Vero Beach Karate Association: Vacation Camps

Welcome to VBKA's Vacation Camps -- Here is where some of our best work takes place!
Download the 2011 Summer Camp Registration Form

The Vero Beach Karate Association has been offering camps to young people for the past fifteen years. The camp schedule follows the public school system, and camp sessions start as soon as school is out for the summer and end when school resumes. VBKA also provides holiday camps during the winter holiday season, as well as a spring break camp.

"It is at our camps that some of our best work takes place," explains Mr. Willis, the Association's Head Instructor.

"Camps center around the martial arts, and we train three mornings a week. For students who already belong to our association, this intensified training schedule helps them advance in skills at an accelerated rate, which is a great feature. In the afternoons, we have a good deal of enrichment training: ballroom dancing, dance etiquette, music and art classes, and manners and etiquette training, such as table manners, dating etiquette, telephone etiquette, and hospitality skills."

Above: Tiny Tots doing a one minute concentration drill.

Summer Camp is divided into three week sessions, with each week following a particular theme. Likewise, enrichment activities revolve around the week's theme.

VBKA enlists the help of various guests to be a part of the camp, each providing an experience that enriches the campers understanding in a particular area. VBKA guests have included NASA experts, scientists from Harbor Branch Oceanographic, the Vero Beach Mayor, State Senators, members of law enforcement, health and fitness trainers, stockbrokers, dancers, craftsmen, and many others.

"We want our students to be proficient martial artists, but we also want them to be ladies and gentlemen." ...Mr. Willis

It is through the camps that long term friendships and bonds are developed. These are young people who don't just train together. They grow up together and find that the friends they make at the Vero Beach Karate Association are decent, well mannered young people who are trying to make something of themselves. Many socialize with each other outside the karate school, and do so with the blessing of their parents who know these friends are good kids.

Students have so much fun when they get together at a VBKA dress up dance.

This is where their dance etiquette and social etiquette skills are put into practice.

Camp Counselor Megan Nixon dressed as a pirate for Pirate Week!

Mrs. Watkins shares her
musical skills
and talents
with campers. Here campers perform for parents and family at the
end of the session.

Pictured above: Campers practice their drum patterns under the direction of Michael Perrault

Pictured below: Harbor Branch representative shares
her expertise with campers.

Music enrichment was a big part of this year's summer camp program. Students learned to play the guitar and the drums.

CJ and Eric, guest musicians from Melody Music, share their guitar expertise with VBKA campers.

20011 Camper Awards

Award	First Session	Second Session	Third Session
Hardest Working	Andi Bond	Nathan Walton	Jacob Weitz
Most Helpful	Andrew Miller	Bradley Mower	Margaux Schiffeleers
Most Polite	Lorenzo Bona	Collin Harris	Heather O'Corry Crowe
Most Friendly	Lauren Jenks	Abby Stenn	Liam Ritchie
Best Girl Dancer	Ariana Muscarella	Cassidy Morrow	Emily Cress
Best Boy Dancer	Daniel Krogh	Joshua Hooper	Garrett Roux
Best All-Around	Melanie Coppola Cole Coppola	Danielle Heinig	Andrew Miller
Best All-Around Tot	Mary Coppola	Thomas Miller	Elizabeth DeSchouwer
Hardest Working Tot	Thomas Miller	Nathan Walton	Thomas Miller
Best All-Around CIT	Thomas McKeon	Lea Skinner	Katie Kolb