Summer Camp

Montessori School of Durham provides a quality and fun summer camp experience for your child. With options for children 3 years old - rising 7th grade, students will express creativity while refining artistic skills in art and pottery camps, delve into the world of musical theater, practice martial arts, and more!

Monday – Friday, Morning Camps (8:00 – 12:00) or All-Day Camps (8:00 – 3:00). During registration, additional camp care is available as a session option until 3pm, 4pm, or 5:30pm. In this extended care, the children eat lunch, have quiet time (nap if needed), engage in arts and crafts, gardening, water play, and more. The additional cost for extended care is $140 for 12-3pm, $185 for 12-4pm, and $245 for 12-5:30pm. Children needing extended care after full day camps have a 4pm and 5:30pm pick up option, for $55 and $115, respectively. During the weeks of June 12th and June 26th, we will have a special “Cooking Around the World” theme in the Elementary Stay and Play Camp. Prices for those weeks are $155 for 12-3pm, $200 for 12-4pm, and $260 for 12-5:30pm.

Children in the Early Childhood camps must be 3 years old by the first day of the summer camp week for which you are enrolling. All summer camp participants must be independent in toileting (no longer in diapers).

For more information, contact our Director of Auxiliary Programs Eliza@msdurham.org or (919) 489-9045. Eliza would be happy to set up a time for you to tour the camp spaces, if you are new to MSD!

Summer Camp Offerings 2023

Week 1 - June 12-16

Garden Gurus with Jami - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Shake out those seeds and let’s create a container garden. Summer is here and it’s not too late to start the process! We’ll transplant some seedlings and create some fun garden art to take home. It’s all about being outdoors, getting our hands in the dirt, creating new spaces, and learning some fundamental concepts about growing our own food. Jami, MSD’s Lead Early Childhood After School Instructor, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

Astronaut Camp with Denise - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. In this camp, children will learn about the moon, the first lunar landing, and astronauts. We will discover more about the moon’s landscape and how craters are formed on the moon, as well as create moon art projects using combinations of foil, paint, glue, and glitter. Campers will also “train” to be astronauts in moon-themed games and learn about some famous astronauts. Denise, an MSD Lead Early Childhood and Kindergarten Teacher, will lead this camp. Cost $255.

Clay Everyday with Janine - Rising 2nd - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Join veteran MSD art teacher, Janine Wolf, for a week of everyone’s favorite—POTTERY! We will create 2-3 finished pieces of pottery using the hand building methods of pinch, coil, and slab. We will learn the process that clay goes through from greenware to bisque ware and, finally, finished glassware. Clay is a very satisfying medium. We basically start with a lump of mud and transform it into decorative objects and functional dinnerware. This is a fun and rewarding process! Cost $325.

Rainbow Camp with Anne and Kaliq - Rising 5th - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Come along with Anne (she/they) and Kaliq (he/him) for an affirming, inclusive and fun week as we explore the topics of self and family identity, diversity, recognizing injustice, and speaking up against injustice through books, art, and community! Rainbow Summer Camp will include developmentally appropriate books and activities to support discussions around gender diversity, race, LGBTQIA+ families, disability, justice, intersectionality, and allyship. Children will be encouraged to identify and share their voices, passions, and lived experiences and work together on a group "speak up" (activism) project. Rainbow Summer Camp is an intersectional safe space in which all races, genders, family structures, disabilities, and cultures are welcome. Anne Sutkowi-Hemstreet is the Founder and Director of Rainbow Collective for Change and currently leads the MSD Rainbow Club for Elementary students. Kaliq is the Rainbow Collective for Change Program Coordinator. Cost $300.

