Best Mississippi Performing Arts Camps Summer 2024-25 Directory

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: - Live Zooming and friendship-making time (prescheduled so your family can plan ahead!)
- Off-screen activities for independent play and learning (and naps! and yard time!)
- Hands-on activities with real art materials (art camp should be a little messy!)
- Small group sizes ensure that campers receive high quality instruction and individual attention from their teachers.
- Daily movement and mindfulness exercises integrated throughout the day to get the wiggles out

Camp tuition includes an Art Toolbox mailed to your home and a live exhibition every Friday that the whole family can attend, even those living far away.

Camp Staff:
Katerina Romanenko, Ph.D. Assistant Director of Youth and Family Programs

An experienced educator and visual culture historian, Dr. Romanenko specializes in Museum education, art history, American History, and object-based learning in formal and informal environments. She holds a PhD in Art History from the City University of New York and for more than 15 years teaches art history and works in Museum education. She also holds a BA in Education Sciences and has experience in research, development and implementation of educational programs for different age groups.

Alicia Mino, Art Educator, Manager of the School and Community Programs

An accomplished practicing artists and art educator, Alicia Mino received her Master’s in visual communication from the Metropolitan University of Chile, She spent fifteen years in Italy studying art history, oil painting, and sculpture. She presented in numerous art exhibitions and founded the Mates Art and Design Studio, where she taught drawing, oil/acrylic painting, and sculpture fundamentals for ten years. In 2008 Alicia moved to Philadelphia where she continues to exhibit her work and teaches art.

Lindsey Murphy, Art Educator and K-8 Program Coordinator

An art educator with over a decade of experience in the field of education, Lindsey Murphy has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology; concentration in Archaeology from Millersville University, and an Elementary Teaching Certification from Millersville University. She worked as a general education classroom teacher in the Oxford Area School District in Chester County, PA for 8 years, and has worked in PAFA’s education department over the past 11 years creating and implementing numerous museum tours and art making experiences for children and families of all backgrounds, becoming the K-8 Program Coordinator in 2019..

Melissa Hendrixson, Art Educator

Melissa Hendrixson is an artist and art educator who has worked in Museum Education for over five years. She has her Bachelor's of Fine Arts and Studio Certificate from Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and has gained experience through assisting the coordination and development of various museum programming including family programs, youth art classes, and summer camps. She now works for the School and Community Partnership Program as an art educator where she develops and implements museum tours, school lessons, and community outreach programs to support student learning, parental engagement and visual literacy initiatives.

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: It is our sincere desire that no child be denied the opportunity to attend camp because of financial difficulties. Thanks to our generous donors, PAFA is able to offer a limited number of scholarships.

Please email artcamp[AT]pafa.org to receive a scholarship application

FAMILY CAMP SESSION(S): Friday Art Show

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS: PAFA offers a year round programs, online and in person for youth and families that engage parents and children with the museum collection and art-making. Our programs inculde art classes for middle school students, afterschool program for kids 6-11, and Sunday Family workshops. please visit Our Camp Website Link: www.pafa.org

OTHER CAMP INFO: Drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, comic books and graphic novels, collage and mixed media, and video arts.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
Dates
June 21 - August 13, 8 weeks

Ages: 6-14 (groups: 6-8; 9-11; 12-14)

Mon-Fri from 9am - 3pm each day (except July 5rd).

For camps description, cost and schedule go to the registration website. Our Camp Website Link: www.pafa.org

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
Camp Assistants and Camp Instructors.
Please visit for current job announcements and apply via 
Our Camp Website Link: hr.pafa.org

CAMP FACILITIES: Classrooms, theater/auditorium/cafeteria

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: A team of internationally-experienced directors from Los Angeles & New York conduct week-long, performing arts day-camps! Concludes with an exciting stage show for the community. Singing, dancing, acting and more. 3rd - 12th Grades. No experience required

Joining with community arts educators and talented college students, we teach the students a special show and concept called "BELIEVE!"

Each week of camp concludes with an exciting stage show for the entire community!

Singing - Dancing - Acting - Games and More!

Open to 3rd grade thru 12th grade students.

OTHER CAMP INFO: Keely Crawford Pounds - "Absolutely wonderful! U r such an inspiration to and for our youth! Thank u for what u do !"

Sherri Baxter - "Great experience for the kids! Thanks for a wonderful week!"

Marcus Speed - "THANK YOU to ALL that made this camp possible! My children had a BLAST!!! "

Jennifer Mary Veazey - "This was such a great experience for my two kids. They had so much fun. Thank you for coming! Y'all were great."

Fay Clark Stonecypher - "My granddaughter, Remy Rogers, paid y'all a huge compliment last night at the dinner table. She declared that she loves your Believe Summer Camp EVEN MORE than the 2 other theatre camps which she attended this summer and also loved! Thank you!!"

