Owensboro Public Schools is accepting applications for S.I.Y.A. Camp, the district’s 2-week-long fine art camp for middle grades students. The deadline to apply is May 13.
The camp runs from May 28 to June 7 and is open to students entering 4th – 9th grades. Through the program, students can pick a focus in visual arts, theatre, dance, vocal and instrumental music and also a secondary area of focus in some of those areas.
Coordinator of Fine Arts at OPS Kara Smith said that this years theme of ‘S.I.Y.A. is Out of this World’ will promote the students to learn music and theatre through the lens of space and stars.
“We’ll have a lot of kids relate to that and think that’s super cool and there’s just so many things artistically and musically you can pull from that theme,” Smith said.
Offering the camp is a way for the school district to have a summer supplement for their students who could use more opportunities to explore the arts Smith notes. It is structured as a typical school day with classes, lunch and a field trip.
The youngest students have just finished third grade and often, Smith said, students enjoy it enough they continue to come back each year until they’re 9th graders aging out of the program.
“The kids are there because they want to be there and they want to study their art form, and they want to keep getting better and learning from their teachers,” Smith said.
The program costs $150 per student, but they also offer a discounted rate for families on free/reduced lunch and gifted and talented students.
Smith said this is an intentional effort to ensure that the arts can be accessible to all students.
“It is very important to not only me, but our district as a whole to have flexibility in the opportunities that we offer. Of course we have operating costs, but we never want those things to be a reason that a child that would benefit from the camp experience is not able to take part in it,” Smith said.
Students are able to apply for their first year at any grade, yet first-year applicants must provide a teacher recommendation letter from the teacher of their art form.
To apply to the camp, and access the recommendation form, click here.