Week 2 - June 20-23 (NO CAMP ON MONDAY for JUNETEENTH)

The Secret Life of Insects with Jami - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Does your child love to lie on the ground and watch ants gather food? Do they like to watch ants disappear down the ant hill? Ever wonder what is going on in the rooms down below? Insects are a natural subject for children to learn about science, different kinds of societies, the care of living creatures, and the value of working as a team. The bright brilliant colors and the movements of insects are fascinating and engaging. Making new discoveries is just around the corner! Some of our projects will be balloon thoraxes, honeycomb bee frames, cardboard lady bug sculptures, and our own silly/serious version of what really goes on inside the rooms below the ant hill. Jami, MSD’s Lead Early Childhood After School Instructor, will lead this camp. Cost $225.

Dragon Boat Festival with Denise - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. This camp will introduce the traditions associated with the Dragon Boat Festival in China. We will become familiar with the history behind the dragon boat festival and make our own miniature dragon boats and sachet necklaces. We will also learn how rice is cultivated and how to use chopsticks. We will introduce some simple Chinese characters and phrases and make conical hats like those worn in rice fields! Denise, MSD Lead Early Childhood & Kindergarten Teacher, will lead this camp. Cost: $225.

Art Extravaganza with Janine - Rising 2nd - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Express your creativity while refining your artistic skills in this fun morning workshop taught by veteran MSD Art Teacher, Janine Wolf. We will focus on the fundamentals of line and shape and practice a variety of artistic techniques with a wide range of wet and dry materials including pencil, marker, watercolor, tempera, and ink. Each day a new process will be presented with ample time for creative exploration and personal expression. This is a great introductory class! Cost: $295.

Summertime Fun with Keesha - Rising 2nd - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Learn the meaning of leadership and teamwork this summer! Get ready for fun twists on some of your favorite sports and active field day games. We will cool down with plenty of water play and water olympics, get crafty by decorating personal jerseys, then top the week off with popsicles and a dance party! This camp is for anyone who loves to move and have fun. Keesha Poe-Smith, MSD’s Lead Elementary After School Instructor, will lead this camp. Cost $225.

Week 3 - June 26-30

Rocks and Minerals with Jami - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Children all over the world love to collect rocks! Rocks are found everywhere - inside the earth and on its surface, in the desert, the city, rivers, coves, and even around volcanoes. Rocks are made from minerals and have been used by people in many different ways over the years. Clay, glass, and salt are a few examples of minerals derived from rocks. Activities will include a geologist work station, creating a cave (complete with stalagmites and stalactites), and making our own salt dough rocks! Jami Haigler, MSD’s Lead Early Childhood After School Instructor, will lead this camp. Cost $255.

Amazing Australian Animals with Charlotte - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Love animals? Get an introduction to the unique and diverse creatures that call Australia home! Through various activities and crafts, we will learn about several different groups of animals, including marsupials, birds, and reptiles. Who knew that developing an understanding of Australian wildlife could be so fun? Charlotte Jones, MSD After School Support Staff, will lead this camp. Cost $255.

Clay Everyday with Janine - Rising 2nd - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Join veteran MSD art teacher, Janine Wolf, for a week of everyone’s favorite—POTTERY! We will create 2-3 finished pieces of pottery using the hand building methods of pinch, coil, and slab. We will learn the process that clay goes through from greenware to bisque ware and finally, finished glassware. Clay is a very satisfying medium. We basically start with a lump of mud and transform it into decorative objects and functional dinnerware. This is a fun and rewarding process! Cost $325.

Summer Book Club with Betsy - rising Kindergarten - rising 3rd grade. 8:00-12noon. Join us for a week full of reading adventures! Each day we will read a beloved book, then find a hands-on way to interact with the story. We’ll read Chicken Little and bake bread, then read Stone Soup and retell the story through a short play! We will also have plenty of time for outdoor play, board games, and making simple snacks. Betsy Evans, (she/her) MSD Lead Early Childhood and Kindergarten Teacher, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

(Closed the week of July 3 - 7)

