The Glen Ridge Summer Arts Camp is currently in residence at Forest Avenue School and, although for only a brief stay, from Monday, July 6, to Friday, July 24, it has a long history.
According to Kim Burja, its current director, it was founded by Stan Jackson, who has estimated it was founded in 1975. Burja, a middle school band director in Tenafly, has been at the helm for the last eight years.
“Stan was the middle school band director going back a long way,” she said. “That was when Ridgewood Avenue School was the middle school and then he became the Glen Ridge High School band director.”
Burja said she and Jackson remain good friends and keep in touch. He lives in California.
“My husband went to this camp,” she said. “It was one of the first places he learned about music. He’s now the high school band director.”
Her husband is Darren Gage.
According to Burja, when Jackson retired, he passed his duties to Kevin Logos who, after a few years, passed them to Lu Ann Dragons.
“She ran it for a few years and made some significant changes,” Burja said, “Up to then, it was primarily a music camp. Lu Ann added visual arts. When I took it over, I added theater.”
In addition to art, music and theater, the camp has nature studies.
Burja’s tenure included the COVID-19 pandemic years. Previously, the camp met at the high school. During the pandemic, for two summers, this building was closed.
“But we had a relationship with Freeman Gardens and Kevin Sherry, its director, and they let us use the garden,” she said. “It was a challenging time. For those two summers, we had classes outdoors and wore masks. I had to keep my eye on the weather. But those kids, to the child, I’m still in touch with most of them and their parents. Our kids had barely a half year of school and then they were back home again because of the pandemic. The camp was a lifeline. Everyone felt that way.”
As camp director, Burja believes, as a personal mission, to provide mentorships and internships for the next generation of art educators. Every summer, there are about 10 students who fill these roles.
“That’s part of this camp,” Burja said. “It’s very important that we develop these opportunities to understand what it’s like to do this professionally. It’s an exciting thing. We all have a story about a teacher of ours who was instrumental in the direction our life took.”
Not exclusively for Glen Ridge children, the camp is under the umbrella of the non-profit NJ Arts Collective and supported by the Essex County Cultural Affairs Grant Program. Tuition and donations are other sources of income and scholarships are available.
The camp is structured like the school district. There are three age groups: K-2, 3-6 and 7-12, and snack and lunch times. There are half- and full-day sessions. Depending on their age, a student may take a variety of classes, including ukulele. Although historically associated with the high school, because of one or another summer facilities project, that is no longer the case.
Between 80 and 100 students attend the camp, but not at one time, so during a typical week there are 60-80 students. The staff consists of veteran teachers or their professional equivalents. Of the teachers, there are three for art, two for music, one for theater and one for nature studies.
After finishing their high school freshman or sophomore year, a student may apply for a mentorship, which is a voluntary position. Finishing their junior or senior year, they may apply to be a paid intern.
“I really try to keep costs in mind,” Burja said. “I never want money to get in the way of kids joining the camp.”
Photo Courtesy of Kim Burja
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