Frequently Asked Questions
Here's some frequently asked questions about Camp Sparky
What is Camp Sparky?
Camp Sparky is tons of fun! We are a non-profit, volunteer, student-run organization. ASU students work with Phoenix area fifth graders at multiple 'Day Camps' and one 'Big Camp' during the school year to promote higher education and interest in disciplines that might not be covered in everyday elementary education.
What are Day Camps?
Day Camps are a daylong set of activities held on Fridays at various elementary schools. There is typically a theme for the day, with four activity stations. The fifth graders are broken into groups to rotate through the stations. ASU students staff stations and interact with the groups throughout the day. In the 2007-08 school year we held 12 day camps and worked with nearly 500 students.
What is Big Camp?
Big Camp is an annual trip to one of various campsites in central Arizona. The fifth grade teachers and students of Flora Thew Elementary accompany approximately 25 ASU students for a three day adventure. As always, our activities are designed to promote learning, fun, and encourage kids to consider attending college or another form of post-secondary education.
Why join?
- You can have a good time while earning community service hours.
- It's fun. Seriously.
- It's a good way to meet interesting people and make new friends.
- You can make a difference in a kid's life.
Who can join, and what does it cost?
Any ASU student or alumni can join, though we accept others on a case by case basis. Membership costs nothing, although we ask new members to purchase a $10.00 T-shirt for identification purposes at Day Camps. Membership development events may require volunteers to pay their own way, though as students we certainly like to keep things affordable for everyone.
How do I join?
- Sign up for the listserv, which will e-mail you information about CS events.
- Attend a meeting
How many community service hours do I get?
If you stay from 8:00 AM -3:00 PM (which is on average how long a day camp lasts) you recieve credit for 8 hours of community service.
How many day camps do you have, when are they, do I have to stay for the whole thing?
There are usually six days camps a semester, which means about two day camps a month. They are on Fridays from roughly 8:00 AM -3:00 PM. People often come for part of the day to work around class schedules, and we have a carpool system to make sure that everyone can get to and from campus when needed. Most professors don't mind you missing class for a good reason. We always make sure everyone has a ride, so don't worry if you don't have a car!