Beginning in early June, the demographics of the
Homewood campus population undergo a radical
transformation: In comes a cavalcade of bright-eyed tots
and teens, replacing the recently departed 20-something
majority.
In addition to the hundreds of undergraduates and grad
students who enroll in Johns Hopkins summer courses, each
year several thousand children ages 3 to 17 enroll in an
assortment of JHU summer academic and athletic programs.
In the Pre-College Summer Program, high schoolers come
to the Homewood campus to get a quick taste of college
life. The students take two immersion-style classes taught
by world-renowned Johns Hopkins faculty members. When class
is not in session, the students participate in planned
social activities, including dances and excursions into
Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
Jessica Madrigal, the director of Summer and
Intersession Programs for the School of Arts and Sciences,
says that those who register for the pre-college program
are a talented, smart group who are looking for an
intensive higher education experience.
"In addition to the course work, for which they earn
college credit, we give them tours of Hopkins centers and
research facilities, so they get a sense of the breadth of
work that transpires here," she says. "Socially, they eat
together in our dining halls, sleep in our residence halls
and go on trips together. It's like freshman year of
college in a five-week period."
For incoming Johns Hopkins students or those enrolled
elsewhere, the Visiting Student Program offers a chance to
explore possible majors, add a minor or pursue another
interest. In this program, participants attend one or both
of two five-week terms, with classes scheduled throughout
the day.
For academically gifted students ages 12 to 16, the
university's Center for Talented Youth offers a three-week
program at Homewood where nearly 700 young students immerse
themselves in one course each. The students live on campus
under the supervision of resident assistants and
participate in activities such as sports, arts and crafts,
dances and a talent show.
Sports is what it's all about for the hundreds of
children ages 5 to 13 who come to Robert Babb's general day
camp, which runs from June 20 to July 29. Babb, the
longtime head coach of the Johns Hopkins baseball team,
directs the camp, which since 1963 has offered co-ed
athletic pursuits such as baseball, softball, swimming,
field hockey and soccer, mixed in with some arts and
crafts.
Babb says the camp, which attracts nearly 150
participants per one-week session, has proved tremendously
popular.
"Basically what we set out to do is give children of
the surrounding communities wholesome activities at an
affordable price," Babb says.
Perhaps the most popular of summer programs have been
the lacrosse camps run by the varsity men's and women's
lacrosse coaches. The camps, which always sell out,
annually draw more than 1,200 children who take part in one
of five sessions geared for ages 6 to 17. A common site at
Homewood each summer is the dozens of lacrosse
stick-wielding youth on their way to games and practices on
Homewood Field from their dorm on Charles Street.
A new addition to the summer slate of Homewood
offerings this year is the Martial Arts and Academics camp,
run by Hazel's American Martial Arts Academy. Open to
children ages 3 to 13, the camp, in addition to martial
arts training, offers martial arts-themed activities in
chess, math and reading, all held at the Mattin Center.
For adults, Johns Hopkins University Conference
Services hosts between 40 and 50 programs from June to
mid-August, ranging from small boardroom meetings to large
medical conferences.
At Homewood during the summer, the faces might change,
but school is anything but closed.