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Summer Camps 2024
Thank you for your interest in Classics Summer Camps. The 2024 camps are now closed to registration, except for scholarship applicants. (Please contact the Director, Ariana Traill, traill@illinois).
Meet the Romans!
“Meet the Romans” introduces kids to ancient Roman civilization. Learn stories about gods, heroes, and monsters, as well as the lives of ordinary Roman kids. Put on your toga as you create your own Roman arts and crafts, and learn some Latin, too. Latin is a great way to boost advanced English vocabulary: 90% of English words of more than two syllables come from Latin. There are different activities in each half-week session.
Dates and Times: All sections of this are full.
Note: There are different activities each week and different instructors, for campers who wish to attend more than one session.
Ages: 8-11
Class size: 12-18 children with two instructors, plus a volunteer or CIT as available (one instructor, if under ten children)
Location: Bevier Hall, Room 108
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Meet the Greeks!
“Meet the Greeks” introduces kids to ancient Greek civilization. Learn about Greek myths, like the stories of Perseus and Medusa or Artemis and Apollo. Discover the original Olympics and learn about the lives of real ancient Greek kids. Try wearing Greek clothing and check out ancient toys. Create your own Greek arts and crafts and learn a little language too! Greek roots abound in English. There are different activities in each half-week session.
Dates and Times: All sections of this are full.
Note: There are different activities each session and each week and different instructors for campers who wish to attend more than one session.
Ages: 8-11
Class size: 12-18 children with two instructors, plus a volunteer or CIT as available (one instructor, if under ten children)
Location: Bevier Hall, Room 108
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CAMP INFORMATION
Instructors: Instructors hold or are completing a BA/MAT/MA/PhD in Classics. For further information, see “Meet the Classics Staff” on the web site.
Cost: $130/week per camp ($260/both camps - full day), plus $35 materials and registration processing fee per child. Minimum registration is one-week half-days.
Limited need-based scholarship aid available. Contact the director for further information.
Curriculum: Our language learning goal areas are novice mid-level (one week) or novice high level (two or more weeks) as per the Standards for Classical Language Learning, in compliance with ACTFL World Readiness Standards.
Location: On the University of Illinois Main Campus
Lunch: Lunch supervision provided for children who register for the full day.
Questions: Contact Ariana Traill, Classics Camps Director
Staff:
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Ariana Traill (she/her)
Camps Director
Ariana Traill has a BA from the University of Toronto & a PhD from Harvard. She is currently an Associate Professor and the Latin Program Coordinator in the Department of the Classics. She founded and has run Classics Summer Camps since 2015. She advises future Latin teachers in the U. of Illinois Foreign Language Teacher Education Program. Her professional experience includes teaching Latin, Greek and Classical Civilization the University of Illinois, since 2003. Her first teaching experience was in Latin, French and Music at a Canadian high school. See her academic profile. Contact: traill@illinois.edu
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Vaughn Fenton (he/his)
“Meet the Greeks”, June 10-14, afternoon; June 17-21, morning
Vaughn Fenton has a BA in History and Classics from Virginia Tech. He is currently a Classics Ph.D student at the University of Illinois and is preparing for career as a scholar. At the University of Illinois, Vaughn has taught numerous Myth discussion sections and has assisted for a variety of classes, including Introduction to Ancient Greek Culture and Development of Ancient Cities. In his free time, he likes to paint and build models. See his academic profile.
Vaughn is returning for his second year in Classics Summer Camps
Amy Vandervelde (she/her)
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"Meet the Greeks", June 3-7, afternoon
Amy Vandervelde has a BA in Classical Languages & English Literature from Macalester College. She is continuing into her fourth year of the PhD program in Classical Philology at UIUC. Here at Illinois she has taught both beginning and intermediate Latin, in addition to regularly being a discussion instructor for CLCV 115: Mythology of Greece and Rome. This past academic year Amy worked as the research assistant for the Illinois Classical Studies journal, and she hopes to continue finding new opportunities that combine her interests in classical studies and copy editing. Amy spent a handful of years as the 3rd/4th grade lead counselor for her hometown's Camp Invention summer program and looks forward to spending time with the students. See her academic profile.
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Elisa Jennings (she/her)
“Meet the Greeks”, June 10-14, morning
Elisa Jennings has a BA in Linguistics and Ancient Greek from Arizona State University. She is going into her final year of the M.A.T. in Latin program and is working towards becoming a high school Latin teacher. Elisa has taught college students beginner Latin for years, and is excited to enrich the minds of even more students with Classics. She has taught 5th graders to college students and knows everybody can take away great wisdom from antiquity. At the University of Illinois, she has taught “Elementary Latin I and II” (LAT 101, 102) and “Mythology of Greece and Rome” (CLCV 115, section leader). See her academic profile.
Elisa is returning for her third year in Classics Summer Camps.
Emma Reymann (she/her)
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“Meet the Romans”, June 3-7, morning
Emma Reymann has a BA in Classics from Hillsdale College, summa cum laude & is currently a Classics M.A. student at the University of Illinois. She is preparing for career in teaching, hopefully at the college level. Her professional experience includes volunteer teaching Latin at a K-8 school during her undergraduate years, as well as volunteering at other summer day camps previously. At the University of Illinois, she has taught “Mythology of Greece and Rome” (CLCV 115, section leader), and Introduction to Greek Culture (CLCV 114, grading assistant). See her academic profile.
Emma is returning for her third year in Classics Summer Camps.
Jillian White (she/her)
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“Meet the Romans”, June 17-21, afternoon
Jillian White has a BA in Greek & Latin Philology and Cognitive Science from Case Western Reserve University, magna cum laude & is currently a Classics Ph.D. student at the University of Illinois. is preparing for career in Classics teaching at the university level. Her professional experience includes tutoring undergraduate university students in Latin and Greek and roles as an assistant camp counselor at other K-8 summer day camps. See her academic profile". See her academic profile.
Jillian is returning for her second year in Classics Summer Camps
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Counselor in Training Program
Are you aged (14-16) and interested in ancient Greek and Roman stories and culture? Do you enjoy working with kids? Classics Summer Camps welcomes applications for our new Counselor in Training Program.
Responsibilities
- Participate fully in camps activities and be a positive influence. Camps run according to a schedule of activities distributed at the beginning of each week.
- Help children master new skills, complete projects, and have fun in a safe, friendly environment.
- Work cooperatively with camps instructors to provide a positive experience for all campers.
- Be willing to learn and use new information about Greco-Roman antiquity, including some Latin and/or Greek.
Training
One hour orientation covering safety, camps code of conduct, camps activities, and skills needed to work with children, including classroom management, before camps begin. The rest of the training will take place during camps. CIT’s will be supported in developing leadership skills.
Hours
Up to 20 hours per session (= one week half days).
Cost: $75.00 per session (= one week half days). No registration fee.
Application
To apply, please send a short (150-200 word) statement about why you would like to be a counselor in training to Prof. Ariana Traill, Director, Classics Summer Camps (traill@illinois.edu) by May 1, 2024. Applicants will be asked to participate in a short Zoom interview with parents/legal guardians present. Application will remain open until all positions are filled.