Summer Camp

We are pleased to welcome you and your child(ren) to this year’s Images of Afrika Summer Camp. Our camp is designed to enhance your child’s day through a comprehensive social and educational curriculum designed to stimulate their development during the summer school break. Our staff remain committed to meeting each child’s individual needs in a responsive and nurturing manner.

During their time with us, children will explore the rich beauty of Africa as they are introduced to music, dance, African languages, theatre, visual arts, hand-made crafts and field trips around the city! A nutritious breakfast and lunch are provided by the Whole Again summer food program.

We believe in an open and transparent environment with ongoing communication with parents/guardians regarding your child’s camp experience – be sure to share these with us regularly!

Camp Activities:
Dance · Drumming · Languages
Arts & Crafts · Theater · Singing
Cooking · Field trips · Nature Walks

Camp Dates:

May 28 – August 9, 2024 (11 weeks)

Camp Hours:
Monday -Friday 9am-3pm (However, you may drop off as early as 7:30 AM and pick up as late as 6:00 PM)

General Registration:
February 28 – June 30, 2024

Registration fee is a ONE time $50/child (non-refundable) which includes souvenir camp T-Shirt, water Bottle and Tie & Die project

Camp Rate: $100/Child/Week – multiple child discount is available (Please see  below.

1st child = $100/week

2nd child = $50/week

3rd child = $100/week

4th child = $50/week, etc.

Our program hours are Monday – Friday; beginning May 28, 2023 and running through August 9, 2024 Summer camp hours are 9:00am-3:00pm. We provide an early drop off and late pick up for parents needing these services. Early drop off is from 7:30am to 9:00am with late pick up from 3:00pm to 6:00pm. A late fee of $15 will be assessed to any parent who picks up their child after the 6:00pm closing time and then $1 per minute after 6:15pm. These fees are due and payable at time of pickup. Children must arrive no later than 8:45am as our curriculum begins promptly at 9:00am.

The “Child Enrollment and Health Information for Child Care Centers and Type A Homes” form (last 3 pages of this packet) must be completed, signed and returned no later than your child’s first day of attendance.

A onetime registration fee of $50 per child is due at registration. The camp fee of $100 per child is due weekly on Monday of each week by 9:00am. Full payment for all the weeks that the child is registered for is due prior to first day of camp. However, when this is not possible, it is required that full weekly payment is made no later than 9:00am on Monday of the participating week. A late fee of $20 per week per child shall be applied to your account for late payments. Bi‐Okoto reserves the right to revoke participation in camp until the outstanding balance has been settled

Parents/guardians are required to sign their name and the that of each child(ren) at time of arrival at the sign‐in desk upon arrival and before departure daily. Parents/guardians must communicate directly with a staff member prior to departing with their child(ren) to verify pickup. If a person other than a parent/guardian will be picking up your child(ren), it is required that such arrangements must be made prior to the child(ren) being picked up.

Parents/guardians may designate other persons who may occasionally pick up their child(ren) on the “Pick-up/Carpool form”. Please note, Bi-Okoto will ask to see identification of all persons who is not the parent/guardian of a child, regardless if they are listed on the “Pick-up/Carpool form” as added security for the safety of the children. Under no circumstances, will we allow children to leave the premises with an unauthorized individual.

Bi‐Okoto provides a free hot nutritious lunch daily for every child enrolled in our summer camp. Meals are provided by Whole Again and are served under the guidelines of the National School Lunch Program to meet the “Dietary Guidelines for Americans”.

If you or your child decide to opt out of the lunch provided or has specific dietary needs, please provide a nutritious lunch for your child(ren). Lunch is scheduled between 12:30‐1:30pm and therefore we recommend that you pack a nutritious morning AND afternoon snack for your child(ren). If your child(ren) will remain after 3:00pm, we recommend that you pack an additional nutritious snack with juice each day.

