Lori Winne, Ph.D.
Program Director, Startalk Camp OFLA 2024

Teachers of Arabic, Chinese, Korean and Russian, cabin leaders and staff  are ready to launch the pre-camp virtual activities for Startalk Camp OFLA 2024. If you are wondering why you didn’t see much advertising about this year’s camp, camp registration closed two weeks after opening in January. A wait list was also filled quickly. Forty-two percent of the campers are returning from last year. This year, campers will practice the four languages required by the Startalk federal NSA grant in three groups: pre language – beginners, returning campers who have practiced 2-3 years and heritage speakers. Campers are 3rd through 8th graders, CITs (counselors in training) and high school cabin leaders. Certified teachers are the language leaders and assistants are university students or heritage speakers. 

Campers complete 20 hours of pre-camp activities online. Then they attend camp June 2-8. Thereafter they complete 20 more hours of post camp online activities. This year a handful of campers will also try the elementary STAMP test. We welcome visitors, so contact us at www.campofla.org or email us at campofla@gmail.com if you want to come for an afternoon.

Many teachers we meet at the annual conference and throughout the year say they like the idea of an elementary world language camp, but are hesitant to recruit kids if they haven’t seen the camp themselves. News flash! Camp OFLA 2025 will give ALL teachers a chance to experience camp WITH a group of their own students. Yes, that’s right. Camp OFLA 2025 will not be using the federal grant. Therefore, the camp will again offer French, German, Spanish, Japanese as in the past. You will be hearing much more about Camp OFLA 2025 this year. We will be offering a chance for teachers to learn about the NEW Camp OFLA on October 5 at the Fall Mini Conference and Camp OFLA will be highlighted at the 2025 annual conference in March! Languages Alive in 2025 and Camp OFLA is going LIVE. You can be there too!