Contributed SHARING STORIES — Students at the Sycamore Youth Center are traveling thousands of years into the past through the Ancient Heroes Storytime Camp.

STEUBENVILLE — Students at the Sycamore Youth Center are spending this week traveling thousands of years into the past through stories of legendary heroes, ancient civilizations, and hands-on learning activities as part of the center’s Ancient Heroes Storytime Camp.

The camp, which is currently full, is a collaboration between the Sycamore Youth Center and BookMarx Bookstore. Designed to strengthen reading skills while fostering character development, the program introduces students to classic heroes such as Gilgamesh, Odysseus, Aeneas and Beowulf while exploring timeless virtues including courage, loyalty, wisdom, piety and wonder.

Leading the camp is Shannon Monroe, a longtime Sycamore volunteer and mother of several young children who first proposed the idea for the camp more than six months ago.

“Shannon has done an outstanding job creating a camp that not only encourages a love of reading, but also helps students think about the virtues and character traits displayed by these heroes,” said Bobbyjon Bauman, Executive Director of the Sycamore Youth Center. “She has invested a tremendous amount of time planning engaging lessons and activities that bring these stories to life.”

Monroe intentionally designed much of the camp to take advantage of the summer weather, utilizing outdoor spaces to create an immersive learning environment. Students have spent time reading, discussing stories, creating artwork, and participating in hands-on projects connected to the literature they are studying.

One day focused on the legendary Mesopotamian king Gilgamesh. Students learned how the proud and selfish ruler was transformed through his friendship with Enkidu, a man strong enough to challenge him. After discussing the story, students created clay tablets and wrote their names in cuneiform, one of the world’s earliest writing systems.

Another day centered on the discovery of prehistoric cave paintings during World War II. Students learned how a group of boys stumbled upon the ancient artwork and how efforts were made to preserve the paintings during a time of global conflict. Inspired by the Ice Age artists, the students then created their own cave-style paintings as part of the day’s activities.

Earlier in the week, students explored the world of prehistoric art by creating handprint cave drawings, one of several creative projects designed to connect them with the historical periods they were studying.

“The camp is striving to give children a love for reading and an appreciation for what is true, good, and beautiful,” Bauman said. “It has been wonderful to see the students so engaged in the stories and excited about the activities that accompany them.”

Bauman also expressed appreciation for Monroe’s commitment to the students.

“Shannon is a busy mom with many responsibilities of her own, yet she volunteered her time to lead this camp because she believes in the importance of literature and character formation,” he said. “We are incredibly grateful for her willingness to share her talents with the children of our community.”

The Ancient Heroes Storytime Camp is one of 24 free summer camps being offered by the Sycamore Youth Center this year as part of its ongoing mission to provide educational, recreational, artistic, and character-building opportunities for local youh.