POULSBO — Connie Graves and Evelyn Marlow spent their first day of summer vacation, not at the mall or the skatepark, but at Greig Hall.

Seventeen-year-old Graves and 14-year-old Marlow were teaching 30 participants at the Sons of Norway’s heritage camp the traditional art of weaving along with older Sons members, who were busy demonstrating rosemaling, krumkake-making and a myriad of other Nordic cultural crafts.

“They’re all really nice and are eager to learn,” Marlow said after a group of 10 students finished the first stage of their weaving project.

Since both Marlow and Graves are too old to attend the camp, Graves said it made sense to share what they’ve learned growing up.

Teaching the class in general has been rewarding, but one particular camper made a lasting impression early on, she said.

“When he realized that he had actually made something, his smile was priceless,” Graves said.

Helping out with the camp in 2005 was fun, but actually taking on the responsibility of teaching a class this year has been just as enjoyable, she said.

“If I’m not off to college, it’s something I plan on doing next year,” Graves said.

Even though he had a little trouble keeping the wool on the spool, 12-year-old Riley Amado-Curtis said his first time at heritage camp was proving to be a good experience.

“I’m glad my mom signed me up,” Amado-Curtis said. “I plan on coming back next year.”

As Sons youth director Joanne Graves surveyed the room filled with campers learning traditional Nordic crafts and skills, she said she was glad to have teens like her daughter, Connie, and Marlow taking active roles.

“The older ladies taught the teenagers and those teenagers are bridging the gap, especially with the younger kids,” Joanne Graves said. “The younger kids look up to them.”

The teenaged teachers and helpers are gaining leadership skills, a sense of belonging and are also giving back to the community through their efforts, she said.

“This is what the Sons of Norway is all about,” she said, referring to the idea of passing traditions and skills from one generation to the next.

Many of the things being taught at the camp were done by several of the campers’ grandmothers and great-grandmothers, she said.

“This is something that is more traditional and less electronic and the kids are having fun,” Joanne Graves said.

The culmination of the camp will be Midsummer Fest, which begins at 4 p.m. today with the raising of the maypole at Waterfront Park.