INDIAN SPRINGS VILLAGE – Registration is nearing an end for the annual Summer@Springs camps hosted by Indian Springs School.

About 175 students in grades 4-12 are enrolled for this year’s camps, and officials hope to reach 200 enrollees by the May 22 registration deadline, Summer@Springs coordinator Weslie Wald said.

The program is designed to provide summer enrichment opportunities, Wald said.

“We want all students to have the opportunity to use their summers to explore a favorite topic further, learn a new skill, meet new friends, or prep for future courses or assessments,” Wald said. “Of course, we love the opportunity that Summer@Springs provides for prospective students and families to visit our beautiful campus and possibly meet some of our faculty and staff.”

About half of the enrollees are incoming Springs students, and the other half are from area schools and home schools, Wald said.

Of the 15 courses open for enrollment, 13 are taught by ISS faculty, Wald said.

A total of 10 faculty members are offering at least one course this summer—some courses involve multiple instructors, and some instructors are teaching more than one course.

New course offerings this year include a full-day, week-long architecture course and a half-day chess class, Wald said.

Indian Springs photography teacher Michael Sheehan said few schools offer true analog black-and-white photography as is taught as part of Summer@Springs.

“The students are taught a condensed version of my regular Beginning Black-and-White Photography classes,” Sheehan said. “They shoot two rolls of true black-and-white film, process, print contact sheets, analyze and then print custom enlargements in the darkroom using professional techniques.”

Indian Springs School chemistry teacher Christina Tetzlaff said she also uses a hands-on approach for Science Discovery I and II for rising fifth through eighth graders.

“My summer sessions are 100 percent learning by doing,” Tetzlaff said. “Kids are actively engaged in 2.5 hours of experimentation. Most days, kids will take a final product home with them. Hopefully this stimulates conversations with parents and siblings and friends at home.”

Sheehan and Tetzlaff said summer enrichment courses such as those offered through Summer@Springs help students prepare for the forthcoming academic year by keeping their minds engaged.

“Academic summer camps are a great opportunity for kids to experience a more casual, less stressful, enriching environment,” Tetzlaff said. “Plus, they get to meet and work with kids from all over Birmingham and just have fun!”

For more information, visit SummeratSprings.org or contact Wald at summer@indiansprings.org or 671-4477.