LITTLE EGG HARBOR. New Jersey USA — After a group countdown, Tuckerton Elementary School student David Cook pushed a button Friday and launched his model rocket toward the clouds above the Pinelands Regional High School soccer field.

David was one of the area students who participated in Introduction to Space and Model Rocket Building, one of approximately 100 half-day camps and one-day courses offered through the district's Pinelands School Based Youth Services.

Emily Jurich, 9, packs her rocket after launching it during the Introduction to Space and Model Rocket Building class at Pinelands Regional High School. Photo: Shawn Huber.

Instructor Steve Timmerman watches as Matt Matuszak, 14, prepares to launch his rocket during the class. Photo: Shawn Huber.

Eighth-grade science teacher Steve Timmerman said the camp uses mathematics, meteorology, an introduction to NASA and much more, so when the students reach eighth grade they will be familiar with the concepts.

"It's a great hands-on class," he said. "They're learning while they're having fun."

David described model rocket building, saying, "We would take the cardboard tube and we have our shock cord right here and our parachute in here (in the nose of the rocket)." He went on to describe gluing on the fins of the rocket, setting the charge and putting the model on the launch pad.

Christie Berry, recreation coordinator for Pinelands School Youth Based Services, said the summer recreation program — with its one-day courses and half-day one-week camps — is highly successful every summer. The program is open to children in the Pinelands sending districts and to out-of-town children.

The annual camps and programs start the week after July 4. Different camps and programs for various age groups are offered each week.

"Ballerina camp was a big camp," Berry said.

Ballerina camp for ages 4-6 taught the basics of ballet while campers created their own costumes. On the last day, the children presented a dance that included everything they learned while wearing their handmade ballerina costumes.

"Act It Out is an acting camp. That was big, too," she said. "They put on a little skit at the end."

Act It Out, for ages 9-12 ran July 21-25.

Teens ages 13-18 could take a computer repair camp, plus there were band and sports camps.

New camps are added each year, such as the Teddy Bears Picnic for ages 5-8 and a Superhero Camp for children ages 6-9.

Hannah Montana Camp, for ages 7-10, ran July 14-18 for those "who want the best of both worlds just like Hannah Montana," according to camp literature. They made jewelry like Hannah's, learned one of her songs and a dance, dressed like Hannah and made arts and crafts "Hannah style."

Children ages 3-5 had story times and activities.

An American Boating Course certification class for boaters was offered through U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 77, baby-sitting certification through Southern Ocean County Hospital, and a two-day canoe trip and a one-day search for fossils were proctored by the Ocean County Parks and Recreation Department.

The camps and programs will be publicized again next spring.

"We do the camps every year so look for our brochure. They are usually available the second week in May," Berry said.

The brochures are placed in local schools and out-of-towners can obtain the brochure through Pinelands School Based Youth Services in May by calling (609) 296-3106.

Copyright © 2008, Asbury Park Press.