Week 5: July 18-22

Tuition: 365

Course: Paper mache masks, customized capes, animal ear headbands, oh my! In this camp we will take inspiration from stories about people and animals that transform into something else to develop our own costumes and engage in make-believe and theatrical play.

Instructor: Marit Nelson (she/her) grew up in Maine, but has lived in the area since 2002. She graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2012 with a B.A. in Elementary Education and worked at CFS’ Chapel Hill Early School as the Extended Day Teacher in 2015 and 2016 until the birth of her daughter. She is now enjoying being a parent of a Carolina Friends early schooler! When she’s not hanging out at CFS Summer Programs she works as a hairdresser, and spends time with her little family and very old dog.

Tuition: 335

Course: LEGO camp is just around “the block!” We will have a fun-filled week of building with our extensive LEGO sets. Students are invited to create structures, vehicles, animals, cities and fantastical scenes while they explore the fundamental principles of engineering! New sets appear each year–from Minecraft and Ninjago to Star Wars and the LEGO movie. Come dive into thousands of LEGO blocks and see where the adventure takes us!

If you have LEGO you would like to bring to camp, please visibly mark them well so they will not get mixed in with the Summer Programs sets.

Instructor: Julia loves working with 3rd and 4th year students as an Assistant Teacher in Fountain Class at the Lower School. The 2021-22 school year was her first at CFS, after teaching 7th grade Spanish at French Broad River Academy in Asheville while she completed her B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature from UNC Asheville with a minor in Latin American and Transatlantic Studies. Her senior capstone project sought to answer two questions: 1) "How can we improve the remote language learning experience and form a sense of community in virtual classes?" and 2) “How can we include in our Spanish classes, the histories and cultures of indigenous people and people of African heritage?” 

Julia grew up attending High Point Friends School and Meeting, and joined Asheville Friends Meeting while in college. Her professional experience includes two years as the university’s official Spanish peer tutor, and a semester as a YMCA Afterschool Site Director at Haw Creek Elementary. During her four summers on staff at YMCA Camp Seafarer, she loved teaching drawing, painting, sculpture, and art history lessons in the Creative Arts program. Julia enjoys belting the Encanto soundtrack on her drives to and from school. When she’s not at school, she can be found making art, cuddling with her cat, working on jigsaw puzzles and LEGO builds, researching her family history, or visiting aquariums and museums. If she were not a classroom teacher, she might want to be a school librarian! 

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week One / June 20-24, Markeith Gary
Week Two / June 27-July 1, Achiri Acha
Week Three / July 4-8, A.J. Valero
Week Four / July 11-15, A.J. Valero
Week Five / July 18-22, Tony Arias Sorto
Week Six / July 25-29, Markeith Gary
Week Seven / August 1-5, Markeith Gary
Week Eight / August 8-12, Achiri Acha

Tuition: 335

Course: An active, fun-filled week of sports adventure just for you! We learn how to play a variety of sports, focusing on skills and learning the rules. We work on team building and create some crafts that go along with our new indoor and outdoor games! We concentrate on learning how to play, building confidence, keeping in shape, and receiving guidance and encouragement from our coach. An excellent class for the active or wannabe active camper!

Instructor: Tony Arias Sorto is from Honduras and moved to Massachusetts in 2014. He relocated to North Carolina in 2018 and before coming to CFS was the Before and After Care Program Coordinator at Leesville Elementary in Raleigh. Tony is now an assistant teacher in the CFS Lower School. Tony earned his A.A. in Education, his B.A. in English, a master's degree in Leadership for Sustainability, and is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Leadership for Sustainability. Tony believes in creating spaces for children to fill with laughter and he’s very excited to join the CFS team for a second summer!

He was raised playing soccer but enjoys anything from volleyball and basketball to slacklining and trail running. Tony lives in Pittsboro where he loves running with his two dogs and exploring the woods.

