Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many summer camps have decided to close completely or move to an online format. All LHS-hosted camps that use the gym have been canceled or tentatively scheduled to resume at a later date if restrictions are lifted.
“For football, we are waiting to see what the UIL allows us to do this summer,” coach Robert Cochran said. “As of right now, we just concluded our fifth week of Zoom team workouts. I believe that this is helping us come closer as a team because we’re finding a way to work together and push each other to get better.”
For sports, the school is off-limits for workouts because of the remodeling of the gym. Even in July, a release is required for camps or sessions that want to workout. Other camps common for school-sponsored organizations like the theatre department, band or the debate team have canceled or moved online as well. For example, the Drum Major camp, Texas Debate Collective, and Tal Lostracco’s Summer Theatre camp have all moved to an online format or been canceled completely.
“The biggest damper for me is missing drum major camp,” junior and drum major Evan Hestand said. “I loved that place with my whole heart; the things I was taught will last a lifetime.”
The 2020 Balfour Publications Camp that the yearbook and newspaper students normally attend every summer in Whitehouse was canceled last week due to Covid-19 concerns. Normally, all yearbook and newspaper students go for two days and receive in-depth practice and instruction in ways to improve their writing and technological skills. Debbie Vaughn, the director of the camp, has not decided if a makeup camp will be held later in the summer or not. If no camp is available, Mrs. Morrow will have a mini-camp in the fall at LHS.
“Although I am disappointed that the students will not get to have the camp experience this year, nothing is more important to me than their safety,” Neda Morrow, yearbook and newspaper adviser said. “We will just have to be creative after school starts and do our own version of camp here in Lindale. Our yearbook and newspaper students are super talented individuals and I know that they will adapt to the changes this crisis has caused and maybe even come up with new and clever ideas for the year to come.”
To solve this problem, some students are opting to hire remote private lessons or teaching from instructors or are even creating their own groups to work together through the summer.
“I’m pretty upset by it due to the fact that this would be my last year attending theatre camp before college,” junior Alex Gaba said. “I was really looking forward to attending Tal Lostracco camp, but i’m just thankful that corona didn’t cancel my last year of theatre.”
