. The camp takes place Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. during June, July and August with a weekly cost of $25 per child per week. The Kids Summer Camp will take place at four different community centers located around Mobile: Dotch, Hillsdale, Hope and Seals.
MPRD Kids After-Camp Care is also being offered from 4:30-6:30 p.m. for $5 per day or $20 weekly. Registration for the MPRD Kids Camp sessions and the MPRD Kids After-Care Camp opens Monday, April 1. Participation for each camp is on a first come, first served basis.
Penn said MPRD Kids Camp sessions at the Dotch Community Center is also a therapeutic camp, which is able to assist kids who may need additional assistance.
MPRD Kids Summer Camp weekly themes include:
—Arts and Culture (6/3-6/21) -- Featuring weekly themes and projects, campers will celebrate arts and culture! They will become pop stars by writing and performing their own music, learn about storytelling and character-building while becoming an author of their own book and travel the world getting their passports stamped while learning about artists from all over! Children will love learning more about Mobile arts and culture while enjoying activities to help enrich the mind and body. Weekly field trips will include swimming, theater plays, paint party trip, symphony and dance shows.
—Sports and Fitness (6/24-7/12) -- Featuring weekly themes and projects, campers will dive into the world of sports and fitness. Campers will learn about food ingredients and healthy habits in order to write and prepare their own kid-approved cookbook, they will work together to build their own sports team and create new games with their own rules, and they will compete in tournaments to show off sportsmanship in their own #MPRDKids Olympics-style Showdown! Campers who like to be active can choose from a variety of activities and sports that add diversity to their exercise routine, while having fun at the same time. Weekly field trips will include swimming, bowling, skating, and a #MPRDKids Cup exclusive event.
—Educational and STEM (7/15-8/2) -- Featuring weekly themes and projects, campers will explore the world of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). They will learn to code their own games and become game masters through new tech skills, and they will become mad scientists by competing in their own science fair, complete with exploding volcanos! We will be sharing the wonder of STEM this summer in an interactive camp environment to encourage campers to explore, build and create. Weekly field trips will include swimming, aquarium exploration and a discovery museum trip.
Registration for the MPRD Kids Camp sessions, the MPRD Kids After-Care Camp and the Teen Career Exploration Camp opens Monday, April 1.
Learn more about other programs offered through Mobile Parks and Recreation by visiting the city’s Rec Desk.
