Tapping into the creative imaginations of youth, the Bosque Arts Center offers a variety of unique camps during summer vacation
CLIFTON – With a sweltering 100-plus degrees outside, the inside of the Bosque Arts Center was filled with youth tapping into their creative juices during different camps during the summer.
It all started with Imagination Camp in which 46 youth participated in a myriad of creative activities, including recycle sculptures, painted story rocks, printed media, weaving and tassles, and music, lots of music. The Mini-Musical’s theme song – produced and directed by Brian Barrett and his daughter Bailee – summed it up perfectly:
“I was wastin’ my days playing video games. Watchin’ summer just pass me by. Then I heard of a place where you get to create. Makin’ memories and smiles. Now I’m here…we’re all here.”
Then came Sewing Camp, in which the students perfected their craft and using how to use the sewing machines. That was followed by Cursive Writing camp. Whereas that sounds a lot like being in a classroom, the girls attending the class enjoyed the creative swirls and loops cursive writing allows.
At Music Camp, Vickie Ketchum and her daughter Abigayle let the 19 students in an exploration of American Folk music that was passed on from generation to generation. All the while learning the theory of music too, through songs like “Home on the Range,” “Oh, Susanna,” “Tideo,” “Cotton-eyed Joe” and “Deep in the Heart of Texas” and circle and line dances.
And finally Master Chef Junior culinary camp closed up the BAC’s summer for the youth, with learning knife skills, kitchen hygiene besides mastering some pretty impressive recipes like seared scallops, raspberry mousse and glazed lollipop wings.
While the youth playfully learn a lot of things during these camps, the thing they will remember most is the friends they made and the stuff they created together. None of these camps would be possible without an army of adult and teen volunteers to guide and channel the youthful creative minds to amazing heights.
As the BAC returns to its usual adult programming until next summer, it will miss the youthful energy and noise filling the classrooms and atrium a bit.
Photos by SIMONE WICHERS-VOSS
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Thanks, Simone, for one more interesting article. For a small town Clifton through such organization as the BAC has plenty for our children…and others.