May 23, 2013 -- Do you send your kid to Chinese Boot Camp or Spanish Boot Camp? Should they spend time this summer learning film or photography? Exercising by boxing or toning with Zumba?

Those are some of the questions facing parents who plan to send their kids and teens to “Build Your Own Camp,” an innovative summer camp program being offered by Santa Monica College beginning June 17.

Parents can choose from 150 classes for adults and children that include Chinese Boot Camp, Spanish Boot Camp, Summer Film Academy for Teens, Auto Care for New Drivers, Young Photographer’s Project (three choices), and Public Speaking for Young People.

 “An effort to help parents deal with the challenge every summer of keeping kids learning and occupied,” SMC’s camp allows participants to “customize the camp that interests them and the length of time they want,” college officials said.    
 
“The classes are offered in flexible blocks so that parents can create a meaningful learning experience for their children and teens,” said Alice Meyering, SMC’s program coordinator for Community and Contract Education.
        
“We are also proud to offer new fitness classes, Capoeira and Boxing for Fitness, as well as the Zumba Toning class that involves weight training,” Meyering said.
        
The program has added four new tours “for those who want to visit exotic locales – without ever leaving L.A.,” officials said.

The include “A Taste of Little Ethiopia” for foodies; “Watts Tower and Heritage Square Museum” and “Design, Color & Light” (a museum tour) for photographers; and “Gems of Downtown: A Discovery of the Senses” for architecture lovers.
        
Among the “Just for Fun” classes being offered are “Tarot Reading” and “Bridge.”
        
“One of the new classes is a Cupcake class that will teach aspiring bakers to create fun cupcakes using fondant, icing and fruits – in time for the Fourth of July,” officials said.

Students who complete the course will earn a certificate from the renowned Wilton School of Cake Decorating & Confectionary Art.

“We also offer a variety of job skill and career classes and we are, in fact, a provider of Online Marketing Certified Professional training,” Meyering said. Among the new classes in the career/job skill category are “Search Engine Optimization and Social Media Marketing” and “Web Analytics.”
        
Classes – some online – are also offered in many other categories, including the arts, writing, home and garden, stage and screen, music, food, family, enrichment, dance, sports, aviation, real estate, computers, money management, and languages, officials said.
        
Most classes are offered at SMC’s Bundy Campus, 3171 S. Bundy Dr. in Los Angeles, located at the Santa Monica Airport with ample free parking.
        
To register call (310) 434-3400 or go to http://www.commed.smc.edu.