Kids explore art and science in summer programs

It may not be an extreme makeover, but the mural that a dozen young artists are painting this week on the Atwood Community Center’s entryway will definitely spiff up the place.

The project, part of a Mural Magic class taught by local artist Sharon Kilfoy, is just one of the choices available to the 215 students participating in a Technology and Arts program offered by the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education through its Office of Education Outreach (OEO).

Held through Friday, June 16, the academic enrichment program is open to area students entering grades six through nine this fall. All classes integrate technology and art, with options including digital filmmaking, computer animation, Shakespearean fight choreography, African dance and metalsmithing.

Program director Nancy Blake says this year’s classes are especially exciting because of OEO’s community partnerships like the one at Atwood. Another involves the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, which students will explore during a Madison Cityscapes class taught by fiber artist and Madison Metropolitan School District art teacher K. Michele Hatchell. As part of the class, students will create Madison Cityscape Story Cloths, to be exhibited at the museum Monday, June 19-Friday, July 7.

Once Blake completes the Technology and Arts program this Friday, she’ll turn her attention to College for Kids, which starts Monday, June 19, and runs through Friday, July 7.

Also sponsored by the UW–Madison School of Education, this precollege enrichment program is designed to challenge and develop the talents of highly motivated students entering the sixth grade. This summer, 312 children from 35 school districts and private schools in the Dane County area will participate. All have been recommended for the program by their schools.

Rather than focusing on a student’s favorite area of interest, College for Kids encourages a broad range of exposure.

Students participate in three workshops selected from four academic areas: biological sciences, arts and humanities, social sciences and physical sciences. The program’s more than 30 workshops — ranging from Slam Poetry to Trek into Biotech — emphasize hands-on experiences and foster creative thinking, team building and problem solving.

Special events this summer include a “Science is Fun” presentation by chemistry professor Bassam Shakhashiri on Monday, June 19, and a student exhibition on Friday, July 7, in which teams will have the opportunity to display, demonstrate or perform something they have worked on.

Blake notes that in addition to providing stimulating learning experiences for students, College for Kids also is an important program for educators because it offers professional development opportunities for teachers, counselors and administrators to become trained in working with highly motivated, talented students.