Week 4 - July 10-14

Good Ol’ Summer Fun with Betsy - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Join us for a morning of fun in the sun! Water play, running through the sprinkler, blowing bubbles, and playing games are just a few of the activities we will enjoy to beat the heat. When it gets too hot, we will come inside to cool off, but the fun won't end! We will have free choice of our most popular activities, like building with blocks, painting at the easel, sewing, playing board games, and cooking. Hope you can join us! Betsy Evans, (she/her) MSD Lead Early Childhood and Kindergarten Teacher, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

Motion Commotion - STEM with Seth - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. In this Mechanical Engineering adventure, campers step into the world of transportation and amusement parks! Caution: design rides using friction, spinning, and magnets! This thrilling program is sure to get everyone moving. This camp strengthens skills of communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity as they complete engineering design challenges. Activities include: Stop-It-Droid ™, Zipline Engineering Design, Roller Coaster Ride Design, Maglev Train, and more. Seth Berry, STEM for Kids Instructor, will lead this camp. Cost $325.

Body Of Science: Exploring Biomedical Engineering AND Fizz, Bubble, Pop: Exploring Chemistry with Techsplorers - rising 2nd grade - rising 4th grade. 8:00am-3:00pm. Discover the exciting worlds of biomedical engineering and chemistry! In the morning, as we explore what makes our bodies work, we will learn about vision, hearing, muscles, and tendons. We will get a better understanding about health, safety, and prosthetic technologies that help people everyday. Design and build your own headphones, helmets, stethoscopes, prosthetic arm models and more! In the afternoon, we’ll experiment with acids and bases, learn how to make a pH indicator out of household ingredients, create bubbles, explore the amazing properties of polymers, and investigate a crime scene. If you like sciences, building, and mixing up colorful concoctions, this class is for you! Techspolorers staff will lead this camp. Cost: $410.

Twisted Fairy Tales with Vault Theater - rising 2nd grade - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-3:00pm. Discover what really happened Once Upon A Time! You know the classics, but in this camp we’ll flip it, twist it, and make them our own. Campers will explore creating dynamic stories and characters using classic fairy tales as our inspiration! This process will foster imagination, nurture self-confidence, and teach students how to work as an ensemble. This class will end in an in-class presentation of the original stories students create! Vault Theater Staff will lead this camp. Cost: $400.

My First Food Truck with SPARK Business Academy - rising 5th - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Select a food theme, choose an ideal location, identify target customers, design appealing menus, and form a comprehensive business plan covering strategy, marketing, operations and finance, including capital-raising needs. Camp activities include drafting mission statements, setting prices, estimating expenses and learning key financial metrics. This program offers a tasty way to develop business savvy! Note: no food is handled at camp. Campers must provide their own computer/laptop. SPARK Business Academy staff will lead this camp. Cost: $300.

Week 5 - July 17-21

Breadmaking with Jami- 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Around the world, bread is the nutritional mainstay of many diets. People “break bread together” as part of social and religious traditions. The kinds of breads are as varied as the people who eat them, often reflecting the natural resources and cultural traditions of the region in which they first originated. Similar breads are eaten in different countries, with most now being universally available. Campers will participate in making several types of bread in this camp. Jami, MSD’s Lead Early Childhood After School Instructor, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

Good Ol’ Summer Fun with Betsy - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Join us for a morning of fun in the sun! Water play, running through the sprinkler, blowing bubbles, and playing games are just a few of the activities we will enjoy to beat the heat. When it gets too hot, we will come inside to cool off, but the fun won't end! We will have free choice of our most popular activities, like building with blocks, painting at the easel, sewing, playing board games, and cooking. Betsy Evans, (she/her) Lead Early Childhood and Kindergarten Teacher, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

Fiber Fun with Pamela and Katie - Rising 2nd grade - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Come along with Pamela and Katie at this fun-filled fiber arts camp this summer! We will embark on a week-long journey through a variety of fiber arts, including crochet, knit, embroidery, and felt art. Students will learn all the skills needed to start and complete knit and crochet projects including a bookmark, scarf, dishrag, and headband. Through designing and creating felt creatures from their own imagination, students will develop the skills of hand sewing and embroidering on felt. No prior experience is needed and all supplies are provided. MSD Summer Camp Staff Pamela Alberda (she/her) and Katie Pittman (she/her) will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

