Week 2: June 22-26

Tuition: 430

Course: Join us on our camping trip around our school’s beautiful playground. We will use our imagination to explore rivers, climb mountains, tell stories around blazing campfires, and more! If you love the experience of going on a super fun getaway to the outdoors, this is the camp for you.

This camp takes place at Chapel Hill Early School  (531 Raleigh Road Chapel Hill, NC 27514). Please note we do not offer Extended Day care for campers at CHES.  If your Early Learner has an older sibling on main campus, we will provide Extended Day gratis for the older sibling, so there is time to pick up both of your campers. 

Instructor: Dan Hill is an early school support teacher at CFS who holds a B.A. in mathematics as well as a B.A. in creative writing. They have worked in education as a tutor in various subjects for learners ages 4-35, taught high school math, and now have found a calling for working in early education. 

They spend their free time crocheting, reading, and making spreadsheets for fun!

Tuition: 395

Course: Come jump, leap, and twirl your way throughout the day as we dance it out! Learn to create stories through movement - no words! We all love to move and dance is a great way to express what we are feeling. Each day we will learn dance skills, technique, and terminology through play-acting and creative movement - it’s a chance to become a new character every day. Throughout the week we will choreograph a story and present our moves on the last day of camp!

Instructor: Emlyn Soher (she /her) is double majoring in dance and psychology at Appalachian State University. Her journey at CFS began at age seven as a camper, then a CIT, and then an intern. She is thrilled to return this summer to run camps.

Emlyn has taught and inspired children to love dance at Studio A Dance Arts in Chapel Hill since 2021. She especially loves watching the children improve their skills and choreographing their dance pieces for the end of year recital. Emlyn studied dance at Durham School of the Arts for four years and choreographed many modern / contemporary dance pieces including her senior solo. Through it all, she has learned that her love of dance is how she expresses herself and wants to share this through her teaching.

When she has completed her studies at App State she plans to open a dance studio in order to explore how movement can help children understand their world and themselves.  

When she is not studying or dancing, Emlyn loves traveling, listening to music, loves musicals, and exploring the town of Boone.

Tuition: 395

Course: Do you love arts, crafts, and everything creative? Join us for Art Explorers Camp! We will be investigating the awesome world of everything artsy and crafty. Think rock painting, watercolor salt paintings, homemade scratch off art, tissue paper “stained glass,” and more!! Bring your excitement for some crafts and let’s make some amazing art together!

Instructor: Elyse Cole is a student at the University of Ottawa in Canada! She is studying psychology with a focus in child development. This will be Elyse’s 6th summer working at Carolina Friends School summer programs. She started as a CIT, then became an intern, and is excited to be an instructor this summer! Elyse grew up going to CFS summer camp and was inspired by the variety of camps opening up doors to new passions every summer! She rows for her university, but when she's not practicing or studying, she loves to crochet, read, paint, run, go to the gym, and craft. Elyse has been a swim instructor, nanny, soccer and volleyball coach, and her love and passion for working with kids has grown so much through her time at CFS. 

Tuition: 395

Course: Join us under the big top as you create your own circus-inspired character.  Together with your fellow campers, you’ll use improvisation, games, and guided explorations to combine these new characters into a short original play to share with friends and family.

Instructor: Blair (she/her) is a theatre-maker and teaching artist who is thrilled to share her love of theatre and art with CFS this summer! She holds a B.A. in theatre from Wofford College and an M.F.A. in directing from Boston University. Blair is originally from Charleston, South Carolina, where she was the co-founding Artistic Director of the theatre company 5th Wall Productions. She’s taught theatre to students of all ages at Lexington Children's Theatre, Spartanburg Youth Theatre, Boston University, Duke University, and–currently–McDougle Middle School in Carrboro.

When she’s not making or teaching theatre, you can find Blair cuddling with her dogs Moe and Dottie, hiking, baking cupcakes, or struggling through beginner crochet projects.

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week Two / June 22-26, Adelaide
Week Three / June 29-July 3, Shannon
Week Four / July 6-10, Natanaele
Week Five / July 13-17, Cheryl
Week Six / July 20-24, Adelaide 
Week Seven / July 27-31, Natanaele

Tuition: 395

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!

