Summer
Camps
About
Us
Ready to Register?
The official HEP of Texas, Inc. registration form must be filled out completely, including the emergency information, health information, and parent release. No registration is considered official until payment for classes has been made. All summer courses must be paid for at the time of registration.
HEP of Texas, Inc. reserves the right to limit enrollment and to change times or dates and teachers if needed, or even cancel camps, classes, and/or workshops due to circumstances not under our control. Camps are open to home school, public school, and private school students.
Camps are grouped by subject. The instructors, dates, times, costs, pre-requisites, supplies, and descriptions are listed for each camp, class, and workshop. All course descriptions listed are the intellectual property of HEP of Texas, Inc. and are protected by copyright law, 1997-2026. These courses are copyrighted, and all intellectual properties related to these courses belong to Home Education Partnership of Texas, Inc. and Joanne E. Juren
HEP TX’s summer classes for 2026 are now open for registration.
HEP Summer Programs for 2026 will open for registration in January, 2026
Adult Homeschool Workshop
Homeschooling 101 Seminar – This free seminar will discuss the legalities of homeschooling, how to choose the right curriculum, and how to get started and organized. There will be a question and answer period.
NO RESERVATIONS REQUIRED.
Cost: FREE
Instructor: Joanne Juren, B.A., M. Ed.
Date: August 6 – 10:00-11:30 am
Culinary Arts
Get Ready to Cook Up Some Fun! Each of these courses is a hands-on introduction to the delicious world of Culinary Arts — designed especially for young chefs! Students will learn all about kitchen safety, knife skills, and how to confidently use real kitchen tools while creating tasty dishes they’ll be proud to share at home. Classes for middle and high schoolers will take place at Mornings Kolaches, just down the street from the school — the perfect place to whisk, stir, and bake up a storm! A supply list will be shared before class so everyone’s ready to roll (literally). A huge thank you to the Salazar Family for letting us use the Mornings Kolaches kitchen — we can’t wait to fill it with the sweet smells of creativity and good food! The elementary camp will be held at HEP TX in the Great Room.
The Great American Road Trip – (8th-12th Grades) Pack your bags! We’re heading on a delicious road trip across the USA! In this hands-on culinary adventure, campers will travel coast to coast to explore the iconic flavors that make American cuisine unique — “visiting” a new region each day. From West Coast fresh creations to Southern Comfort classics, we’re sure to learn how geography, culture, and history influence what we eat. Along the way, campers will build essential cooking skills including knife safety, following recipes, proper food handling, and the importance of teamwork! No passport required — just an appetite for adventure!
Instructor: Chef Mandi Forester
Cost: $199 including supplies
Dates: August 3-6
Time: 2-4:30 pm
Location: Mornings Kolaches
Lights, Camera, COOK! (grades 6-8) – In this hands-on culinary adventure, young chefs step into the spotlight as they recreate iconic dishes inspired by their favorite movies. Each day brings a new cinematic theme and delicious challenge, turning the kitchen into a stage for creativity and fun. Campers will build essential kitchen skills, including knife safety, following recipes, and the importance of teamwork. Campers will gain confidence and discover how food can help tell a story — just like in the movies! With a dash of confidence, a sprinkle of curiosity, and a pinch of movie magic, we’re sure to create dishes worthy of the red carpet. Hollywood, here we come!
Instructor: Chef Mandi Forester
Cost: $199 includes supplies
Dates: July 20-23
Time: 2-4:30 pm
Location: Mornings Kolaches
Storybook Bites (grades 3-5) – Young chefs can find inspiration anywhere — even between the pages of a book! During this three-day culinary adventure, campers step into their favorite children’s stories and bring beloved tales to life through food. Each day, we’ll explore a new story and create a delicious recipe inspired by the characters, settings, or sweet (and savory!) moments from the book. Along the way, campers will practice safe food handling, learn foundational cooking techniques, follow recipes with confidence, and build teamwork skills in a supportive environment.
So grab your friends and head on over to the librar… er… KITCHEN!
Instructor: Chef Mandi Forester
Cost: $150 including supplies
Dates: June 9-12
Time: 2-4:30 pm
Location: HEP TX Great Room
Snack Attack Workshop (K-2nd Grade) – Get ready for three delicious sessions of hands-on fun! In this interactive snack-making workshop, young chefs will mix, spread, layer, and decorate their way to creating fun and tasty treats they can be proud of. Each day, campers will learn simple kitchen skills in a playful, supportive environment. From colorful fruit and vegetable creations to no-bake goodies and imaginative snack designs, kids will explore new flavors while building confidence in the kitchen. They may even find a new favorite food! By encouraging young chefs “play” with their food, this workshop helps them take ownership of making fun, well-balanced snacks they can recreate at home — armed and ready to fight that snack attack when it strikes!
