Every summer, St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church opens its doors to creativity, laughter, and learning. The Art Camp, now in its 14th year, welcomes children from places far and wide, such as Johnson County, Kansas City, Iowa, and even England for a week-long celebration of artistic exploration and community spirit.
What began as a simple outreach effort has grown into a vibrant tradition. “Community bringing people together,” said Director Donna Kirkwood, when asked to describe the camp’s purpose in a single sentence. That spirit of connection is woven into every part of the experience, from the rotating art classes to the shared lunches prepared by church volunteers.
Each day, campers move through six sessions, including painting, crafts, drama, and music. “We had six people locally that came to work with the children, and we had 19 counselors,” Kirkwood explained. “They move from class to class. We serve lunch. Camp is from 9 to 3.” The program’s reach is broad, with 17 schools represented this year, from elementary school to universities.
Gabby Peach, a four-year experienced counselor who even attended the camp as a child, described the rhythm of the week: “Some of the artists make projects that are multiple-day long… and they’re all under time limits. So we try to help kids to make sure that they can get the most complete in the amount of time that we have.” She added, “It’s really good for them to interact with different people, especially at a young age… they bond together closer.”
For first-time counselor David Occhiogrosso, the experience was deeply affirming. “Donna always made it sound like such a great experience… and that’s exactly what it was. I really enjoyed my time this year.”
The camp also remains committed to accessibility, honoring the original values that the camp was founded on: to provide an affordable, enjoyable summer camp experience as an alternative to expensive, over-priced summer camps. “We do have scholarships to help out the families that are not able to afford paying,” Kirkwood said. “If a child cannot pay that $165, I start out by asking what’s the most that they could pay… we’ll scholarship. We’ll get private donations too that help with supplies or offset the cost of the camp.”
Even the pandemic couldn’t stop the momentum of the hard workers who make the art camp possible behind the scenes. “After we came back from Covid in ‘21, I was able to get a lady from the health department to make sure our tables were in the right position and our classrooms were set up,” Kirkwood recalled. “We had masks, we had Lysol. I did all the preventatives. My husband, Jerry, he took every night and made sure that he fogged the rooms, made sure that we wiped everything down. So I had our first two years, and we did walk away with no cases of Covid.”
Though the traditional Friday art show and performance were paused due to COVID, the week still ends with an award show and celebration. “We ask the kids what was their best thing, and a lot of them just say we had fun all week,” Kirkwood said. “They always seem to leave happy.”
That joy is shared by the counselors, too. “They’re just amazing to me,” Kirkwood said. “I do get up every day and thank God for those counselors, and on Friday, I do not hold back the tears because I think they’re amazing young adults who are learning responsibility.”
Gabby echoed that sentiment: “Seeing it from a counselor’s perspective, you view every child instead of just yourself… you want them to be proud of what they’ve made, and feel like they’ve accomplished something over the week.”
Faith is present, even if quietly. “Do we say prayer every day? No, but it’s there,” Kirkwood said. “Kids will ask questions about the name or about the organ when we hear Ken [Walker] playing.” Ken Walker, St. Michael’s music director and a member of Horizon Arts—the group that helped launch the camp—provides a musical backdrop that sparks curiosity and conversation.
“It takes a village to do what we do,” Kirkwood said. “They’re not just supportive of me. They’re supportive of each artist… and they’re responsible [for getting] those children where they need to be following a schedule.”
“My favorite part,” she added, “is just being able to go into other areas of children’s lives… and just the amazing people that I have met on this journey.”
The art camp will have a different theme each year it is held, with each theme based on a book selected by Donna and the Horizon Arts board. This year, the book they selected was Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed A Neighborhood by Rafael Lopez. The book’s main theme portrays how art can bring a community together, echoing the same values provided by the St. Michael’s Art Camp.
And at the end of the week, as campers head home with paint-splattered hands and proud smiles, Kirkwood and her team are grateful. “It’s somebody blessing us every year to be successful and get through it without any problems… we get through it every year, and I thank God for that.”
If you’d like to help support St. Michael’s Art Camp, we welcome your generosity. Every contribution helps make this creative space possible. For details on how to donate or get involved, see below.
St. Michael’s Art Camp thrives on the generosity of the community. If you’d like to support this creative space, consider a donation of arts and crafts supplies—including crayons, markers, glue, yarn, colored pencils, construction paper, acrylic paints, watercolors, and other appropriate materials that spark imagination. Before donating, please reach out to Donna Kirkwood at donna@stmaa.com to coordinate the contribution. Every item helps bring joy, color, and creativity to the campers. Thank you for your support!
by Jack Welker
835 SW Polk St.