Summer Arts Academy

Dance

This class will begin with basic stretching techniques that will improve flexibility. Technique such as turns, jumps, kicks, and leaps will be practiced daily. A dance routine will be taught and performed at the end of week showcase. Participants will also have time to collaboratively choreograph their own dance pieces.

Junior Drama

Young actors join together to put together a short play to perform at the showcase! Students learn how to project their voice, research and connect to their characters, work as an ensemble, perform for peers as well as a large audience, source props and costumes and have fun together!

Music – Junior/Senior Band

Come and join the Summer Arts Academy Junior/Senior Band! This major will continue to build upon the fundamentals they learned in band at their schools. Students will learn and perform in a full band setting and will perform at the concert on the last day of camp. This gives students the opportunity to perform with other students their age from other schools around the county! Students must provide their own instrument; students who use a school instrument during the school year should ask their band teacher about using a school instrument during Summer Arts Academy.

Prerequisite: Students should be able to read notes of the Bb concert scale. Students should have just completed one year of successful experience in their school band. 

Music – Junior/Senior Orchestra

Students will continue with the fundamentals they learned this past year in Orchestra at their schools. Students will learn/perform tunes in a full Orchestra setting, like they have done in their own schools' settings. This gives students a chance to perform with other students from other schools in the county.

Prerequisite: Open to incoming 5th graders and higher − must have played instrument this past school year.

Art – Sweet Treats

Do you like sweet treats? Of course you do. Instead of eating or baking, we will create sweet treats that you can keep and love forever. We will use clay, paper, paint and other mediums to make cookies, donuts, cakes and other sweet treats. Will yours look just like the real thing, or will it be a treat from your imagination?

Art – Funky Fibers

Discover fabric, yarn, and string as fine art materials. Sculpture, drawing, collage and of course, sewing are just some of the possibilities.

Art – Amazing Animation

If you want to learn more about animation or already have an interest in animation and want to improve your skills this is the class for you! Drawing skills are NOT required! Learn about the 12 principles of animation, virtually tour an animation studio, and create your very own animations. Experiment with various techniques. Create flipbooks and play around with all the elements of a cartoon such as figure and background drawing, perspective, lighting, lettering, and composition!

Music – Chorus

Students will immerse themselves in the world of music, developing their vocal skills and discovering new techniques for singing. They will participate in daily vocal warm-ups, group singing sessions, and some one-on-one coaching, helping them refine their pitch, tone, and breath control. Students will also learn about vocal health, proper posture, and stage presence, gaining confidence in both solo and ensemble performances. By the end of the camp, students will have the opportunity to showcase their progress in a final performance, demonstrating their newfound skills and love for singing.

Music – Ukulele

Learn to play the ukulele! Students will spend one hour each day learning the introductory skills of ukulele performance. These skills include how to hold and tune the instrument, fingerpicking, and strumming chords. No ukulele? No problem! CCPS will provide one for you to use at camp.

Art – In My Creative Era

Bring your creativity and your love of all things Taylor Swift. We will explore the aesthetic of all of T.Swift’s 10 eras and make art based on your favorites. Possibilities include: friendship bracelets, song lyric art, posters and paintings all based on your love of Taylor Swift and her music.

Art – Squares to Cubes: Let’s Draw 3D

Students will experiment with different drawing techniques to combine shape, color and value to draw and create the illusion of three dimensions in a variety of ways.

Art – Citizen of the World: Art Around the World

We will be immersing ourselves into the sights, sounds and cultures of the world through art! We are going to visit North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia without any of the jet lag! Passport included!

Dance – Junior Poms

This class is for dancers who want to learn & improve their pom dance skills. Students will learn basic stretching techniques to improve flexibility and learn a pom routine that enhances sharp moves, kicks, and visuals.

Music – STEAM Music

Students will dive into the world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) by using robots, tower construction, crafting, and coding to explore the fascinating connection between music and innovation. Throughout the camp, participants will work in teams to code robots that can play musical instruments, create sound-responsive towers using engineering principles, and craft interactive devices that respond to touch with musical sounds. With hands-on activities that combine problem-solving and creativity, campers will learn the fundamentals of coding and engineering while discovering how music and technology can come together to create something truly amazing. By the end of the week, students will have gained a deeper understanding of how the arts and STEM fields intersect in ways that can inspire the next generation of inventors, musicians, and engineers.

Music – Bucket Drummin’

Have you ever wanted to bang on a bucket? Well, now you can! In this class, students will learn basic drum techniques that will not only work for playing a drum, but also for playing on plastic buckets. Other household items will also be used to create musical beats. All materials will be provided for the class.

Art – Mixed Media Fun Times

What’s better than one thing? Two! Or more! Combining all kinds of media—paint, collage, clay, markers, crayons, found objects—is what this is all about. Explore different combinations of media and discover how to make art in new and exciting ways.

Art – Cardboard Sculpture

Let’s use this durable material to create an imaginative sculpture. Students will use a variety of cardboard cutting and attaching techniques to create artwork that will test the laws of gravity.

Art – Breathtaking Book Folding

Book folding is an art form where images or designs are created by folding or marking, measuring, and folding the pages of a book, typically along the spine, to reveal a pattern or shape when the book is opened. Designs can be simple or complex, your choice. This is a beautiful artform that is also very relaxing. This is an incredibly unique artform that has taken England by storm. Take your love of books to a whole new level.

Art – Art x LEGO

This course will look at how LEGO can go beyond bricks and become materials and tools in artmaking. Projects will include LEGO inventions, LEGO relief printing and LEGO portraiture.

Dance

This class will begin with basic stretching techniques that will improve flexibility. Techniques such as turns, jumps, kicks, and leaps will be practiced daily. A dance routine will be taught and performed at the end-of-week showcase. Participants will also have time to collaboratively choreograph their own dance pieces.