Because our camp program has an interactive curriculum with many activity-based parts, we require children to wear loose fitting clothing (shorts and T‐shirts) that will allow them to move, bend, and jump freely. Young ladies should wear or bring a sports bra (if necessary) for dance class.

Children may NOT wear tight jeans, revealing clothing, “short shorts”, shirts that exposes the belly or excessive jewelry. Females are required to wrap an “iro” or “lapa” (African dance skirt) around their waist during dance classes. Males are required to wear a “sokoto” (African dance pant) during dance classes.

All children will be bare foot (socks permitted) throughout the day. All personal belongings shall be marked with the child’s name. We recommend that children bring a small hand towel (for sweat), a water bottle, and a plain white t‐shirt (for tie‐dying).

Children may not bring candy, electronic devices, cell phones, toys, weapons, knives, hazardous or poisonous materials of any kind. Only medication prescribed by a physician or over-the-counter medication provided by a parent/guardian may be brought to camp.

If your child(ren) is mildly ill, please alert the Camp Director so the child(ren) can be closely monitored to ensure their situation doesn’t deteriorate.

A mildly ill child is defined as a child experiencing minor cold/allergy symptoms, or a child not feeling well enough to participate in activities but not exhibiting any communicable disease symptoms. A mildly ill child will be allowed to come/remain at camp but will be closely monitored for worsening conditions.

In the event that your child has a temperature of 100 degrees or higher; skin rash or untreated infected skin patches; diarrhea or vomiting; stiff neck; yellowish skin or eyes, we ask that you not bring your child to camp. If a child develops any of the above symptoms during the day, he/she will not be permitted to remain at the camp, and it will be the parent’s responsibility to see that the child is picked up promptly.

It is the policy of Bi-Okoto that no child is ever left alone or unsupervised. A telephone for emergency use is available at all times in the office. All children are expected to arrive on time and behave in a respectful and orderly manner.

In the event of misbehavior, children will have the opportunity to discuss and resolve the matter with an adult. Typically, we do not make it a practice to report minor infractions that can be resolved in-house, as these matters are part of a healthy nurturing and learning environment for children.

However, in the event of more serious infractions or ongoing matters, such as aggressive behavior toward other children and/or adults, Bi‐Okoto will alert the parent/guardian to adequately address the issue(s). Bi‐Okoto, however, reserves the right to remove any child from a class or the entire camp program without refund, due to conduct, discipline or other reasons at any time during the camp.

The Parent/Guardian agrees and acknowledges that their child, while participating in summer camp at Bi‐Okoto, will require sustained, repetitive, vigorous physical activities usually performed on a hard surface without protective footwear (i.e. athletic shoes). It is also understood that dance instruction involves kinetic corrections that may include physically touching the body as part of regular class work and rehearsals.

I/We understand that participants engage in a broad range of quick movements, bending, twisting, running, leaping and lifting, which place extreme demands on the human body, including stress of joints and ligaments, repetitive impact, and occasional falls, slips and collisions with other participants and objects.

I/We also understand that there are inherent risks of injury in all of the above activities as well as in the general participation in classes, events, nature walks and camp. I voluntarily assume and accept such risks of personal injury and illnesses arising from my child’s attendance and participation in such activities, events, nature walks and camp.

I/We hereby release Bi‐Okoto, its trustees, employees and agents from all actions, claims or demands that I and my heirs or representatives now have, or may hereafter, have for personal injuries or property damage resulting from the child’s attendance and or participation in such activities and events.

I/We agree that this release includes personal injury or property damages caused in whole or in part by negligence, active or passive, of Bi‐Okoto, its trustees, employees and agents. This release does not apply to liability for willful injury or fraud. This permission and release shall remain effective through the end of 2020 unless and until a written revocation is delivered to the Camp Director.

The last couple of years has taught us for the most part, a new way of thinking about who we are and who and what is important to us in life. At Bi-Okoto, we are indebted to the communities we serve as they have allow us to stay engaged with our offerings – Classes & Performances, both in-person and virtually!

E se pupo! (Thank you very much!)