Day campers at St Croix Big Island Adventure Camp at AZ Academy were having a ball, laughing and giggling Friday, sliding down a hill at AZ Academy on a slip and slide.
“I love camp here,” said Amelie Cordero,10, as she ran up the hill to get in line again for the slip and slide. “It’s great and there are a lot of fun activities for everyone.”
The 150 campers registered are in for fun, sun, excitement and adventure at the camp located in Orange Grove on the campus at AZ Academy. Besides all the fun activities on campus, the children go on adventures all across St. Croix.
Camp director Julie Landreneau said the mission is to provide an exciting and adventurous environment, where kids feel like they belong and are loved.
Camp opened June 9 and runs through Aug. 15. It is open to public and private school children ages three to 13. Watching over the children are nine CPR-certified staff members and around 60 counselors in training. Each volunteer CIT oversees three to four children. Many of the CITs are doing required community service and some because they love being counselors.
Landreneau said many of the CITs were campers during the nine years she’s been directing the camp.
CIT Rebecca Esannason, 16 and an alumnus of camp, gave the Source a tour of the campus. She said she volunteers because she loves children, the camp program, its philosophy and the people involved.
Landreneau directed the camp when it was at St. Mary’s Catholic School, until they had to move because of construction. She came to St. Croix from Louisiana to direct the camp program that she created.
Landreneau knows how to get the children pumped up with excitement. She gets their attention with a loud shrill whistle through her fingers and teeth. She often has them yell hoorah and gets the children to give three loud claps to recognize, welcome and honor others.
The camp held Monday through Friday has a daily opening ceremony at 8:30 a.m. The campers and CITs all gather near an old sugar mill in a theater-like setting with a stage. They say a prayer for protection and shout out loud “I love my life.” Individuals get on stage and tell what they are grateful for. On Friday they choose the campers of the week in separate age groups. The campers are chosen for acts of kindness, being helpful and generally being good citizens. They have a closing ceremony around 2:30 when campers share experiences they had during the day.
Landreneau said they squeeze everything out of activities on St. Croix.
“We take advantage of everything our island has to offer,” she said.
Campers go on field trips that they pay a small fee for.
The older campers go on turtle watches at Sandy Point. They go horseback riding, hiking, and tour Whim Museum. And they go to St. George Village Botanical Garden and even Home Depot. Campers go paddle boarding and to the beach, where they play games and swim. And there is an overnight stay at Northside Valley where they learn about sustainable living and nature.
There are the usual camp activities such as theatrics, crafts, art, gardening, music and games. And there is a large swimming pool and a wading pool for the littlest campers. They offer after-camp swimming lessons for an additional fee.
Guest presenters visit the camp and offer new experiences.
This week the guest is Chole Wedre, a team builder in corporate America, teaching the campers how to work together preparing them for a hike up Goat Hill during challenge week.
“We push them out of their comfort zone and add challenges to the camp experience,” Landreneau said.
For parents’ convenience and an additional fee the camp has before-care from 7 to 8:20 a.m. and after-care from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Mid-July there will be an after hours tutoring service.
Landreneau added parents can still register their children for camp and get more information on line at www.azvi.org.
