By Alisa Boswell-Gore

There’s a new summer camp coming to Portales in the form of theatre.

TADA! Theatre Arts and Drama Academy will be held in Eastern New Mexico University’s Theatre Center for two week-long sessions June 4-8 or 11-15, with the camp for 4th-6thgrade students being held 9 a.m. to noon and 7th-9thgrade students 1 p.m.

“We are going to be working with life skills, being able to think on your feet and speak clearly, to be heard, to move with poise, to be honest and friendly,” said the camp’s director, Patrick McCreary. “It’s just trying to instill in young people a sense of self-worth, purpose and respect. And that they are somebody of worth and to cultivate the worth that is already lying within them. Plus, no one says you can’t get together, meet new people and have some fun.”

McCreary said the camp will involve a lot of improv and games and students will perform a show case written by Jeff and Cindy Gentry at the end of each week.

“We’re trying to create a new tradition and activity of excellence to awaken in our young people a sense of excellence, because these young people are our future leaders, our future college students, our parents and our teachers,” McCreary said.

Tuition for the camp is $75 per student for one week. Students attending both weeks pay a discounted rate of $140 per student. For more information, visit www.Enmu.edu/TheatreCamp.

And there’s plenty of other activities in Portales this summer with the Portales Recreation Center’s summer program also beginning in the first week of June with its usually variety of activities, such as community betterment projects, fitness circuits, science projects, arts and crafts, swimming and other athletics, along with field trips to the movie theater, zoo, roller rink and more.

The program is $225 for each one-month session June 4-29 and July 9-Aug. 3. The program runs all day Monday-Friday. For more information, call 575-356-8598.

For information on a variety of other summer camps and programs, pick up a United Way of Eastern New Mexico Summer Activity Guide at the following locations:

Floyd schools

Dora schools

Community Services Center

Portales Recreation Center

Portales Public Library

Portales Chamber of Commerce

Do Drop In

C&S Inc.

Portales City Hall

US Bank

Western Bank

NM Bank & Trust