Summer Camp - Middle School (Ages 12-15)
Welcome to our Middle School Specialty Arts and Sports Camps!
NOTE: Youth Strength and Conditioning is open to High School students as well. (Ages 12-18)
Come join us this summer to hone your skills on the court or explore storytelling on the stage and in the art room!
Each camp is centered around exploring and learning a particular skillet and led by a camp instructor with expertise in that area! These camps are designed for ages 12-15, although rising 6th graders who have not yet turned 12 may apply. To better accommodate a middle schooler’s busy summer schedule and allow for more in depth focus in a particular area, these camps are shorter than our full day grade school camps and range from 1.5-5 hours long. See the schedule and camp descriptions below for specific details.
Schedule
Week 1 - 6/17-6/21: Volleyball (6/19 off)
Week 2 - 6/24-6/28: Volleyball
Week 3- 7/1-7/5: OFF
Week 4 - 7/8-7/12: Basketball
Week 5 - 7/15-7/19: Basketball or Stop Motion Animation
Week 6 - 7/22-7/26: OFF
Week 7 - 7/29-8/2: Strength and Conditioning (12-18)
Week 8 - 8/5-8/9: Strength and Conditioning (12-18) or Stage Combat
Week 9 - 8/12-8/16: Stage Combat
Camp Descriptions
Volleyball
In this all-levels, middle-school,volleyball camp, we will focus on a strong foundation of passing, setting, attacking and serving. As the week progresses, we will put these skills together in increasingly complex ways, introducing systems of offense and defense.
Lead Instructor Emily Iverson, a setter with Division II All-American accolades, has been coaching volleyball for 14 years. Her coaching experience varies and includes summer camps, private lessons and teams at the middle school and varsity levels.
Camp is 3 hours a day for one week. 11:30am-2:30pm Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 1 (06/17-06/21) and Week 2 (06/24-06/28)
There will be no camp on 6/19. Fees are pro-rated.
Students should bring their own snack. Athletic clothing and shoes required.
Basketball
Join us for two fun weeks of basketball with Waldorf alumni and former point guard, Coach Elijah. You’ll learn how to play team-oriented basketball, both on offense and defense, and expand your athletic capabilities through fun drills, games and scrimmages, all while developing valuable life lessons and interpersonal communication! Come fine tune your individual skills, learn team concepts, and practice healthy competitive play using the core fundamentals and philosophy of basketball.
Lead Instructor Elijah Marder went to Chicago Waldorf School in Rogers Park from K through 12th, graduating in 2017. He currently coaches with Play Hard Hoops while finishing up a Master’s degree in Public Health at UIC. He’s passionate about physical activity and sports, community building, and health equity for everyone! Elijah describes his basketball playing style as scrappy, a pest defensively, and vertically challenged. He says his love for the game informs his world view, overcoming challenges in the game as a metaphor for life!
Camp is 3 hours a day for one week. 9am-12pm Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 4 (07/08-07/12) and Week 5 (07/15-07/19)
Students should bring their own snack. Athletic clothing and shoes required.
Stop-Motion Animation Camp
Learn how to bring things to life by the art of Stop-Motion Animation. Using state of the art technology, a little patience and guidance, tell a story of a toy adventure, a dinosaur chase, or even a clay blob bouncing. Anything is possible! Just bring a toy(s) or object(s) of your choosing and we can make it come to life.
Lead instructor Nicholas Spreitzer taught himself stop-motion animation skills as a child, which inspired him to go on to study filmmaking and animation at Columbia College Chicago and Savannah College of Art and Design. He also taught animation at the Winnetka Public Schools summer camp program. Nick enthusiastically represents almost every aspect of the CWS community as an alumni, parent and employee!
Camp is 3 hours a day for one week. 2pm-5pm Monday-Friday.
Session available Week 5 (07/15-07/19)
Students should bring their own snack and will be asked to bring a small number of objects or toys from home to be the subject of their animations.
