Fifteen middle-school boys from Rosemont Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore spent this week at Mount St. Mary's University for The Mount College Experience Camp, sponsored by Under Armour and the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation. The camp is designed to demystify college and the opportunities that it offers for students who may not have considered their future yet.
This is the second year that the Mount has held this camp for Rosemont students. Students who came to the 2018 camp became more focused and their grades improved In the 2018-19 school year, Rosemont Principal Dwight T. Wheeler found. “They see a pathway to college and know that they need to work hard,” he said.
The boys’ four-day camp experience was loaded with activities from the moment that they arrived Monday morning until they left campus Thursday evening, according to Associate Professor of Sport Management Corinne Farneti, Ph.D., who led the camp along with Associate Professor of Human Services Tim Wolfe and Director of Student and Faculty Engagement and Innovative Curriculum Bill Prudden.
The middle schoolers participated in nature-based art classes with Professor Elizabeth Holtry, M.F.A., in the art studio and at ThorpeWood in the Catoctin Mountains; wrote about their experiences; played baseball and basketball with Mount student athletes and coaches; did mindfulness exercises with Director of Counseling Services Gerald Rooth, M.S., L.C.P.C.; and ziplined and swam at the Mount’s PNC Sports Complex.
Eighteen girls from Rosemont will be on campus next week. They will do math with Associate Professor of Mathematics Jonelle Hook, Ph.D., and yoga with Assistant Professor of Business Christina Yoder, Ph.D.; engage in mindfulness exercises and journaling; participate in softball and basketball with Mount student athletes and coaches; zipline and swim at the Mount’s PNC Sports Complex; and hike at ThorpeWood.
Equipment provided for the camp by the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation is being donated to Rosemont. The campers also received a backpack and other gear from Under Armour, which also provided financial support for the camp.
See photos from the boy's camp experience on our Flickr gallery >