Kirkwood ‘kicks’ off interactive summer camps

CEDAR RAPIDS - Monday marked the first day for the Kirkwood Interactive Camps for Kids, also known as KICK. It's comprised of 122 camps, most with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. Culinary, art, and language classes are also available.

Kristin Hanneman, the director of KICK, said it's a great opportunity for kids to stay focused during the summer months.

All of the camps are very hands-on. The majority of the Kirkwood camps are in Cedar Rapids, but some are also available in Iowa City and Hiawatha. The culinary camps primarily take place at the NewBo City Market in Cedar Rapids. Some of STEM camps are located at the State Hygienic Lab at the University of Iowa where kids can participate in testing and research.

The program is expecting more than 1,200 kids ages nine to 15.

Evone Vognsen, director of Continuing Education Program Development at Kirkwood Community College, said there's a reason KICK targets a specific age group.

'I think it's very critical right now that we focus on that age versus waiting until high school,” Vognsen said. 'So that in junior high, they're deciding what they maybe want to be when they grow up so that they know when they start high school what courses they should be taking.”

To learn more about KICK, visit its website.