University Offers Summer Programs for Children, Teens June 29 - July 24

Texas A&M International University's student population will seem a lot younger this summer when the University holds the Children's Summer Workshop for 1st-6th graders and Summer Academy for 7th-12th graders.

The programs focus on taking advantage of summer down time through exposure to new learning in exciting topic areas, said program organizer Oscar J. Muñoz, director of the University's Office of Continuing Education.

"Traditionally, summer is a time when classroom lessons are replaced by activities that rarely incorporate learning or exchange of new ideas. Our four-week educational summer programs afford a variety of learning opportunities that are fun, eye-opening, and mind-expanding," explained Muñoz.

Both the Children's Summer Workshop and Summer Academy will be held at the University's north Laredo campus weekdays from June 29 - July 24. The Children's Summer Workshop will be held in the mornings from 8 a.m. - 12 noon, and the Summer Academy will be held in the afternoons from 12 noon - 5 p.m.

Children's Summer Workshop participants enroll in three courses of their choice. Course offerings include Computer Whizz I and II; Fundamentals of Gymnastics and Dance; Oh the Places You'll Go: Publish a Book; Invention Convention: Adventures in Science; Charm and Etiquette for Girls; Figure It Out: Math Counts; Splash of Art; Non-Competitive Co-Op Sports, and Craft and Dance of Mexico.

Tuition for the Children's Summer Workshop is $225 per child. Additional lab fees apply for those for choose computer, science, or dance courses.

Summer Academy participants may enroll in 3, 4, or 5 courses of their choice. Summer Academy course offerings for 7th - 8th graders include Introduction to Golf; Internet for Fun and Research; Creative Sculpture; Math Prep for SAT; One to One: Pre-SAT/SAT; English Prep for PSAT; Baby Sitters Survival Skills; Express Yourself: Language, Lingo, Letters, and Lore; Self-Defense; Inline Skating; Introduction to Chess; and Airplane Modeling.

Summer Academy course offerings for 9th - 12th graders include Introduction to Golf; Forensics: Who Dunit; English Prep for SAT; Latin Basics for Math, Science, and Literature Buffs; Fermentation Fun: Exploration and Culinary Adventures with Ferments; Creative Sculpture; Math Prep for SAT; One on One SAT; Cyper Prep for Higher Ed; Self Defense; Hypnosis; Express Yourself: Language, Lingo, Letters, and Lore; Introduction to Chess; and Airplane Modeling.

Tuition for the Summer Academy is $250 for 3 courses, $300 for 4 courses, or $325 for 5 courses. Additional lab fees apply for those for choose airplane modeling, science, art, or computer courses.

An educational summer program for 4- and 5-year-olds called "Kinder Camp" will also be offered by the University's Office of Continuing Education. Kinder Camp will be held at the University weekday mornings, 8 a.m. - 12 noon, from June 29 - July 24, and will feature fun, hands-on activities presented in a stress-free, non-threatening, non-classroom environment. Activities will be centered around a theme of water and aquatics, and will provide learning experiences in math, science, reading, art, and music. Tuition is $200 per child.

Registration information for the Children's Summer Workshop, Summer Academy, or Kinder Camp may be obtained by calling the University's Office of Continuing Education at 326-2700, or visiting offices located in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library room 332. University office hours are from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday.

Registration information may also be obtained via email at contedu@tamiu.edu.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu