June 17, 2005

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Publication Date: Friday, June 17, 2005

Beating summer boredom

Welcome to the first day of summer vacation; the commencement to ten weeks of fun, uninterrupted by the tedious tones of a summoning school bell. Unencumbered by the daily demands of task-oriented teachers and their seemingly endless pile of projects and homework assignments, families can now breathe a little easier with a new-found wealth of that most precious commodity: time.

Of course, 73 empty calendar spaces are enough to make any parent a little uneasy. After a few weeks of togetherness, even the most inventive and enthusiastic parents will find themselves wincing over their Wheaties the first time those sure-to-be-heard words are uttered by the restless creature gazing expectantly across the breakfast table: "I'm bored, what are we doing today?"

The answer is easier than you might think. All over Pleasanton, gifted groups and innovative individuals are waiting for their opportunity to keep the boredom bug from biting your child. From horses to hockey, baseball to badminton, there are classes and activities to suit every age, interest and ability.

Right in the heart of our city, at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, the Pleasanton Golf Center is teaching tomorrow's tour pros the finer points of the game that lasts a lifetime. Dana Dormann, a two-time winner on the LPGA tour, says the summer camps are a favorite part of her current year round job as a teaching professional at the Golf Center. "The camps are set up so that kids can improve their game no matter what skills they bring to the first day of instruction. We keep the student-professional ratio low so there is plenty of individual attention, and the pros really get a chance to know each kid."

Dormann's own child, 10-year-old William, has been a regular participant at the camps for several seasons. "He's looking forward to 'Friday Sweeps' this year," Dormann said, referring to a newly introduced golf camp activity. "This summer we're inviting our students to join in a friendly competition and barbecue lunch each Friday afternoon. It gives the kids a chance to practice what they learned at camp and get comfortable with competition in a supportive setting." Dormann added that membership in the Junior Club is an added bonus of summer camp enrollment. "The Golf Center really works to encourage kids to get out and play all 12 months of the year. We offer the Juniors weekly clinics, discounted green fees and range balls and plenty of events to keep them excited about getting out on the course."

Over at the Nature House on Kottinger Drive, Pleasanton's Youngmin Lee has been busy assembling an enticing assortment of art supplies aimed at encouraging young artists to explore their hidden creative talents. Three years ago, Lee and fellow artist Sarah Hudson developed the Summer Art Camp as a way to expose young children to the many different mediums available for artistic expression. "We think it is more important to learn to be creative than to learn a particular skill," Lee explained. "This program lets kids try out a whole bunch of different materials, lets them see what they can create through different types of art." Lee added that some of the projects, tie-dye and papier-mache for example, are messy and would probably not be experienced at home. Chaotic creations are expected at the Nature House. "We don't mind the mess," Lee laughed. "It's just part of the process."

In addition to the two week long Art Camps, Lee offers three courses in specialized crafts. While most kids are familiar with origami, (paper cups and cootie catchers are core curriculum in second grade) very few have experienced the more intricate arts of unit origami and maedup. "Unit origami involves folding and joining pieces of paper together to make beautiful boxes," explained Lee. "We experiment by using different papers, colors and shapes." Maedup, or the art of Korean knotting, is similar to macramˇ, but uses a single cord to make jewelry and other decorative items. And, Lee points out, these lessons are great options for parents who insist on classes with intrinsic value beyond "it's fun". Origami and maedup, she says, are great for developing fine motor skills. Not to mention the coolness factor in knowing how to fold those fortunetellers which have forever predicted every fourth grader's future.

Middle schools across Pleasanton will welcome the Hansen family's sixth season of Championship Basketball Camps. The popular program has earned its excellent reputation by consistently bringing an exceptionally well-organized and talented team of coaches to the courts. Scores of Tri-Valley hoopsters have enthusiastically embraced Coach Mike Hansen's slam-dunk philosophy that "attitude is everything."

With a roster of assistants hand picked from the east bay's best basketball talent, Coach Mike, his sister Kim and their father Tom lead what many Pleasanton parents consider one of the best programs around. "I love that my kids come home from Championship Basketball talking about teamwork and loving the game," said one satisfied parent. "And I see a real improvement in their skills."

Several generations of successful Pleasantonians credit their accomplishments to the care and encouragement they received at Gingerbread Preschool. The tradition continues this summer as these experts in early education once again host eight weeks of summer camps for tiny tots. "Our summer programs are run on the same principles that guide our regular preschool curriculum," said Becky Hopkins, Recreational Supervisor for the City of Pleasanton. "We encourage children to learn through play and enjoy being a kid. This is a great opportunity to introduce a shy child to the learning environment in a relaxed and secure setting."

With each week centered around the themes youngsters hold most dear, it shouldn't take much encouragement to get even the most reluctant campers enthused about 'Adventures in Space', Dino Explorers and Zoo Safari. "The art projects, snacks and literature all run around the week's topic," Hopkins continued. "Of course, there is plenty of time for free play, also." Caregivers are urged to prepare for picking up a messy moppet at the end of the day; a mud pit, water tables and other outdoor activities are a customary component of the daily Gingerbread routine.

Soon-to-be-sophomore Sarah Moellering can't wait for the August start of Pleasanton's Bay Area Teen Shakespeare Camp. What started in 1993 with 30 young thespians has grown to include over 800 aspiring actors. Each two-week series provides an in-depth study of Shakespeare's work and life and language of the Elizabethan era. Students learn performance skills and the back-stage crafts of theatre production as they work to produce a shortened version of one of the bard's plays.

Moellering reports that the Shakespeare staff is absolutely awesome. While the exuberanance of a teen theatre type is sometimes suspect, the credentials listed by the company are quite impressive. From ACT to the stages of London, circus training to television, the instructor's bios cover every aspect of the acting environment. Not convinced? Moellering's mom says her daughter so loves the Shakespeare camp, she offered to pay the tuition herself!

With a plethora of possibilities for effortless entertainment just minutes from every front door, the minutes between dawn and dusk are easy to fill. As those blank calendar spaces begin to fill, try to remember that summer is a time to slow down, relax and rejuvenate. And a few minutes of boredom here and there just might ease the pain when that school bell rings again on August 29. Contact information:

* Pleasanton Golf Center www.pleasantongolfcenter.com (925) 462-7201

* Summer Art Camp/Origami/Maedup Register through the City of Pleasanton Parks and Recreation (925) 931-5340

* Championship Basketball Camps www.championshipbasketballonline.com (925) 963-9861

* Camp Gingerbread Register through the City of Pleasanton Parks and Recreation (925) 931-5340

* Bay Area Shakespeare Camps www.sfshakes.org (415) 422-2222 Other summer activities include:

* Horse Camp at Sunset Riding Academy www.sunsetridingacademy.com

* Skyhawks Sports for Kids www.skyhawks.com (800) 804-3509

* Tech-GO Computer Classes Register through the City of Pleasanton Parks and Recreation (925) 931-5340

* Cortez Volleyball Camps rcortez@pleasanton.k12.ca.us (925) 931-3447

* Pleasanton Valley Basketball Camp (925) 931-3447

Baseball:

* Steve Horning's Sportstime www.sportstime.com

* Turn 2 Baseball www.lcesario@pleasanton.k12.ca.us

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