Alachua Summer Camp Is Back Times Two

ALACHUA ‒ As the country begins to open up as COVID-19 cases drop and summer is around the corner, traditional summer activities are returning. The City of Alachua is offering two summer camps that serve both younger and older children.

The City of Alachua's Recreation and Culture Department is bringing back its summer camp program for children ages 5-13, and in partnership with Santa Fe College and the Children’s Trust of Alachua County, ages up to 18 can participate in a separate academically oriented program.

Starting Monday, June 22 and running through Friday, July 31, the City will host the program for younger children at Legacy Park five days a week, Monday-Friday from 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

The summer camp is designed to help children learn new skills, build self-confidence, make new friends, and feel a sense of achievement. There are a variety of camp activities including art, music, swimming, character development, games, sports, and outdoor activities to do over the summer while school is out. It also provides a safe, informative and organized day care for parents during the work week. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will also be provided each day.

The daily camp schedule starts at 7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. for breakfast and drop-off; 9 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. for character session; 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. for various activities and classes; lunch from 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m., followed by more activities and classes from 1 p.m. -3 p.m. From 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., kids can enjoy free play time until they are picked up by a parent or guardian. There will be no camp on Friday July 3 due to the holiday weekend.

Despite the improving conditions of the pandemic, summer camp will look different this year. All programming will be in small groups. Campers will be with the same group of 10 or less all week, with no mixing with other groups. Activities that increase the likelihood of community transmission have been eliminated. These include, but are not limited to: Splash Park, large groups, high contact physical activity and off-site travel (although possible if they can guarantee social distancing guidelines). All meals will be served in to-go boxes to limit contact with surfaces. Campers will be separated from one another to avoid large groups. This includes, but is not limited to: meal times, music time, arts and crafts, and all-camp games.

The City will administer daily health screenings to monitor for any evidence of symptomatic cases. Signup for the camp includes a signed assurance from families that they can promptly pick up if a camper exhibits symptoms or if staff suspects a camper may have been exposed. Other safety measures include new check-in and check-out procedures, cleaning protocols, and staff training in accordance with recommendations from the CDC and the Alachua County Health Department.

The cost for the camp, including all meals is $400. However, the city is offering 100 percent covered scholarships through applications available at the City website, so that no one who wants to enroll is denied due to funding.

The summer camp at Legacy Park may be limited to children 13 and under, but the City has not forgotten older students either. Working with Santa Fe College and the Children's Trust of Alachua County, they have created a more academically orientated program for students up to 18 years of age.

Running during the same timeframe as the Legacy Park camp, this camp will offer a variety of programs in art, technology and science. Classes include visual arts, performing arts, digital design, engineering, biotechnology and crime scene investigation. The cost for the program is $240, but there are also scholarships available.

Applications for both camps, as well as scholarship requests, can be found at the City of Alachua Recreation and Culture website at https://www.cityofalachua.com/government/recreation-culture/sports-activities. Additional information is available by calling the department at 386-462-1610.

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