Dami Newell Ownby - "My daughter is LOVING her experience at BELIEVE this week. Thank you so much for the hard work that went into putting this together, as well as your staff's amazing energy and positivity for these kids. You guys are rock stars!"

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
June 27- July 1st in Bogalusa, LA - $60 per student
June 20-24 in Gallman MS - $100 per student

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
Volunteer and internship opportunities:
Email Bruce Sampson directly at bruce[AT]iconarts.org, or call 951-371-5239.

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: Each student will participate in:

• A large ensemble—which will workshop and give the world premiere of a new work by one of the mentor composers
• A small ensemble—which will co-create, rehearse, and premiere new work(s) by the student participants
• A small home group—which will feature games and social activities
• (Optional) Two, hour-long private composition les- sons—which will give students professional feedback on their music and personalized instruction
• A final, virtual concert—on Friday, July 31, 2 PM EDT

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: We desire to make it possible for everyone who wants to join us to be able to participate regardless of family finances. We have a limited amount of funds available. Please email for more information.

OTHER CAMP INFO: Technology Requirements:

• Desktop or laptop computer (Mac preferred)
• A separate device to record audio/video (such as a tablet or smartphone)
• Headphones or earbuds
• An external microphone and audio interface would provide a better experience, but are not mandatory
• All enrolled students will receive a FREE, 90-day license for Dorico Pro 3.5

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
• No audition or prior composition experience required.
• Base Tuition: $450
• Registration Deadline: July 1, 2020

To learn more and to register, please visit Our Camp Website Link: www.musiccreatorsacademy.com

CAMP FACILITIES: The camps will be held in New Castle County schools in their computer lab.

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS: This program can also be delivered through our TUTORING service by appointment during the summer.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
$235.00 for Monday-Friday Camp
Choose the A.M. OR P.M. camp for this fee

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
Seeking part-time technology coaches to assist with the summer camp hours. 

CAMP FACILITIES: Camp Windhover has eight cabins, stables and riding ring, theater, art room, craft room, wilderness skills/ chorus room, music/band room, dining hall/kitchen, infirmary, dance building, pool with dressing rooms, two bathhouses, outdoor basketball, tether ball, four-square court.

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: An American Camp Association accredited camp, Camp Windhover seeks to place campers in a position to see the wonder in themselves and the natural world, while encouraging healthy, positive interaction with others. Gifted at keeping the fun quotient high, Windhover's staff are carefully selected role models, who receive a week of training to focus on their campers' needs and inspire their best behavior.

CAMP LEADERSHIP CIT/LIT PROGRAMS: Counselors-in-training attend a retreat to learn how to assist in the kitchen, in activities, and in the cabin at camp. They also have a leadership activity period daily while at camp.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
Session One: June 8-14
Session Two: June 15-21
Session Three: June 22-28
Session Four: July 6-12

2014 Fees:
Completed 1st-2nd grade 3rd-8th grade
Any one week $750 $850
Any two weeks $1450 $1650
Any three weeks $2150 $2450

From the camp website, you can apply online or download, print, and mail an application.

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
At the present time, all of our staff positions are filled for 2014, but things happen, and we might still need a counselor at the last minute.

Staff applications are available on-line at Camp Windhover's website.

CAMP FACILITIES: The Music Building at The University of Mississippi provides state-of-the-art facilities including spacious studios; upright & grand piano practice rooms; MacIntosh computer technology lab; 450-seat concert auditorium featuring two 9-foot Steinways and organ. Students are assigned dormitory rooms on campus. Trained camp counselors reside in the dormitory with campers at all times and are responsible for accompanying the campers to and from any function on campus.

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: This Camp is designed to both encourage and challenge piano students from the 7th through 12th grades in a wide range of musical activities while leaving time for some fun recreational adventures. Students will be introduced to new concepts in piano playing, develop listening skills, hear quality musicians in concert and be challenged to take their musicianship to the next level. The activity schedule will vary from day to day to expose students to a wide variety of piano discovery.

Campers will be placed in groups according to age and ability and will receive private lessons, daily master classes, and classes incorporating keyboard literature, music theory, technique, sight-reading, music computer technology, keyboard mechanics, keyboard skills and ensemble playing. A voluntary student recital at the end of the week concludes the camp activities. Among the recreational activities are a double-decker bus tour of historic Oxford, movie and pizza night at the big screen; and an adventuresome scavenger hunt across campus.

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: None.

FAMILY CAMP SESSION(S): Opening orientation session for campers, parents, counselors & faculty. Closing recital on Friday evening open to families & teachers.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
2019 Camp Dates: June 19-15 Eligibility: Students entering the 7th through 12th grades and who play at an intermediate level of skill or higher. Cost: $500 for resident campers; $450 for commuters Registration Deadline: May 15, 2019. For registration forms and more detailed information, please refer to the Piano Discoveries Camp web site at: Our Camp Website Link: www.outreach.olemiss.edu or look us up on Facebook!

