Star Award

STAR AWARD PROGRAM

By means of an annual donation to The Springfield Township Arts and Enrichment Council, ArtsConnect™ is able to offer a Star Award to one of the children who attend one or more of the ArtsConnect Kids Art Camp sessions each year.

What is the Star Award?

The Star Award is a scholarship of sorts. The recipient of the Star Award each year will be able to attend any or all of the ArtsConnect Kids Art Camp sessions the following year for free. The costs of the sessions chosen will be paid by the donor directly to ArtsConnect.

How is the Star Award Recipient Determined?

At the conclusion of each session of the ArtsConnect Kids Art Camp, Camp Counselors and the Education Director will make recommendations as to which child they feel best exemplifies the character traits ArtsConnect tries to foster during each of our Kids Art Camp sessions -- creativity, respect, communication, kindness, teamwork, and a fun-loving attitude toward art, new experiences, and others who might be different from them. Given how wonderful our camp participants are, this is a very difficult choice for the Counselors and Director!

These recommendations are forwarded to the Executive Director, who has the most difficult decision of all – reviewing these recommendations and determining which child will receive the Star Award for that year. The decision of the Executive Director is final.

When is the Star Award Recipient Notified?

The recipient of the Star Award is notified initially by the Executive Director. Generally, the recipient will also be presented with the certificate acknowledging the Star Award during the September meeting of the Springfield Township Board of Trustees.

What limitations are there on the Star Award?

Does the Star Award pay for the costs of before and after care for my child? No. the Star Award pays the base fee for the camp sessions only. Any additional fees must be paid by the camp participant.

Do I still have to register my child for the Kids Art Camp sessions if my child receives the Star Award? Yes, the Star Award pays the cost of the camp sessions chosen, it does not register the recipient for any camp.

How do I register my child for the Kids Art Camp Sessions using the Star Award?  Because the online registration system requires payment by credit card in order to register participants, you will need to contact ArtsConnect directly by phone to complete your registration using the Star Award. The phone number is 522-2108. You will be notified of the date that registration opens in the letter confirming the Star Award.

Is my child entitled to a place in each Kids Art Camp session if my child receives the Star Award? No, the Star Award does not entitle the recipient to participate in any or all of the Kids Art Camp sessions if the participant fails to register for any or all of such sessions before the session class size is reached. So, remember to register your child early to take full advantage of the Star Award.

If I register my child for all of the Kids Art Camp sessions and then my child does not attend them, is there any penalty? Yes. Kids Art Camp session sizes are limited and ArtsConnect wants to ensure that all children who want to attend Art Camp are given an opportunity to do so. So, choose the sessions your child will attend carefully. While ArtsConnect wants your child to attend as many as, or all of the sessions if, he/she (and you) want him/her to do so (and is happy to use the Star Award to pay the full cost of that), we don’t want to needlessly reserve a place for your child if he/she is not going to attend the session. So, if you register your child for Kids Art Camp sessions which your child does not attend, the Executive Director, at his/her sole discretion, may choose to cancel the Star Award payments for any remaining Kids Art Camp sessions for which your child is registered. Your child may still attend the sessions he/she is registered to attend, however the Star Award will no longer pay the costs of the camp and the normal payment procedures will apply before your child is permitted to attend those sessions.

What if my child will be too old for Kids Art Camp next year? The recipient of the Star Award must be of an age to be able to attend the ArtsConnect Kids Art Camp for the following year. Children who will “age-out” of eligibility for the ArtsConnect Kids Art Camp the following year are not eligible to receive the Star Award.

What if my child cannot attend Kids Art Camp next year for another reason? The Star Award has no cash value and it is not transferrable. If for any reason, the recipient of the Star Award does not or cannot attend the ArtsConnect Kids Art Camp the following year, the donation for the cost of the camp sessions for that year will be retained by ArtsConnect and transferred to its Camp Scholarship Program to assist other children to attend the Kids Art Camp that year.

What if ArtsConnect does not offer a Kids Art Camp the following year? The Star Award has no cash value. Although ArtsConnect fully intends to continue its Kids Art Camp each year, outside factors such as the ability to retain qualified educators and interest/participation in each camp session may cause ArtsConnect to cancel individual session or an entire summer of its ArtsConnect Kids Arts Camp sessions. If ArtsConnect does not conduct an ArtsConnect Kids Art Camp at all in any year in which the Star Award was to be applied to cover the cost of the recipient’s participation in the Kids Art Camp, the recipient will be entitled to participate in other ArtsConnect programs and activities at no cost in that year, up to the dollar value which would have been covered had the ArtsConnect Kids Art Camp been conducted. If ArtsConnect conducts one or more sessions of the Kids Art Camp, no adjustments will be made. Any funds remaining as a result of the discontinuation of the Kids Art Camp or the cancellation of any session of the Kids Art Camp will be utilized by ArtsConnect to further other ArtsConnect programs and activities.

How long with the Star Award be awarded? The Star Award will be awarded for so long as it is funded by private donations. There is no guarantee that a Star Award will be awarded every year.