Adventures in Writing Camp
Williams Elementary, 71 E. Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel Valley, CA 93924
About
Adventures in Writing Camp includes activities such as writing an eBook, creating a podcast, creating blogs, and creating animatics. Campers also write chant lyrics and rap lyrics for chant and rap battles, use an iPad to create a story, and take part in music and dance activities, games, and videos. The program includes foundational storytelling skills, verbal and physical storytelling elements in learning games borrowed from improv theater, and other storytelling skills.
• Ages: 6–13 years old
Adventures in Writing Camp was created by Stanford-educated authors Hans and Jen Hartvickson in partnership with Doctor Alison DeMark and teacher Jonny D. Williams. Writing lessons are taught by energetic, innovative, and credentialed teachers, and each session is taught by a team of credentialed, local elementary and middle school teachers. Counselors are college students, including teachers-in-training and drama students, and team members complete extensive background checks and receive significant training on the camp culture and curriculum. The program maintains a student-to-staff ratio of not more than seven-to-one and is taught by experienced classroom teachers.
The camp uses a music-based curriculum with professionally produced pop songs, and lessons for elementary campers are delivered as songs. Rising 1st graders develop storytelling skills, campers entering grades 2–5 write an eBook, and campers entering grades 6–8 create a podcast about any topic they choose. Middle school campers create their own project about a topic they love and improve their persuasive and explanatory writing skills. New writing skills are practiced by writing chant songs, and there are good-natured chant battles between camp sessions. The curriculum is created fresh each year, and this is described as summer camp, not summer school, with instruction done through music, games, videos, and technology, including the use of iPads to create stories, blogs, podcasts, and animatics.
The program’s mission is to create a virtuous cycle of enthusiasm toward writing, with the goal that when a child becomes a more skilled and confident writer, it opens the door to success in all aspects of school and life. The mission statement says the camp helps children discover the magic of writing, arms them with tools to organize ideas, hook readers with a great introduction, and paint pictures with well-chosen words, and describes parents watching their child “ride” this virtuous cycle to a lifetime of confidence and success with writing.
Adventures in Writing Camp offers on-campus summer sessions in multiple locations and notes convenient hours with Supervised Play available when needed, a Worry-Free Cancellation Policy, and easy check in and out. The organization also offers online programs called JUMP Writing, an online writing tutoring center, and Jump Private Coaching in a 1-1 online format. The program states that children become better writers and can fall in love with writing.
Parent testimonials describe campers being excited about their books and CDs and enjoying the camp experience. One parent reports that a 1st grade boy never complained about going, enjoyed it, and was excited about his book, and that he came home with books and CDs that added to his excitement. Another parent states that their children loved all aspects of the program and were very excited to show their work. A third parent describes camp as a great success for a 4th grade boy, notes that it was the first camp he really enjoyed, that he was eager and ready for camp every morning, proud of his book and the books of fellow campers, and that he talked about going again the next summer, which made his sister wish she had attended as well.
Last updated March 10, 2026.
• Ages: 6–13 years old
Adventures in Writing Camp was created by Stanford-educated authors Hans and Jen Hartvickson in partnership with Doctor Alison DeMark and teacher Jonny D. Williams. Writing lessons are taught by energetic, innovative, and credentialed teachers, and each session is taught by a team of credentialed, local elementary and middle school teachers. Counselors are college students, including teachers-in-training and drama students, and team members complete extensive background checks and receive significant training on the camp culture and curriculum. The program maintains a student-to-staff ratio of not more than seven-to-one and is taught by experienced classroom teachers.
The camp uses a music-based curriculum with professionally produced pop songs, and lessons for elementary campers are delivered as songs. Rising 1st graders develop storytelling skills, campers entering grades 2–5 write an eBook, and campers entering grades 6–8 create a podcast about any topic they choose. Middle school campers create their own project about a topic they love and improve their persuasive and explanatory writing skills. New writing skills are practiced by writing chant songs, and there are good-natured chant battles between camp sessions. The curriculum is created fresh each year, and this is described as summer camp, not summer school, with instruction done through music, games, videos, and technology, including the use of iPads to create stories, blogs, podcasts, and animatics.
The program’s mission is to create a virtuous cycle of enthusiasm toward writing, with the goal that when a child becomes a more skilled and confident writer, it opens the door to success in all aspects of school and life. The mission statement says the camp helps children discover the magic of writing, arms them with tools to organize ideas, hook readers with a great introduction, and paint pictures with well-chosen words, and describes parents watching their child “ride” this virtuous cycle to a lifetime of confidence and success with writing.
Adventures in Writing Camp offers on-campus summer sessions in multiple locations and notes convenient hours with Supervised Play available when needed, a Worry-Free Cancellation Policy, and easy check in and out. The organization also offers online programs called JUMP Writing, an online writing tutoring center, and Jump Private Coaching in a 1-1 online format. The program states that children become better writers and can fall in love with writing.
Parent testimonials describe campers being excited about their books and CDs and enjoying the camp experience. One parent reports that a 1st grade boy never complained about going, enjoyed it, and was excited about his book, and that he came home with books and CDs that added to his excitement. Another parent states that their children loved all aspects of the program and were very excited to show their work. A third parent describes camp as a great success for a 4th grade boy, notes that it was the first camp he really enjoyed, that he was eager and ready for camp every morning, proud of his book and the books of fellow campers, and that he talked about going again the next summer, which made his sister wish she had attended as well.
Last updated March 10, 2026.
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