Drama – Senior Drama

Develop your skills and knowledge of acting while enjoying drama activities and preparing a brief performance for the end of the week. This class is appropriate for students who have a strong interest in drama (acting) and will cover the concepts needed to prepare a solid performance.

Music – Junior/Senior Band

Come and join the Summer Arts Academy Junior/Senior Band! This major will continue to build upon the fundamentals they learned in band at their schools. Students will learn and perform in a full band setting and will perform at the concert on the last day of camp. This gives students the opportunity to perform with other students their age from other schools around the county! Students must provide their own instrument; students who use a school instrument during the school year should ask their band teacher about using a school instrument during Summer Arts Academy.

Prerequisite: Students should be able to read notes of the Bb concert scale. Students should have just completed one year of successful experience in their school band.

Music – Junior/Senior Orchestra

Students will continue with the fundamentals they learned this past year in Orchestra at their schools. Students will learn/perform tunes in a full Orchestra setting, like they have done in their own schools' settings. This gives students a chance to perform with other students from other schools in the county.

Prerequisite: Open to incoming 5th graders and higher - must have played instrument this past school year.

Art – Eco and Upcycled Assemblage

Students will create multiple projects inspired by their own interests, nature and with a focus on incorporating upcycled materials. Assemblage self-portraits, funky creatures and painted nontraditional objects will be the focus.

Art – Digital Design and AI as a Paintbrush

This course will focus on the Adobe Creative Suite with a focus on using Photoshop and Illustrator in graphic design. Projects will center on how the digital world integrates into the real world. How can you use the language of the arts to develop designs that make their way into your everyday life. We will dive into logo design and brand development, creating trading cards, and blending personal creation with the use of Adobe's generative AI.

Dance – Senior Poms

This class is for dancers who want to learn & improve their pom dance skills. Students will learn basic stretching techniques to improve flexibility and learn a pom routine that enhances sharp moves, kicks, and visuals.

Drama – Whose Line is it Anyway?

What happens when actors forget their lines? They IMPROVISE, of course! Students learn how to think on their feet, be a better listener, and work with others while having fun. We will learn and practice a variety of improvisation and "warm up" activities. All are welcome!

Music – Chorus

Students will immerse themselves in the world of music, developing their vocal skills and discovering new techniques for singing. They will participate in daily vocal warm-ups, group singing sessions, and some one-on-one coaching, helping them refine their pitch, tone, and breath control. Students will also learn about vocal health, proper posture, and stage presence, gaining confidence in both solo and ensemble performances. By the end of the camp, students will have the opportunity to showcase their progress in a final performance, demonstrating their newfound skills and love for singing.

Music – Intro to Jazz

Students will learn the basics of how to play different types of jazz styles (swing, Latin, etc.) in a jazz band/combo setting. Students will also have a chance to listen to some of the great jazz artists through the years and also the basics of improvisation.

Prerequisite: Must have played instrument this past school year.

Art – Drawing with Wire: Wire Sculpture Animals

Students will create wire sculptures of animals, finding inspiration sources in nature and then bending and twisting aluminum wire to bring their three-dimensional creations to life.

Art – Citizen of the World: Art Around the World

We will be immersing ourselves into the sights, sounds and cultures of the world through art! We are going to visit North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia without any of the jet lag! Passport included!

Art – When Robots Rule

Working with the technique of screen-printing, students will create drawings of robot parts. Then, in collaboration with their peers, each student will 'build' a robot. We will learn how to work from design to print - developing an idea, creating sketches, transferring to screens and printing techniques.

Drama – From Script to Stage

Enjoy developing your basic skills and knowledge of producing drama from design to production. This class is appropriate for students with any level of drama experience and will focus on concepts such as set design, costume design, stage managing, direction, etc. All levels of artists welcome.

Music – STEAM Music

Students will dive into the world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) by using robots, tower construction, crafting, and coding to explore the fascinating connection between music and innovation. Throughout the camp, participants will work in teams to code robots that can play musical instruments, create sound-responsive towers using engineering principles, and craft interactive devices that respond to touch with musical sounds. With hands-on activities that combine problem-solving and creativity, campers will learn the fundamentals of coding and engineering while discovering how music and technology can come together to create something truly amazing. By the end of the week, students will have gained a deeper understanding of how the arts and STEM fields intersect in ways that can inspire the next generation of inventors, musicians, and engineers.

Music – A Day in the Life of a Music Producer

Do you ever dream about making your own beats? Taking a song in your head, and sharing it with your friends? What if you wrote the music for an upcoming movie? Take a little understanding of musical form, a bit of learning how loops work together, explore 1,000's of sounds, and voila! Your journey as a future music producer begins here in this summer class! Students will learn the universal functions of Digital Audio Workstations and will use composition skills to take ideas from their imagination to reality. CCPS laptops will be utilized in this class and need to be brought fully charged to camp each day. Rising 6th and 9th graders will be provided with laptops during the day for class use.

Art – Cardboard Sculpture

Let’s use this durable material to create an imaginative sculpture. Students will use a variety of cardboard cutting and attaching techniques to create artwork that will test the laws of gravity.

Art – Mosaic Vessels

Students will choose a vessel - vase, flowerpot or glass votive and create a colorful glass mosaic which they will grout on the last day of class.

Art – Breathtaking Book Folding

Book folding is an art form where images or designs are created by folding or marking, measuring, and folding the pages of a book, typically along the spine, to reveal a pattern or shape when the book is opened. Designs can be simple or complex, your choice. This is a beautiful artform that is also very relaxing. This is an incredibly unique artform that has taken England by storm. Take your love of books to a whole new level.