By WJBC Staff
BLOOMINGTON – The Young Men’s Club of Bloomington is giving the McLean County Museum of History a donation to cover the cost of eight full scholarships for campers participating in the Futures in History Camp summer program.
This donation will cover the cost of roughly 25 percent of the campers who attend on scholarship each year. The museum, along with the annual support of Mark Wyman who makes it possible for three Irving Elementary students to attend camp each year, would otherwise assume the full cost of the campers who attend on scholarship.
In addition to the donation, numerous members of the Club are offering their volunteer services in various capacities, including Bill Caisley, Guy Fraker, and Herb Knudsen.
Registration for all three sessions of Futures in History Camp is still open. The dates for the three sessions are June 12-16, 26-30 and July 24-28 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Camp registration is available to all local kids entering fourth through sixth grades, and full scholarships are available for those who qualify.
Online registration is available through the museum’s website at www.mchistory.org.
Printable registration forms are also available through the Museum’s website, as well as through the Unit 5 and District 87 online backpacks. Further information about camp can be found on the Museum’s website or by clicking this link: https://drive.google.com.
This summer, campers will have the chance to explore five potential future careers related to the field of history: law, archaeology, architecture, museum studies, and environmental science. In addition to becoming well acquainted with the Museum and Downtown Bloomington, over the course of the five-day camp, campers will visit the David Davis Mansion and Sugar Grove Nature Center, and will learn from local professionals in each of the fields listed above.
Activities will include a mock trial inspired by local court cases, a mock archaeological dig at the David Davis Mansion with a professional archaeologist, a photography-inspired architecture tour of Downtown Bloomington, a visit to the West Side Community Garden during which campers will help construct a combination free pantry/free library to be installed at the Garden, the chance to curate a pop-up museum exhibit at Prairie 315 and more.
For more information, visit www.mchistory.org or contact education Program Coordinator Hannah Johnson by email at hjohnson@mchistory.org, or by phone at (309) 827-0428.