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: Youth should plan to be online 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. weekdays, and to work ten additional hours per week on their projects. Most of the scheduled time is for projects but some of it will be for meetings.

Required equipment: A tablet or phone with a front-facing camera. A video camera or DSLR camera will also work.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
June 16 - June 29

Tuition:
$240 for non-MNOHS students
$180 for MNOHS students--or free for those who qualify

Please see our web site for more information: Our Camp Website Link: www.mnohs.org

CAMP FACILITIES: Varies depending on location.

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: The WhizKids day camp program meets throughout the Jackson Metro Area (Madison, Brandon, Clinton, Pearl, Ridgeland) in various locations. We offer half-day and full-day options.

All units are taught by certified teachers and trained adults using curriculum that integrates critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and group dynamics. We also offer opportunities for Jr. Interns and Interns to practice leadership skills by assisting with student groups.

We strive to offer programs that are challenging for students, convenient for parents, and fun for everyone!

CAMP LEADERSHIP CIT/LIT PROGRAMS: Leadership Opportunities:
Junior Intern: 7th-8th grade students
Intern: High school students

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: Limited scholarships available.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
Visit out website for updated session dates and tuition cost.

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
Do you enjoy working with kids, have good classroom management skills, and have an engaging personality?  WhizKids Programs LLC occasionally has positions available to teach after school clubs and/or summer day camps. We offer competitive pay and a flexible schedule. Contact us at whizkidsprograms[AT]gmail.com if you are interested.

CAMP FACILITIES: We have 8 cabins, rec hall, dining hall, chapel, 30 acre lake, swimming pool, challenge course and 750 acres of property to enjoy!

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: We believe in offering a safe community for ALL children. Camp Bratton-Green is owned by the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi, but we encourage any child looking for the opportunity for new friends and exciting experiences to attend.

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: We will help make sure no child is turned away for financial reasons.

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS: Camp Bratton-Green is part of the Gray Center, offering programs and spaces throughout the year.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
Please follow the link to our website for Session Dates!

CAMP FACILITIES: We have 17 rustic, open air cabins, bathhouses, outdoor pool, horse arena and stables, recreation/dining hall, 8 hotel type rooms for lodging, waterfront pavilion, rustic chapel in the woods, and beautiful waterfront for swimming, zip lining, and sports.

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: Camp of the Rising Son is committed to your child’s safety first. CRS is accredited through the American Camp Association, which requires us to go beyond state and local regulations and strive to implement best practices in all areas of our program. We take special care in screening our staff and training them to make your child’s physical, mental, and emotional safety top priority. Our facilities meet all codes and requirements and are inspected annually by the Mississippi State Department of Health as well as the Attala County Fire Department. CRS has a registered nurse on-site during the summer camps. All staff are CPR trained through the American Heart Association. Water activities are supervised by an American Red Cross-certified lifeguard at all times.

Camp of the Rising Son began in 1980 with 27 campers and a two-week program directed by Margie Newman. The camping program began on the main French Camp Academy campus using two dormitories and the dining hall. The name “Camp of the Rising Son” was based on our purpose of presenting Christ, our risen Lord, to campers. The Indian theme of using Native American names for our buildings and addressing staff as “Chief” was an idea borrowed from Camp Sandy Cove in Maryland, where “Chief” Margie worked in the 1960s. It was there that she fell in love with camping as the best possible setting for connecting with the heart of a child and living out the love of Christ in God’s creation!

By 1985, the program spanned four weeks with a registration of 100 per week. Seeing that more space was needed, the FCA Board of Directors moved to build a separate facility near Lake Anne, a half mile from center campus. So in 1987, the Hall Lodge was built overlooking Lake Anne and became headquarters for Camp of the Rising Son. In addition, 16 cabins, a large activities building known as the “Pow Wow,” a crafts and pottery cabin, two shower houses, and several small sheds for camp equipment were also built. In the early 1990s, CRS was serving more than 200 children a week and added a white-water rafting program for 13- to 15-year-olds. We were hiring a total of 65 summer staff each year. By the mid-1990s, it was a joy to have former campers beginning to returning as counselors!

The resident camping program, geared to ages 7-12, incorporated 15 to 18 activities, including canoeing, sailing, horseback riding, archery, crafts making, pottery, art, leather craft, basketry, swimming lessons, fishing, enjoying nature, learning camp skills, tackling the ropes course, and others. Each camper chose five activities per week in which he/she specialized, with the option to work for awards in each area. Our staff has always been trained to teach all the activities as professionally as possible. We often send activity specialists to receive certification in the various activities.

