Summer Camps and Programs for St. Thomas and St. John Youth

Here is a list of summer camps and organized activities available for children or young people. Please send information on your camps and activities to offer parents a variety of choices. Please e-mail information to visource@gmail.com
The Department of Human Services Office of Child Care and Regulatory Services is offering financial assistance for summer camp fees. Funds are limited and eligibility must be determined. Parents or guardians are invited to contact the Office of Child Care starting Monday, June 9, at 774-0930, ext. 4189 or 4186 on St. Thomas-St John.

ST. THOMAS CAMPS
G-Clef 2015 Summer Music Camp
Dates: The seven-week camp is set for 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, June 22 through Aug. 7
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Ages: 6 to 14 years old
Location: G-Clef Music Academy, second floor of LaBorde Plaza Building at Mandela Circle
Focus: G-Clef Music Academy will have a Summer Music Camp that offers children learning, playing instruments and fun. Camp will include lunch and a snack when served by the school lunch program. Beginners and intermediate music students can learn piano, guitar, violin, drums, steel pan and more (up to eight instruments).
Contact Name: G-Clef Music Academy
Contact Number: 344-6449
Web site: www.gclefmusicacademy.com
Cost:
Pistarckle Theater's Starz Summer Camp: Art of Audition
Dates: June 17-19 at 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Ages: 9 and older
Location: Pistarckle Theater
Focus: This after-school class helps first-time campers prepare for their auditions. The instructor helps them pick an audition song, practice acting and dancing.
Contact: Pistarckle Theater
Contact Number/E-mail: 775-7877 or education@pistarckletheater.vi
Cost: $50 for all three days or $45 for two days
Auditions: dates to be announced
By appointment only. Call 775-7877 to set up your appointment
Pistarckle Theater's Starz Summer Camp: Camp I
Dates: from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Mondays through Fridays, June 22 to Aug. 2
Ages: 9 and above
Location: Pistarckle Theater
Focus: This is a six-week program that offers an overview of all aspects of theater production. As actors, the students will receive hands-on training from adult professionals in character scene work, the rehearsal process, vocal projection, movement, and other skills that build stage presence and self-confidence while providing a safe outlet. Students will also participate in the design, construction and/or acquisition of properties, scenery, costumes and production playbills. This year’s summer musical is “Into the Woods Jr.”
Musical performance dates:
July 27-31 at 10 a.m.
July 31 and August 1 at 7 p.m.
August 2 at 2 p.m.
Six week attendance is mandatory for Camp I. Because there are many families who might have some trouble affording the tuition fees, scholarships are available. Please contact the theater for financial aid information.
Contact: Pistarckle Theater
Contact Number/E-mail: 775-7877 or education@pistarckletheater.vi
Cost: $25 for registration; $1,500 for all six weeks/ $250 per week
Pistarckle Theater's Starz Summer Camp: Camp II
Dates: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, August 3- 28
Ages: 9 and above
Location: Pistarckle Theater
Focus: This is a four-week program in which campers learn the basics of theater by writing, directing and acting.
Contact: Pistarckle Theater
Contact Number/E-mail: 775-7877 or education@pistarckletheater.vi
Cost: Registration is $25; Cost of camp: $100 week/four weeks: $400
2015 Summer Eco Camp at The Ritz-Carlton
Dates: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, June 29 to August 7. Extra hours up until 6 p.m. can be purchased for $32/hour.
Ages: There will be two camps each week: one for children 5-9 years-old and one for children 10-15 years-old.
Location: All around The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas
Focus: Naturalists (all marine biologists) from Jean-Michel Cousteau’s ‘Ambassadors of the Environment’ will lead the two camps. Each week will feature a different educational and experiential theme that relates to the environment on land and under the sea.
Contact Name: ‘Ambassadors of the Environment’
Contact Number/E-mail: 775-3333, ext. 8450 or stthomasambassadors@ritzcarlton.com
Cost: $380 per week per child
Great Minds Tutoring Service -- Summer Learning Academy 2015
Dates: June 22 to July 31 (six weeks) from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays
Ages: 5 to 11 years-old
Location: 6-37 Contant. Take the road behind the Ulla Muller School; take the first right, then turn immediately left into the parking lot. Upstairs through the main entrance, Great Minds TS is the second door on the left.
Focus: Great Minds TS teaches and reteaches concepts in reading, language and math. Also included are writing skills, science exploration and learning experiences. It has balanced academics and fun to ensure that students don’t experience summer learning loss while ensuring that they enjoy their summer break. One-on-one tutorials will also be available at an additional cost. Tutorial specials are available but only for a limited time. The program will include lunch and snack from the School Lunch Program.
Contact Name: Andrea Bridgewater-McCarthy
Contact Number: 227-5915
Web site: www.greatmindsts.com
E-mail: greatmindsts@hotmail.com
Cost: Registration $45; Tuition $410
V.I. Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy Summer Program
Dates: June 22 – August 7
Ages: Three age groups – The Imagination Program for ages 3-5; the Adventure Program for ages 6 and 7; the Discovery Program for ages 8-16
Location: V.I. Montessori School and Peter Gruber International Academy
Focus: Each group will have a lead instructor, except for the Discovery Program, which will offer several different classes throughout the day with different lead instructors. There will be sports, music, art and exploration, science, fun, gardening, math and games.
Contact Names and Numbers: Call Director Barbara LaRonde at 514-7712 (ages 3-7) or Director Helen Sidiropoulos at 626-5772 (ages 8-16). Sign-up at isa.vimsia.org or call for information at 626-5772.
Cost: $200 per week for full day camp; half day camp is available from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; after care is available
Seaside Adventure Camp
Dates: There are two separate camp weeks: June 22-27 and June 29-July 4. Campers can stay overnight or just come for the day.
Ages: kids ages 6-15 years-old
Location: Bluewater Bible College at 8220 Estate Botany Bay, St. Thomas
Focus: The non-profit Humbly I Serve has partnered with Marriott’s Vacation Club in Frenchman’s Cove, Virgin Island Council on the Arts and Grace Baptist Church to provide the third annual Seaside Adventure Camp.
Camp activities include sports, character development, anti-drug prevention and art. The campers will take field trips, visiting the beach, Best Western Emerald Beach and Senior Frogz. The goal of this camp experience is to empower the youth through positive activities. The camp offers classes designed to encourage campers to plan for their futures. Class topics include: digital photography presented by nonprofit Seven Minus Seven; art, videography and auto mechanics presented by Toyota of St. Thomas; beat boxing, sign language, photography, cheerleading and woodworking presented by My Brothers Workshop; and other topics.
Contact: Name: Humbly I Serve
Contact: Number/E-mail: 1-800-606-5170/ info@humblyiserve.org
Camp applications are also available upon request at Grace Baptist Church and Calvary Christian School.
Web site: bluewater.edu
Cost: $85 for overnight for the week and then $50 for the day camper for the week

