Lisa Douglas knows how your child can spend part of his summer vacation.

Tuesday, June 20, 2000

Lisa Douglas knows how your child can spend part of his summer vacation.

Take him or her on a college adventure, said Ms. Douglas, coordinator of Ohio University Southern Campus’s Primary Scholars Program and Academy of Excellence.

Classes in each offering mix fun with learning and begin in July.

They feature everything from rain forest research and Internet tips to acting classes for students in first through eighth grades, Ms. Douglas said.

"One of things we like do is give back to the community," she said. "We want children to know it’s always time to learn. It can be fun and exciting, and there’s all kinds of different ways."

This year, the children’s programs will be held July 17-28 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Jill Huff Endicott, an instructor with the Academy of Excellence, said many children, including her own, look forward to summertime "classes."

"They really just have a lot of fun, but we teach them valuable lessons at the same time," she said.

Mrs. Endicott will teach Trailside Adventures at OUSC’s Nature Center at Lake Vesuvius.

During the week, students there will learn about fish, birds and their habitats.

More importantly, they will learn about keeping the environment clean, Mrs. Endicott said.

"We’ll hit hard on how important it is to keep our waterways safe," she added. "That will especially come out when we clean up a mock crude oil spill and when they get to clean it off bird feathers."

There is also hands-on physical science at OUSC’s lab where students can explore all the sciences and learn from the ever-popular science "wizard," Ms. Douglas said.

So far, about 155 children have signed up for the academy and 108 have signed up for the scholars program, but there’s more room for those who are interested, she said.

Academy of Excellence classes are for students entering grades 4-8. Children can choose two classes. Courses include:

– Arts and Crafts of Mexico and Central America, which offers wood sculptures, bark painting, burlap weaving and other activities.

– Curtain Rising, where students learn about acting and rehearse a performance for parents’ night.

– Trailside Adventures, Diving and Swimming Fun, Spanish, Cartoon Art, Watercolors, Painting and Candlemaking.

– Computer Fun, where students will work a lot with digital cameras.

– Lights, Camera, Action, which will be held at OUSC’s television studio.

– Sports Fun for Sports Nuts Softball, Baseball, Volleyball, Track, Citizens of the World Mock United Nations, Cooking is Fun and Appalachian Festival.

– On Trial: Lawyer, Judge, Jury, where students will set up their own mock trial.

The Primary Scholars Program has classes for children entering grades 1-3 in the fall.

"It gives them a chance to meet other students from the Tri-State and gets everybody together," Ms. Douglas said. "And for little kids, it gives them a time for physical activity."

Children pick two classes from a choice of six and everybody goes to a Hooked on Fitness.

Courses offered include:

– Let’s Go Surfing, which is an Internet class.

– Magic Schoolbus, featuring a video series like potpourri of education

– Jungle Safari, where studies concentrate on the African jungle and animals of the rain forest.

– Wetlands, where children what a wetland is and get to make a mud poster.

– Arts and Crafts.

– Bats, Frogs and Spiders, which features all kinds of activities about the cute little animals, Ms. Douglas said.

For more information about either program, call 533-4600, or 1-800-626-0513, and ask for information.