DC Campus: THEARC – Session 2 Newsletter

Dear Camp Levine families,

What a joy it has been to be part of your campers’ summer!

As we explored our theme, Sights, Songs, and Sounds of the City, it has been incredible to watch our campers grow, create, and gain confidence in just a few short weeks. From Spirit Week and Games Day to our end-of-session performances, they truly brought the magic of Camp Levine to life through their creativity, enthusiasm, and hard work.

Thank you for trusting us with your children this summer and for giving them the opportunity to explore, learn, and express themselves through the arts. We hope they leave camp with wonderful memories, new friendships, and a lasting love of music and the arts.

We wish you and your family a wonderful rest of the summer, and we hope to see you again next year!

Best,

Jazmin Goodson, Director of Camp Levine.

Dear families,

The last 3 weeks have been a blast. As Site Director, I am able to float around to each class and really spend observing campers learn and have fun. This camp is an awesome experience every child should have a chance to experience.

We hope you had an awesome time this summer and hope to see you again next summer!

-Mr. Juan

Hi families!

It has been such a pleasure hanging out with these awesome campers over the last 6 weeks! Whether they were new this session, or here since June, all campers have grown tremendously.

I can’t believe we’ve come to the end of the summer! I have enjoyed watching our Dukes, Ellingtons, Go-Gos, Robertas, and Marvins sing, dance, create, play, and perform! I was fortunate enough to be raised musically by Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye, Roberta Flack, and the Go-Go genre, all of whom were born and grown in Washington, DC. When helping design this summer, I did my best to pay homage to DC’s incredible artistry. I hope your campers are able to take a piece of these artists and Go-Go genre we have honored at camp and the lessons they’ve learned from our current DC artists working at Camp Levine with them into their next adventure!

See you next summer!

Ms. Graziella

Hello Parents!

Well we’re at our last week of camp and it’s been crazy!

The kids are learning a go-go dance which they’re dancing to a hip hop version of the timeless Miss Mary Mack.

This session the Go-Go’s have had music instruction /introduction in piano, percussion and cello.

The Go-Go’s made life size drawings based on urban artist, Keith Haring’s famous dancing figures. These pictures will be used as part of the background for the camp play.

Between dancing and singing, we’ve played, built, run and climbed and made lots of new friends.

All in all, it’s a been fun and memorable summer 2026 at Camp Levine. I hope the children have had as much fun as I have and I look forward to seeing some of them next year.

Hello! Your kids have done a great job this session and are excited to share their talents with you. Our younger students are performing You’ve Got A Friend in Me with dance moves they choreographed themselves, and our older students are performing an Orff arrangement of Sunflower on percussion instruments. They have made lots of progress on their performance technique and have worked hard this session – please congratulate them on another amazing year at Camp Levine!

Our campers have been having a wonderful time learning about the cello this session! Our Focus classes have been busy learning correct posture, holding the instrument, setting our left-hand position to enable us to play notes on the D and A strings, as well as starting bow technique. We have been busily preparing “I Got Rhythm” for our all-camp performance this week. Our Sampler campers have been getting a quick trip around the instrument through several days of hands-on exercises, songs and games to learn about the cello’s parts, string names, posture and musicianship. Our PreK class got to visit with the cello several times with activities like singing the “Cello Parts Song,” the “High and Low Game,” and “Freeze Dance!”  I’ve had such a fun time getting to know all the campers and wish them and their families an enjoyable summer and school year!

We’ve been having a lot of fun in percussion class. Trying out the different instruments like drum set, hand drums, and xylophone. We’re learning go-go rhythms for the performance as well as some songs like Chameleon and When the Saints go Marching In.

The second session of camp has been fantastic! It has been extremely rewarding working with all of the young musicians and getting to know each of them in their own, wonderfully unique ways. Some campers are interested in learning their favorite song, some are interested in learning as many classical pieces as they can, and others are interested in collaborative music making with both myself and others. My Focus Piano students (Dukes and Ellingtons) learned note names, various rhythms, and are putting together some exciting pieces for this Friday’s showcase, including songs representing music from New Orleans, New York, Hollywood, Edinburgh (Scotland), Tokyo, and many more! 