ST. JOHN CAMPS
St. John School of the Arts (SJSA) "Get Real!" - Teen Vocal Camp
Dates: from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 15-19
Ages: 13 - 17 years old
Location: St. John School of the Arts (near Julius E. Sprauve School in Cruz Bay)
Focus: Students who like to sing are encouraged to sign up. The camp is directed by Kristen Carmichael-Bowers and Becky Graber, who have over 50 years of combined teaching experience. Teens can learn to sight sing, have an individual coaching on a song prepared by the student, do improvisational singing, take part in choral singing or work on vocal health, and much more. There is very limited space, so sign up today to secure a spot.
Contact Name: St. John School of the Arts
Contact Number: 779-4322/ Web site: www.stjohnschoolofthearts.org (to download enrollment and financial assistance forms or for more information)
Cost: Tuition is $250 and SJSA does have financial assistance available.
St. John School of the Arts "The Rainbow Sea"
Dates: from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 6-24
Ages: 6 – 12 years old.
Location: St. John School of the Arts (near Julius E. Sprauve School in Cruz Bay)
Focus: Students will sing, dance and act as they prepare to perform “The Rainbow Sea," a wonderful Broadway-style, original musical at the end of the camp. The ASCAP Foundation and Elixir Nepenthe Inc., a New York, non-profit organization, have fully sponsored this camp. Andrea Green, an award-winning music educator and music therapist, is the director and creator of this original musical. Her musicals are filled with messages of understanding and acceptance, and she likes to work with a diverse group of children -- the more diverse, the better!
She is used to bringing children who have learning, social and physical challenges with those that don't. Her work as a music therapist is the subject of the documentary “On the Other Side of the Fence,” produced by filmmaker Henry Nevison and MindTV. This film has been awarded the 2015 gold medal from the NY International Film Festival and the 2015 bronze medal from the United Nations Department of Public Information.
Contact Name: St. John School of the Arts
Contact Number: 779-4322/ www.stjohnschoolofthearts.org,
Cost: Free
St. John Holistic Circus Kids Camp
Dates: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., July 6-10
Ages: 4 --12 years
Location: Gifft Hill School, St. John
Focus: Holistic Circus Kids Camp is a summer day-camp program where children are introduced to various circus skills, including juggling, hula hooping, poi and acro-balance, in a playful, yet professional manner under the direction of a highly trained teacher, Jill Maglio. An occupational therapist, she has years of experience in adapting skill levels to fit children of different ages to ensure sure that everyone has a great time and experiences success.
Contact Name: St. John Holistic Circus Kids Camp
Contact E-mail and Web site: summercamp@holisticcircus.com and www.holisticcircus.com
Cost: The cost is $285 for the full camp or $210 for Monday through Wednesday if paid by May 20. After May 20, the cost is $320 for the full camp or $245 for the first three days.