Lonestar-Kingwood’s Discovery College is being carried out this summer for children ages 6 - 14. They offer programs that are hands-on, educational and simply fun, while helping children develop skills in a friendly environment. There are nearly 800 kids enrolled this summer, taking classes in science, art, animation, robotics, sports and creative writing. “We’ve run several new camps, including a youth leadership program called The iLEAD Experience, a writing camp for boys called ‘Rough Writers,’ and a camp exploring the Roman Empire called ‘When In Rome,’” said Mark Osborne, program manager. The instructors are certified teachers who lead a variety of subject areas for the students; they offer more than 75 one-week courses. This program was started 20 years ago with the goal of inspiring young students to start thinking about their future college careers and offering them a wholesome learning experience. “Our enrollments are down a little this summer, probably due in part to the economy,” said Osborne. “There are a lot of choices for parents, and we understand that cost is a big factor. It’s for this reason that we haven’t raised our camp fees for the past three years while still providing a quality, fun experience for our campers.” Photo: Students “dig” geology at Lone Star College-Kingwood Discovery College. Natalie Mount, Victoria Allums and Trenton Guzman watch their teacher, Annette May, set off a volcano.