Dear Parent/Guardian of Tapia Camp Attendee,

Congratulations! Your child is signed up for Tapia Camps 2022 during Session 2 on June 26-
July 1, 2022. At summer camp, your child will learn ideas from Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math (STEM), in addition to building skills in communication, teamwork, and
perseverance. At the same time, campers will experience life on a college campus in a safe and
supervised setting, build friendships, and have fun.

Below, you will find additional information about camp, including contact information, drop-off
and pickup location, and what to pack.

As you are aware, Covid-19 prevalence in the Houston area is high. Because of this, there are
many precautions that we are taking, and we have several requests for you. First, please have
your child take a rapid covid test before traveling to the program. Second, please ensure your
child packs multiple face coverings. Finally, create a plan for how you intend to pick up your
child from camp if he or she is feeling ill. See the section below for further information regarding
Covid-19.

We thank you greatly for sending your child to this fun and innovative program, and we look
forward to seeing them on campus (and you too when dropping them off and picking them up).

Sincerely,

Paul E. Hand, Ph.D.

Director
Tapia Camps
Tapia Center for Excellence and Equity in Education
CONTACT INFORMATION:
If for any reason you need to contact us, please email us at tapiacenter@rice.edu. If needed, you
may call us at the Tapia Center Headquarters at 713-348-5182.

In case of emergency during Tapia Camps, please contact either of the following contacts:
626-590-4727: Dr. Paul Hand, Director
915-487-0871: Dr. Leticia Velazquez, Director of Operations

DROP - OFF/CHECK IN:

Check in will occur in the McMurtry common area (see Attachment #1, building #65) between
3:00 PM and 5:00 PM CST on Sunday, June 26th. We recommend dropping off your child by
the inner loop in front of Duncan Hall and McMurtry College (building #46 and #65). Tapia
Counselors will be waiting there to help direct you!

You can park on the right side of the road if you have your blinkers on. The best way to get to
McMurtry College is through Entrance 1, off of Main Street. If you decide to park on campus,
there are a limited number of parking spots in Founder’s Court Visitor Lot (shown on map).
Payment with a credit card may be required.

PACKING:
Keep in mind, you will receive 4 Tapia Camp t-shirts, and you are packing for six days. You will
also have to carry your bags.
We recommend that your child brings:
● Twin XL sheets and a blanket OR a sleeping bag
● Pillow
● Backpack
● Personal toiletries (deodorant, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, towel,
shampoo/conditioner, hand soap, bath soap, hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, etc.)
● Shower shoes
● Weather appropriate clothes (Houston weather often fluctuates. While the weather may
be warm, the classrooms can feel chilly. Students should dress appropriately. If warm,
shorts and skirts may be worn, but they should at least reach your fingertips.)
○ Rain gear
● Comfortable walking shoes
● Sunscreen and/or hat
● Water bottle
● Face masks (several)
 ● Snacks/drinks if desired (There is not a refrigerator in the dorms.)
○ Water will be provided on every floor
● If students have a cell phone, we encourage them to bring it in order to take pictures and
videos. We discourage bringing other electronics, such as laptop computers. If you decide
to leave anything valuable in your room, please lock the door, as Tapia Camps will not be
held responsible for any damaged/stolen items.
● Medication
○ If your child needs prescription medicine, it must be turned into administration
upon arrival. If your child needs to refrigerate their medication, headquarters will
have a refrigerator; dorms do not have refrigerators. Students may access their
medication in headquarters whenever necessary. Inhalers may be kept by the
student. Attachment #2 must be completed if your child will be taking medication
during the Tapia Camps.
● Talent Show Materials
○ There will be an outdoor talent show for students. Students should bring the
materials that they would like to use for their performance in the talent show (e.g.
portable instrument, juggling balls, playing cards, etc…)

ROOMING:
As a Tapia camper, you will be housed in a double room with a random roommate of the same
gender. There is a chance that you might be assigned a single room, subject to availability. The
McMurtry College dorms that you will be staying in contain study areas, laundry rooms, and
main lounges for studying and gatherings. Female and male campers will live in separate units
with close supervision by our chaperones. The overnight staff-to-student ratio is 1:15.

COVID-19:
Covid-19 is currently prevalent in the Houston area. At Tapia Camps, we are taking significant
precautions to limit the spread of Covid among campers and staff, for example by limiting large
indoor gatherings and decreasing the capacity of tables in the dining hall. Despite our
precautions, your child may be exposed to Covid-19 while at camp.

We strongly encourage your child to wear a mask, however, it is not required. Please do not
attend Tapia Camp if you have experienced symptoms such as fever, fatigue, difficulty
breathing, cough, or other symptoms related to Covid-19 within 72 hours before arrival.

Before departing for Tapia Camp, we request that your child complete a rapid covid test. If the
result is positive, then please contact us or your school district representative (if applicable).
You can order free at-home rapid tests within the United States from http://covidtests.gov and
can purchase one from most drug stores.
IF YOUR CHILD IS FEELING ILL:
If your child is feeling ill before going to Tapia Camps, please contact us to reschedule. If
transportation is being arranged by your school district, please contact your district
representative.

If your child starts feeling ill during Tapia Camps, we will immediately call you as the
parent/guardian. If your child is traveling as part of a school group, we will also call the district
representative. We will coordinate with you on the safe transportation home of the camper as
soon as possible.

PARENTS AND VISITATION:

At Tapia Camps, our number one concern is the safety of your child. Visiting your child during
camp is strongly discouraged because it increases the risk of Covid-19 exposure to both you and
the entire camp community. If a visit is absolutely necessary, visitors must check in at Duncan
Hall Headquarters (building #46) in room 3074. Visitors must be on the approved visitors list
that parents will fill out during check in. If a camper is being picked up by someone who is not
their parent/guardian, they will need to provide a signed Pick-Up Authorization form (see
Attachment #3). Program assistants will locate the camper and escort you to him or her.

Sending mail to your camper is discouraged. If absolutely necessary, mail can be sent to:

Richard Tapia Center

Rice University, MS 134
P.O. Box 1892
Houston, TX 77251-1892

We cannot guarantee that mail will be delivered to your camper by the end of the program. We
receive all mail and disperse them to students daily Monday – Friday, except holidays.

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Parents are invited to follow the Instagram account for Tapia Camps (@tapia_camps) in order to
follow camp activities throughout the week. Additionally, we will email a link to watch student
presentations on the last day of the program.

CHECK OUT:
Parents should arrive between 2:45 PM and 3:30 PM on Friday, July 1st. Students must check
out with an instructor prior to departing. Student baggage will be located in one of the ground
floor McMurtry College study rooms. To pick up baggage, please park on the inner loop road in
front of Duncan Hall with your blinkers on (shown on attached map). You can park on the right
side of the road for 15 minutes with your blinkers on.

If you have any further questions or concerns, you are welcome to email us at
tapiacenter@rice.edu or call us at (713) 348-5182.