Youth Strength and Conditioning
Ages 12-18
The Youth Strength and Conditioning Camp is designed to empower middle school and high school students with the physical skills and mental toughness they need to excel in their chosen sports and lead healthier lives. This camp offers a comprehensive program tailored specifically to the needs and abilities of young athletes. Through a combination of dynamic workouts, skill-building drills, and educational sessions, participants will develop strength, agility, endurance, and resilience while learning the importance of proper injury prevention techniques.
Lead Instructor Joshua Collins is a Certified Functional Strength Coach and Personal Trainer with over 12 years of experience in the field. His passion for fitness and athletics has led him to work with a diverse range of clients, spanning from enthusiastic beginners as young as 6 years old to seasoned veterans at 78. With a degree in Exercise Science and Wellness, a background in collegiate soccer and experience in semi-professional leagues, Joshua brings a unique understanding of athletic performance to his coaching approach.
Throughout his career, Joshua has had the privilege of coaching professional athletes across multiple disciplines, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and MLS. His expertise in functional strength training, combined with a holistic approach to wellness, has earned him a reputation for delivering results and empowering individuals to reach their full potential.
Camp is 1.5 hours a day for one week. 9am-10:30am Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 7 (07/29-08/02) and Week 8 (08/05-08/09)
Students should bring their own snack. Athletic clothing and shoes required.
Stage Combat Camp
Slaps and battles and falling, oh my!
Come join us for a week of learning how to safely pretend to slap your friends, perform a thrilling quarterstaff fight (like the famous Robin Hood!), and tumble to the ground without hurting yourself.
Through this exciting camp for middle school aged children, participants will develop listening/sharing skills, confidence in working with a team, hand-eye coordination and safe performance techniques while working with staged moments of unarmed and quarterstaff combat.
This workshop in theatrical combat is a safe container to explore some of the most exciting and pivotal moments of a play. We will utilize techniques from the Dueling Arts International theatrical combat organization, mime, and martial arts to build a compelling physical narrative centered around a scene containing theatrical violence. Additionally, we will learn proper falling techniques, gain skills in differentiating the play world from reality, and practice self-advocacy and respecting others’ boundaries.
Lead instructor Michael Dias has over 12 years experience teaching martial arts to all ages, and he teaches movement at DePaul University and theatrical combat at College of DuPage. He has earned an MFA in Acting from Ohio University and has completed the Social Emotional Arts certification program through UCLArts and Healing.
Assistant instructor Charlotte Markle received her MFA in Acting from DePaul University, where she also received certification as an Actor Combatant from the Society of American Fight Directors. A proud graduate of Waldorf education, she has also worked for three years at the Chicago Waldorf School in the Early Childhood Program.
Camp is 5 hours a day for one week: 9am-2pm Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 8 (08/5-08/09) and Week 9 (08/12-08/16)
Students should bring their own snack and lunch and come in clothes that they can easily move in. Full-fingered gloves and close-toed sneakers or athletic shoes required.
Welcome to our Middle School Specialty Arts and Sports Camps!
NOTE: Youth Strength and Conditioning is open to High School students as well. (Ages 12-18)
Come join us this summer to hone your skills on the court or explore storytelling on the stage and in the art room!
Each camp is centered around exploring and learning a particular skillet and led by a camp instructor with expertise in that area! These camps are designed for ages 12-15, although rising 6th graders who have not yet turned 12 may apply. To better accommodate a middle schooler’s busy summer schedule and allow for more in depth focus in a particular area, these camps are shorter than our full day grade school camps and range from 1.5-5 hours long. See the schedule and camp descriptions below for specific details.
Schedule
Week 1 - 6/17-6/21: Volleyball (6/19 off)
Week 2 - 6/24-6/28: Volleyball
Week 3- 7/1-7/5: OFF
Week 4 - 7/8-7/12: Basketball
Week 5 - 7/15-7/19: Basketball or Stop Motion Animation
Week 6 - 7/22-7/26: OFF
Week 7 - 7/29-8/2: Strength and Conditioning (12-18)
Week 8 - 8/5-8/9: Strength and Conditioning (12-18) or Stage Combat
Week 9 - 8/12-8/16: Stage Combat
Camp Descriptions
Volleyball
In this all-levels, middle-school,volleyball camp, we will focus on a strong foundation of passing, setting, attacking and serving. As the week progresses, we will put these skills together in increasingly complex ways, introducing systems of offense and defense.
