ENFIELD — The Enfield Public Schools have some summer learning opportunities for its students this year. The Enfield High School art department is running a Clay Camp for grades 2-12 between July 15-25. The music department is running two opportunities for summer learning, the Instrumental Music Summer Program for grades 6-9 and the Theater Arts Camp for grades 4- 9 from June 24 through July 18.
The Clay Camp provides an opportunity for students to continue exploring their creativity in a fun and relaxed setting with highly qualified art instructors. Pre-K-12 Visual Arts Curriculum Coordinator Chris Scioscio said, “We offered art camp in the past, but this is the first time we are offering a program centered entirely around clay.”
He continued, “Summer is a great opportunity for students to engage in the creative arts. Students are able to spend their mornings for two weeks doing something they love in a relaxed, fun and collaborative setting.”
The Instrumental Music Summer Program gives students a chance to continue to stay active with their music studies taught by certified music instructors and perform in an ensemble — Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band or String Orchestra.
Pre-K-12 Music Coordinator Mark F. Reppucci of Enfield Public Schools stated, “For many students, the summer months bring a time when their musical instrument that they played all school year long goes in the closet and doesn’t come out again until the new school year begins. They can participate in a relaxing environment and have fun learning and performing with their peers.”
The program meets at the Enfield High School music wing from Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon. The students have the option of choosing either one class, two classes or three classes for the four weeks based on their preference. The options are guitar, piano or jazz ensemble at 9 a.m., violin, viola, cello, bass lessons or concert band at 10 a.m., and/or woodwind, brass, percussion lessons or string orchestra at 11 a.m.
The summer music faculty teachers are Rob Whinnem, Eric Spoldi and Justin Rodzen.
Choral and drama students can take the Summer Musical Theater Camp and put on a 30-minute production of Disney Kids. This summer, the show is “101 Dalmatian’s” directed by Kim Jacques. Jacques is the John F. Kennedy Middle School choir and drama teacher during the school year and continues in the summer instructing younger students on the world of theatre and offers the older student an outlet for strengthening their musical and acting skills. Instruction will be provided in voice, acting, choreography and basic stagecraft techniques. All students in the ensembles and the musical production participate in a concert and production on the last day of camp, July 18 at 10:30 a.m. in the Enfield High School auditorium. To learn more information, go to enfieldpublicschools.org.
Enfield Public Schools is also helping the Enfield Public Library promote its summer reading program.
Enfield Schools encourages students to visit the library during the summer and join the summer reading program so that they keep reading. This summer’s theme is “Adventure Begins at Your Library,” celebrating all kinds of adventures, outdoor adventures but also adventures in cooking and art.
Just about everyone can participate in summer reading. Their incentive programs go from age 3 through adults.
Head children/teen services librarian Kristin Raiche said, “Our goal is always to have as many participants as we can get to enjoy all of the different parts of summer reading and to keep learning and growing all during the school break.”
The summer reading kicks off on June 26 at 9 a.m. at the Central Library, 104 Middle Rd. Everyone can register to participate in the reading incentive program. The Hartford Athletic mascot Dillon will be at the library with a discount coupon for kids who sign up for summer reading.
At 10 a.m., join in a magical adventure with Matt Matthews’ performance, free tickets for the performance are required and can be reserved beginning on June 17 by visiting the library’s website, enfieldpubliclibrary.org.
Summer reading registration will continue at both branches of the library and online until July 31. Activities include Critter Adventures with Xen’s Critters on July 10 at 10 a.m. The Poop Museum presenting Adventures in Poop on July 22 at 1:30 p.m., filled with science and interesting facts about an activity that all living things do but don’t talk much about. Tickets will be available starting July 15. Lastly, Tie Dye on Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. on the library’s front lawn. Tickets for that will be available on July 29. Bring your own cotton shirt with you and the library will supply the dye and rubber bands for you to create a fun design.
“Summer is a great time to promote reading because the days are longer, and most people have extra free time to relax and enjoy reading,” Raiche said. “The library has so many great books, audiobooks, graphic novels and magazines for people to borrow. We also have great librarians to help you find books you would enjoy.”
The Central Library at 104 Middle Rd. is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Pearl Street Library at 159 Pearl St. is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday, 12-6 p.m.