Instructor: Adelaide Zahren served as the 5/6 Campus Early School teacher at CFS and has taught in Early Childhood for over 14 years.  Adelaide received her undergraduate degree, teacher’s license, and Masters in Education from UNC Chapel Hill.  Adelaide is an avid hiker who loves teaching children about the wonders of nature!  When not teaching, Adelaide can be found exploring the Eno River with her two children and one enormous dog.

Tuition: 395

Course: Are you ready to learn the ways of the force? Let your training begin. Every day we’ll make a craft that will aid you in your training. Complete with lightsabers, droids, and lots of fun with Grogu!

Instructor: Jenna Carlson is a 4th grade teacher in Raleigh. During the school year, she loves teaching reading and social studies. But in the summer, she is a crafter extraordinaire! Jewelry making, cricut projects, coloring…you name it. She also loves all things Disney and Star Wars. If you’re looking for a fun, laid back camp where you can express yourself in different ways, then these camps are just for you!

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week Two / June 22-26, Shannon, ages 6-9
Week Three / June 29-July 3, Jenna, ages 8-10

Tuition: 395

Course: Learn how to make necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more using a variety of materials during this fun week of Jazzy Jewelry Making! In this camp, students will create their own original pieces and take them home to show off.

Instructor: Shannon Neu joined the CFS Summer Programs staff in 2021 and is excited to be back for another fun summer! She earned her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from UNC-Greensboro in 2016 and has been a music teacher in the Wake County Public School System ever since. For fun, Shannon plays the oboe in the Raleigh Civic Symphony Orchestra and enjoys reading, hiking, gardening, and cooking. She lives in Raleigh with her husband (Logan), her two cats (Jasper and Ruby), and a lot of plants.

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week One / June 15-19
Week Two / June 22-26

Tuition: 410

Course: Let’s stir up some favorite foods using simple recipes! Ever wonder how ingredients come together to create tasty foods? We’ll find out while we make things we love—pizza, omelets, pies, mac & cheese, cakes, and more. Along the way, we’ll learn some important cooking techniques, create some new recipes, and taste our many creations. One word for this class? Yummy!

Certain dietary restrictions and allergies may not be able to be accommodated in this particular camp. If you have questions about possible accommodation possibilities, please feel free to email extendedLearning@cfsnc.org before signing up.

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.

Tuition: 425

Course: Get ready to write, storyboard, and create an original stop motion animation using handmade characters, setting, and props! Together we will learn about the history of stop motion animation, and draw on examples from independent short films to beloved favorites such as Wallace & Gromit, and The Nightmare Before Christmas as we create our own animations. Our small but mighty film crew will discover the magic of stop motion animation and create an original short film as the culmination of our camp.

Instructor: Billy Dee (they/them) is a visual artist and educator. They currently work as an art teacher at Insight Colearning Center and as an adjunct professor of art at Elon University and UNCG. Billy loves to collaborate and has worked in theatre as a set and prop designer and puppet builder. They have collaborated with numerous community organizations to create posters, illustrations, and educational materials. Billy is currently working on illustrations for a book, and is very excited to collaborate with campers at CFS this summer! :)

Billy enjoys spending time with their animal friends Cookie and Lyra (sheep), Gilbert and Venus (pigs), and their wonderful chickens.

Tuition: 410

Course: In this tasty camp we will be learning to make a variety of savory snacks and sweet little treats. From savory crackers to custom trail mix to gooey cookie bars to crunchy cut-out cookies, it’s all here! You will even make a recipe book full of recipes so you can make things again at home. We will make one snack and one cookie each day and have time for games, art projects, songs, and stories. Bring your taste buds and your imagination and let’s cook together!

Certain dietary restrictions and allergies may not be able to be accommodated in this particular camp. If you have questions about possible accommodation possibilities, please feel free to email extendedLearning@cfsnc.org before signing up.

Instructor: Martha (she/her) works as a visual art teacher for the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools. She loves watching students find their own creative paths in the art room and structures her teaching style with an open, choice based framework. Although she works as an art teacher, Martha has had many other career adventures including sushi chef, vegan baker and farmer.
Martha is an animal lover who fills her free time in her garden with her family...building their homestead with her husband (Dylan), daughter (Ruthie), mother (Ruth), three cats (Gilbert, Simon, and Lucy-Ann) and two speckled herding dogs (Luke and Monty-Don).

