College for Kids 2014

If you do even the most basic of searches here on Slapinions you'll find near annual posts about College for Kids at UW-Milwaukee. I'll skip the usual recitation of accolades about the program - all deserved - and just go over this years experience. 

Here was this year's lineup: 

Discovery Camp 3

Junie: 

9AM  Creating with Recycled Products

11:30AM  Plants around the world

2PM  Navigating Africa

Smiley:

9AM  Food Chains

11:30 AM  Blueprints to Buildings

2PM  Plants around the World

YaYa:

9 AM  Royalty

11:30 AM Ethics

2 PM  Kinetic Creations

LuLu:

9AM Royalty

11:30 AM  Ethics

2 PM Blueprints to Buildings

**NOTE: Due to scheduled appointment’s both Smiley and YaYa will miss at least one class, and possibly two, during the week

Discovery Camp 2

Junie: 

9AM  Japanese

11:30 AM  #10 and Beyond

2 PM Puppet Storeytime

Smiley:

9AM  A Capella 

11:30 AM  Music of the World

2 PM Japanese

LuLu : CANNOT ATTEND – PRIOR COMMITMENTS

YaYa:

9AM  Geocaching

11:30 AM  Japanese

2 PM The Writer’s Den

There were some changes along the way. That A Capella class of Smiley's was an error on UWM's part and he had to go into Puppet Storytime, the only class with an opening in his age group. He was SOOOO Angry, but in the end he loved the class (as did Junie, who took the later time). The teacher was great, and the class was mainly about puppet making itself, with the kids actually sewing their own puppets! (He thinks they should change the name to make it more appealing though!)

All the kids enjoyed Japanese, where they learned some basics of the language and wrote their names in Japanese script. 

YaYa didn't enjoy the teacher from the writing class but enjoyed the course. 

LuLu actually wound up taking a single morning class (geocaching with YaYa) in the second week. We then picked her up to take her to a 3 day dance intensive class out on Brown Deer Road. 

Royalty was loved by Lu, and enjoyed (but not to the same extent) by YaYa. 

Surprisingly, both of the girls really loved Ethics class. They learned the six pillars of ethical behavior and engaged in daily debates on controversial subjects. They couldn't stop talking about the class on the morning we asked about it!

Anyway, part of our tradition is a visit to Eeyore's house, a downed tree in Downer Woods that resembled the famous character's home. I say "resembled' because nearly a decade has passed and time and weather has knocked it apart. 

I took the kids on a hike from the Union to Downer Woods to keep up the tradition. 

Here's the house: 

I love these pics of the kids of TeamSlap!

Another great year! What a great program!