“Robotics: Self Driving Car” and “Get into Gear: Intro to Mechanical Engineering” with Techsplorers- Rising 5th grade - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-3:00pm. In the morning, build an autonomous vehicle that uses sound waves to avoid collisions and find its way out of a maze all by itself! Learn how sound can be used to measure distance, add ultrasonic sensors to a robot, and program it to detect and avoid obstacles in its path. But avoiding obstacles is just the first step — the real challenge is figuring out how to navigate and solve a maze! With Arduino, unlike the basic drag-and-drop programming taught in LEGO and other robotics camps, students will learn a real programming language used in industry by real engineers. No programming or Arduino experience is necessary. In the afternoon, discover the incredible world of mechanisms and motion. Learn about levers, gear trains, flywheels, linkages, robotics, and more. Investigate the torque-speed trade-off in gears and use your knowledge to design a Lego transmission system. Create a hydraulic-powered robotic arm and hurl projectiles with your custom-built catapult! Each day offers exciting challenges and intriguing problems to solve. Techsplorers staff will lead this camp. Cost: $410.

Week 6 - July 24-28

Science Sleuths with Jami - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. We will explore the chemical reactions, surface tension, and density (how to make a penny shine, milk swirl, and 7 layer density jar). We will follow the scientific process of questions, predictions, observations, and explanations of what we have observed. This is a wonderful opportunity to work together as a group and to design our own experiments. Science Sleuths are on the case. Jami, MSD’s Lead Early Childhood After School Instructor, will lead this camp. Cost $255.

Good Ol’ Summer Fun with Betsy - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Join us for a morning of fun in the sun! Water play, running through the sprinkler, blowing bubbles, and playing games are just a few of the activities we will enjoy to beat the heat. When it gets too hot, we will come inside to cool off, but the fun won't end! We will have free choice of our most popular activities, like building with blocks, painting at the easel, sewing, playing board games, and cooking. Betsy Evans, (she/her) MSD Lead Early Childhood and Kindergarten Teacher, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

Elementary Montessori in the Summer with Susannah - Rising 2nd - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Come join us for some time in a Montessori Elementary classroom this summer! Children are invited to explore cultural works, practical life, and crafts, during this summer time away from the classroom. Math and language works will also be available. Every morning, we'll start with playground and group games, transition inside for a typical work cycle, and have time for individual and group reading. Lower El graduates (Upper El kids) are also invited to come revisit some of their old favorite works! This camp is only open to children enrolled at MSD. Susannah Lock, MSD Lead Lower Elementary Teacher, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

My First Lemonade Stand with SPARK Business Academy - Rising 2nd - rising 4th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Let's sell lemonade! Campers will become "lemonade entrepreneurs" and learn how to make yummy lemonade and earn money selling it! From designing marketing flyers to estimating profits to experimenting with recipes, campers have fun all week while developing business savvy. As an optional showcase event, campers launch the lemonade stand on Friday to raise money for a charity they select! SPARK Business Academy Staff will lead this camp. Cost: $300.

Week 7 - July 31-August 4

Paper Crafts with Jami - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. There are few art materials more available, more economical, or more satisfying to the craftsperson than paper. The projects offered in this camp are designed to stimulate explorations that are unique and discoveries that are personal. Some of our projects will be paper mache, paper sculptures, and paper mobiles. We will talk about basic paper materials and shapes which will include cutting, folding, tearing, joining, and decorating. Jami, MSD’s Lead Early Childhood After School Instructor, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

Going to Galapagos with Denise - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Children will discover the amazing wildlife and terrain of a unique volcanic archipelago! Our fun-filled week will be packed with sensory experiences and explorations of Galapagos, from crafts to map making. Denise Leonard, MSD Lead Early Childhood and Kindergarten Teacher, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

