By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Aug 03, 2018 at 9:46 AM

As parents know, a lot of summer options for kids begin to dry up in August, which makes Milwaukee Area Technical College’s week-long summer camps for 6th-10th graders so great.

Well, one of the things. The fact that they’re free doesn’t hurt, either, especially after a month or more of pricey camps, day care and other options.

Add in that they’re conveniently held a MATC’s Downtown campus, 700 W. State St., and the hands-on experiences taught by MATC instructors cover fun and educational subjects like science, culinary arts and TV/video production, and you’ve got a winner. (Did I mention that lunch is provided?!)

"TV and Video Production" camp is first up, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday, Aug. 6-10.

"Science Camp" is next, Aug. 13-16, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The camps wrap up Aug. 13-17 with "Culinary Arts," from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

For more information or to register, call (414) 297-6136, or email explore@matc.edu. Space is limited.

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.