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week Four / July 11-15, Jennifer Ferraro
Week Five / July 18-22, Kelsie Yohe

Tuition: 335

Course: Let’s get creative! We will explore various craft ideas and students will get to experience working with a variety of media, such as paint and fabric, while learning multiple techniques. We will create our own fabric bag, tie-dye shirts, have a paint along, use paper mache, and more. All are welcome to bring a craft idea to life. Let’s make our own fun!

Instructor: Kelsie is a Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University in the Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis program. She was a second grade teacher in Wake County Public Schools for five years before heading back into the classroom as a learner. Kelsie lives in Raleigh, NC with her spouse (Hunter), their two dogs (Pepper and Harley), and gecko (Henry). When she's not buried beneath academic journals, she enjoys reading, knitting, and playing video games.

Tuition: 335

Course: You don’t really have to be “mad” to have a blast at this camp! We’ll cook snacks using solar energy, make beautiful crystals (evaporation/water cycle), and work in teams to build effective dams (erosion). We’ll explore the science of sound using our favorite songs, mix up some creative concoctions, and come up with new ideas of how to use them. Come explore chemical reactions, build top-secret spy equipment, launch your own rockets, and much more! Be alert--mad scientists are at work!

Instructor: Tom Latimer has been running camps at CFS for 14 years. He has been teaching for 25 years and has a Masters degree in elementary education. He currently teaches 2nd grade at Immaculata Catholic School in Durham and plays guitar in Chapel Hill band Zoltar’s Fortune. 

Tom lives in Chapel Hill with his wife Alison and their two cats Nora and Lionel. He enjoys seeing and playing music, eating at our local restaurants, collecting vinyl records, and working with kids.

Tuition: 335

Course: Building your best self from the inside out through engaging activities for every part of you! During this eclectic and interactive week, we’ll experience goal-setting, yoga, obstacle courses, self-reflection, games, challenges, and self-advocacy. Each session will vary depending on the needs and interests of the group. Come ready for fun and adventure both inside and out.

Instructor: Tracy Schledorn just finished her first year as a CFS staff member. She teaches health and life classes across units and is the school counselor for the Middle School. Before that she worked as a teacher and school counselor in Alamance County for 21 years. She enjoys gardening and exploring with her husband and two young children. Tracy adored summer activity camps growing up and is always ready to learn something new. As a life-long athlete, she enjoys a variety of activities and relishes the opportunity to have fun and play!

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week Five / July 18-22
Week Eight / Aug 8-12

Tuition: 350

Course: Look no further, your ticket to sweetness is right here! We’ll keep the oven hot all week, kindling a passion for baking while creating sweet treats of all sorts from scratch to finish. Galettes, cookies, cakes—oh my! We’ll even produce a delectable pie!

Instructor: Bo Newsome is a musician (an oboist, composer, and educator), teaching students at his home (or on Zoom) and at Duke. He frequently creates and presents programs and residencies for young people, and attended workshops presented by Kennedy Center’s program for teaching artists. He developed a general music program and created original operas with children in a remote public school on an island in Maine. 

To satisfy his sweet tooth in a house with few sweets, Bo started baking pies, cakes, and cookies when he was little. Though he’s really never met a pie he didn’t like, he especially likes lemon, lime, and peach. In addition to cooking, Bo’s been a lover of animals, architecture, and art, and a collector of treasures as long as he can remember.

Please note: this is a two-session course, running Weeks Four and Five (July 11-22). Please register under the Summer Programs Week Four drop-down in your CampInTouch account.

Tuition: 670 (covering both weeks)

Course: The spotlight is on you! Calling all actors, technical designers, and directors to help us put on a play! In this two-week theater camp we will write and stage an original play. In the first week we will develop acting skills, play theater games, do warm ups, and practice vocal and movement exercises. We will also create characters and write our play. In the second week, we will design props, sets, costumes, and make-up, all while perfecting our roles. Then we will invite family, friends, and other campers to attend a special performance on Thursday evening and Friday morning.

Instructor: Susan Kincaid began teaching at CFS Summer Programs in 1992! Besides being a writer, playwright, and actress, Susan headed the theater program in the Upper School at Carolina Friends for many years, directing and producing shows three times a year. She is eager to collaborate with a new generation of young artists again this summer.

