Carly Authement Carly Authement

St. Louis Summer Camp Recap

In my tenure at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, I was exposed to a variety of fun, educational experiences for students of all ages. One of my favorite experiences was working as Assistant Camp Director at Stone Ridge Summer CampUs. When I moved to Lake Charles last summer, I knew I wanted to bring a piece of that magic to SWLA. Kelly DeMolle, principal at St. Louis Catholic High School, supported my vision and helped pave the way for my first camp in Lake Charles: St. Louis Art Camp (SLAC).

This year we kept it basic. Each day had an accessible theme: FUN-damentals, Creating with Nature, Remixed Recycling, and Hot Mess Process Art. We had a small, but mighty group of kiddos ranging from third through eighth grade. Campers learned about a variety of artists, practiced different techniques and methods, and grew in their creative expression. Most importantly, they had fun! I left that experience feeling joyful and excited to create an even bigger and better summer camp next year.

Here are a few photos of our camp experience:

Our first activity: tie dying camp shirts

FUN-damental Color Wheel project

Campers used found items on our nature walk to create fun and interesting patterns for Nature Day

Nature Day process picture 1

Nature Day process picture 2

Campers using recycled materials to create self portraits

Teamwork on a self-portrait

Recycle Day self-portrait using cardboard, tissue paper, pipe cleaners, pom poms, paint, and construction paper

Recycle Day self-portrait using feathers, balloons, tissue paper, single-use coffee cup, cardboard, construction paper, pipe cleaners, and paint

Process Art using shaving cream and liquid watercolor paint

Process art using water guns and diluted tempera paint

More shaving cream process art

Junior Art Campers doing their final look

Slip and slide on Hot Mess Day


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Carly Authement Carly Authement

Why Educational Summer Camps Matter

Summer camps are more than just fun—they're powerful developmental experiences. Beyond keeping kids engaged, camps help mitigate the “summer slide” and reinforce critical cognitive and social skills in a relaxed, low-pressure setting.

Summer camps are more than just fun—they're powerful developmental experiences. Beyond keeping kids engaged, camps help mitigate the “summer slide” and reinforce critical cognitive and social skills in a relaxed, low-pressure setting.

Boosting Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving

Camps often use active learning, problem-based learning, and cooperative learning—techniques proven to build higher‑order thinking skills: solving puzzles, planning, analyzing, and making decisions. For instance:

  • Active learning improves assessment performance by ~0.47 standard deviations and cuts failure rates from 32% to 21% arxiv.org+8m.facebook.com+8gobroadreach.com+8en.wikipedia.org.

  • Problem-based learning enhances students’ critical thinking and real-world problem-solving ability .
    This educational structure mirrors school and workplace environments—just wrapped in adventure and creativity.

Strengthening Social Skills

Living, learning, and playing together fosters communication, empathy, and teamwork. Research shows cooperative learning significantly improves reasoning, collaboration, and peer relationships prepforprep.orgen.wikipedia.org+1en.wikipedia.org+1.
Structured programs also boost emotional intelligence—campers gain empathy, resilience, and assertiveness in as little as two weeks soar.suny.edu+7pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+7arxiv.org+7.

Positive Low-Stakes Learning

Summer camps provide a safe space for kids to experiment, fail forward, and succeed—without the pressure of grades.

Broad Reach Education’s Featured Camps

St. Louis Art Camp (SLAC)

Registration Link: https://crm.bloomerang.co/HostedDonation?ApiKey=pub_21c44238-83e5-11ee-be85-065989831459&WidgetId=115770368

What it offers: Four days of painting, sculpture, mixed media, and creative workshops at St. Louis Catholic High School (June 16–19, 2025) .

Who: Open to students in the 3rd-8th grade

Why it matters:

  • Art education encourages creative problem-solving and imagination.

  • Group work in art projects builds collaboration, communication, and empathy skills en.wikipedia.org.

  • A structured yet playful environment nurtures confidence and emotional resilience.

College Application Bootcamp (St. Louis Catholic Families Only)

Registration Link: https://crm.bloomerang.co/HostedDonation?ApiKey=pub_21c44238-83e5-11ee-be85-065989831459&WidgetId=122960896

What it offers: A week-long, intensive prep session in late July/early August for St. Louis Catholic students. Over a dozen college representatives will be in attendance to help students apply to college. McNeese State University, LSU, Tulane, St. Edwards, Catholic U, University of Mississippi, University of Tennessee, LA Tech, and Loyola New Orleans are just some of the schools attending this event.

Why it’s impactful:

  • Teaches critical thinking, writing, perseverance, and decision-making—skills needed for strong college essays.

  • Uses problem-based approaches: students tackle real components of applications in a supported environment.

  • Builds self-confidence with peer interaction and coach feedback—mirroring best college-prep practices.

  • Gives families access to college representatives that will be reading their students’ applications.

Final Takeaway

Educational summer camps like SLAC and the College Application Bootcamp offer an unbeatable blend of creativity, skill development, and community—all in a low‑stakes, high‑impact environment. They’re not just fun—they’re formative: helping students grow cognitively, socially, and emotionally, while preparing them for academic challenges ahead.

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