Instructor: Chef Mandi Forester
Cost: $150 including supplies
Dates: May 27-29
Time: 10 am -noon
Location: HEP TX Great Room
College Prep
We recommend that the parent and student both take these courses.
Getting Ready for High School and College Seminar (Joanne Juren) – If you have a student in 7th grade or above, then this class is for you. During this informative seminar, Joanne Juren will discuss many topics pertinent to students just entering high school. Topics include goal setting, course guidelines from 7th – 12th grade, the 4-year plan, high school transcript, extracurricular courses and activities, job co-ops, testing for high school and college, scholarships, and many more! Each parent will create a 4-year plan for his or her student(s). There will be plenty of time for questions and answers! With one paid adult, the student may attend free of charge. Reservations required. The Getting Ready for High School and College book is available at the special rate of $20.
Cost: $45; $65 with the book.
Date: June 4
Time: 1-4 pm
Executive Functioning Skills
Is this your child?— Chronically disorganized? Always Late? Unmotivated? Lacks self-control? Executive Functioning Skills –Helping students develop Executive Function (EF) strategies – goal setting, cognitive flexibility, organizing and prioritizing, memorizing, self-checking and monitoring – can be the difference between success and failure. Targeting students in grades 6-12, this 4-day workshop covers motivation, memorization techniques, test-taking strategies, note taking, time management, goal setting, focusing, and controlling stress. Using a variety of interesting lessons, students will better understand how to tackle projects and learn how to learn! This course is highly recommended for students who want to excel academically and be better prepared to solve problems.
Cost: $190 (includes $35 book and materials)
Dates: July 27-July 30; 9:30-11:30 am (2 hours per day)
Language Arts and Drama Camps
Storybook Stage (K-3rd grade) – Step into the spotlight and bring your favorite stories to life! Storybook Stage is an imaginative camp designed especially for Kinder through 3rd grade performers to explore the magic of storytelling through acting, movement, and creative play.
Each day, campers will dive into beloved storybooks and fairytales, transforming pages into lively performances filled with colorful characters and exciting adventures. Along the way, students will build confidence, strengthen teamwork skills, and discover the joy of creative expression in a fun and supportive environment. Whether your child already loves the spotlight or is just beginning to find their voice, this camp is the perfect place to shine! Let the story begin!
Instructor: Mandi Forester
Cost: $125
Dates: June 8-10
Time: 10 am – noon
Fairy Tale Remix (4th-6th grade) – In Fairy Tale Remix, campers take beloved classics like Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk—and turn them completely upside down!
What if the Big Bad Wolf was a vegetarian? What if Sleeping Beauty had insomnia? What if Prince Charming… is NOT so charming? What if the whole story took place in outer space?
Campers will create bold characters, unexpected plot twists, and imaginative settings to spark creativity, build confidence, and collaborate. The camp ends with a showcase performance where fairy tales are flipped, fractured, and fabulously remixed.
No experience needed—just bring your imagination to rewrite “happily ever after!”
Instructor: Mandi Forester
Cost: $160
Dates: August 18-21
Time: 10 am – 1 pm (includes lunch break)
Fairy Tale Court (7th-12th grade) –In this imaginative drama camp, classic Fairy Tale characters take the stand—and the courtroom becomes a stage! Campers will bring their favorite fairy tale figures to life, exploring the big question: what happens after “happily ever after”? Should Jack be charged with trespassing for climbing the beanstalk? Can the Big Bad Wolf sue for defamation? Is the Wicked Stepmother truly wicked—or just misunderstood? At Fairy Tale Court, every camper plays a vital role—as judge, lawyer, witness, juror, or even the accused! Under the guidance of an experienced theatre instructor, students will collaborate, think creatively, and dive into dramatic storytelling. The camp culminates in a final showcase performance for family and friends, where justice—and imagination—prevails.
Instructor: Mandi Forester
Cost: $160
Dates: July 28-31
Time: 10 am – 1 pm (includes lunch break)
Improv Bootcamp (7th-12th grade) – Unleash your creativity in this 1-day Improv Bootcamp! This fast-paced workshop is designed for beginners and experienced performers alike, guiding students through the essential skills of improvisation in a fun and interactive environment.
Through a series of dynamic exercises and games, campers can expect to: Sharpen their spontaneous storytelling abilities Build confidence Collaborate with others Learn to embrace mistakes as opportunities for creativity This day is built for fun and laughter! No experience needed… just bring your imagination and a willingness to dive right in!
