WWU's Global Connections Youth Program Features Cross-Cultural Experiences

Contact: Debbie Gibbons, Western Washington University Youth Programs Manager, Debbie.Gibbons@wwu.edu or (360) 650-6820.

BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University will offer Global Connections, a unique and fun enrichment camp, this summer for youth entering grades 4-6.

Global Connections is designed for youth to participate in learning experiences with students from South Korea who are sponsored by JLS Academy. Each weekly session is a balance of morning enrichment and afternoon recreational activities at the Wade King Student Recreation Center that are designed to foster active minds and bodies. A weekly field trip and “all-you-can-eat” cafeteria lunches will round out the experience.

The topics and field trips include:

• July 23-27, “Connections in Geocaching” – Have a geo-venture making and hiding geocaches and learning how to use a map and compass to navigate the Sehome Arboretum. A cache may also be found during a field trip to the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.
• July 30 – Aug. 3, “Kitchen Chemistry: Locally and Globally” – Explore how chemistry affects our everyday lives in this course loaded with hands-on activities.  Try food from around the world made using the help of chemistry and test your new expertise during a field trip to the Pacific Science Center in Seattle.
• Aug. 6–10, “Fantastic Flight” – Exploration of birds, planes, kites, rockets and more will be included in this investigation of aerodynamics. All week long, campers will build various flying machines, test them out, and then test their own glider at the Birch Bay Waterslides.

“In its second year, Global Connections has been modified to deliver three hours of academic content each morning in an inquiry-based, hands-on learning environment,” said Debbie Gibbons, Western Washington University Youth Programs manager. “The new format is more appropriate for the age level of participants. The teaching staff is enthusiastically planning daily science lessons and is eagerly looking forward to taking student learning to a new level.”

Each weekly camp adventure is only $150 per child, or $135 per week of registering for all three weeks.  Cost includes field trips, four cafeteria lunches, supervised recreational opportunities and instruction materials.

Register online at www.wwu.edu/youth.  For questions, email Western Youth Programs at youth@wwu.edu or call (360) 650-3308.