NIU will be occupied this summer by high school, junior high and elementary students who are eager to learn.

NIU Summer Academic Camps are held on campus during the summer and offer a variety of camps such as creative writing, film, speech and science. This is the first summer that the Kettle Moraine Press Association journalism workshop is being offered in July.

Mark Pietrowski, coordinator of the external programming of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said the camp is a four-day workshop that will allow students to learn different aspects of journalism, and they will be taught by professionals in the field.

All of the camps are open to students in grades eight through 12, except two of the science camps, which are for students in grades five, six, seven and eight.

Pietrowski said the students get to live in the dorms and experience college life.

“We rely on kids who want to explore a college environment and receive an academic challenge,” he said.

The directors of the camps are staff from NIU or people who have a connection with the campus.

Judy Santacaterina, director of individual events for the NIU forensics department and director for the speech camp, said the camp offers a good learning experience for the students regarding the concept of public speaking.

Santacaterina said the campers learn from listening to lectures and working on their own speeches as they participate in mock setting speech performances.

“When they leave I hope they learn something and gain a strong self confidence,” Santacaterina said. “It’s important we get them use to NIU and all it has to offer.”

Pietrowski said they are taking the status of the economy into consideration since it is affecting everyone. He added some parents are already calling and asking for assistance.

He said the camps enhance NIU, and some of the students who attend decide to come here for their undergraduate degree.

“Part of our mission as the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is to get our services out there and bring students and parents to see how great the campus is,” Pietrowski said.