News

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s lineup of summer camps covered the interests of campers from around the region. From the theater stage to the soccer field, here is a snapshot of some of the seasonal learning and fun.  

On stage some of the youngest performers this summer attended the Cougar Theater Camp. Youth in kindergarten through eighth grade learned the craft under the guidance of SIUE alumna Ashley Miller-Melton ‘14. Miller-Melton serves as the Edwardsville High School drama director, and for the camp she worked alongside a team of experienced teachers and counselors. Campers rotated through acting, choreography, vocal music and design before mounting a staged production. 

SIUE's Summer Arts Camp took place in the Art and Design West building where campers worked with materials exploring 2-D and 3-D design. 

Students interested in math and science found their place at Inventor's Camp. The program gave participants a hands-on STEM experience through activities and challenges built around creative problem-solving. 

Inside and out of the summer heat, cheer camp gave students a week to practice game day cheers, work on their choreography and spend time together as a group. First Community Arena saw plenty of action earlier this summer when Men’s Basketball Head Coach Brian Barone and the Cougars hosted two sessions of Coach Barone's Basketball Camp. Young athletes from kindergarten through eighth grade were on the court daily.  

The Youth Soccer Camp set up at Ralph Korte Stadium for half-day sessions built around small, sided activities and the kind of basic skills that make a player better over time. 

Student musicians spent four days at SIUE this summer working on their craft through the Summer Band Camp. With SIUE faculty and students leading the way, campers practiced their individual skills, played together as a group and explored different styles of music while learning the techniques and stage presence that come with being a better musician. 

Crime Scene to Courtroom gave high school students a chance to step into the role of investigator, working through real evidence and figuring out what happened before taking it all the way to a mock trial. It was the kind of hands-on experience that made learning feel more like solving a puzzle than sitting in a classroom. 

Dunham Hall became home base for middle and high school musicians during SIUE's Jazz Camp. Students of all experience levels spent four days working alongside SIUE jazz faculty on performance and improvisation, moving through big band rehearsals, small group work, master classes and jam sessions before wrapping up with a live performance. 

The Odyssey Science Camp brought SIUE's summer to a close with six tracks designed around different age groups, from second grade all the way through ninth. Students put science into action, whether that meant launching rockets, programming robots or working through investigations in the lab. 

In addition to the University’s summer semester of courses, summer camps for communities of all ages and interests have a place in Edwardsville to call home.  

Take, for instance, the Cougar Theater Camp experience: 

"Cougar Theater Camp has become much more than a summer activity—it has become a tradition for families across our region," said Kristin Best Kinscherff, associate professor and chair of the Department of Dance. "This year's camp filled capacity and generated an extensive waitlist, demonstrating the tremendous demand for high-quality performing arts opportunities for young people. The overwhelming response from our community reinforces the important role the Department of Theater and Dance plays in providing meaningful arts experiences that inspire the next generation of performers, creators, and arts advocates." 

Photos by Howard Ash