Summer programs abundant

With a large roster of activities available this summer, interested children in Clovis and Portales will have difficulty staying bored for long.

A wealth of summer programs have already begun, offering children a wide range of activities and parents an opportunity to keep their children occupied.

Here’s a sampling:

• For young athletes, Eastern New Mexico University is holding two basketball camps in June at Greyhound Arena.

The ENMU basketball individual camp, scheduled Monday through Thursday, will see basketball players and coaches instructing children from kindergarten to eighth grade in general skills. Registration is $100 per player.

• The ENMU women’s basketball team camp is scheduled June 19-21. It’s designed for varsity high school teams and pits teams against one another in a tournament. Registration is $575 per team.

“With our team camp, it’s fun to see how, over a two to three day period, how each team gets better, with more competition each day. It’s fun to see the kids have fun, it’s fun to see the kids get better,” said ENMU Head Women’s Basketball Coach Joshua Prock.

• For Clovis children from kindergarten to sixth grade, the First United Methodist Church provides a summer day camp until July 28.

The camp, held 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, sees children taking field trips and nature walks, as well as participating in arts and crafts, according to program director Jenny Owens.

“Last year, we went down to the Goodwin Trails, and we did a service project and helped pick up trash. In our morning rotation, we have a craft that goes along with our theme for the week,” Owens said.

Registration for the summer day camp is $27 per day or $115 per week.

• In Portales, children ages 6-12 are eligible for Eastern New Mexico University’s Kid’s College program, which ENMU Coordinator of Dual Enrollment and Continuing Education Melissa Donohue said is “a mix between a summer camp and some learning things.”

Science experiments, reading, art projects, and daily trips to the ENMU Natatorium for swimming are part of the program, according to Donohue.

The program is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday until July 28, and is an excellent fit for children, Donohue said.

“We have about 40 kids, so the kids can’t get overwhelmed. Having so many counselors kind of helps them get good adult attention,” she said.

Registration for ENMU Kid’s College is $90 per week per child and an additional $75 per week for a second child.

• The Clovis Community College Kid’s College program offers similar activities for children, but on a class-by-class basis, according to Business and Non-Credit Training Manager Al Potthoff.

Classes offered range from tennis to bike maintenance to 3-D printing, according to Potthoff, with age restrictions varying by class.

New classes this year include cheerleading, yoga for youngsters, and a class called “You and Me and Me and You.”

“It’s really a cosmetology class designed for pairs of people, like a father and a daughter, or older sister-younger sister,” Potthoff said.

Registration costs for CCC Kid’s College vary from $10 to $75 depending on the class.

Here’s a sampling of summer programs offered to children in Clovis and Portales this summer:

Sports

• Eastern New Mexico University Basketball Individual Skills Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Thursday, Greyhound Arena. For children in kindergarten through eighth grade. $100 per child. Call 575-562-4312 for information.

• Clovis High School Youth Soccer Camp, 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. June 19-June 21, Yucca Junior High School Soccer Complex. For children ages 4-14. $35 per child. Call 575-693-1606 for information.

• Portales High School Ram Fundamental Tennis Camp, 4 p.m.-5 p.m., July 10-July 21, Portales Junior High School. For children ages 6-13. Free. RSVP at 575-760-4151.

• ENMU Elite High School Boys Soccer Camp, 10 a.m.-evening, July 13-July 16, ENMU. $200-$300. Call 575-562-2759 for information.

• Ram Volleyball Little Spikers Volleyball Camp, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. July 26, and 9 a.m.-12 p.m. July 27, Portales High School Gym. For children in kindergarten through seventh grade. $25. Call 601-392-1362 for information.

• British Soccer Camp, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Aug. 7-11, 14th Street and Norris Street, Clovis. $78-$127. Call 575-791-1559 for more information.

Day programs

• First United Methodist Church Summer Day Camp, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., May 30-July 28, 1501 North Sycamore Street, Clovis. $27 per day, $115 per week. Call 575-763-8969 for information.

• Clovis Community College Kid’s College, varying hours, June 5-July 29, 417 Schepps Boulevard. Cost varies per class. Call 575-769-4760 for information.

• Eastern New Mexico University Kid’s College, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. through July 28, ENMU Education Building Room 102. $90 per week per child. Call 575-562-2165 for more information.

* For a full listing of available summer programs, visit United Way of Eastern New Mexico at http://www.unitedwayenm.org