Lead Instructor Emily Iverson, a setter with Division II All-American accolades, has been coaching volleyball for 14 years. Her coaching experience varies and includes summer camps, private lessons and teams at the middle school and varsity levels.
Camp is 3 hours a day for one week. 11:30am-2:30pm Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 1 (06/17-06/21) and Week 2 (06/24-06/28)
There will be no camp on 6/19. Fees are pro-rated.
Students should bring their own snack. Athletic clothing and shoes required.
Basketball
Join us for two fun weeks of basketball with Waldorf alumni and former point guard, Coach Elijah. You’ll learn how to play team-oriented basketball, both on offense and defense, and expand your athletic capabilities through fun drills, games and scrimmages, all while developing valuable life lessons and interpersonal communication! Come fine tune your individual skills, learn team concepts, and practice healthy competitive play using the core fundamentals and philosophy of basketball.
Lead Instructor Elijah Marder went to Chicago Waldorf School in Rogers Park from K through 12th, graduating in 2017. He currently coaches with Play Hard Hoops while finishing up a Master’s degree in Public Health at UIC. He’s passionate about physical activity and sports, community building, and health equity for everyone! Elijah describes his basketball playing style as scrappy, a pest defensively, and vertically challenged. He says his love for the game informs his world view, overcoming challenges in the game as a metaphor for life!
Camp is 3 hours a day for one week. 9am-12pm Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 4 (07/08-07/12) and Week 5 (07/15-07/19)
Students should bring their own snack. Athletic clothing and shoes required.
Stop-Motion Animation Camp
Learn how to bring things to life by the art of Stop-Motion Animation. Using state of the art technology, a little patience and guidance, tell a story of a toy adventure, a dinosaur chase, or even a clay blob bouncing. Anything is possible! Just bring a toy(s) or object(s) of your choosing and we can make it come to life.
Lead instructor Nicholas Spreitzer taught himself stop-motion animation skills as a child, which inspired him to go on to study filmmaking and animation at Columbia College Chicago and Savannah College of Art and Design. He also taught animation at the Winnetka Public Schools summer camp program. Nick enthusiastically represents almost every aspect of the CWS community as an alumni, parent and employee!
Camp is 3 hours a day for one week. 2pm-5pm Monday-Friday.
Session available Week 5 (07/15-07/19)
Students should bring their own snack and will be asked to bring a small number of objects or toys from home to be the subject of their animations.
Youth Strength and Conditioning
Ages 12-18
The Youth Strength and Conditioning Camp is designed to empower middle school and high school students with the physical skills and mental toughness they need to excel in their chosen sports and lead healthier lives. This camp offers a comprehensive program tailored specifically to the needs and abilities of young athletes. Through a combination of dynamic workouts, skill-building drills, and educational sessions, participants will develop strength, agility, endurance, and resilience while learning the importance of proper injury prevention techniques.
Lead Instructor Joshua Collins is a Certified Functional Strength Coach and Personal Trainer with over 12 years of experience in the field. His passion for fitness and athletics has led him to work with a diverse range of clients, spanning from enthusiastic beginners as young as 6 years old to seasoned veterans at 78. With a degree in Exercise Science and Wellness, a background in collegiate soccer and experience in semi-professional leagues, Joshua brings a unique understanding of athletic performance to his coaching approach.
Throughout his career, Joshua has had the privilege of coaching professional athletes across multiple disciplines, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and MLS. His expertise in functional strength training, combined with a holistic approach to wellness, has earned him a reputation for delivering results and empowering individuals to reach their full potential.
Camp is 1.5 hours a day for one week. 9am-10:30am Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 7 (07/29-08/02) and Week 8 (08/05-08/09)
Students should bring their own snack. Athletic clothing and shoes required.
Stage Combat Camp
Slaps and battles and falling, oh my!
Come join us for a week of learning how to safely pretend to slap your friends, perform a thrilling quarterstaff fight (like the famous Robin Hood!), and tumble to the ground without hurting yourself.