Tuition: 395

Course: In this course, campers will learn all about how money works. First you earn it, then what? Save it? Spend it? How much money do I need to buy lunch and the candy I want at the store? Campers will play games, enjoy engaging, hands-on activities, maybe even take a field trip, and learn all about the thing that "makes the world go 'round." This "Wall Street for kids" is the place to be this summer!

Instructor: Cort sees himself, first, as a dad and husband. He and his wife, Lindsey, have two children - Janie (9) and Henry (6). Much of their free time is spent in their activities. As a family they spend time outdoors and have a fondness for the mountains, family, their dog Aspen, and playing board games.

Cort says, “Growing up in a family of psychotherapists, naturally, my parents emphasized developing our individual “human capital” – our unique skills, knowledge, talents, and values that combine to make us who we are inside and out. I had to learn to be an economic being on my own. As a parent, I understand the importance for our children to have not only the financial wherewithal, but also develop values to manage money with mindfulness and integrity. Thus, a dual approach to financial education.”

During the day, Cort’s professional life has him working with families and individuals helping them navigate their financial lives, plan for their future and their legacy. More often he’s working with multiple generations building a connection and meaning to the resources that pass through the family. Due to a love for community and outdoors, he has taken an interest in sustainable, responsible, and impact investments.

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Weeks One and Two/ June 15-26
Weeks Three and Four / June 29-July 10 

Please register under the Summer Programs Week One drop-down in your CampInTouch account.

Tuition: 780 (covering both weeks)

Course: The spotlight is on you! Calling all actors to help 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 twenty years, directing and producing plays two times a year. In the fall of 2023, she had the pleasure of directing the Upper School production of “Radium Girls.” Collaborating with younger students as well over the years has been a real joy for Susan.  She is eager to meet a new generation of young artists this summer.

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week One / June 15-19
Week Two / June 22-26
Week Three / June 29-July 3 (Advanced)
Week Four / July 6-10
Week Five / July 13-17
Week Six / July 20-24
Week Seven / July 27-31 (Advanced)

Tuition: 395

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 is a visual artist and the middle school art instructor at Carolina Friends School, where he has been teaching for over two decades. He graduated from UNCG as an art major with a concentration in painting. Passionate about fostering creativity and self-expression, Jamie has dedicated his career to guiding young artists as they explore various artistic mediums and techniques. A parent of an alum of Carolina Friends, he has a deep connection to the school community and values the commitment in shaping well-rounded, thoughtful individuals.

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week One / June 15-19, Noah of Guild of Adventures for ages 14-18
Week Two / June 22-26, Noah of Guild of Adventures for ages 10-14
Week Three / June 29-July 3, Miranda Parker for ages 8-12

Tuition: 395

Course: Dungeons and Dragons is a game played around a table where students use pencil and paper to create a character with fantastical abilities. This character will have different mathematical stats that represent how skilled they are at different things. The Dungeon Master or DM is Noah Basil. He will explain the scenario and world to the students and the students will decide what their characters do when presented with imaginary challenges. They will roll dice to determine if their characters succeed or fail whenever they try to use their skills. The story develops depending on what the students choose to have their characters do. D&D helps students build their math skills as well as building resilience for recovery from failure, turn taking, and conflict resolution. Students will be provided with dice and small figures to represent their characters on the maps (miniatures). Students will be able to take home a dice set, dice bag and D&D themed sticker. This camp does not play Dungeons and Dragons for the entire time they are present, instead we fill the extra time with Dungeons and Dragons related activities like arts and crafts and miniature painting. However, your child should still expect to play D&D everyday at this camp.

