Recreation department is offering new teen camps
Non-traditional fun is the focus
By Kara Chalmers
The Saratoga Recreation Department is offering three new camps for teens throughout the summer. Last summer, the department offered the camps on a trial basis, and they were successful, said recreation director Joan Pisani.
The camps are geared toward teens who have outgrown traditional camps, but whose parents want to give them something fun to do during the day, Pisani said.
The following two camps are for students entering grades 6, 7, 8 and 9 in the fall. The camps' fees include entrance fees, transportation, supervision, craft materials and some snacks. Campers must bring a lunch each day and wear sunscreen and tennis shoes. The camps meet at the Warner Hutton House.
The Extreme Adventure camp, offered for one to three weeks, includes trips to places, such as Great America, the Santa Cruz beach and boardwalk, or a Giants baseball game, each day for a week. The fee for five days is $194 for residents of Saratoga and $204 for nonresidents.
Cool Ventures is offered for up to four weeks. It features two days per week of trips to places as those listed above. Campers spend the three other weekdays doing sports, arts, crafts, games and cooking. The fee for five days is $149 for residents and $159 for nonresidents.
The third camp, which is scheduled to run from July 17 through July 21, is called the Adventure Trail and is for teens, ages 11-17. The camp is a week of High Sierra backpacking with naturalist Greg Meyer, who has run many state parks camps for pre-school to high school age children and adults, and teen coordinator Greg Milano from the Saratoga Recreation Department. Campers spend the first day of the camp at El Quito Park in Saratoga, learning to pack backpacks and planning menus. They spend the next four days and three nights in the Sierras.
Campers will be given an equipment list with rental information and a detailed itinerary prior to the camp. The fee for this camp is $189 for residents and $199 for nonresidents. Campers should bring a lunch on Monday and wear sunscreen and tennis shoes.
For more information, or to register for any of the camps, call the recreation department at 408.868.1248 or 408.868.1249.
Saratoga, California Since 1955