Through this exciting camp for middle school aged children, participants will develop listening/sharing skills, confidence in working with a team, hand-eye coordination and safe performance techniques while working with staged moments of unarmed and quarterstaff combat.
This workshop in theatrical combat is a safe container to explore some of the most exciting and pivotal moments of a play. We will utilize techniques from the Dueling Arts International theatrical combat organization, mime, and martial arts to build a compelling physical narrative centered around a scene containing theatrical violence. Additionally, we will learn proper falling techniques, gain skills in differentiating the play world from reality, and practice self-advocacy and respecting others’ boundaries.
Lead instructor Michael Dias has over 12 years experience teaching martial arts to all ages, and he teaches movement at DePaul University and theatrical combat at College of DuPage. He has earned an MFA in Acting from Ohio University and has completed the Social Emotional Arts certification program through UCLArts and Healing.
Assistant instructor Charlotte Markle received her MFA in Acting from DePaul University, where she also received certification as an Actor Combatant from the Society of American Fight Directors. A proud graduate of Waldorf education, she has also worked for three years at the Chicago Waldorf School in the Early Childhood Program.
Camp is 5 hours a day for one week: 9am-2pm Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 8 (08/5-08/09) and Week 9 (08/12-08/16)
Students should bring their own snack and lunch and come in clothes that they can easily move in. Full-fingered gloves and close-toed sneakers or athletic shoes required.
Welcome to our Middle School Specialty Arts and Sports Camps!
NOTE: Youth Strength and Conditioning is open to High School students as well. (Ages 12-18)
Come join us this summer to hone your skills on the court or explore storytelling on the stage and in the art room!
Each camp is centered around exploring and learning a particular skillet and led by a camp instructor with expertise in that area! These camps are designed for ages 12-15, although rising 6th graders who have not yet turned 12 may apply. To better accommodate a middle schooler’s busy summer schedule and allow for more in depth focus in a particular area, these camps are shorter than our full day grade school camps and range from 1.5-5 hours long. See the schedule and camp descriptions below for specific details.
Schedule
Week 1 - 6/17-6/21: Volleyball (6/19 off)
Week 2 - 6/24-6/28: Volleyball
Week 3- 7/1-7/5: OFF
Week 4 - 7/8-7/12: Basketball
Week 5 - 7/15-7/19: Basketball or Stop Motion Animation
Week 6 - 7/22-7/26: OFF
Week 7 - 7/29-8/2: Strength and Conditioning (12-18)
Week 8 - 8/5-8/9: Strength and Conditioning (12-18) or Stage Combat
Week 9 - 8/12-8/16: Stage Combat
Camp Descriptions
Volleyball
In this all-levels, middle-school,volleyball camp, we will focus on a strong foundation of passing, setting, attacking and serving. As the week progresses, we will put these skills together in increasingly complex ways, introducing systems of offense and defense.
Lead Instructor Emily Iverson, a setter with Division II All-American accolades, has been coaching volleyball for 14 years. Her coaching experience varies and includes summer camps, private lessons and teams at the middle school and varsity levels.
Camp is 3 hours a day for one week. 11:30am-2:30pm Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 1 (06/17-06/21) and Week 2 (06/24-06/28)
There will be no camp on 6/19. Fees are pro-rated.
Students should bring their own snack. Athletic clothing and shoes required.
Basketball
Join us for two fun weeks of basketball with Waldorf alumni and former point guard, Coach Elijah. You’ll learn how to play team-oriented basketball, both on offense and defense, and expand your athletic capabilities through fun drills, games and scrimmages, all while developing valuable life lessons and interpersonal communication! Come fine tune your individual skills, learn team concepts, and practice healthy competitive play using the core fundamentals and philosophy of basketball.
Lead Instructor Elijah Marder went to Chicago Waldorf School in Rogers Park from K through 12th, graduating in 2017. He currently coaches with Play Hard Hoops while finishing up a Master’s degree in Public Health at UIC. He’s passionate about physical activity and sports, community building, and health equity for everyone! Elijah describes his basketball playing style as scrappy, a pest defensively, and vertically challenged. He says his love for the game informs his world view, overcoming challenges in the game as a metaphor for life!