My sampler piano students (Marvins and Robertas) have been engaged with music in a variety of ways: identifying low/high sounds on the piano, playing games with rhythm and note-naming, and understanding the emotional impact of different genres of music from Jazz to Hip-hop, and from Classical to Rock. Although the sampler kids are younger, many of them have been able to learn full songs such as Ode to Joy, Twinkle Twinkle, Yankee Doodle, and Heart and Soul, among others. 

And finally, my Pre-K and kindergarten campers (Gogos) have had an immersive experience with music. We have danced, drawn, listened to music, and told stories inspired by what we hear, all while connecting music to their everyday lives. The campers have shown an exceptional curiosity and a large aptitude for musical appreciation, and it has been a moving experience to be able to share my love for music with them.

All of my students have been a joy to be with; they are full of verve and tenacity, and they keep me energized throughout the day. I look forward to sharing some of their talent with you on Friday at the Showcase!

Hello Families,

My name is Ms. P, and I am your Art Teacher at Camp Levine! It has been a joy working with your campers, and I am excited to share what we’ve been creating during Session 2.

This session, our young artists have been exploring architecture, community, and creativity through a variety of hands-on projects. Campers designed and built their own unique houses using natural materials such as rocks, sticks, grass, and flowers found outdoors. This activity encouraged them to use their imagination while discovering how art can be inspired by the world around them.

We also created canvas artwork inspired by landmarks and attractions throughout the DMV. Campers showcased places such as the cherry blossoms, the National Zoo, and other local landmarks. Many also chose to highlight the importance of youth sports by illustrating basketball and the positive impact it has on our community.

Throughout each project, we have focused on using creativity, problem-solving, and self-expression. Every camper has brought their own unique ideas to life, reminding us that art has no limits and that every masterpiece tells its own story.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your child’s creative journey this summer. I have truly enjoyed watching their confidence and imagination grow each day!

Great afternoon! This session, we continued with soccer (World Cup Wednesdays), the playground, the basketball court, and Monopoly Jr. In addition, the culmination of our Spirit Week was our Day of Champions — an Olympic-esque tournament featuring frisbee flicking, soccer shots “from way downtown”, and a hula-hoop competition extraordinaire! Each participant played with pride, and our champions will be honored in our final performance.

Hi everyone! I’m Kiss Kay and I’ve been ecstatic to work with the kids at Levine for my first summer at camp. Previously teaching at Imagination Stage and The Performing Arts School of Richmond, I have been working hard with the other teachers to bring community and belonging into the arts. Accepting our difference as strengths and using them to our advantage as actors in a scene. We also us games to teach about the fundamental principles of acting, and putting all that work into the script with ideas that the kids at Levine came up with themselves! Using the three actors tools (Mind, Body, Voice) The kids at Levine are ready to bring a wonderful performance about their favorite places in DC (and of course, play some games along the way).

Session 2 of Camp Levine has been an incredible experience! Working with the campers has been such a joy this summer. Their enthusiasm for learning new dances and discovering the rich history of Washington, DC’s culture has been truly inspiring.

This session, we’ve been focusing on traditional Go-Go dance moves, with campers learning routines to classic Go-Go music while exploring the history of the genre. They’ve also been introduced to iconic DC recording artists and local landmarks, helping them connect dance with the city’s vibrant cultural heritage.

The Marvin’s & Roberta’s groups have also been learning about old-school pop music, expanding their appreciation for different musical styles and the dances that accompany them.

The campers are excited to learn, perform, and explore a variety of dance styles each day.

We are so proud of all they have accomplished, and we can’t wait to showcase their hard work at the final performance!

In Vocal/Choral class, we are having so much fun discovering the techniques and skills that help us become stronger singers, both individually and as an ensemble. Students are learning and practicing healthy vocal techniques, breath support, expression, and teamwork while preparing the music for our upcoming musical. One of the highlights is learning the Spanish song “Vivir Mi Vida,” which encourages us to celebrate life with joy, gratitude, and happiness. It has been exciting to see students grow in confidence while making music together!

The children I work with at Camp Levine are enthusiastic, creative, and full of energy. It’s a privilege to support their growth, encourage teamwork and help create a fun, safety and memorable experience.