While the beginning of summer break signals relaxation for many, nearly 80 students and a hardworking team of staff members throughout the district spent their first few weeks of break at Will Rogers Middle School for the eighth annual Arts Explosion Summer Camp.
As San Juan Unified’s camp for creativity, Arts Explosion invites children to participate in both visual and performing arts over the course of a three-week program.
Students spend their day fully immersed in the arts, utilizing an hour each for visual arts, dance, music and acting. At the end of the program, students showcase their talents to family and friends in a grand production where they proudly display the pieces created and the talents learned.
This year the camp’s performance and artwork captured Native American culture by telling folktales about how humans got fire from the animal world. Lily Telleen, a student enrolled in the camp, enjoyed being able to tell the stories because it allowed everyone to play a different role.
Deni Scofield, theatre teacher at Mesa Verde High School, brought her expertise to the program by adapting the folktales and teaching the students more about theatre arts. After the students’ final performance she was eager to share the lasting impression of Arts Explosion. “It is the best investment.” Scofield said. “If you can see all of the bright, amazing faces then you know that this is the the investment for our future.”
