This summer the past comes alive for the virtual summer camp at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum! Children will learn about the parts that men and women have played in defining our region’s connection to its greatest asset, the sea. Each camper will receive a “Sea in a Satchel” backpack filled with educational materials and activities that correspond to the programs for each week. Use these lessons to discover the arts and humanities while campers follow along at home.
All of the programs have been prepared by certified teachers under the guidance of the State of Florida curriculum. Lessons highlight how sailors used instruments to guide their vessels to and from Florida and St. Augustine one week while another will teach campers about St. Augustine’s role in World War II as a training center for the United States Coast Guard. As one of the Nation’s Oldest Port™ programs, the camp offers variety and fun for every camper while gaining an appreciation for our unique maritime history!
The cost for the camp per week is $75 and includes a free membership to the Museum to enjoy for an entire year! Register online at staugustinelighthouse.org/education/Summer_Camp or call the Lighthouse directly at 904.829.0745.
IT’S A MARITIME LIFE FOR ME!: Completed K-4th Grades
Learn more about working, living, and playing along our coast. Tales from the past and present show why people have lived in St Augustine since 1565. Find out why they came, stayed, and sometimes were forced to leave. Through hands-on learning and S.T.E.A.M. guided lessons, experience the good times and the hardships faced by those who lived it.
Week 1: Sailors, June 15-19
Take a look back at the founders of St. Augustine who traveled here and created the first European settlement in North America. What were these first settlers like? How did they survive in the New World? What culture and practices did they bring with them? Campers also learn about modern sailors. How do sailing vessels and instruments work today? Find out the answers to these questions and more!
Week 2: Soldiers, June 22-26
Discover what was happening in the world to require troops at the Castillo de San Marcos fort and at the Lighthouse. From the discovery of the city in 1565 to the Revolutionary War to World War II, the city has been home to soldiers and their families! Explore St. Augustine during World War II: why was the city so important to coastal defense and protection? Did you know that the city housed training centers for the United States Coast Guard and the SPARS, the Coast Guard women’s auxiliary? Get to know the military history of our city!
Week 3: Keepers, June 29- July 3
Taking a look at the St. Augustine Light Station itself, campers learn what life was like for the Keepers and their family. We often think of the Keepers as the most important figure at the Light Station, but that was only partly true. The Keeper’s family helped keep the station going in any number of ways. Learn more about the dangers, duties, and fun times had at the St. Augustine Lighthouse.
Week 4: Scientists, July 6-10
Living along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean provides scientists the opportunity to study the ocean and the people, plants and animals nearby. Explore the sciences from archaeology to biology and everything in between.
Week 5: Families, July 13-17
Families have made their home along Florida’s coast since the first Native American’s lived here in a village named Seloy. In the past families came for many reasons: to start a better life, to build new communities and to take advantage of the abundant natural resources. Learn more about how families have shaped the region. What did they do for fun? What did families do for food? Get some answers to these questions and more as we look at the way families have changed over time.
Virtual Camp is sponsored by the Sertoma Club of St. Augustine and individual donors like you. The Nation’s Oldest Port, Response to WWII exhibit, opening late July is sponsored by the State of Florida, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Tourist Development Council of St. Johns County.
To learn more about the virtual summer camps and the work of the St. Augustine Lighthouse, visit www.staugustinelighthouse.org.
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