May 9, 2006 > ICC summer camp

by Sunita Sohrabji

The India Community Center's summer camp has kicked off its third season. The program is now being offered in three locations Fremont, Milpitas and Sunnyvale.

ICC Camp will host up to 1,000 children this summer, up from 400 in 2005. Camps will be offered at Forest Park Elementary School, Fremont; ICC Milpitas and ICC Sunnyvale. The 10-week program runs from June 19-August 25.

Camp begins at 9 a.m. each morning with Swagat - a morning welcome with music. After a healthy snack, children move on to yoga: ICC has developed a kid-specific program which allows children to learn the benefits of yoga at an early age, while emphasizing the importance of physical exercise and mental concentration. The rest of the morning is devoted to art and counselor-led hobby time.

The ICC-developed Passage to India program begins after lunch, with theater, folk tales, collaborative murals and cooking, all emphasizing the culture of India. The kids then move on to sports - cricket, relay races, carom, table tennis - and Bollywood Dance. Kids go home at 3 p.m. after a snack and afternoon gathering for announcements and goodbyes.

Each week of camp also features a field trip to a different location, including the Tech Museum of Innovation, Bamboolah, the Jungle and the Oakland Zoo.

Additional camp information and registration forms are available on the ICC website www.indiacc.org. Camp director Vinney Arora can be reached by email vinney@indiacc.org.