Bible lessons were taught by counselors with the desire that campers would come to know Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior and grow in that relationship. Each week ended with the Passion Play, presented by the staff in the outdoor chapel-in-the-woods. Another outstanding aspect of CRS has been that programs are designed to stimulate creativity in each camper. , the absence of TV, electronic games, iPods, and CD players and a focus on wholesome fun!

Chief Margie says, “Over the 20 years that I directed, it was my greatest joy to see children respond to the Gospel, inviting Jesus to be their own personal Savior! Knowing that God created this earth to bear testimony to His greatness, we delighted in focusing on His handiwork around us. Even our cabins were designed to assure that campers could hear crickets and frogs as the lay in bed at night! Many parents sent their children for the high quality of training in various activities, but, at the end of the week our greatest joy is knowing that their lives had been changed by knowing Jesus personally!!”

From the late 1990s through 2008, directors Rusty McKnight, Larry Littlejohn, and Step Morgan made a lasting impact on the staff and campers at CRS. A leadership training program for 15-year-olds was added, a new pool was built, the floating dock was put in the lake, and a ninth cabin was constructed in the Maiden Unit. Repairs and rebuilding happened after several large storms came through the French Camp area. Kayaking and Frisbee sports were added as activities.

Carrie Browning is CRS’s current director. She began as a camper, returned as a counselor and program director, and assumed the director’s position in fall 2008. Under her leadership, the program offerings for teens have expanded to include horse camp, astronomy camp, and an ultimate adventure rafting trip.

Chief Carrie says, “Over the years though there have been new additions and updates to our activities and facilities, the core values of Camp of the Rising Son remain the same. We are committed to providing a safe environment and Christ-centered setting for children and youth that intentionally focuses on experiencing creation, building relationships, encouraging creativity, learning new skills, and having lots of fun!”

CAMP LEADERSHIP CIT/LIT PROGRAMS: CIA (Camp Intern Adventure) stages D1 and D2 are an opportunity like none other offered at Camp of the Rising Son. As part of a select group you will have the opportunity to work with amazing chiefs and fellow participants to serve the staff and campers! There will be time for building relationships, recreation, and studying God’s Word to grow in your faith. You will leave camp with a better understanding with a better understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Christ and what it takes to make CRS special for our campers! For more information regarding our CIA program, please visit our website: Our Camp Website Link: www.campoftherisingson.com

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: Scholarship applications are due April 1st. The application can be found on our website.

FAMILY CAMP SESSION(S): At family camp, you can choose to participate in our many fun activities or choose to hang out and rest. This is your vacation, so everything is optional! Play opportunities include swimming, fishing, and boating on Lake Ann, rock wall, archery, horseback riding, Frisbee golf, crafts, and more! In the morning, adults will be challenged and connect duing worship and Bible study while camp staff teach and entertain the children. Afternoons will be play time for families to have a chance to experience camp together. Nights hold a campfire, parent date/kid fun night, and a fun family event night! Take the opportunity to unplug and play as a family, and we'll take care of the rest! Please visit our website for more information: Our Camp Website Link: www.campoftherisingson.com

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS: Camp of the Rising Son also hosts retreats, seminars, and programs when camp is not in session. Please refer to our website for more information about our programs.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
Please visit our website for camp sessions, dates, and fees: Our Camp Website Link: www.campoftherisingson.com

SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
It is a unique privilege and responsibility to serve hundreds of campers and their families each summer. Our aim is to employ enthusiastic young men and women who are committed to growing in their relationship to Christ and to proclaiming and living out the Gospel. We strive to create a safe environment, intentionally seek opportunities to develop relationships with our campers, and share Christ in every aspect of daily life.

Our summer staff is at the heart of our ministry and has a great potential to impact the campers. This is why we seek to hire the best staff possible each summer. CRS staff are role models to our campers, and because of this we have a set of guidelines and rules that staff must follow. We do this because what we as staff do in moderation, the campers will do in excess. We want to be wholesome, godly leaders for these campers.

For more information or to download an application, please refer to our website.

CAMP FACILITIES: Participants will use many of the buildings on The Baddour Center's campus, including one group home, outdoor pool, Community Life building, gymnasium, auditorium, and more.

CAMP PROGRAM INFO: YOUR Summer Program was started in 2015. We look forward to our fourth year and four different weeks (2 for males, 2 for females) of fun!

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS: The Baddour Center is dedicated to providing a model residential community for adults with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities in an environment that promotes maximum growth intellectually, spiritually, physically, socially, emotionally and vocationally.

CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
Males: June 2-6, 2019; June 16-20, 2019
Females: June 9-13, 2018; June 23-27, 2019
Cost: $700 per session

Visit Our Camp Website Link: www.baddour.org to print an application.