In a sea of summer sports and band camps teaching young ones anything from dribbling past an opponent to trumpeting "The Star Spangled Banner," Wichita State University's communication camp is a lone ship, pioneering its way with pen and paper in hand.

The four-week camp is a first for WSU. Tailored to area high school students interested in communication, the camp offers a broad range of training including writing, grammar, foreign language, Web layout, video game design and photography.

During the week, campers stay at WSU's Fairmount Towers dormitory and return home on the weekends.

In all, 24 USD 259 students climbed aboard this summer. The students' entrance was based upon essays expressing why they wished to participate.

The camp is just one part of the WSU TRIO Communication Upward Bound program (CUB). The year-long academic program features college preparation and professional skills workshops, as well as weekly homework assistance and tutoring. 

With two recent additions, WSU has nine TRIO programs, making it one of the only universities in the country hosting such a large selection. All TRIO programs are federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education.

Amy Mattson Lauters

Amy Mattson Lauters, assistant professor in the Elliott School of Communication and camp director, authored the grant proposal that was accepted last year, making the CUB services available to the community.

The program receives $250,000 a year for four years with a chance to renew at its expiration. It provides educational opportunities to low-income Americans, encouraging them toward college and beyond.

Students have busy days packed full of activities. Classes in math, science, grammar and Spanish occupy the morning, and rotations through four media workshops in the afternoon are public speaking, media writing, visual production and Web production.

Evenings bring extracurricular clubs, time at the Heskett Center, movies and guest speakers on a variety of topics. Each Friday, campers take field trips to other campuses, newsrooms and relevant destinations.

A Web site has been created to showcase their work. Parents and friends can visit the camp Web site to see the fruits of their labor.

Lauters has a handful of helpers serving as instructors, tutors and counselors. Harlan Clonts, Daphne Sierra, Anthony Avery, Whitney Farley and Roni Ayalla are all either current WSU students or recent graduates. Ashley Holloway, a South Central University graduate, is also lending her time.

A highlight of Lauters' experience as director has been seeing the results of what campers have learned.

"At the end of the week I get to see all the writing, Web sites, speeches and things they had been working on," she said. "It is very gratifying."

Lauters believes the camp is making a positive impact on the students and the community.

"We know if we can reach kids at this age they're more likely to continue in their education," she said.

At the end of four weeks in early August, campers are sure to leave campus saturated with communication know-how, ready to navigate the high seas of media with sturdy sails and focused minds intact.

For more information on the Communication Upward Bound program at WSU, contact Lauters at 978-6060 or amy.lauters@wichita.edu.