Kump Center Set to Host Popular Spanish Summer Camp

ELKINS--The Kump Education Center will again host an exciting, week-long summer Spanish language camp, providing fun and educational opportunities for area youth. This year, the popular Spanish Camp theme is La Navidad en Julio (Christmas in July) and will celebrate all the wonderful Spanish traditions aligned with the holidays. The camp is designed for children ages 5-11 and will immerse participants in culture, foods, and arts.

Spanish Camp is scheduled for July 20-24, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily, and is under the direction of Leah Devine. This is the fourth year she has led this engaging summer camp at the KEC.

Devine currently teaches Spanish at Elkins High School. Her 20 years of Spanish teaching experience include middle and high school, as well as Spanish summer camps, ranging from lower elementary at The Arts Center to week-long Spanish Immersion camps for high schoolers. She also directed a Spanish camp for elementary and middle school-age youth in coordination with Mountain Laurel Learning Cooperative (MLLC) in Tucker County.

​“I am looking forward to creating a fun and engaging experience with a second language. I am excited to welcome new and returning campers. No prior knowledge of Spanish is needed, just an excitement for learning through cooking, art, and outdoor play,” said Devine.

"Participants will learn about secular and religious traditions that take place in December," said Devine. "We'll bike and roller skate for a 'Patinata', a pre-Christmas gathering in Venezuela where kids and families roller skate and bike together. We will also hear the songs of 'Las Posadas', a celebration where children and families led by children dressed as Mary and Joseph go house to house, asking to enter. At the last house, they are welcomed in and there is a celebration with food, dancing, and a piñata."

​Spanish Camp will take place at the Gov. Kump House in Elkins. Enrollment is limited to sixteen, so registration before July 1 is suggested. Tuition for the week-long camp is $300, which includes lunch and snacks. There is limited scholarship assistance available this summer thanks to Kump Education Center donors. Please visit kumpeducationcenter.org for more information and registration materials.