LIMA, OH (WLIO) - A kindergarten camp that prepares kids to start school in the fall is in its 14th year of running. Our GraciAnn Hicks has the story.
Between getting shots, riding the bus, and being in a classroom for most of the day, starting kindergarten comes with a lot of new and scary experiences. Thankfully, this 'Kindergarten Kamp' helps ease students' and parents' worries by providing an opportunity to learn what school is like before the kids start for real in August.
"Throughout Kindergarten Kamp, we use project-based learning, so project-based learning is a way to engage students in their learning, and it offers learning experiences through using hands-on activities. And another element of project-based learning is to have experts come in, so today our community helper class had experts come in to talk with the students about things that nurses and doctors do and things that they might see if they ever have to go to the doctor," said Dawn Smith, Kindergarten Kamp coordinator.
Employees from Mercy Health-St. Rita's Medical Center visited the campers to teach them about going to the doctor and to practice some healthcare basics, like taking their blood pressure and applying bandages.
"Just kind of want to talk with the kids and show them that healthcare is not scary, and we are not scary people. Since they are going into kindergarten, kids are typically scared of the doctors, so we're just kind of here to try to ease that fear," said Ashley Guisinger, practicing manager at the Center for Pulmonary Medicine.
An incoming kindergartener at Freedom Elementary School, Graham Purdy, shared what he learned.
"They teach me not (to) be scared," commented Graham Purdy, an incoming kindergartener at Freedom Elementary School.
Kindergarten Kamp is a collaboration between Lima City Schools and the West Ohio Community Action Partnership, and it receives funding from the United Way. After 14 years of the program, its impact on campers is clear.
"Every year, we have families that have had all of their kids throughout their children's lifetime return to our program. The community reaction is that we have one principal who calls it the 'no more tears program' because the kids who have attended camp come in and they are ready to go. They already know how to walk through a lunch line. They already understand what it's like to be in a classroom dynamic," added Smith.
The camp started June 26th and ends July 28th. Between different projects and visitors, it also teaches students about the alphabet, counting, and rhyming.
