For local school-age kids, the last few months have been somewhat less eventful than years past. Schools and all of their accompanying activities were closed early, while summer events and youth sports have been called off.

That’s why organizers of this year’s Warren County Fine Arts Camp were happy to be able to conduct their program with more than 60 area children July 13-16. Organized by the Warren County Fine Arts Council, the camp allows children to experience a week of art, music, drama and dance.

Flavia Everman, the Fine Arts Council member who leads the camp, said this year’s program actually had higher participation than years past, with children and their families looking for fun summer activities.

The Fine Arts Camp was a little different this year to account for COVID-19. Programs were shortened to four days instead of five, and a performance to celebrate the end of the camp was moved to an outdoor venue.

“It’s been a little challenging trying to keep the kids away from each other, because they haven’t seen each other in forever,” Everman commented. “The kids have just had a blast.”

Everman said extra steps were taken this year to sanitize the facilities and limit how much the children were handling the same items or coming in close contact.

Despite the changes, children still got to enjoy each avenue of the arts that the camp offers, with groups organized by age rotating through hour-long classes each day at Rebecca Boone Elementary. They did crafts, practiced choreographed dances, learned songs and rehearsed different short plays for each age group.

Everman said it was a little difficult to find a facility for the arts camp this year, as organizations have become more cautious about allowing outside use during the pandemic.

“It’s a humbling experience. You’re basically at the mercy of someone else,” she commented. “For them to have enough confidence in what we do to allow this many kids in, without school supervision, is a really nice thing they do for us.”

At the end of the four days of camp, children and their families came out to Bruer Park in Truesdale for the camp’s annual performance, in which the kids get to show off everything they’ve been doing over the last week.

The combination of songs, dances and drama was moved to the park to allow for more social distancing. Despite a bit of heat and any potential concerns over the COVID virus, parents expressed appreciation for the summer activity.

The kids, too, said they were glad for something to do.

Fourth grader Bailey Daniel said her favorite class was drama.

“It’s fun. You have to audition for your roles, and the people get to vote on what character you are. You get to do plays, and it’s really funny,” Bailey said. “It’s the first fun activity (this summer).”

Fellow fourth grader Kai Arntz-George agreed that drama was also his favorite.

“You get to express yourself with costumes and props,” he said. “I’m the Sun Chief, so I’m one of the main characters.”