Free Summer Camps Return, Thanks To The Township Trustee
Noblesville students participate in the cross country camp behind White River Elementary during a previous Summer Recreation Camp program. The program, annually open to students in Noblesville Township, is made possible thanks to Noblesville Township Trustee Office, with many of Noblesville Schools’ facilities used for the programs. Openings were still available in this camp at presstime.
Noblesville students participate in the track and field summer camp during a previous Summer Recreation Camp program, made possible thanks to Noblesville Township Trustee Office. As of presstime, openings were still available.
Noblesville students participate in Adventure Camp during a previous year. The camp takes place at Koteewi Sport & Target Archery Center and will be led by Darlene Patterson and Kittie Brown.
Noblesville students participate in girls and boys pottery camps a previous year at Promise Road Elementary. The camp is led by Darlene Patterson and Kittie Brown.
When my now high school junior daughter was in middle school, I sat at my laptop computer waiting for Noblesville Schools’ annual free summer camps to go on sale.
It kind of reminded me of when I used to try to get tickets for popular concerts at the former Deer Creek Music Center, or this school year when I was trying to get front-row tickets for Noblesville High School’s “Chicago: Teen Edition.”
Needless to say, the summer camps are very popular.
We all should thank the Noblesville Township Trustee Office for partnering with Noblesville Schools to offer the programs again this year.
We took advantage of the camps for the first time six summers ago, and we loved the camps.
My daughter likes to stay busy. So she attended several camps.
Our first year, we signed up for track and field, tennis, cross country, swimming and softball. Our second year, we signed up for synchronized swimming (thanks to a partnership with Indy Synchro), color guard, hiking and again, track and field.
Our third year, 20-plus different free summer camps were offered, and we signed up for hiking and adventure camp, led by Promise Road Elementary art teacher, Darlene Patterson. She’s leading the hiking and adventure camps again this year, along with a pottery camp.
Noblesville Schools on Monday released this year’s summer camps. There are so many choices of summer camps, even more choices than in 2022, with most of those being free camps, thanks to Noblesville Township Trustee. Camps are offered for kindergarten through Grade 8.
Free recreational camps include boys basketball at Noblesville East Middle School (NEMS), boys baseball at the NHS baseball complex, girls basketball at Noblesville West Middle School (NWMS), girls and boys soccer at White River soccer fields, girls track and field and boys track and field and girls and boys football at Beaver Materials Stadium, girls volleyball at NWMS, girls and boys dance at North Elementary, girls and boys hiking camps at Cool Creek Park, girls and boys adventure camp at Koteewi Sport & Target Archery Center, girls softball camp at NHS softball complex, girls and boys drama and theater camp at NHS Auditorium, art camp at Caravan Classes, boys volleyball at NHS, girls and boys color guard camp and cheerleading camp at Noblesville Schools Community Center, girls and boys Esports Super Smash Brothers camp at NHS media center, beginner girls and boys dance at North Elementary, girls and boys rhythm and music camp at NEMS, clay camps at Kiln Creations, boys tennis and girls tennis at the NHS tennis complex, girls and boys cross country at the Cross Country complex behind White River Elementary, girls and boys strength training and fitness at the NHS weight room, girls and boys wrestling at the NHS wrestling room, mixed-media art camps at Kiln Creations, and girls and boys pottery camps at Promise Road Elementary.
Paid camp opportunities offered by Noblesville Schools’ coaches: advanced boys basketball camps, basic girls and boys soccer camp, advanced girls and boys soccer camp, advanced football camp, NHS dance camps and girls basketball fundamentals.
Being that students can sign up or cancel with a couple of clicks on the computer, I advise them to sign up for desired camps as soon as possible.
Hundreds of students have already signed up so far, according to Noblesville Township Trustee Theresa Caldwell.
But there are still lots of openings.
“This year for camps is going to be great,” Caldwell said. “Finally it seems like we are getting back to pre-COVID camp offerings. We have 34 camps this year as well as partnering with Kiln Creations, Caravan Classes and Nickel Plate Arts.”
She said new this year will be theater camp, rhythm camp, gaming camp, percussion camp, softball camp (returns after a hiatus), and pottery camp. They will still offer all the others like hiking and adventure camp.
Caldwell said at this time there are 944 kids signed up since Monday.
“The cost of camps will really depend on how many coaches and assistants are needed but will cost around $45,000,” she said.
Shauna Metzger, Summer Recreation Director for the Trustee Office, and Joan Lawerence, Noblesville Schools, have spent a lot of time preparing the camps and getting coaches and putting in the hard work to make sure the camps run smoothly, Caldwell said.
“All of us working together are happy to provide these opportunities for the kids of our community.”
For the summer camps, Noblesville Schools provide use of facilities and help with advertising on its website. Individual camp directors and their helpers are paid. Most camp directors are school teachers. Noblesville Township works with a camp coordinator in determining the camps.
For Summer Recreational Camp opportunities, visit https://www.noblesvilleschools.org/noblesville and click on “Summer Camps.”-Betsy Reason writes about people, places and things in Hamilton County. Contact The Times editor Betsy Reason at betsy@thetimes24-7.com