AwesomeStPaul is delighted to announce our latest grant recipient, Camp Cardboard. We chose Camp Cardboard because we want to encourage the creative spirit of young people in our community. Congratulations!

Rachel McCarthy explains "Park Square Theatre/SteppingStone Creative Learning Camps are a staple program for any young artist in the Twin Cities. We are known for our high quality educational programming, and families look forward to our summer camps year after year. We are thrilled to be offering all of our camps on a Pay-As-You’re-Able pricing initiative, removing the cost barrier to any families who want to participate. This summer, we are running eight weeks of camp, for over 600 students ranging from PreK-12th Grade.

Our summer camps are full of highly imaginative young artists who are collaborating together to create original stories, characters, and environments. While our programs are fuelled by imagination, there is nothing like the feeling of physically creating the ideas that live in your head. In summer camps, our students have one week to devise, plan, and create an original story that is accompanied by low-budget sets, props, and costumes made out of cardboard, paper, and fabrics. We are hoping that, with your support, we are able to incorporate S.T.E.M. learning into our programs by providing specific cardboard creation tools that will spark creativity, promote independence, and enhance design and movement.

Currently, the only tools we have to bring these ideas to life are scissors and paint. Cutting cardboard with scissors can be quite challenging, and the types of scissors needed to cut the thick, rough cardboard are not developmentally appropriate for most of our campers. This puts the pressure and onus on our adult staff to do most of the construction, while students are resigned to sit and watch.
We want our students to cut, saw, puncture, fold, and connect cardboard pieces independently, or in small groups with minimal adult support. This will foster an atmosphere of independent learning, problem solving, and innovation.