By Veeda Ware
Blast off to the heavens with your own rocket. Wiggle your hips to the beat of Tahitian drums. Transform into a swashbuckler, as you slash swords like a medieval knight. Oh, and increase the faith of a child at the same time.
BYU interns will help paint this picture at a weeklong religious summer camp at the LDS based private school, American Heritage School.
Students from the recreational management and youth leadership department helped create the youth camp along with American Heritage School administration.
“The whole experience was neat,” said Lisa Fredericks, 21, from Clarkston, Mich., majoring in recreational management. “To see other students plan and organize everything was amazing because it was hands-on experience.”
Fredericks is helping the school with the budgeting and finance for the summer program. She said developing the criteria for the camp helped her train for the real world.
“Seeing our ideas work and apply to the program is what makes it exciting,” Fredericks said. “It”s special to help the school develop this new program for the recent facility.”
Explore Life! is the theme for the youth camp for ages 8-12. One camp session was held in June with one more session scheduled for the end of July.
Cheryl Karr, public affairs director for Family Education and Resource Center, said, “The camps are designed to help increase the faith of the children by strengthening them mentally, spiritually and physically.”
Karr said students keep a log of their learning experience on paper journals they make themselves.
After classes and activities are completed, camp counselors will acknowledge God in discussion of the day”s events.
“Our mission as counselors is to show how God directs everything,” Fredericks said. “It”s amazing to see the light that goes on in their head when they put things together.”
John Covey, director of Family Education and Resource Center, said one of the main goals of the school and summer camp is to show students the providential hand of God is in all things.
Covey said the school offers many programs to help build up children and families. From home school curriculum to family lecture series, the summer camp is one of many projects designed to give back to the community.
American Heritage School is a non-profit private elementary school based on LDS teachings. The school has been in operation for more than 30 years, and a new campus in American Fork opened last year.
The new campus cost nearly $10 million, and was built completely on donations.
Proceeds from the summer camp will go to help support the school.
