Skip to main content Skip to main content

Sonoma Family Life Magazine

No Reviews Yet Write Review

Sonoma Academy Summer Programs

No Reviews Yet Write Review

Sonoma Academy Summer Programs


2500 Farmers Lane
Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Summer @ SA is Back!

We have exciting news...Summer at SA is returning this year!

These fun and educational week-long camps for rising 6th-8th graders, taught by Sonoma Academy staffulty and alumni, explore a huge range of topics to suit all sorts of interests: Art, Italian Cooking and Baking, Speech and Debate, Outdoor Adventures, Ghost Story Podcasting, Storytelling, iPhone Photography, Filmmaking, Beauty Brand in a Box, Sports, Science, and Basketball!

Mark your calendar for June 10-14, 2024 and June 17-21, 2024.

Summer camp registration opens in February...stay tuned for more information. We would love to have you join us for a fun Summer @ SA!

Week 1: June 10 through June 14

Art in 5 Days (Session 1) In this relaxing and fun class, we will draw, paint, collage, create small sculptures, and embellish clothing. We will go on a field trip to get materials to embellish clothing with iron-on patches and hand-embroidery. Using symbolism, we will create self-portraits in collage and paint. We will sculpt in clay, and paint their own interpretation of Robert Indiana’s LOVE. We’ll collaborate on a watercolor based on a master painter (think Van Gogh or Friday Kahlo). We will close the session with a party that showcases and celebrates everyone’s artwork. Every day, we will play games to create an environment where learning is fun!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Debate Do you like to argue? Come hone your skills by spending a week with Sonoma Academy's nationally competitive debate team. During this week, you will engage in a series of fun activities designed to improve your public speaking and critical thinking. You will work closely with our varsity debaters, all leading up to a winner-takes-all tournament.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Environmental Science In this camp, we will learn about what it’s like to be an environmental scientist, both outdoors and in the lab. We will learn to orient ourselves in "the field" through terrain identification, practice mapping skills with compass and GPS, collect rock, soil, and water samples, and analyze them chemically in the lab.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

iPhone Photography If you have an iPhone, you have a photo studio in your pocket! Learn what your phone can do in this fun, hands-on class. We will explore the capabilities of your smartphone camera, whether it’s new or an older model. We will also learn about what it means to compose shots, edit photos, and utilize video for a short film with no words.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Jam Band Let’s jam! In our "Jam Band" ensemble camp, students will have the opportunity to collaborate together to learn new instruments and create spontaneous music! All instruments and skill levels are welcome. We will spend our time practicing and applying new music concepts to both improvise and write our own music!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Outdoor Adventures Explore our beautiful natural surroundings in this weeklong camp! On Monday and Tuesday of this five-day camp we will spend time on and around Sonoma Academy's campus doing group bonding activities, hiking on Taylor Mountain, and other outdoor-related activities. On Wednesday, we will head off campus for two nights, coming back on Friday. Although the locations are yet to be determined, we will head to places such as Sugarloaf State Park, Pt. Reyes National Seashore, or other nearby parks. We will hike, camp, backpack, cook, and enjoy each other's company in the great outdoors. Although a willingness to sleep outside and push yourself physically while hiking are required, all levels of experience and fitness levels are welcome!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Spooky Story Podcasting It was a dark and stormy night… How do you tell a great spooky story? In this camp, we will use our imaginations together, using the latest audio technology to write, record, produce, and edit original scary stories, turning them into podcasts to share with family and friends. Campers will work individually and/or in teams to record their voices, create sound effects, and compose background music. They'll then edit all the parts together to create one or more episodes of an original podcast. We'll end the week with a listening party for campers and their families!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Sports Sampler Calling all athletes and those who love to play! This weeklong camp offers a smorgasbord of sports, from basketball to soccer to ultimate frisbee and more! Each day, we will learn skills and fundamentals related to a wide variety of sports, guided by Sonoma Academy coaches and athletes. We’ll also learn about injury prevention, mobility, and taking care of ourselves to perform at our best.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Stories! Stories! Stories! In this camp we will listen to, tell, read, and write stories. The first half of the day will be spent with professional storyteller Brandon Spars listening to and telling our own stories, including true personal tales, fairy tales, folktales, and even some scary campfire stories. At the end of the week we will have a small performance to which we will invite other campers.

The second half of the day will be spent with professional writer and editor Martha Krausz, reading and writing stories. We will do informal journaling as well as more formal vignettes and short stories. A day of narration can be quite taxing, we know, which is why we will often include some rejuvenating stretching, yoga, and possibly some quiet meditation. We may even take a walk or two in the beautiful hills surrounding us.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Week 2: June 17 through June 21

Art in 5 Days (Session 2) In this relaxing and fun session, students will sketch, draw, watercolor, make wire masks and small sculptures, and take fashion portraits of each other. Students will get lots of support and direction, along with skill-building instruction for each project.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Basketball Basketball Camp will provide an enjoyable and rewarding experience for players of all ability levels. Campers will learn how to become well-rounded basketball players through instruction and competition, which will include Basketball Fundamentals: shooting, ball handling, passing, footwork, rebounding, and defensive principles. Campers will participate in 1-on-1, 3-on-3, and 5-on-5 competitions designed to allow each player the opportunity to apply the skills they will be learning. Campers will enjoy free throw, three-point, and one-on-one contests, as well as various shooting and dribbling games, all in a fun, positive, and challenging environment.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Branding and Beauty Create, market and sell your own beauty products in this fun entrepreneurial camp! Over the course of the week, campers will learn how to create soap, bath bombs, or candles. From there they will choose one item to focus on and create a brand for, on their own or collaborating with a partner. Students will design labels, create websites, and formulate a sales pitch. We will work on presentation skills so that they are prepared for the final day, where they will present their product to the class, shark tank style!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Debate Do you like to argue? Come hone your skills by spending a week with Sonoma Academy's nationally competitive debate team. During this week, you will engage in a series of fun activities designed to improve your public speaking and critical thinking. You will work closely with our varsity debaters, all leading up to a winner-takes-all tournament.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Filmmaking Develop your filmmaking skills over the course of a week with award-winning filmmakers (and Sonoma Academy alumni) Chris Kam and Miles Levin. Campers will learn the basics of visual storytelling and will have fun telling stories, making new friends, and learning from the pros!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Italian Cooking and Baking Do you love Italian and Italian American food? Who doesn't?! This week you will learn to make some of the favorite dishes that you will want to make over and over again for your friends and family. Homemade pastas, simple salads, pizza with our outdoor brick oven, and desserts like tiramisu and gelato will be fun to make and delicious to eat! No prior cooking experience necessary. Come ready to get your hands dirty in all parts of the process, from prepping and assisting, to cooking and clean-up.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Stories! Stories! Stories! In this camp we will listen to, tell, read, and write stories. The first half of the day will be spent with professional storyteller Brandon Spars listening to and telling our own stories, including true personal tales, fairy tales, folktales, and even some scary campfire stories. At the end of the week we will have a small performance to which we will invite other campers.

The second half of the day will be spent with professional writer and editor Martha Krausz, reading and writing stories. We will do informal journaling as well as more formal vignettes and short stories. A day of narration can be quite taxing, we know, which is why we will often include some rejuvenating stretching, yoga, and possibly some quiet meditation. We may even take a walk or two in the beautiful hills surrounding us.

Photo Gallery