By Rev. Barbara Ross*

Ready set go – back to school with brushed up reading skills, with new self-confidence. With the knowledge that they can accomplish difficult tasks. With a backpack full of items needed for success. With the awareness that the reading camp staff is proud of your accomplishments and praying you’ll have a great school year!

For six weeks a one-day reading camp was staffed and financed by members of Simpson United Methodist Church (Central Valley). Each week 13 children in grades 5-8 who are challenged trying to read came together with the church’s team of 11 retirees who served as camp staff, and school district faculty liaison. The camp staff provided their fingerprints, as required by our local school system, and completed UMC Safe Sanctuaries training.

You could feel the excitement in the air as campers discovered how much they improved in reading, but even more importantly the courage to tackle difficult things. Five learning centers included reading, reading related games, crafts, cooking by reading recipes, and science – where each camper made their own Galilean-style telescope, read about Galileo and other early astronomers and then learned how to use their telescopes.

Not surprisingly, the science center was popular! Campers nick-named their adult instructor “The Telescope Guy”. Reading instructions and comprehending helped them work with the lens in their scope as they spent four sessions building them. The excitement of receiving their very own telescope was palpable.

The cooking center found campers reading recipes and doing some math to get their ingredient measurements correct. One session resulted in 13 8×8-inch cakes being baked, decorated and taken home to be shared with families. The reading center worked on reading, comprehension and a chance to give their own spin on a story ending. We opened the door to faith talk by reading and singing “Fill My Cup Lord” at each session. Breakfast and lunch were served each day. 

We closed our camp with an evening of celebrating accomplishments, complete with dinner and sharing with parents some of what summer reading campers learned. Backpacks full of needed supplies went home with each camper.

One child assumed that since a sibling was also attending camp that they would share one telescope. He couldn’t believe it when he found out everyone got one. “Really I don’t have to share! I always have to share!” the camper said.

One camper had a rough time staying awake the first day. We were cutting into his sleep time. He usually slept until noon. We suggested that he go to bed by 9:00 p.m. the night before the next session so he could be awake. He did and was amazed how much better things went.

Parents at the celebration dinner were in tears to see their kids standing up front excited to answer questions about what they learned in the Science Center.

What a wonderful way to reach out to kids who are often left behind. Reading is what brought us together. Confidence, a willingness to take on challenges, discovering new ways to handle tough situations – campers took all that home with them, plus backpacks filled with supplies and love.      

The Conference Communications team would like to share other stories that highlight ways that each of us is answering the call to reach out to our communities in creative ways. Please e-mail your ministry story to EOC Executive Director of Communications Rick Wolcott at wolcott@eocumc.com.

* Rev. Barbara Ross is a retired elder in the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church.