Tuition: 335

Course: Do you love being outside and finding creative ways to interact with nature? Using a variety of natural and manufactured materials, students will have the opportunity to create stunning artwork and build challenging obstacle courses. Each day we will explore a different area of the CFS campus, including the nature trail, so that we can have a variety of canvases and settings for our creations. Students are welcome to focus on either or both artwork and obstacles and will have the option to work individually and in groups. Each day, their creations will be photographed and an online portfolio will be available at the end of the week.

Instructor: Cheryl Meyer (she/her), is a Lower School teacher and librarian at Carolina Friends. A Durham native, Cheryl has a B.A. in English and a certificate in Early Childhood Education from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Masters’ Degree in Library Science from North Carolina Central University. Before coming to CFS, she taught in a Reggio Emilia-inspired preschool and in a high school ESL classroom in Pohnpei, in the Federated States of Micronesia, while serving in the Peace Corps. Cheryl’s current position combines so many of her interests - service, education, advocacy, and equitable information access! In her free time, Cheryl loves to kayak and explore with her two children. 

Tuition: 335

Course: Using basic running stitches or whip stitches we’ll have fun creating wacky stuffies & crazy sock monsters! Or maybe add some quick excitement to a t-shirt using patches and some Japanese Boro stitching. It only takes imagination plus a button, a ribbon, or a little bit of bling.

Some experience with needle and thread is helpful.

Instructor: Rowena Bowman grew up in the vibrant culture of New Orleans where everyone is deeply influenced by storytelling, music, and visual art. She studied at the Corcoran and the Torpedo Factory in Washington, DC, held studio space at Glen Echo Park, and taught at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop. In 2018 she brought her spirit and energy to our area where she now works with our young students at CFS. She is a teaching specialist, a mixed media artist, and a lover of art made by children.

Tuition: 335

Course: Do you absolutely love Star Wars, science fiction, special effects, or movies in general? Spend a week of your summer creating and filming a Star Wars movie of your own. Over the week you will create your own original character, build a costume, write a script, and scout for filming locations. Not only will you tap into your inner actor, writer, and artist, you most certainly will channel your inner Jedi.

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week One / June 20-24
Week Two / June 27-July 1
Week Three / July 4-8 (Advanced)
Week Four / July 11-15
Week Five / July 18-22
Week Six / July 25-29
Week Seven / Aug 1-5 (Advanced)

Tuition: 335

Course: Addicted to comics? Doodle in class? Come create your own comic book characters and stories. Bring creativity, imagination, and motivation along with your pencil. Exchange ideas, receive input, and work on technique with a professional comic artist. There’s also time for Four Square, games, and Capture the Flag. Oftentimes, campers take multiple sessions. Please bring pencils, erasers, and favorite drawing pens. (Two Advanced Comic Design sessions are available for those who want to expand their skills.)

Instructor: Jamie Charles, a working illustrator, graduated from UNC-G in Fine Arts. Besides exhibiting his own work, Jamie works at CFS as an art instructor for Middle School students. He is also a champion Capture the Flag leader, having coached his workshop groups to many victories (not that he is bragging). Jamie offers private lessons in drawing and art.

Tuition: 335

Course: This course introduces students to basic hand-building and wheel-throwing pottery techniques. Campers will create sculptural and functional ceramics works and be encouraged to express themselves with experimentation of form, texture, and design. If you want to work with your hands to create something original and magical, come join us this week!

Instructor: Larissa Wood joined Carolina Friends School in 2021 to teach Ceramics, Environmental Science, and Geology. She has also taught science at Northwood High School in Chatham County and art summer camps at the Arts Center in Carrboro. She received her B.A. in Biology from UNC Chapel Hill in 2018, where she also pursued a North Carolina teaching licensure and a creative writing minor. Larissa recently published her very own children’s book, There’s Wondrous Fungus Among Us! She is thrilled to combine her passions for education, science, and art here at the Carolina Friends School.

