Start Your Own Academic Enrichment Summer Camp

Summertime is the traditional season for schools to take a vacation. Learning itself, however, should not end with during the warm weather months. Students often need to master curriculum they did not fully understand during the school year or may need to prepare for difficult material coming in the next grade. Starting an academic summer camp can service your community by helping these students.

Step 1:
Develop your business plan for starting the camp. Consult your local government to find out what permits are needed and any regulations concerning academic facilities. Your business plan should include how you will fund your venture as well as information such as a mission statement, what competition exists in your area and how you plan to market this "business".

Step 2:
Decide on what type of academic camp you will be providing. You have a variety of options from the regular three "R's" of reading, writing and arithmetic to the popular computer technology, aerospace studies and fashion design. Narrow your focus to a specific subject and have a specific age group you will accept for your venture.

Step 3:
Find a location that will house your camp. You can choose to rent out a facility or perhaps hold the camp in your own home. Local churches make for an appropriate camp as they are usually equipped with classrooms so you might want to inquire about renting space for the duration of the event. You will need to determine at this time how many campers you will accept as the location will limit it.

Step 4:
Develop the curriculum you will teach and decide if you will need additional teachers. If you are holding a very small camp of 15 or less you may be able to do all the teaching yourself but if you enroll more children you are likely to need additional help. You can choose from a variety of curriculums offered through bookstores or online curriculum sources or create your own.

Step 5:
Create a document which will detail the scope of your camp. This will be given to the parents who enroll their children. You need to include information regarding the duration of the camp, the times and days it will be held, details regarding the curriculum to be taught as well as fees for the camp and whether children will be provided with a lunch. Also include what materials will be provided and what items each student needs to bring to camp.

Step 6:
Advertise you camp by putting notices in local establishments and schools. You will need to gain permission for putting up flyers in any private business or public or private schools. You can also advertise online. Search for local parenting groups and get the word out to them as well. You should be able to fill your camp easily with only minimal expense but you can also place ads in local papers and circulars as well (this can get expensive though).

Step 7:
Register your students as the parents contact you. It is a good idea to require payment prior to the first day of camp to ensure you will limit the number of "no shows". Set a deadline for registration for parents who are on the fence and let them know in advance that the camp will accept children only until your capacity is reached.

Step 8:
Insist that parents of campers fill out an information sheet regarding their children. You will need to have such information as allergies, medications if any, emergency contact information, names and identification of who will be allowed to pick up the children from camp, doctors' names and insurance information. You will probably also want parents to sign an injury/accident waiver in the unlikely event that someone is hurt during the camp.

Step 9:
Hire additional staff as needed. Tell them upfront what will be expected from them when you interview them. Make sure they are experienced or at least educated in the subject area they will be teaching. Let them know what their pay will be and when and how they will receive it. Be prepared to answer their questions.

Step 10:
Ready your location in advance of the first day. Decorate your facility with appropriate materials based on your theme. Have all your copies of information, books and other supplies ready. Check to make sure the restrooms have working plumbing. Have water on hand especially if your facility is not air conditioned. Also, be sure to have extra pens, pencils and paper on hand for students who forget their own.

Step 11:
Open your camp on time. Arrive at the location early to greet parents and children. Stick to your curriculum and give progress reports to parents.

NOTE:
Develop an adventurous theme to make the academic camp more exciting. You can use ideas gathered from "what's hot" at the moment with the age group you will be teaching.
Have a first aid kit, an extra charged cell phone and emergency information on each child at the camp at all times. If you take a field trip during camp these materials should accompany you.