Kids dissect frogs at Camp Curiosity at Franklin College. The camp will take place at Grassy Creek Elementary this summer.
Submitted photo by Jeff Stanley
A longtime educational summer camp that became a community tradition will be back in full swing later this year.
Camp Curiosity is more than just a camp; it’s a place to make lifelong memories, explore career paths and learn new skills, said organizer Jeff Stanley. It’s become somewhat of a tradition for the community, creating lasting friendships for some students and has even helped other students discover new passions, he said.
The camp was a long-standing event that happened at Franklin College under the name Kids on Campus until the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 and 2021 camps. After the cancellation, Franklin College decided not to resume the camp to prioritize its students’ educational experience, Stanley said.
Now, Camp Curiosity will be back in full swing at Clark-Pleasant’s Grassy Creek Elementary this summer. Though the camp is at a Clark-Pleasant school, is it open to all students in Johnson County, Stanley said.
Parents have a lot of choice and independence when it comes to the camp, Stanley said. They can choose from a variety of classes for their child to attend. However, Stanley encourages parents to think about putting their children in classes outside of their comfort zone or letting students choose for themselves.
“That’s kind of the idea of camp, you’re learning without really knowing you’re even learning,” Stanley said.
When Stanley first became involved with the camp as a teacher, it was mostly arts and crafts activities for students. Stanley introduced STEM classes where students extracted DNA and learned about kinetic energy. As the camp grew, it morphed into a multidisciplinary experience for students.
The camp features a variety of classes, including ceramics, podcasting, writing classes and sports classes. First- and second-graders can choose from 14 different classes, including studying constellations, crafting with Legos, science experiments and learning about Ben Franklin’s inventions.
Third- and fourth-graders can choose from 19 classes including podcasting, blogging, physics and roller coasters, aviation and more.
Kids in grades five through seven can choose from 17 classes including taking a look at World War II battles and bombs, running, programming and robotics.
“The joy of seeing all these children and knowing that they’re getting this experience, I mean, it’s unbelievably satisfying,” Stanley said.
While watching students create lifelong memories, Stanley has a few from camp himself. Stanley remembers bringing in frogs for students to dissect in the advanced dissecting class.
“The students were so excited, going crazy almost, because one of the frogs had eggs that they had found in this specimen,” Stanley said. “I’ve never seen anything like that. … It’s like knowing that they’re getting that was part of my motivation.”
Memories like that are lifelong memories, Stanley said.
One parent mentioned to Stanley that her daughter met her best friend at Camp Curiosity and they have stayed friends since. Other parents mentioned their children deciding to attend Franklin College because of the memories created at the camp, he said.
“The impact there happens in ways that you don’t first think of,” Stanley said. “You might think ‘Oh they get to dissect a frog’ and that’s super cool. But, just sitting down around that lunch together with somebody that they just met is equally super cool.”
The task to get the camp up and running again has been “momentous” and couldn’t have been done without the support of the community and Clark-Pleasant administrators, Stanley said. Stanley, a former educator, is driven by the lifelong memories that kids create at camp, he said. There’s “a lot of satisfaction” in watching kids be kids at camp, he said.
“It’s been a big part of actually, I guess my adult life. Going back and being a teacher at it and then wanting to grow through Franklin College and now trying to bring it back, that’ll be something I look back with a lot of good memories.”
The camp is lead by certified Indiana educators to ensure a high standard of instruction, an online catalog for the camp said. The camp will run June 24 through June 28 for students entering grades first through seventh. Registration begins March 22.
Parents have the option to choose between half days in the morning and afternoon or a full day. Half-days cost $175, while full days cost $250. Extended care is an extra $40. Each class has a limited number of participants based on grade level. Classes with the same title and description will have different connections and pacing based on age groups. Lunch is provided free of charge, but students may also bring their own lunch.
Camp Curiosity is always looking for volunteers and educators to help out. To register or volunteer, visit www.campcuriosity.education/.
To register by mail, people should complete the registration and class selection form and mail them, with payment, to Camp Curiosity, 5432 Ashby Court, Greenwood, IN 46143.
IF YOU GO
What: Camp Curiosity
When: June 24 to 28
Ages: Grades 1 to 7
Where: Grassy Creek Elementary School, 2111 Sheek Road, Greenwood
Camp Hours:
Full Day: 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Half-day Morning: 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Half-day Afternoon: 12:30 to 4 p.m.
Extended Care: 4 to 5 p.m.
