Portland Chevalier, an Out-of-Door Academy Camp Banyan participant, wasn't quite sure how she wanted to make her coral reef.
She was watching a video about coral reefs when a counselor suggested she have some short pieces of coral sticking out of the sand while others loop around.
So after painting pasta noodles different colors, Chevalier put some of the noodles on short pieces of pipe cleaner that she stuck straight up in the clay that made up the base of her coral reef and then added noodles to longer pipe cleaners that looped over the short pieces.
Making coral reefs July 12 is just one of the activities planned for Camp Banyan's theme of under the sea this week.
Campers also are going to Casey Key to collect shark teeth, make edible aquifers, make shark hats and play games like "Sharks and Minnows."
"I like that we get to do art projects, and there's never a time where we stop and don't do anything," Chevalier said.
Blake Rattigan piles painted noodles onto a pipe cleaner to start assembling his coral reef.
Alex Jiva asks Jason Howell what color he should paint his last pasta noodle.
Portland Chevalier starts assembling her coral reef.
Emme Schweitzer adds painted noodles to a pipe cleaner before curving it to make it into coral.
Campers have plenty of colors to choose from to make their coral reefs.
Blake Rattigan puts the final touches on his coral reef.
Addison Dooley enjoys making her coral reef, which is just one of the activities schedule for the week's under the sea theme. "I like science and sea animals," Dooley says.
Melissa Mayoral, a Camp Banyan leader, shows Abigail Lakatos how to smash her clay onto the plastic plate so Lakatos can later use it to attach her coral.
Margaret Athas puts all her strength into smashing clay onto her plate as a base for her coral reef.
Grace Dokko continues to paint her noodles while Makena Murack, a camp counselor, provides her more colors of paint.
Melissa Mayoral, a leader of Camp Banyan, shows a group of kindergartners what their coral reefs will start to look like as they begin assembling their noodles and pipe cleaners.
Oliver Valenti shows off his multi-colored hands while painting noodles for his coral reef.
Mason Dennis and Allison Strausser focus on painting every part of their noodles.
Noodles dry before being places on a pipe cleaner.
Antonio Maio is pleased with the work he's done on his coral reef so far before going back to add more noodles.