Camp is 3 hours a day for one week. 9am-12pm Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 4 (07/08-07/12) and Week 5 (07/15-07/19)
Students should bring their own snack. Athletic clothing and shoes required.
Stop-Motion Animation Camp
Learn how to bring things to life by the art of Stop-Motion Animation. Using state of the art technology, a little patience and guidance, tell a story of a toy adventure, a dinosaur chase, or even a clay blob bouncing. Anything is possible! Just bring a toy(s) or object(s) of your choosing and we can make it come to life.
Lead instructor Nicholas Spreitzer taught himself stop-motion animation skills as a child, which inspired him to go on to study filmmaking and animation at Columbia College Chicago and Savannah College of Art and Design. He also taught animation at the Winnetka Public Schools summer camp program. Nick enthusiastically represents almost every aspect of the CWS community as an alumni, parent and employee!
Camp is 3 hours a day for one week. 2pm-5pm Monday-Friday.
Session available Week 5 (07/15-07/19)
Students should bring their own snack and will be asked to bring a small number of objects or toys from home to be the subject of their animations.
Youth Strength and Conditioning
Ages 12-18
The Youth Strength and Conditioning Camp is designed to empower middle school and high school students with the physical skills and mental toughness they need to excel in their chosen sports and lead healthier lives. This camp offers a comprehensive program tailored specifically to the needs and abilities of young athletes. Through a combination of dynamic workouts, skill-building drills, and educational sessions, participants will develop strength, agility, endurance, and resilience while learning the importance of proper injury prevention techniques.
Lead Instructor Joshua Collins is a Certified Functional Strength Coach and Personal Trainer with over 12 years of experience in the field. His passion for fitness and athletics has led him to work with a diverse range of clients, spanning from enthusiastic beginners as young as 6 years old to seasoned veterans at 78. With a degree in Exercise Science and Wellness, a background in collegiate soccer and experience in semi-professional leagues, Joshua brings a unique understanding of athletic performance to his coaching approach.
Throughout his career, Joshua has had the privilege of coaching professional athletes across multiple disciplines, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, and MLS. His expertise in functional strength training, combined with a holistic approach to wellness, has earned him a reputation for delivering results and empowering individuals to reach their full potential.
Camp is 1.5 hours a day for one week. 9am-10:30am Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 7 (07/29-08/02) and Week 8 (08/05-08/09)
Students should bring their own snack. Athletic clothing and shoes required.
Stage Combat Camp
Slaps and battles and falling, oh my!
Come join us for a week of learning how to safely pretend to slap your friends, perform a thrilling quarterstaff fight (like the famous Robin Hood!), and tumble to the ground without hurting yourself.
Through this exciting camp for middle school aged children, participants will develop listening/sharing skills, confidence in working with a team, hand-eye coordination and safe performance techniques while working with staged moments of unarmed and quarterstaff combat.
This workshop in theatrical combat is a safe container to explore some of the most exciting and pivotal moments of a play. We will utilize techniques from the Dueling Arts International theatrical combat organization, mime, and martial arts to build a compelling physical narrative centered around a scene containing theatrical violence. Additionally, we will learn proper falling techniques, gain skills in differentiating the play world from reality, and practice self-advocacy and respecting others’ boundaries.
Lead instructor Michael Dias has over 12 years experience teaching martial arts to all ages, and he teaches movement at DePaul University and theatrical combat at College of DuPage. He has earned an MFA in Acting from Ohio University and has completed the Social Emotional Arts certification program through UCLArts and Healing.
Assistant instructor Charlotte Markle received her MFA in Acting from DePaul University, where she also received certification as an Actor Combatant from the Society of American Fight Directors. A proud graduate of Waldorf education, she has also worked for three years at the Chicago Waldorf School in the Early Childhood Program.
Camp is 5 hours a day for one week: 9am-2pm Monday-Friday.
Sessions available Week 8 (08/5-08/09) and Week 9 (08/12-08/16)
Students should bring their own snack and lunch and come in clothes that they can easily move in. Full-fingered gloves and close-toed sneakers or athletic shoes required.