Explore nature, technology and more at IVCC youth summer camps

More than 40 enrichment camps exploring everything from robotics to rockets, charcuterie cuisine to cybersecurity, and sculpting to soil science will get underway as part of Illinois Valley Community College’s Ed’Venture Camp 2025.

Youths from 5-17 years old can participate in the camps from June through August. Most courses are in-person attendance, but some two dozen online camps are also available.

"IVCC summer camps are designed to keep kids engaged in enrichment activities during the summer... while still having fun! Many campers return year after year,” said Kim Koehler, Community Program Manager for IVCC’s Continuing Education Center.

Activities fill quickly, so early registration is recommended.

Career teen camps, introduced four years ago, have been well received, Koehler said. Teen camps focus on career exploration in fields such as engineering, healthcare, automotive technology, welding, or truck driving. This summer, participants in the GEAR UP camp will ride along with IVCC's Truck Driver Training faculty and use the new training simulators. GRIP students will work in the CAD lab with 3D printers and use soldering irons in the electrical lab.

The summer enrichment program attracts some 400 youths with an inviting list of activities. In addition to returning favorites, new camps for children include leadership, ROBLOX Makers, Kids in the Kitchen: Kid-Cuterie, Dig In: Soil Science, "Leaf" It to Me, Sculpt It, AI Cyber Crusaders, and Summer STEAM Ed'Venture. New teen camps include Truck Driver Training, PLC (computer programming) Bootcamp and Yes, Chef Culinary Camp.

One new offering, AI Cyber Crusaders, will show children how artificial intelligence (AI) works, how to build and train chatbots, and how AI can program robots. Participants will work with a variety of robots while learning internet safety and how to identify and counteract cyber bullying.

Camp registration can be completed entirely online at https://www.ivcc.edu/enroll or by calling 815-224-0427. A full list of in-person camps can be found at https://www.ivcc.edu/summercamp.

Online camps covering topics such as video game design, coding, computer programming and content creation run from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. or from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. for five consecutive days, with separate sessions geared to campers ages 8 to 11 and 11 to 14. Full Black Rocket camp descriptions and online registration information can be found at https://www.blackrocket.com/online/ivc.

Ed’Venture 2025 is provided through IVCC’s Continuing Education Center, with partners Nell’s Woodland, Carus LLC, LaSalle County Soil and Water Conservation, OSF Healthcare, Plano Molding and Lighted Way. Classes take place on the main campus in Oglesby and at Nell’s Woodland nature preserve in Ottawa.