In an ordinary year, summer camps give parents assurance that children will start the fall semester exactly where they were in the spring — if not somewhat ahead.
This is not an ordinary year.
Coronavirus almost cancelled summer camps. Some that open this summer will require a parent to supervise an online-only format (defeating one of the crucial purposes of summer camp). On-site programs must adapt programming to meet state and national guidelines to protect children and prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Self Development Academy and Preschool quickly rose to the challenge by developing advanced, enriched, research-based social distancing activities to keep children captivated while they are safely socializing.
Summer camp at Self Development Academy in Mesa will deliver STEM+Arts education to students from preschool through sixth grade — without skipping a beat.
“Because so many of our staff are parents we were in a unique place to truly understand the catch-22 position parents have been in the past two months,” said Sami Majeed, Chief of Schools of Self Development Academy.
The “impossible” challenge of educating and engaging children while keeping them safely protected from the coronavirus “took some logistical planning, but we discovered a solution using STEM-based thinking, if you can believe it,” said “Mr. Sami,” as students call him.
This summer, students will write, direct, and create backdrops and sets for their very own plays. They will learn percussion and modern dance. United States history and geography lessons will be fully immersive experiences. Students and parents will perform science experiments and participate in other STEM activities, learning coding, geo-thermodynamics, engineering, and food science. Literature and visual arts projects will add to a robust list of engaging, “full brain learning” activities.
The accelerated nature of summer camp activities appeals to parents. Shelley Ranney, a Self Development Preschool parent, says, “My girls love the summer program at Self Development. Each day of the summer program is a unique, fun, and creative experience that engages the kids’ minds.”
The enriched, accelerated STEM+Arts summer program at Self Development Academy and Preschool usually fills quickly. Demand is high this year as parents look for options following a prolonged lockdown at the end of the school year.
Self Development Academy and Preschool students look forward to the summer camp each year. Incredibly, one preschool student told his grandmother, “I don’t want to go on vacation. I want to go to summer camp.”
The teachers and staff are just happy to provide fun, safe, “full brain learning” activities for children of parents who have the same concerns they do.
For more information on tuition or how to enroll:
Self Development Preschool
Vernetta Madsen | 480-396-3522
vernettam@selfdevelopmentacademy.com
Self Development Academy
Sami Majeed | 480-641-2640
sami@selfdevelopmentacademy.com
