SUMMER FUN: Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos hosts summer kids camps

Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos is hosting summer camps and various programs for children in the community. The camps began June 29 and continue through August 6.

The multicultural center has a deep historical significance to the area of San Marcos and strives to create a diverse, educational environment for children of all ages.

Centro's programs and educational curriculum include the areas of visual arts, theater, dance, literature, music, multimedia, and the culinary arts.

The camps and programs at Centro focus on creativity. Students are given the opportunity to learn and express themselves through their creations.

“(The student’s work) is personal. When it’s personal, it has meaning and we focus on meaning,” said Linda Kelsey-Jones, director of the ArtSpace program.

Students can express themselves through art in the ArtSpace program and Camp Ole. They can also expand their STEM skills and gain experience in coding with the Scratch Maker program.

“Every day is a little different. It depends on you know, where the kids find what they're most interested in,” said Sean Justice, director of the Scratch Maker camp. “And so some kids get really interested in different pieces and you know, dig in and get really excited.”

The Scratch Maker program is made up of fifth and sixth graders. During the week, they participate in STEMbased activities such as programming, coding, and building structures.

“At the end of the week, it's when it gets kind of fun, because that's when the kids are doing stuff that they really kind of mix and match. It's always fun,” Justice said.

On Friday, June 9, students enrolled in the Scratch Maker camp had a showcase to display and present what they have learned and built while in class to their family and friends.

“I think what's really awesome is the moments where you see things click for the kids, and where they keep pushing,” said Nadia Ruhdy, facilitator for the Scratch Maker camp.

The weekly classes are free to all that sign up. Each student is required to sign up at the beginning of each week. Class sizes are limited in order to enforce social distancing and groups are held in three different age groups, 3-5, 6-9 and 10-teen.

For more information regarding Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos, visit www.sanmarcoscentro.org or call the center’s program coordinator, Gloria Salazar at 512-878-0640.