Instructor: Noah Basil is a 2019 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill with a BA in Advertising and a BA in Communications. He discovered Dungeons and Dragons in High School with friends who are still in his gaming group today, some 10 years later. Noah has been playing in and running D&D games for a decade now and has enjoyed every second of it. So much so that after a COVID-19 layoff he decided to try something new. He started Guild of Adventures five years ago with the goal of showing the game he loved so much to as many people as would listen. With another specific goal of making the game accessible to students in schools, an opportunity never provided to him during his time in school. Now in 2025 they work with upwards of 10 programs across the Triangle. When he is not playing D&D, Noah enjoys playing sports, specifically, soccer, flag football, and basketball with his friends. He is recently married (November 2025) and he and his wife Deanna have 3 cats at home, Darling, Tamaki and Quinnie. As you might expect, being a nerd comes with the D&D territory, Noah loves video games, board games, card games and Star Wars. He was a marching band kid in High School, playing trumpet all 4 years, which is also where he met his wife Deanna! Noah looks forward to D&D with your students and hopes they get as much enjoyment out of it as he does.

This course is offered in multiple weeks:
Week One / June 15-19
Week Two / June 22-26
Week Three / June 29-July 3 
Week Five / July 13-17 (Volleyball with Miranda Parker) 
Week Seven / July 27-31

Tuition: 395

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, Frisbee, 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 Carolina Friends School 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 eight 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 One / June 15-19, Tracy Schledorn
Week Two / June 22-26, Kate Pendergrass
Week Four / July 6-10, Kate Pendergrass

Tuition: 395

Course: What makes you a more effective leader and team player? Let us show you some tools. Using group building games, art, theater, movement, discussion, and individual reflection we learn and practice leadership techniques. We will work as individuals and as a group to enhance confidence, cooperation, and communication. The workshop is an excellent exercise in developing leadership skills for jobs and community roles. 

If you're interested in being a Counselor-In-Training in CFS Summer Programs this year or next, this course is a prerequisite. If you are interested in being an Intern, this course is recommended.  We work through some basic “how to deal with” situations, focusing on conflict resolution and effective ways of listening and responding. And no, we do not sit in chairs throughout the day listening to lectures! This is an active course culminating in a "shadow day" as a CIT and a certificate of successful leadership training completion

Instructor: Kate Pendergrass joined the CFS Middle School staff in 2009. She has a B.A. in Middle Grades Education with concentrations in math and social studies from Elon University, and a Masters Degree in Math Education from UNC-CH. Kate teaches a range of math classes as well as an Identity class in the Middle School. She is actively engaged in work on diversity and inclusion, including as co-clerk of the staff Diversity and Inclusivity Committee and as Diversity Coordinator in the Middle School. 

Tuition: 410

Course: In this camp, we will explore the art and science of bread baking! We will learn about a range of baking approaches from simple yeast bread and speedy soda bread to sourdough from scratch. As we bake bread, we will learn about the cultural traditions and foodways connected to each recipe. Each camper will create a small handmade cookbook of favorite recipes to take home at the end of our session.

This course will involve dealing with gluten, yeast, dairy, and other allergens. We want this learning opportunity to be accessible to all students, while also providing a comprehensive experience. If allergies are of concern please reach out before signing up to see if this camp would work for your student. 

Instructor: Leigh Ann is an elementary education teacher with 13 years of experience, primarily in grades 3 and 4. She is coming to us most recently from Orange County Public Schools and has training in The Responsive Classroom approach as well as Project Based Learning. She is passionate about creating kind, creative, and engaging classroom communities. Initially, she studied theater at Columbia College in Chicago before deciding to move back to her home state of North Carolina to pursue a degree in Elementary Education from Appalachian State University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, their two children, and a wide variety of animals on their hobby farm in Hillsborough.

Tuition: 395 

Course: One of the best ways to understand and appreciate the origins and beliefs of a culture is through their myths and stories. They convey the values and practices that epitomize each unique civilization, past or present, and tie deeply into their histories. In this camp, we will dive into the most prominent mythologies - Greek, Roman, Norse and Egyptian - but will also explore the lesser known but equally important folklore of China, India, Native America and the Celts, among others. We will travel through these lands by learning about deities, spiritual and cultural practices and relevant history. By incorporating games, sports and lots of crafts, campers will experience many different facets of cultural consideration. Campers will also create their own mythical creatures and explore their own forms of storytelling. At the end of the week, they will all have multiple projects to display and bring home, an increased knowledge of specific lore, and diverse new activities to take with them out in the world. Let’s learn, celebrate and create together, traveling around the world from the comfort of our beautiful campus. 

