Performing Arts Camp - Online and Awesome!

  Tuesday 4th August, 2020
  Categories: Connect Stories

Performing Arts Camp - Online and Awesome!

Campers being entertained by the leaders performing the Serial Drama.

Performing Arts Camp 2020 was a crazy and wonderful adventure! We prayed for 20 ‘campers’ and God’s answered our prayer with 21 attending. Though separated, we did creative arts together, using the technology to help us stay connected. The team sent each camper an awesome pack of resources and goodies. Packs included materials to create things with during free time, and hot chocolate and lollies to eat while watching the performances.

This was our first online camp and at the beginning it was challenging to encourage some of the campers to talk. As camp progressed we started to hear their voices, see them participate more actively, and use ingenuity and initiative. God was at work. We had some great discussions using online chats, including conversations about space, questions and encouragement. The camp culture was really good. Kids 'didn't want to leave' and said they felt like they belonged.

On the first day, one camper was pretty shy and nervous, and then, during the scavenger hunt, she found a potato and named it Gerald. It became our main mascot throughout the camp! You could see she was having a great time with her Bible group and having lots of fun. She really shone and wants to come back next year.

The end of camp performance for the campers and families is always a highlight and this year was no exception. It was incredible to see kids express themselves through the performing arts, sharing music and drama they created and being the awesome, creative kids God made! The dramas made use of really creative camera tricks using the Zoom screen, like one character throwing a blanket onto the other 'through the screen' or one character holding another across screens. We also had musical performances that our music campers had written themselves!

— Lizzy (Co-Director) & Jeremy (Drama Coordinator), Performing Arts Camp Team

This story is part of the August 2020 issue of CONNECT. Read the latest update from our State Director here. For other stories from this issue, click on a tile below.