Presented through the Department of English Language and Literature, the Writing Day Camp offers intensive and practical development in basic writing skills in combination with a full and vigorous recreational program.
Students are grouped according to their grade level in school, with groups averaging about 10 students each. Total enrollment is limited to 50 student-campers per session. The camp director is assisted by a staff comprised of area elementary and secondary school and University teachers and recreational counselors. The adult-student ratio in the Writing Camp is about 1 to 10.
The writing sessions of the camp concentrate on intensive practice in the development and expression of ideas. The objective of the program is the development of skill in the articulation of thought in the sentence, the paragraph, and the short composition, as well as, by means of collaborative effort, in such creative forms as poetry, drama, and fiction. Instruction in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other basics of language usage is provided on an individual basis as needed, but not as an objective of the program. Students at all grade levels use computers extensively in the composition process, but they do not need prior experience with computers to do well in the program. The sole requirement for admission to the Writing Camp is the desire to learn to write well.
The beautiful natural setting of its 2,600-acre campus makes Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ideal for a summer recreational program for youths. Student-campers can participate in a wide range of recreational activities that stimulate their imagination and develop their physical skills: swimming, volleyball, bowling, and nature exploration, among others.
Writing instructors and recreational counselors try to ensure that student-campers view the writing and recreational parts of the camp as one continuous learning experience.
An optional parking pass is available for purchase if campers drive themselves to camp and leave the car on-campus. If you purchase a parking pass, you will park in Lot A. The parking pass will be available for campers when they sign-in on the first day of camp.