Distinguished LEARNIN(G)ROUP

A Creative Approach To Summer Camp

Design N' Innovation Camp, (Camp DNI) is an action packed, four week exploration of Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) with a dash of art, through engaging & challenging hands-on experiments. Each year Camp DNI offers a different theme & task to match our big challenge ideas of design and innovation. Camp DNI is a full day summer camp created for participant’s ages 6-12yrs old.

What is Camp DNI's Mission?

Our mission is to promote original, critical & creative thinking through STEM investigations in a fun and safe environment.

Our Innovative Program Design :

Camp DNI offers a unique theme & task to match our design and innovation challenge ideas with the goal of engaging campers in creative thinking. Campers then work in teams to complete the task teaching kids how to N'Vision the possibilities, by being innovative, and designing never before seen answers to each session challenge.

Design : [dih-zahyn]
The design challenge encourages students to dream up, sketch, and construct with unconventional tools to build something fresh and never before seen with the goal of bringing something radically different to the table.

Envision : [en-vizh-uhn]
Students are taught a wide range of idea creation techniques and strategies to generate fresh concepts. Students then learn how to elaborate, analyze, refine, and evaluate their ideas in order to improve and maximize their creative efforts.

Innovation : [in-uh-vey-shuhn]
The innovation challenge inspires participants to challenge their assumptions, think outside the box, engage in lateral thinking and ask “what if” in order to reconfigure ideas and solve problems.

What Else Does Camp DNI Offer?

Our afternoons are bubbling over with two exciting blocks consisting of Creative Arts & The Gamer’s Edition. Below is a sneak peak of what an afternoon might look like :

Creative Arts :
Students can embark on a summer filled with, visual, fine and performance arts. Can't you just see it? Splattered paints, fabrics, textures, costumes, camper created plays, music and movement, the total "arts" experience!

The Gamers Edition :
We don't keep score. Sometimes we change the rules. We laugh out loud and it's plain fun. Campers running, chasing, jumping, and hiding are a sneak peak into the Gamer's Edition. Do you want play?

A Typical Day at Camp :

What are the Camp Dates?

* Session 1 : July 5th - July 15th | * Session 2 : July 18th - July 29th

Summer Camp Calendar Crazy Days

Session 1 :

July 8th : Camp BBQ
July 15th : AnneNberg Community Beach House

Session 2 :

July 22nd : Challenge
July 29th : AMF Bowling Lanes, Castle & Kites (Santa Monica Beach)

Wild & Crazy Wednesdays (*Kids Decide)

* July 6th
* July 13th
* July 20th
* July 27th

Each session will participate in Christmas in July to give back to kids who are less fortunate. We will be making bracelets & cards to give to organization of campers' choice.

2011 Session Challenges

Session 1 : July 5th - July 15th, 2011
Theme : Flip the Script & Write Your Own : Lights, Camera, Action
Challenge : Design

Calling all actors, directors, costumers, set designers and writers to embark on a ten-day challenge to write, shoot and edit a 5-10 minute television show. Each crew will use a Flip Video Camera to capture their story. The biggest challenge is to create a never before seen show. It’s totally up to you to decide if you want to have costumes scenery and props. Lights, Camera, Action…!

Session 2 : July 18th - July 29th, 2011
Theme : The Idea Workshop : Turning Trash into Treasure
Challenge : Innovation

This workshop is overflowing with reusable resources, inviting campers to explore the depths of their imagination. Fiddle with different ideas and tinker with open-ended materials. Investigate, explore and freely move about to make visual expressions of your greatest ideas. Make something new and never before seen, using unique shapes, textures and manufacturing leftovers. With all the ideas in this workshop we are sure spark a firework show!!! There are no limits or boundaries, this workshop is sure to have you feeling creative & powerful!

Camp Essentials

Time : 9:00 am - 3:00 pm | before care 8:00 - 9:00 pm | Aftercare 3:15-5:00
Location : Venice Lutheran School | 815 Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
Camp Tuition: $100 non-refundable one time registration fee plus *$245 per week = $8/hr (*Must sign up for full session, covering two weeks)

* Camp tuition covers materials, talented staff and insurance fees. Before and Aftercare available for an additional $15 per day.

Returning campers receive a $20 discount per week (welcome back!)

Download Registeration and Mission PDF