46 SHAKERONLINE.COM | WINTER 2014
Are there
scholarships?
Yes. There are limits, because of the
number of people requesting scholarships.
So people do have to cover some
costs of camp. But it’s typical for us to
scholarship a week of camp, so parents
may only have to pay for seven weeks
instead of eight.
What’s the
value of camp?
Summer camps are a wonderful place
for children to build relationships with
other campers and also counselors. They
can learn new skills, like swimming – but
camp is also just a lot of fun.
Tell us
more about the traditional camp.
Our goal is to be affordable, while
providing engaging and enriching camps.
Our eight-week traditional day camp is
our largest camp.
Parents drop their kids off at 9 am
and pick them up at 3:30 pm. We also
offer before and after care. There are a
variety of activities throughout the day
and week. Last year, we had a CSI activity
at the camp, where the campers got to be
detectives. They really enjoyed it.
We have swim lessons, crafts, a talent
show. We really try to give campers an opportunity
to engage in a variety of activities and
the schedule varies week-to-week depending
on what’s being offered. We have a wonderful
staff, which comes up with so many great
ideas. You can sign up for one week or all
eight and there are discounts for multiple
weeks.
Shaker has
a lot of popular camps, including
some well-kept secrets.
Our Summer Outdoor Adventure Camp is
by far the most popular camp, but we can
only accommodate 12 campers per session.
It sells out every year. My challenge is how
can we offer more and that’s something
we’re exploring now. Our tennis and
ice-skating camps are also popular, but we
also have hidden gems, like Band Camp
and Shaker on Stage Camp.
Tell us
about your staff.
What do you look for?
We hire people with past experience
working with children and we also try to
understand what talents and skills they
have that can enhance the quality of our
programs. For example, Shaker on Stage
is led by a local theater director.