Get Involved

Camp Sparky has put significant amount of work into making sure day camps run as smoothly as possible. As we all strive to become crafty and creative contributors to Camp Sparky and to achieve the title of Best Member Ever (a much sought after position), keep the following tips in mind:

Attend Mock Camps

What would happen if every staffer looked at their station for the first time at a day camp as they began teaching it to kids? It would be much like a hurricane running into a tornado during an earthquake that just happened to be under a classroom of fifth graders. Luckily, we have mock camps to prevent this. Mock camps are meant for staffers to practice staffing their stations in front of Camp Sparky members so that the kids get the most out of their day when we come to their school. Mock camps give staffers a chance to know what giving a dazzling performance in front of other people feels like, and also gives them a chance to iron out the wrinkles on the parts of their stations that are not as dazzling.

If you are watching a staffer mock their camp:

  • Prepare feedback as you listen! Think of good things to tell the staffer (we try to keep the number of people crying at our meetings to a minimum), but also come up with some constructive criticism. We are trying to improve each station as much as possible before it's presented in front of kids, so it's a really good thing to come up with criticism for the staffer!
  • Attend day camps as much as possible to get an idea of how stations work so you can improve your constructive criticism ( just in case you really need another reason to attend day camps, beyond "they're really, really fun").

If you are a staffer mocking your camp station:

  • Your goal as a star staffer is to go through your station during the mock camp with members so that they can give you feedback, solve all your problems, and get an idea of how they can help you and the kids out on the day of the camp. Here are some ideas to do before mock camp so that you can give a performance at the meeting that will have the Hollywood Greats bowing at your feet and kissing the hems of your robes:
    • Come prepared! You cannot get the most out of other members' feedback if you do not look at the station beforehand, write notes about it, and come ready to prepare CS counselors for the big day (camp).
    • Go over your station with the directors before mock camp to make sure that you share similar goals for the station.
    • Come up with possible problems that you predict having at the station, and ask members about it during your mock camp.
    • Think of particular things with which you will need the counselors to help you or the kids during the station, and be sure to tell our members during mock camp!
    • Practice in front of your teddy bear.

Attend Camp Wrap-Ups

Camp wrap-ups occur every meeting after a day camp. The point of a camp wrap-up is to improve our day camps so that we can use them at schools in future years. The top-secret super-fantastical tips to being successful in camp wrap-ups are very similar to those for mock camp, but here's a list for the curious:

  • Attend the day camps! Intense scientific studies show that it is much more effective to give feedback about the camp if you've been to the camp. While you're at the camp, actively think in each station about how each station could be improved for a future camp. (If your idea is particularly brilliant, you can even suggest it to the staffer at the end of the station.)
  • Let out your inner critic! We're trying to make our camps better each time we hold them for the kids, so the more constructive criticism we have for each camp, the better. Don't be shy - everyone needs an outlet to scream and let out the tension accumulated over a hard week of school - why not let it out in such a productive way as improving a day camp?
  • That being said, we also love to hear what the directors and staffers did well at a camp, so that we can continue doing it! So while you're putting your brilliant mind to work coming up with improvements for the camp, be sure to also let members know what they did particularly well.
  • If you did not go to the day camp, listen intently to get a feel for our day camps, pledge to attend the next day camp so that you can speak your mind at the next camp wrap-up, and still offer feedback if you can. If nothing else, listen with attentive ears, because you never know when we'll announce you as the next winner of Camp Sparky's million-dollar giveaway.

Come to Other Events

We know that some members have classes on Friday, and some members just can't get enough of Camp Sparky, so if you want other ways to stay involved in our club besides day camps, here are some ideas:

  • Help with fundraising and collecting donations! We always need more money for our various activities with the kids, and we need help getting ready for our annual Silent Auction. E-mail Adam Morrison, our Fundraising Director, to see how you can help.
  • Come to our Membership Development events! Get to know other members in an environment where kids aren't constantly running around and causing happy havoc. If you have any ideas for some fun things we can all do together, email Michael Boggs, our MD Officer.
  • Camp Sparky is trying to get some activities going this year that don't happen on Fridays but still correspond with our mission of inspiring a love of learning for kids. So far, CS members are working with the Phoenix Collegiate Academy (PCA) in an after-school tutoring program and have brought the PCA students to ASU on a Saturday to show them what a college campus is like. Because this part of our program is still in development, we could always use ideas! Email Eric Beerman, our Chair, with some possibilities or to learn how you can get involved.