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Upper Chesapeake Summer Center for the Arts reports 159 students attended; nearly $20,000 in scholarships awarded
Summary
Program coordinator Dr. Hastings reported the 25th year of the Upper Chesapeake Summer Center for the Arts served 159 students in grades 7–12, delivered intensive daily instruction across arts disciplines, distributed nearly $20,000 in scholarships and relied on several grants and community donations to keep costs down.
The board heard an overview of the Upper Chesapeake Summer Center for the Arts (UCSCA) during the Aug. 6 meeting. Program coordinator Dr. Hastings told the Board of Education that the 25th annual UCSCA served 159 students in grades 7–12 and offered concentrated instruction in visual arts, literary arts, choir, band, dance, theater and orchestra.
Scholarships and staffing Dr. Hastings said the program awarded nearly $20,000 in scholarships to students in need this year, benefitting roughly half of the camp’s attendees. The staff for the camp included eight teachers, 11 counselors, one full‑time nurse and two directors; students lived in dorms on the Washington College campus for the week‑long program and received daily discipline‑specific instruction.
Funding and oversight Dr. Hastings said the program used multiple funding sources and grants to reduce costs, including an initiative grant for staffing and scholarships, a Title‑grant referenced for staffing, an arts and education scholarship from the Cecil County Arts Council and donations from local organizations including the Northeast Chamber of Commerce, the Northeast VFW, the Rising Sun American Legion and the Department of Social Services through the Donaldson Brown fund. Dr. Hastings also described required background checks and health/safety inspections by CCPS and state agencies for staff and facilities.
The board thanked Dr. Hastings for the program’s work and noted the camp is a substantial extracurricular opportunity for middle‑ and high‑school students.