Instructor: Mandi Forester
Cost: $50
Date: July 25
Time: 10 am – 1 pm (includes lunch break)
Middle School Writing Camp
Middle School Writing Workshop for Grades 6-8 – Popcorn, a movie, and lots of laughs…this is the perfect camp for your middle school student. During middle school, it is important for students to develop strong writing skills. By understanding the writing process, students will better understand how to do writing assignments. During this four-day exciting and fun workshop, students will focus on the paragraph format and write different types of paragraphs including descriptive, narrative, comparison, and literary analysis. Using high interest activities and literature, Mrs. Juren will excite even the most reluctant writer. This course is a must before students attempt the five-paragraph essay and high school. Class is limited to 15 students.
Instructor: Desiree Jeffryes
Cost: $175
Dates: July 27-July 30; 10-11:30 am
Five-Paragraph Essay Camp
Five-Paragraph Essay Writing Workshop – Don’t let the beast scare you! This four-day workshop for grades 8-12 will teach the basics of five-paragraph essay writing and help you tame the beast! Students will learn the basic structure of the essay through a visual drawing. They will practice each part of the essay and write one essay. Students will learn how to expand this “skeleton” to a longer research paper. This easy and interesting presentation will help even the “grumpiest” writer learn that writing can be easily mastered when given the proper tools! Mastery of the five-paragraph essay will help students earn success in both high school and college. Absolutely no one younger than 8th grade may attend this accelerated presentation. This course is not recommended for students who struggle with English or who do not have mastery of basic paragraph writing. The book Writing Handbook is required for the workshop and may be purchased at the HEP Bookstore. Class is limited to 15 students. New students planning to attend HEP’s high school classes are encouraged to take this course.
Instructor: Laura Coker-Garcia
Cost: $175
Dates: August 3-6; 1-2:30 pm
Research
Learning to Research – One of the biggest problems students face in the upper grades and college is researching ideas for writing. Often, the student does not know where to look, how to phrase the research inquiries, and how to then place the “research” into the paper. Students will be introduced to AI and learn how to use it without plagiarizing. Students should understand the MLA format and five-paragraph essays. The book The Writing Handbook is required. Recommended for grades 10 and up. Class is limited to 15 students. A laptop (preferable) or smart phone is required to conduct research in class. Note: Students will NOT write a paper in these 4 days.
Instructor: Joanne Juren
Cost: $195
Dates: July 27-30; 12:30-2:30 pm
No Be Verbs Workshop
No Be Verbs Workshop – This 2-hour workshop will help both the student and parent better understand the conceptof elevated writing by focusing on removing “to be” verbs, the verb “to have,” and “dead words” on the No-No list. Students and parents will practice elevating sentences during the workshop.
Instructor: Joanne Juren
Cost: $35 student; $15 parent
Date: August 6; 1-3 pm
Math
Algebra 1 Refresher – Entering Algebra 2 or Geometry this fall? Mrs. Red will review important concepts from Algebra 1 necessary for success in Algebra 2 and Geometry. This short camp will refresh those Algebra 1 skills to help you do better in your next class.
Instructor: Cheryl Red
Cost: $150
Date: August 3-6; 9:00-noon
Speech
High School Speech (9-12) This two-week high school course for grades 9-12 is dedicated to teaching public speaking skills. Taught by an experienced speech and debate coach, this class will prepare even the shy student to be able to speak in public situations. Students will present a variety of impromptu as well as prepared speeches. Students will learn how to constructively critique other students and how to accept constructive criticism. Speech counts as 1/2-credit on the high school transcript. Textbook: BJU Speech. HEP has copies of the books to share with students. The course is limited to 10 students.
Instructor: Joanne Juren
Cost: $399
Dates: June 1-12; Monday-Thursday each week; 9-noon.
STANDARDIZED TESTING
IOWA TESTING 2026 is scheduled for Tuesday/Wednesday May 12 and 13 at HEP TX!
More details are available on the separate handout or at HEPTX.com
IOWA TESTING 2026 is scheduled for Tuesday/Wednesday May 12 and 13 at HEP TX!
More details are available on the separate handout or at HEPTX.com
IOWA TESTING 2026 is scheduled for Tuesday/Wednesday May 12 and 13 at HEP TX!
More details are available on the separate handout or at HEPTX.com
Summer Hours
Monday-Thursday: 10-3 pm.
Fridays: 10-3 pm when camps or classes are in session. No administrative staff is on duty on Fridays.
School Closure: June 30 – July 11 for vacation. We will reopen on Monday, July 14 at 10:00 am.