Working with kids overseas on an American military base is not a typical summer for many college students … unless those students are part of Camp Adventure.

Camp Adventure is a service learning program run and led by students at the University of Northern Iowa. The program allows college students the opportunity to work with children and youth overseas in a camp setting.

Christopher Edginton, professor and director of health, physical education, and leisure services at UNI, founded Camp Adventure in 1985 while working at the University of Oregon. He brought the program to UNI with him in 1991.

Kevin Koch, staff development and division manager emphasized the importance of helping the children who live abroad.

“A primary service target are children of military personnel that are overseas. The program has expanded in recent years, but a majority of our clientele are those kids with parents in the military overseas,” Koch said.

The program has been available to Iowa State students for at least five years. “It is a very popular program. Recruiting is done throughout Iowa and the rest of the country.”

He said the program is open to everyone, but most students involved are from UNI.

“This year we are increasing our recruiting efforts at Iowa State,” Edginton said.

Koch said to make it worthwhile to have Camp Adventure trainings at ISU, 75 to 100 students need to get involved.

In previous years, Iowa State students had to drive to UNI once a week for the training sessions.

“The training involves about 50-plus hours of time,” Koch said. “The training shows the students Camp Adventure values, traditions and tools for quality service for the kids.”

Rebecca Krueger, the contact person at Iowa State, said she does not foresee a problem with getting the Camp Adventure training to come to ISU.

“Lots of people have already applied or asked for information,” she said.

Camp Adventure covers the globe, allowing students to participate in different parts of the world.

“There are about 118 program sites in 13 countries around the world,” Edginton said. “Sometimes as many as 80 other colleges get involved in the program. Last summer about 650 students and staff participated.”

There are many benefits of being involved with Camp Adventure, Edginton said. “The neat thing is that students get paid. They get free air fare, a living stipend and their housing is either free or they get compensated for the cost.”

He said because Camp Adventure is an educational experience, the students earn 12 credits for participating. These credits usually count as electives, but it depends on the college the student is at, and the major of the student.

Students are given supplies to help them interact with the children once they arrive.

“There are some initial costs for materials such as a handbook and activity files. These files include songs, games and crafts for the kids,” Koch said. Other costs are a passport, tetanus shot, tuberculosis test and uniform.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to travel,” Krueger said, “but the kids are what keep me coming back.”

Representatives from UNI will have an information table Friday, Nov. 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Memorial Union. Camp Adventure is currently accepting applications for the summer of 1997.