Summer camps combine fun & learning with an introduction to Baylor

There’s a Baylor experience that bridges high school debaters and aspiring basketball players, and connects future engineers with burgeoning musicians. That experience? Summer camps, on campus at Baylor.

For generations now, the Baylor campus has remained lively over the summer as camps like the Summer Debate Workshop or the Moody School of Education’s Talent Identification Program camps (just to name a couple) welcome future college students. Here, they get a taste of college life, from classrooms to dining halls to residence halls.

For the athletically-inclined, just about every Baylor coach in every Baylor sport has hosted kids from across the state to learn fundamentals, develop skills and compete alongside other athletes, all under the tutelage of Baylor coaches. Following that model, Baylor’s music camps, Engineering and Computer Science Innovate camp, the Christian Leadership Institute, and other offerings provide similar experiences for students interested in other subjects.

Various camps serve various ages, from elementary school to high school, but some hallmarks ring true across the board. The Baylor faculty (and coaches, and even students) who lead the camps pour the same passion for creating a caring community and strong learning environment that they give Baylor students into the camp experience for younger students. Residential camps add another layer to the experience, as campers stay in residence halls, eat in the dining halls, take classes in Baylor classrooms — in short, getting a real taste of what college life will be like one day.

“By the end of camp, you would never know these kids hadn’t been friends for five years. They’ve built these really great relationships,” says Dr. Mary Lauren Benton (BA ’15), assistant professor of computer science and a leader in Baylor’s Innovate camp. “They got to meet with the faculty, and you could tell that when we had our end-of-camp breakfast, they were excited to show their parents what they’d done and introduce them to the people that they’d met. Watching them build those relationships and get excited for Baylor and that caring community that I think we build is really special.”

It’s no surprise that many of the students who attend camps end up choosing Baylor. [Editor’s note: I’m one of those, having taken the journey from Baylor debate camp, to graduating from Baylor, and now working here.] And even for students who go elsewhere, the glimpse of college life can help them envision themselves thriving in college.

Sic ’em, Baylor summer camps!

[BONUS: Hear more from Baylor education and computer science professors as they take viewers inside the Baylor camp experience on a recent episode of Baylor Connections.]