Fashion Merchandising Camp, a residential summer camp for high schoolers, is coming to Eastern for the first time this July. It will take place from July 7 through July 12.

Peggy Brown, staff member from the School of Extended Learning, said the camp costs $499 per camper; this price includes lodging, meals, materials and instruction.

Campers will make canvas tote bags and screen print designs on them. They will also learn how to draft flat patterns.

They will also participate in a fashion photography shoot and learn how to create quality photos, she said.

On the final day, parents and families of the campers are invited to view the camper creations at a student exhibition, Brown said.

Campers will also take a trip to Joann’s Fabric in Mattoon.

Brown said the Fashion Merchandising Camp has a more limited enrollment number (up to 16) to match the number of machines available for campers to use.

Brown said plans to introduce a Fashion Merchandising Summer Camp were in the works for a while, but it really jumpstarted when Katherine Shaw, a new fashion merchandising and design professor, was contacted about it.

Brown said Shaw stepped up to the plate and “was all for” the addition of the camp; she said Shaw will be running Eastern’s first Fashion Merchandising Camp.

Eastern is offering one more residential camp to high schoolers: Art Camp. This camp takes place from June 23 to June 29.

Brown said Art Camp usually sees between 45 and 50 campers, and like the Fashion Merchandising Camp, it also costs $499 per camper.

Students participating in Art Camp will learn the fundamentals of drawing and painting, and they will learn how to create 3-D art through ceramics, jewelry making and metal smithing.

Eastern is also offering an Intro to Fashion Design Day Camp, which costs $109 per participant.

This camp will take place from June 24 through June 27 for campers between the fourth and eighth grades, Brown said.

A two-hour session each day will teach campers the basics of both machine and hand-sewing techniques, as well as sewing machine maintenance, she said. Campers will also learn how to complete basic repairs and up-cycle older items.

Eastern also hosts three LEGO Camps for children, she said.

Each LEGO Camp is $109 per participant and takes place over three days in three-hour sessions per day, Brown said.

LEGO Camps teach students of varying ages and skills how to build and design fun creations, she said.

Some LEGO Camps do encourage previous knowledge; age groups and skills are broken up into different camps depending on level, she said.

LEGO WeDo Robotics Camp, geared for children ages eight to 10, takes place from July 8 through July 11, according to Eastern’s website.

Introduction to LEGO EV3 Robotics Camp, geared for children ages nine to 12, takes place from July 15 to July 18, Brown said.

Beginning Engineering LEGO Camp, geared for children ages six to eight, also takes place from July 15 to July 18.

Eastern does not offer scholarship opportunities toward summer camps; however, many local women’s clubs do, Brown said.

More information and registration on all camps can be found at the Extended Learning Page on Eastern’s website or via email at [email protected].

Zoë Donovan can be reached at 581–2812 or at [email protected].