Note: Christianity/Judaism and The Bible/Torah will be discussed comparatively. Please inform the instructor or one of the Summer Programs staff if this, or any other topic around religion, is a concern as cultural and spiritual sensitivity are paramount to this course.

Instructor: Miranda is a CFS alum and Triangle native who is thrilled to return this summer to bring both new and old camps to life. She works as a real estate agent for Weaver Street Realty, but in the past year, has found herself drawn to the school in a very meaningful way, acting as a regular substitute teacher, coach and member of the Extended Learning staff. She loves the many different facets she gets to experience in her current roles and hopes to become part of the faculty in a full-time capacity should the opportunity arise. 

Miranda has many passions and likes to try new things. She recently discovered her love of role playing games, and has long been an avid board gamer. Reading and writing are some of her favorite pastimes, particularly fantasy and mythology. She is a die hard Harry Potter fan (among many other fandoms), a former athlete and current CFS coach (both volleyball and basketball), and a general seeker of fun and adventure.

Tuition: 395 

Course: This course is about the application of various scientific techniques to solve crimes! Learn how to use chromatography to distinguish which type of ink was used to write a ransom note, look at strands of hair and fibers under the microscope to compare suspects and crime scene evidence, learn about old fashioned fingerprinting and modern DNA fingerprinting. Discover how tire tracks have figured into identifying suspects! Look at blood spatter patterns (with simulations). We will explore famous cases, and learn the importance of being unbiased and meticulous so that you can figure out what happened and whether or not it  was an accident, a coincidence, or a murder!  Investigate a staged crime scene! Explore the many types of experts that are brought in to solve various crimes and learn about diverse talents and types of professionals that are part of forensic science teams.

Instructor: Miriam is a high school science teacher in Caswell County.  A love of nature, gardening, and awareness of the importance of bees to our environment and the threats they face, led her to beekeeping, and she will be a certified beekeeper as of January of 2026.  

Her prior experience is in medical research, so exploring, discovering, and being creative in figuring things out with experimentation are favorite things to do!

Tuition: 395 

Course: Do you ever pick up a stick and pretend it's a magic wand? ME TOO! Do you ever wish you could have one of those epic lightsaber battles that you see in movies, but still stay safe and not really hurt anyone or get hurt yourself? ME TOO! Wow! We have so much in common. In this camp, we’ll learn about how actors and stunt people create and perform fights so that they look dangerous while actually being safe (and fun!).

*hint* it’s all planned out and practiced slowly over and over again until the action is really more of a dance than a fight. Then, you sprinkle in some acting. This a camp for kids who love theater and movement! We will start by learning how to move our bodies, how to move with our campmates, how to safely handle our pretend swords (or whatever fighting tool your imagination invents), and how to act/react so that it looks real. Then, we will create and perform our own staged fights!!!!!!

Hmmm…If you were in a magic wand battle, how would you react to make it look like you were just hit by a petrificus totalus spell?

Instructor: Aaron Piepmeier has taught at CFS Summer Camp for the past 3 summers. He grew up in a theatrical family and spent countless hours singing, dancing, and acting in community theatre productions in Tennessee. While earning a theatre minor in college, Aaron trained to obtain certifications in Stage Combat through Dueling Arts International which led to choreographing and directing fight scenes for many local productions.

When not teaching people how to pretend to fight, Aaron also studied and taught martial arts as a 4th degree black belt in Taekwondo. Currently, he is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science at Elon University, where he does not allow any fighting in class (fake or real).

Tuition: 425

Course: Calling all directors, actors, writers, and editors! In this camp, we will create a short movie from start to finish. You will help develop a story, write the script, film the scenes, and edit the footage. At the end of the week, we will premier the movie to other campers and families, and everyone will get a copy to take home.

Instructor: Natanaele is a multimedia producer and visual creator from Switzerland, now living in Durham, North Carolina. He studied multimedia production at the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons. His work includes film, photography, and digital design. He values simplicity, care, and thoughtfulness in his work. He enjoys supporting learning through creativity and time spent in nature, helping others explore and enjoy everyday moments.

Natanaele brings a calm, thoughtful presence to his projects and to the people he works with. He focuses on being present, listening, and encouraging curiosity, reflection, and confidence in a gentle, supportive way.