submitted by Sue Brissette
This year’s Stephentown Youth Camp, operated by the Stephentown Memorial Library, provided 47 campers with new experiences every day, including science exploration, sports, art, conservation activities and plenty of time to play and make friends.
[private]The Library undertook the operation of the summer camp at the request of the Town Council and spent six months planning programs that were educational, introduced campers to local professionals, businesses and groups and included lots of fun activities.
One of the top rated activities was learning about the physics of motion by building marble runs using pipe insulation. At a visit to Cinch Em Up Stables, campers learned about animal care, both the fun parts like feeding and riding and the not so fun parts like cleaning up after large animals. Local high school varsity athletes held sports clinics while teachers from Darrow School demonstrated backyard science and SUNY Albany’s social robotics team helped campers experience hands-on robotic engineering. In a survey about their experience, campers rated these programs very highly but were also happy to be able to use the former Stephentown Elementary School playground every day to run around and have fun.
The summer camp also provided employment for local teens, often their first experience earning a paycheck. This year, 16 teens were hired as volunteers, counselors-in-training or counselors.
The Library is a County summer feeding site and provided free breakfast and lunch to campers and any child up to age 18 throughout July. The Library served over 1,100 meals this summer.
In a final report to the Town Council, the library noted that the cost of the summer camp was under its projected budget for this year.
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