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week One / June 20-24, Jochen Wachter (European Handball)
Week Two / June 27-July 1, Chloe Gillespie
Week Three / July 4-8, Katie Thomas
Week Four / July 11-15, Jordan Shamp
Week Five / July 18-22, Achiri Acha
Week Six / July 25-29, Jochen Wachter, AM; Will Anderson, PM (Soccer)
Week Seven / Aug 1-5, Jochen Wachter (Soccer)
Week Eight / Aug 8-12, Mariah Jackson

Tuition: 335

Course: Can’t get enough of sports? We totally understand. Some of our students take sports all summer. So we get it. We introduce basic rules, strategy, and techniques of basketball, soccer, and some indoor gym games (as well as Capture the Flag!) for the fun of playing. We focus on technique, skill development, and team building. All activities take place on our outdoor playing fields (using cooler morning temperatures) and in our two air-conditioned gym facilities. Sports experience is absolutely not necessary. Our goal is for you to learn how to play so you’ll feel comfortable knowing the rules, understanding the strategy, and practicing good teamwork. We don’t stress competition. We're here to help you improve your game and have fun.

Instructor: Achiri Acha has been at CFS since he was six years old! He mentored with Jordan Shamp in Sports camp, became a counselor-in-training, and then moved on to become a camp assistant and instructor for the past seven summers. Achiri has worked in Extended Day at Lerner School and School’s Out Camps at the Jewish Community Center and currently works at USA Ninja Challenge during the school year. Achiri's goal is to be an elementary school physical education instructor and coach.

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week Two / June 27-July 1, Christa Gann
Week Five / July 18-22, Katherine Angell
Week Seven / Aug 1-5, Christa Gann

Tuition: 335

Course: Player's Handbook sales are topping the bestseller lists! Self-published game supplements are breaking commercial records on Kickstarter! Celebrities are live-streaming their game sessions! These days, the classic fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons is experiencing a major renaissance. And it's no wonder! Playing D&D may activate a wider range of skills than any other game: puzzle solving, critical thinking, statistical analysis, interpersonal negotiation, theatrical performance, creative storytelling, and imaginative worldbuilding. And let's not forget dice rolling!

Students will build characters, play through adventures, and study the fundamentals of role-playing game design to discover what makes the best D&D sessions so memorable. By the end of the week, we'll use what we've learned to craft an original adventure for other players to experience. Whether you're a newcomer to the game or an avid fan, there's a place at the table for you!

Instructor: Katherine Angell is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is studying Global Studies and Creative Writing with a minor in Korean. The focus of her academic inquiries is the intersection of history and storytelling and what better way to do that than by playing a game based on collective storytelling! She spends most of her free time playing Dungeons & Dragons with her friends, reading, writing, and practicing her Korean.

Tuition: 335

Course: Here’s your chance to become the CFS Sole Survivor! Whether or not you’ve seen any of the 41 seasons of the show Survivor, you’ll have an awesome time working your way through challenges (obstacle courses, puzzles, water challenges, endurance challenges, and more) and practicing some suinancervival skills like safe firemaking and shelter building. No one will get voted off the island in our special CFS version, and you’ll certainly have the chance to build new relationships and make new friends in your tribe. Get ready for an awesome adventure!

Instructor: Ruthie Allen (she/her) is a lover of puzzles, cooking, crafting, and education. She began working in Summer Programs in 2018 as the Extended Day Coordinator, then in 2019 as the Assistant Director, and in 2020 and 2021 as the full-time Summer Programs Coordinator. Ruthie loves Summer Programs, and she’s excited to return this year as an Instructor. She has her degree in education and public policy from UNC Chapel Hill, has earned her Early Childhood Education accreditation, has worked as a math teacher in the CFS Middle School, and has worked with Peaceful Schools NC, a CFS-based non-profit focused on Restorative Practices in education.

Ruthie is half of Pain & Panic, where she collaborates with a friend to create original clothing and accessories she sells in local art markets. She’s also the founder of the “Triangle Tennis Alliance,” a local group for queer tennis players and loves to play with them every week. Ruthie has also directed many plays and musicals, including with local children’s theaters. She looks forward to another awesome summer with CFS!