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BACKGROUNDER: ADDITIONAL $2 MILLION FOR ARTS AND SPORTS SUMMER CAMPS

2010 Legacies Now
2010 Legacies Now is a not-for-profit society that works in partnership with community organizations, non-government organizations, the private sector and all levels of government to develop sustainable legacies in sport and recreation, arts, literacy, and volunteerism. 2010 Legacies Now actively helps communities discover and create unique and inclusive social and economic opportunities leading up to, during and beyond the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Explorations Camps

The Explorations program is designed to provide quality summer experiences for students in kindergarten through Grade 7. There are three kinds of camps: ExplorArts, Sport & Rec Explorations, and mixed camps.

The summer camps pair camp co-ordinators with arts specialists or sport and recreation instructors from the community. The aim of the camps is to complement and extend delivery of existing school curriculum and community initiatives. Additional leadership training and mentoring is offered to camp assistants who are typically secondary school students participating in a volunteer or work experience program.

The camps are divided into three different formats:

ExplorArts
ExplorArts camps offer children a wide range of fine arts opportunities. The camps broaden students’ exposure to the fine arts and provide access to a wide range of activities students have never tried. There is also an opportunity for the students to work with specialists and participate in activities they would not otherwise have access to. The camps will feature experts who would not normally be available to students, as well as programs and lessons of a calibre that might otherwise be too expensive.

Examples of ExplorArts activities last year include:

• In D’Arcy, painted plywood fish were attached to the fence around the Anderson Lake sockeye spawning grounds to make people aware that the area needs to be protected.
• At Fulford community elementary school, partnerships between the Weaver’s Guild, the Basket Weaver’s Guild and other local artists led to after-school programs.
• In Kitimat, a band teacher was hired to develop a school band program.

Sport & Rec Explorations
Sport & Rec Explorations programs offer a wide range of physical activities, and provide children with an opportunity to develop skills and increase their fitness level. Children learn the importance of sportsmanship and fair play, and develop an understanding of the foundations for a healthy lifestyle.

In many districts, the Sport & Rec Explorations camps continued to have an impact throughout the school year: 

• In Pender Harbour, the camp sparked many new participants in the school’s ongoing “Sprockids” mountain bike program.
• The Sunshine Coast Power Play program, which teaches traditional games and leadership skills, was brought into the elementary schools for the 2005/06 school year.
• At Mile 108 elementary, the camp co-ordinator continued to use the Action Fitness program with his Grade 6/7 class.

Mixed Camps
Some schools offer camps that are both ExplorArts and Sport & Rec. Examples include:

WE Graham community school had weekly themes that included activities from both the arts and sport and recreation. For example, “Rock Week” included activities such as a hike to Pebble Beach and rock painting.

Richmond school district’s “Journeys” program linked the B.C. fine arts and physical education curriculum with the 2010 Olympic Games. Participants “travelled” to different continents to experience regional fine art and recreation like African bead necklaces and climbing “Amazon jungle ropes.”  

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Media Contact:

Public Affairs Bureau
Ministry of Education
250-356-5963

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