Free Summer Fair Will Connect Kids With Camps and Classes

Summer is coming and the kids need something to do, so Racine Unified School District is holding a one-stop-shopping event to connect families to great camps and classes -- many of which are free.

The “Summer Activities Fair” will be held on Saturday, May 14, at Festival Hall in Racine from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There, parents will be able to sign up on the spot for RUSD summer school and summer camps, as well as other programs.

“It is a great way for kids to see all the cool activities they can be doing this summer,” said Jonathan Peters, Project Manager of Parent and Community Outreach. “For parents, it will be a one-stop shop to ensure their children are registered and engaged for the entire summer.”

Elementary classes include “Beads, Bowls, Baskets, Bells and Birdhouses,” (clay projects) “More Than Moccasins,” (Native American culture), and “Kids and Guitars.” There are small fees required for classes like the one-day “Jet Cadets” ($19), which will introduce kids to aeronautics through paper airplanes, model rockets, and hovercrafts, and higher fees for things like “Radical Reactions With Mad Science,” a five afternoon class in which kids will experiment with chemical reactions ($99).

Peterson said that children who qualify for free school lunch can attend RUSD’s summer enrichment courses for free. Those who qualify for reduced lunch pay $7.50 for a six-week course.

Older kids can sign up for traditional summer school classes like algebra and English, or venture into the arts with show band and be a part of performances of “Beauty and the Beast” and “Hair Spray.”

Perhaps the most exciting class offered for kids in grades 7 through 12 is the $550 “Learn to Fly” course at Batten Airport. Students will assemble real aircraft components, practice in a state-of-the-art flight simulator, and then fly an airplane (with the assistance of a flight instructor). That class will be held Aug. 8 - 12.

Kids who aren’t sure what they want to do will be able to try out classes through mini-activities at the Summer Activities Fair.

Elementary classes and camps will be held at: Dr. Jones, Bull Fine Arts, Giese, Gifford, Jefferson Lighthouse, Gilmore, Schulte, Wadewitz,  North Park, Knapp, Julian Thomas, Dr. Jones, Mitchell, Roosevelt, Jerstad,  McKinley, Starbuck, and Red Apple.

Kathy Dunkerson, Director of Extended Day Programs for RUSD, said that keeping kids busy over the summer is a top priority.

“Research shows that students engaged in learning over the summer do not experience any learning loss,” she said.

Parents will not need to provide proof of residency, but should be prepared to pay fees if they decide to sign their kids up for camps at the Fair. Emergency information needs to be completed on the first day of classes, June 20.