Summer is just around the corner, which means for all Covington kids, the beloved Camp Covington is upon us. What is it that is so beloved about Camp Covington, not just to the students, but to caregivers and teachers as well? How is it that year after year we see hundreds of students set down their bikes and baseballs, wake up before 8 a.m., and make their way to school to learn? Ask anyone and the answer is easy: Camp Covington is fun.  

To understand just what makes Camp Covington such a "fun" place for kids to be, you have to start with the team of Community Learning Center (CLC) coordinators and administrators who spend months, sometimes planning as early as December, to make Camp Covington a welcoming and exciting place for all students. The team spends time crafting a program that enables students to both continue education during summer months and embark on exciting adventures in and out of the classroom. 

To accomplish this balance, the team starts each year's summer planning with a theme and builds a world inside our schools to engage and excite students’ minds. This year, Camp Covington 2023: Under the "C" takes on multiple meanings; students will explore Covington ("C") and the sea, with many lessons and projects designed with an underwater lens.  

The talents of our dedicated classroom teachers and instructional assistants are recruited, who use the theme to create hands-on lessons based on grade-level standards. Our teaching staff aims to keep students’ minds buzzing during summer so students don’t lose critical content, all the while disguising learning through "fun" projects and lessons. For example, last year, students wrote raps to explain the steps of two digit by two digit multiplication. By keeping content fun, students become so much more engaged with the material, making for a better learning experience that keeps students coming back each day throughout summer.

This summer will be Brittany May’s fifth year teaching Camp Covington at Glenn O. Swing Elementary School, and her reason for returning year after year: the relationships. “Working the summer program is something that I look forward to all year. It’s fun and engaging for both students and staff. You get to build those really important relationships by working with the kids and experiencing new things with them. I couldn’t imagine not being a part of it.”

Another teacher who feels that the relationships keep the program fun and engaging is veteran teacher Tara Macke, “Summer is a part of the year I’ve looked forward to for over ten years now. It gives me a chance to teach students first through fifth grade and build lasting relationships with students in all grade levels. As a former primary teacher, I really enjoy getting to plan and teach the primary grades again.”

In addition to this wonderful teaching team, Camp Covington also collaborates closely with community partners. These partners bring top tier programming like visual and performing arts with The Carnegie or project-based learning with Kenton County Public Library--all of which are aligned with the themed lessons and standards constructed by our teaching team. Partners work beautifully alongside CLC coordinators to bring high-quality classes that students can’t wait to attend.

And of course, the field trips! Students will visit some of the most exciting destinations in our region, including Newport Aquarium, Cincinnati Zoo, Findlay Market, Big Bone Lick State Park, Cincinnati Museum Center, and more. These trips bring what students learn in the classroom to life and show students practical application and real-world experiences that help shape their summer education and beyond. 

The lessons learned and memories made throughout summer will last our students a lifetime. Who's ready to explore the "C" with us this summer?