Another year of Summer Learning Fun at Camp Adventure wrapped up at the end of June. Offered free of charge, Camp Adventure provides an enriching atmosphere for learning for rising third graders within Muncie Community Schools, the Inspire Academy, and Burris Laboratory School.

Taught by Ball State Elementary Education majors, Camp Adventure provides campers a distinctive and exceptional learning experience in contrast to typical, high-cost summer camps that focus more on childcare rather than education.

Ball State teacher education candidates (Elementary Education majors) spend the month of May on campus training to become culturally responsive and inquiry-based teachers. They create cross-curricular science lesson plans and implement these plans with campers during the four weeks at Camp Adventure. Veteran teachers from Burris and Muncie Community Schools act as both mentors and role models, supporting the learning of the campers and the professional growth of Ball State’s teacher candidates.

Children at Camp Adventure receive Indiana standards-based instruction in science, literacy, and math, as well as activities focused on social-emotional learning and relationship building. Additionally, children participate in archery, low ropes courses, fishing, wagon rides, nature hikes, and cardiovascular activities.

An exciting addition to this year’s camp was the Flying Classroom, a supplemental PK-12, digital STEM+ curriculum aligned to national/state standards and based on the global expeditions of Captain Barrington Irving.

In 2007, at the age of 23, Captain Irving successfully set the Guinness World Record for being the youngest and first Black man to fly solo around the world. On June 27, 2022, he flew into Muncie to interact with the Camp Adventure students and instructors and work through Flying Classroom activities.