'College for Kids' Program at Cuyamaca Teaches Skills for Survival

If you think finding affordable childcare is impossible, look no further than the $10-a-day College for Kids program at the at Cuyamaca College.

Granted, it’s only three hours each day, but it’s chockfull of activities kids shouldn’t try at home and will never forget doing.

“They made a fire from scratch, and—boy—they had a good one going,” said Kathleen Oatsvall, the museum’s director. “Yesterday at dinner my grandson was trying to name all the things they learned that day and we came up with 11 different skills.”

In addition to making fire, another popular activity is rigging a lever and pulley system used to lift the back of instructor Roy Hastings’ truck. The camp “Survivor: Pioneer Skills in the Computer World” is available to fifth through ninth graders and also teaches how to build model shelters, use a compass and cross-sawing.

“I really believe that if a kid got lost in the woods, I wouldn’t worry about them so much if they’d taken this class,” Oatsvall said. “I wouldn’t call off the rescue, but it would make such a difference.”

So far, 11-year-old Elizabeth Sutherland’s favorite activity is wood chopping using the traditional hammer-and-wedge technique.

“I’ve always been interested in climbing trees and doing outdoorsy stuff,” she said. “So far we chopped wood with a wedge—it was fun and exciting. If we want to keep the wood, we can.”

If they don’t, it’s used to build a fire at the “hobo picnic” the campers have at the end of their week.

The supplies for such a gathering are usually provided by Hastings, a veteran educator and story-teller who developed his curriculum from the 17 years he spent doing Sixth Grade Camp with the San Diego Unified School District’s Outdoor Education program.

“I do it because I want to,” said Hastings, 83, who grew up on a dairy farm in Washington State. “When I retired I thought: ‘Why not give back?’ ”

Oatsvall, a volunteer docent at the museum for five years before becoming the director five years ago, says all of her camp instructors are retired school teachers. She won’t make any exceptions, either.

“If Picasso wanted to teach here, I’d have to say no unless he could show me his credentials,” she said.

Aside from Hastings’ charity, the wilderness program is self-supported by the $50 received from camp attendees each week. Oatsvall says the low cost is in keeping with the vision of late museum founder Bernard “Bud” Lueck—that education should be fun and available to everyone. The museum itself is free to all children up to the age 18.

The two art classes, taught by artist and instructor Diana Kam, are supplemented by a grant from the Friends of East County Arts, an organization dedicated to providing such funding.

“Last year, they gave us more than we needed so I sent it back,” Oatsvall said.

The classes focus on techniques for art and drawing, like shading and perspective, and allow kids to find and capitalize on their particular talent while using a wide range of materials. According to College for Kids literature, Kam was a teacher in the Cajon Valley School District for 22 years and has been an artist throughout her life.

The art classes are taught from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday starting July 18 and again on July 25. The next “Survivor” camp begins at the same time on July 11.

The museum opened in 1993, and is composed of four wings—archeology, anthropology, art and natural history. Along with Lueck’s personal collection, many pieces come from generous friends or donors. Oatsvall says there are only two replicas in the entire anthology and is especially proud of their authentic Jade Dragon Ship complete with moving sails.

The museum is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on the programs offered call 619-670-5194.