A Sense of Nature - Dragonfly Nature with Rachel - rising 2nd grade - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. We are excited to offer this half-day, week-long summer camp for elementary age students. The focus of each day will be on one of our 5 senses: touch, taste, sight, hearing and smell. Campers will learn how their own senses work as well as learn about sense adaptations in wildlife. Our time together will be playful, active and most of our time will be spent outdoors, exploring the school’s campus/natural areas. We will be learning naturalist techniques such as wildlife capture and release practices, plant and animal identification, water play and may use tools such as binoculars, hand lenses and microscopes. Learn more Dragonfly Nature Programs @ http://www.dragonflynature.com/ Rachel Woods, Lead Teacher and Owner of Dragonfly Nature, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

Rainbow Camp with Anne and Kaliq - Rising 2nd - rising 4th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Come along with Anne (she/they) and Kaliq (he/him) for an affirming, inclusive and fun week as we explore the topics of self and family identity, diversity, recognizing injustice, and speaking up against injustice through books, art, and community! Rainbow Summer Camp will include developmentally appropriate books and activities to support discussions around gender diversity, race, LGBTQIA+ families, disability, justice, intersectionality, and allyship. Children will be encouraged to identify and share their voices, passions, and lived experiences and work together on a group "speak up" (activism) project. Rainbow Summer Camp is an intersectional safe space in which all races, genders, family structures, disabilities, and cultures are welcome. Anne Sutkowi-Hemstreet is the Founder and Director of Rainbow Collective for
Change and currently leads the MSD Rainbow Club for Elementary students. Kaliq is the Rainbow Collective for Change Program Coordinator. Cost $300.

Week 8 - August 7-11

Dynamic Dinosaurs with Jami - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Are you wanting to learn all about Triceratops, Brontosaurus and the ever popular T-Rex? What about the difference between herbivorous and carnivorous creatures? This camp will explore different kinds of dinosaurs, dinosaur eggs, volcanoes, fossils, and the environments in which they lived. It’s all about having fun and going back into prehistoric times when dinosaurs roamed the earth! Jami, MSD’s Lead Early Childhood After School Instructor, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

From Sheep to Sweater with Denise - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Although it won’t be sweater weather in August, campers will learn the process of how sheep fleece is made into yarn. During the week, campers will also be introduced to simple knit and crochet techniques, making their own items to take home! Denise, MSD Lead Early Childhood and Kindergarten Teacher, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

Ultimate Frisbee with Triangle Ultimate - Rising 2nd - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Explore the benefits and joys of the game of Ultimate! From skills development, exercise, friendships, mini games & scrimmages, and character building, we’ll use teamwork and have lots of fun! T-shirts and Ultimate Disc included with camp registration. Camp will be held on the field at Montessori School of Durham and at Cornwallis Park. Triangle Ultimate staff will lead this camp. Cost: $300.

Week 9 - August 14-18

Kitchen Garden with Jami - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Grow some food, and eat it, too? Put your hands together for a week full of garden-based culinary adventures! From basil and tomatoes, to cream cheese and chives, we will find out what fresh flavors pair well each day. We will also make lemonade to quench our thirst in the heat of summer. Campers will be encouraged to make a cookbook to take home with the prepared receipts. Jami Haigler, MSD Lead Early Childhood After School Instructor, will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

I Spy My Eye! STEM For Kids with Seth - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. 8:00am-12noon. Seeing is believing! The human senses are our contact to the environment. One of the main sensory organs is the eye. Get up close and personal with your eye. What makes you see? How does our brain perceive depth and color? Why do we have blind spots? See your eyes play magic tricks! Activities include: Do My Eyes Deceive Me?, Model Eye, Braille Name, Quest for the Safest Glass, To Virtual Reality & Beyond! Seth Berry, STEM for Kids Instructor, will lead this camp. Cost: $325.

