Tatla Lake Camp Teaches Students New Lessons

While most students look forward to leaving school in the summer, children in Tatla Lake look forward to going back and participating in an Explorations summer camp. Home to just over 20 students, Tatla Lake Community School has offered these arts-focused camps for the past three years.

"We are an isolated rural community and are limited in the opportunities that we can provide for our students," said Tatla Lake Community School Association coordinator Rose Falk. "Camps of this calibre would not be possible for our small community if it were not for the support from Explorations."

Over the past three years, Tatla Lake's Explorations camps introduced students to new activities including cultural dancing and nature-focused art projects.

In 2007, Explorations enabled close to 3,500 students across B.C. to learn new skills and experience a variety of activities in a summer camp setting. At this year's camp in Tatla Lake, students developed a greater understanding of the arts and applied this knowledge to make clay piggy banks, outdoor swings, woven potholders, and painted portraits.

"The students were so proud of what they created during all the art workshops that they couldn't wait to show their parents," said Falk.

Explorations provides students in kindergarten to Grade 7 with opportunities to explore arts, sport and recreation in summer camp settings. The program focus on children who otherwise may not participate in summer programs due to location, or a lack of resources or opportunities in the community. Explorations is supported by the Province of British Columbia.