Immersing children in the arts

Responding to a demand for an art focused program, Lawrence Woodmere Academy’s Summer Day Camp this year established the Center for the Creative Arts (CCA) for campers entering second- to seventh-grade.

“Not every child wants to be on the soccer field all day,” said Barbra Feldman, the director of Summer Day. “There has been great feedback and the kids in it are really happy.”

CCA costs $200 more than the standard tuition for the age group, which ranges from $3,800 to $5,600. It has nine art-focused staff members and 49 campers of which 60 percent are girls.

These campers focus on either drama or visual arts, the two majors in the new program. Along with the majors, campers choose two minors, consisting of instructional swim, dance, ceramics and sculpture, glee club, instrumental lessons, drawing and painting, cartooning and animation, textile art, and Camp Band where campers put together their own rock band. Campers begin their day with their two-hour major, while minors are one hour each, and then the campers participate in the club program that all campers take part in where they choose from drama, art, athletics, or other activities. In addition, there is a recreational swim and the daily hot lunch.

“Seventy-five percent of their experience is arts focused,” said Feldman. The children still attend the carnival, participate in Color War and have activities that other campers do, but “the bulk of their day” focuses on art. Theater and art classes take place in LWA’s Hessel Hall, which has a theater and five arts studios.

The campers majoring in dramatic arts are currently rehearsing for their play, Disney’s “Aladdin,” which they will be performing at the camp’s Evening of the Arts on Aug. 9, at Hessel Hall. There will also be a glee club and Camp Band performance, as well as an art exhibit and refreshments.

CCA partnered with Kevin and Phyllis Harrington’s Plaza Theatrical Performing Arts Academy for the dramatic arts major. The company has directors, set designers, musicians and choreographers who work with the campers. This company, based in Lynbrook, organizes many shows in theaters and parks throughout New York and New Jersey.

Feldman’s son, Andrew, has performed with this arts academy in many shows. “They’re not just concerned about the product, which is great, but also about the process,” she said, “They’re a group of professionals who love children and love working with children.”

The campers majoring in drama can also be in the all-camp show, “Oliver.” It will be directed by Sandee Leonhard, the director of drama for the general camp, and is open to all 600 campers.

The campers in visual arts weave, paint in exciting ways, such as using rubbing alcohol with an acrylic base to create a unique effect, making their own ink and drawing with it and putting together art shows.

Feldman and the director of the art program, Nina Toback, believe the campers have the opportunity to do high-end and interesting art “It is an experience they won’t get at an art class at school or at another camp,” Toback said.

CCA has local artisans and musicians who visit, and five trips just for the campers in the program, however the campers can also go on the trips that the campers their age and gender outside of the program go on such as Adventureland and Hershey Park. The trips for CCA campers include the opportunity to see the Blue Man Group, visit Nassau County Museum of Arts and watch Disney’s “Newsies” on Broadway.

Last week the campers in CCA went on a private backstage tour of the New Amsterdam Theater in New York City, the Disney theater where Mary Poppins played. “The campers learned about the history of the theater and the kids got up on stage; they were able to try on things and see the props,” Feldman said. “One kid said, ‘Boy, does Disney do it right!’”

On July 10, the campers in CCA went to Monet’s Garden at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, where the campers went on a tour of the garden and did a project.

Feldman said she is excited about how well this program is doing and is looking forward to next summer when there will be another new program focusing on sports, for the athletes. There will be “awesome sports based trips” including a tour of Yankee Stadium.

The CCA program has been very successful, said Feldman, with two campers switching out and nine switching in. “It worked out beautifully,” she said. “I brought in top people to work with the kids and the campers can focus on what they love to do; it is meeting their needs,” she said.