Wilderness Medicine with Little Medical School - rising 2nd grade - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Little Medical School inspires young minds by sharing our passion for learning, health and careers in medicine. Through hands-on activities, role-play, and interactive demonstrations, children explore the exciting world of healthcare. In Wilderness Medicine, campers will learn about some of the dangers in the wild such as bug bites, snake bites, and poisonous plants. They will practice splinting a broken leg, tying a tourniquet, and filtering water. Little Medical School programs are written by experienced educators, board-certified physicians and trained healthcare professionals. Trained Little Medical School ® Instructors will lead this camp. Cost: $255.

Let’s Sew! with Pamela - rising 2nd - rising 7th grade. 8:00am-12noon. Learn skills and gain confidence in the wonderful world of both machine and hand stitching! Create a star pillow to learn the complexities and techniques of machine sewing and design your own decorative elements to make it uniquely yours. You’ll also design and hand-sew soft toys or other simple items made from felt. MSD Summer Camp Staff, Pamela Alberda, (she/her) will lead this camp. She has been sewing for over 50 years and enjoys sharing her love of fabrics and how to sew them with children of all ages! Cost: $255.

Stay and Play Options (every week)

Stay and Play - Early Childhood - 3 years old - rising 1st grade. Afternoon camp 12:00pm-3:00pm with 4:00pm and 5:30pm pickup options. Stay and Play Camp - Early Childhood is our signature afternoon camp where children engage in arts and crafts, gardening, water play, and more. In Stay and Play Camp, children eat lunch, rest quietly and nap (if needed), and spend lots of time playing outside with their peers. Cost $140 for 3pm pickup, $185 for 4:00pm pickup, and $245 for 5:30pm pickup.

Stay and Play - Elementary - rising 2nd grade - rising 7th grade. Afternoon camp 12:00-3:00pm with 4:00pm and 5:30pm pickup options. Stay and Play Camp - Elementary is our signature afternoon camp where children engage in arts and crafts, gardening, water play, and more. In Stay and Play Camp, children eat lunch, rejuvenate quietly indoors, and spend lots of time playing outside with their peers. Cost $140 for 3pm pickup, $185 for 4:00pm pick up, and $245 for 5:30pm pickup.

Stay and Play - Elementary - “Cooking Around the World” - Available for Weeks 1 and 3 only (June 12-16 and June 26-30). rising 2nd grade - rising 7th grade. Afternoon Camp 12:00-3:00pm with 4:00pm and 5:30pm pickup options.. Stay and Play Camp is our signature afternoon camp where children engage in arts and crafts, gardening, water play, and more. Starting at 12pm, children eat lunch, rejuvenate quietly indoors, and spend lots of time playing outside with their peers. These two weeks of specialty “Stay and Play” Camp will feature cooking activities led by instructors at VineyardAppCamp from 1-3pm in our Multi-Purpose kitchen. Children will cook some (oven-less) recipes from all 6 inhabited continents. Recipes will include: Brazilian brigadeiros (Chocolate Truffles), Japanese onigiri (Rice Balls), and other finger-foods from Africa, Asia, and South America. Cost $155 for 3pm pickup, $185 for 4:00pm pick up and $245 for 5:30pm pickup.

Toddler & Early Childhood Summer Programs

Our Toddler and Early Childhood Summer Programs provide students a continuation of the school year in the classrooms with the freedom to choose work that follows their interests. Our teachers lead these programs to maintain momentum from the school year, giving small and large group lessons with the Montessori materials. Children will choose work from the shelves, garden, and participate in outside water activities and art projects.

The MSD Toddler Summer Program is available to current MSD Toddler students who have not yet turned 3 years old. If there are remaining spaces available, contracts for the Toddler Summer Program will be offered to newly enrolled (for the upcoming year) all-day toddler students that have turned 2 years old by September 1st. The program is Monday through Friday from 8am-12pm, 3pm, 4pm, or 5:30pm.

The MSD Early Childhood Summer Program is available to current MSD Early Childhood students who have completed at least one year of Early Childhood. The program is Monday through Friday from 8am-12pm, 3pm, 4pm, or 5:30pm.

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