Camp Spotlight: Selby Gardens Camp Lookout

Children concentrated on coloring their Renaissance-inspired plaster masks Tuesday, June 11, at That’s Amore!, the first session of the Marie Selby Gardens Summer Camp Lookout. Earlier in the week, children planted basil, oregano, bell peppers, garlic and chives to learn what ingredients go into making a pizza.

Campers also learned where their food comes from and what sorts of critters live in the dirt. In addition, they studied and drew plants the way scientists do.

Pizza ingredients planted
Tomato plant: 1
Basil plants: 4
Oregano plants: 4
Cayenne pepper plants: 4
Garlic plants: 6
Bell pepper plants: 6
Chives: 6

By The Numbers
20 — Numbers of campers
One — Number of teachers
4 — Number of teen counselors at camp


Camper Spotlight
Zoe Nikirk
12 years old

What have you learned at camp?
We have been learning about the gardens — what kinds of plants there are, where everything is and things like that.

How did you get involved with this camp?
Well, in second grade my friend told me about this camp. My mom signed me up for it, then she dropped me off one morning and I have come back ever since.

What’s your favorite part about the camp?
Just being able to be around the nature and the water. It’s just so fun and we get to learn about everything with arts and stuff, so that’s a lot of fun.

What would you say to other kids about this camp?
I would say that you should probably come here, because it’s just a fun place to be and you learn so much without even realizing that you are learning at all.

What other activities have you done here?
Yesterday, we took a tour around the gardens, and our teacher told me to be the tour guide, sort of. Then, we came back and we worked on our masks, decorated our nametags and did our journals.

What are you doing today?
We are going to work on our masks again. They are made out of plaster and we start decorating them today and then we are going to start doing our T-shirts.