DC Campus: THEARC Session 2 Newsletter

A Note from the Camp Directors

Dear Camp Levine Families,

We can hardly believe the 2025 Camp Levine season has come to a close! What an incredible summer it’s been. Over these past weeks, we’ve continued weaving our “Tapestry of Traditions,” and we are so glad your camper was apart of it.

It’s been a joy to witness their musical journey and the friendships formed along the way. While our amazing staff and faculty worked hard to bring the program to life, it’s your support that makes our camp community so special.

We wish you an awesome rest of your summer and hope your camper carries the spirit of Camp Levine with them into the year ahead.

Best,

Jazmin Goodson, Director of Camp Levine

Catherine Hammes, Co-Director of Camp Levine

A Note from the Site Director

The final session of Camp Levine has been nothing short of amazing! We’ve watched your campers grow in confidence, creativity, and artistic expression—building friendships, learning new skills, and bringing so much energy and joy to each day. It’s been a privilege to be part of their journey this summer, and while we’re incredibly proud of all they’ve accomplished, we truly hate to see it come to an end. Thank you for sharing your children with us and being part of this unforgettable experience!

Juan Goodson

Site Director, Camp Levine THEARC

PreK/Kindergarten Class

Our PreK/K campers are assigned to one teacher and camper group for the entire 3-week session. They explore music and the arts through singing, storytelling, arts and crafts, creative movement, and imaginative play.

Maracas

Lauren Lewis: We’ve had a fun musical journey during our second camp session!

Our theme, A Tapestry of Traditions, continued to guide us as we celebrated music, language, and stories from around the world.

We continued to travel the globe through song, learning a traditional Māori song “Tūtira Mai Ngā Iwi” a well-known song from Aotearoa (Aotearoa is the Māori name for New Zealand). It was originally composed in the 1950s by Canon Wiremu Te Tau Huata, a Māori Anglican minister. The song was created to promote unity, cooperation, and collective strength, with its lyrics translating roughly to “stand together, people.”

We also learned the Brazilian song Tambores also known as “O Ba Ba ”. It is a traditional Portuguese-language children’s song with Afro-Brazilian roots which includes a fun handclap game.

📚 Books & Languages

We explored stories from Swahili-speaking countries in Africa with the books Jambo Means Hello, Moja Means One and We All Went on Safari. These picture books helped us learn Swahili letters, numbers and words while appreciating the rich cultural traditions of East Africa.

🎨 Art

Every day was filled with hands-on creativity. We created instruments …. coloring boxes to make drums 🪘 and making our own ganza! The ganza is a Brazilian percussion instrument, specifically a type of shaker, commonly used in samba music.

Thank you for sharing your amazing children with us! We hope we can continue this journey of music, stories, and connection next year!!

Morning Classes

Morning classes at Camp Levine are music an instrument focused. During the morning classes our campers grades 1-6 experience Instrumental Music introductions and instruction, General Music, Art, and Games & Sports. Read below to hear from our teachers about what your campers did during Session 2!

Music+ (General Music)

Dominic Thomas: In Music+ class, students have been actively exploring music through singing and playing piano and xylophones. Students have been preparing for their upcoming performance while also engaging in fun, hands-on music games inspired by different cultures around the world. Each activity helps build their musical skills and creativity in a joyful, collaborative environment!

Percussion

Kate Shrimpton: In percussion class, we focused on steady beat and rhythm execution on a variety of percussion instruments. The Accordions and the Djembes are working on an Orff arrangement of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, with students playing a melody on xylophones and students playing rhythmic motifs on tubanos and talking drums. The Ouds and the Erhus are working on an arrangement of Somebody That I Used to Know, understanding the difference between melody and harmony, and how that sounds in an ensemble setting. All the students have worked incredibly hard the past three weeks and I’m so proud of their achievements!

Art

Tiffany Strother: During session 2, the Levine Art students produced a ton of amazing projects. Students were able to participate in tribal art such as tattooing. Tattoos have a long and rich history with evidence suggesting they date back to thousands of years ago. Students have also participated in tribal face painting which Native American tribes used for special occasions and ceremonies. It has been a pleasure to make and create with your students this summer.

Games & Sports

Tashi Mhoon-Cooper: In Sports & Games, we took full advantage of the beautiful weather and spent lots of time outdoors! The kids had a blast playing soccer—working on teamwork, coordination, and just enjoying the fun of the game. It was great to see everyone so engaged, cheering each other on, and running around in the fresh air. When the weather allowed, we made the most of it by creating a space where the kids could move freely, explore, and connect with each other through play.

Afternoon Classes

Afternoon classes at Camp Levine are musical theater focused. During the afternoon classes our campers grades 1-6 experience Dance, Drama, and Choral music classes. These 3 classes collaborate to produce a musical theater performance at the end of the session. Read below to hear from our teachers about what your campers did during Session 2!

Dance:

Michelle Seaward- In session 2 of Camp Levine we have been having a blast. Working with the campers has been amazing this summer. They are so happy to learn new dances and the history of DC culture. We have been working on traditional Go-Go moves. The campers have learned dances like lock it, hee-ha, etc. They were also taught about Soul Train lines and block parties. The youngest campers have learned about old school children artists. They have danced to Hi-Five, Lil Romeo, Lil Bow Wow, etc. They are so excited to dance and learn about all these artists. We can’t wait to share the final performance.

Drama:

Aliza Wicks- In drama we’ve been exploring using our voices and bodies to tell stories. We started with emotion guessing games to get used to the ways we already convey meaning with our bodies. We then dove into an improv game called, “What Are You Doing?” to solidify our pantomime skills.

We’ve been working hard on our scenes for the final performance. The campers particularly enjoy adding their own flairs to their lines and are enjoying the flexibility of the script. We’ve been learning the different parts of the stage to better understand our blocking. We’ve also worked hard on projection and articulation to make sure the audience will understand our story. The campers are excited to tell their story at the final performance!

Vocal/Choral:

Dominic Thomas- In Vocal/Choral class, students have been preparing for their musical performance by learning songs tailored to their age group. Along the way, students have been developing their vocal technique through warm-ups, breathing exercises, and ensemble singing. The class has been a vibrant space where students grow their confidence and expression through the power of their voice!