Summer camp doesn't have the same meaning to Mike Dobson as itdid for comic Allan Sherman when he released his now infamoussummertime lament.
"Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh. Here I am at Camp Granada," Shermansang before pleading with his parents to let him come home beforecamp ends.
Dobson's innovative concept of summer camp life is dedicated tomaking campers and their parents happy.
Dobson, 34, sees summer camp as a form of education. So he takeshis campers to historical and cultural institutions, even where AlCapone did time.
This is a contrary view of normal summer camp activity --swimming pools, softball games, sack races, marshmallow roasts, puptents and campfire tales.
Dobson grew up in Oakland with happy camp memories. Then heattended UC Santa Barbara, got a degree in engineering, and thoughtthat would be his life.
But one summer, a buddy who ran a camp needed a mountain bikeinstructor on Catalina Island. So Dobson took a leave of absencefrom his engineering work before quitting altogether to take a year-round camp job, teaching physics and astronomy in Idlewild.
He moved up to program director after meeting his wife, Caitlin.Last year, they moved to Oakland, where Dobson decided to run hisown camp his way.
"Most camps go to one set facility, with usually one field trip aweek," he said. "But what about a camp that brings kids out everyday to really cool, awesome places around the bay? It will beeducational in a sense but making it fun like camp should be. We'regoing to be showing the kids a bunch of information, but at the endof the day, I want them to go home with a smile on their face.
"It's entertaining education, or 'edutainment.' "
Camp lasts one week, five days a week, but there are fourdifferent camps: physics and technology, history, art, and biologyand natural science. There are two different camps per week, and thecamps run 10 weeks total.
This past week, one group visited Alcatraz on Monday, the GoldenGate Bridge and San Francisco Maritime Museum on Tuesday, took anOakland walking tour and saw the California Museum of Oakland onWednesday, the De Young Museum on Thursday, and the USS Hornet andthe Oakland Aviation Museum on Friday.
How unique is this concept? Dobson has spent time on the Internetsearching nationally to provide that very answer. He discovered theonly thing that comes close is, of all places, right next door inBerkeley with its City Camps.
Dobson's camp kids, ages 8 to 15, travel by BART, ferry, bus andother types of railways. These costs, plus admissions to varioussites and two snacks per day -- campers bring their own lunches --are covered by Dobson's Urban Adventure Camps. Instructors must bepaid, too, and there are two instructors per group. Thus a one-weekcamp costs $400.
"We're kind of right on the average for private camps," saidDobson. "There are discounts some weeks. Once we get a larger groupsof campers, we'll offer scholarships to kids who can't pay the$400."
To sign up, go online at www.urbanadventurecamps.com.
"I don't think they feel pushed or bored," Dobson said of hiscamp kids. "Most of the time, they're having fun. But, of course,the youngest ones get tired."
Getting off at the Rockridge BART station Tuesday at 4:15 p.m.,the camp kids seemed more energized than tired.
"I think this camp is great," said Conor Wayland, 9, of Oakland."Every day, we go on a field trip, a lot of fun stuff. I barely knewanything about Alcatraz, but I learned about the 'Bird Man' (RobertStroud) and others who tried to break out but couldn't."
Dobson now wants to make camp life his career.
Why not?
Dave Newhouse's columns appear Monday, Thursday and Sunday,usually on the Local page. Know any Good Neighbors? Phone 510-208-6466 or email dnewhouse@bayareanewsgroup.com.
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