they were 6, 7 or even 8 years old are now teenagers (and have aged out of the program) with a much richer perspective on the world. Ahmad Dove, a 14 year-old middle school student, says that his Kids and Culture Camp experience made him even more interested in the Model UN program. Students learn how the UN works and participate in simulations of international issues and current events. “This year, I am going to be the Ambassador of Cuba. Last year, we were Ambassadors of Japan,” said Dove. “Attending Kids and Culture Camp helped me have more interest in programs like the Model UN and want to help solve problems of the world.” Kids and Culture Camp started as a cooperative endeavor by moms who wanted to ensure that their children had fun during the summer and learned about the world. They got the recipe just right according to 15 year-old Aking Moses, who started Kids and Culture Camp when he was 9 years old. “What I liked most was learning, but it wasn’t exactly like school,” said Moses. “It was more relaxed learning, arts and crafts projects, presentations, watching documentaries and doing fun stuff centered around the topics. I liked the decorations from the cultures and the energy of the teachers.” Zahir Muhammad, a 13 year-old Kids and Culture Camp graduate agrees. “I liked the variety of activities and even though it was a central topic, I liked that it was expressed in different ways,” said Muhammad. “One thing that really stuck out to me was when I was about 7 years old and we had a competition to see who could memorize the most countries in Central America. I am very competitive and I went home and memorized all the countries. It was a fun competition in a healthy way!” Kids and Culture Camp has 8 educational themes through which the curriculum is interwoven: visual and performing arts; science, math and technology; social history and geography; language arts and culture; experiential learning and social skill development; and, mental, emotional and physical health. The summer deficit that Gladwell writes about in Outliers is compensated for during 4 weeks at Kids and Culture Camp.
One consistent favorite among Kids and Culture Camp graduates was learning about different cultures through the cooking classes and sports. Dray Burnett, age 13, says he looked forward to trying new foods like beef patties and jerk chicken when he studied Jamaica. Yeshayah Ben-Tsalmiel, age 16, loved learning about martial arts and sports played around the world such as capoeira and soccer. “Brazil was probably my favorite because of the food, language, culture, and how they live.” These graduates have a deeper understanding of their experiences now that they are older. “There are things that are happening outside of our country that affect our country,” Burnett wisely reasoned. “It is good to be wellrounded.” Erica Reynolds, age 12, went on to say that “You can learn what different people think and how differently they think from you.” Her twin brother Nigel believes his Kids and Culture Camp experiences informed him. “I can add to a conversation now. I can share with more people about different countries,” he said. “When you study cultures, you discover they have unique traditions.” Kadmiel Ben-Tsalmiel, age 14, remembers an important discovery when Kids and Culture Camp studied the Mayan Aztec people. “I learned that there were pyramids not only in Africa, but also South America.” The Kids and Culture Camp experience has left lasting impressions upon these graduates who talk about the world as if they have traveled it. In a sense, they have. One of the most memorable experiences for 12-year-old Adoniyah Ben-Tsalmiel was visiting the Embassy of Thailand during a field trip. He’s not sure what kind of career he wants, but he knows it must include traveling the world and meeting people of different cultures. “I think it is important because you get knowledge of other cultures, their systems, and how they interact with their people and you can use it to strengthen your own,” said Ben-Tsalmiel. Spoken like a true ambassador. For more information visit www.kidsandculture.com, www. facebook.com/kidsandculturecamp, email info@kidsandculture.com, call 202.643.8787, or Twitter @KandCCampDC. Community Partners include Georgia Avenue Church of Christ, Friendship Online, and DC Bilingual. Visit us online at DCCharterSchoolsMag.com |
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