Basseterre, St. Kitts, July 18, 2017 (SKNIS): The 34th Annual Summer Residential Camp has a price tag of over $200,000 and brings together partnerships from various public and private sector agencies to ensure that the next two weeks live up to its design of being a developmental tool to positively shape young minds.
During the opening of the July 16 to 30 camp, being held at the Beach Allen Primary School, Acting Director of the Department of Youth Empowerment and Camp Director, Pierre Liburd, thanked all of the contributors, volunteers and agencies that partnered in this initiative. He noted that about half of the 33 dorm leaders are new and said that this was testament to their willingness to give back to the community as well as to the success of the camp as it continues to draw new faces.
Mr. Liburd also highlighted an increased partnership with the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, which gave permission to three officers to be full time dorm leaders. Additionally, a police inspector is in charge of security, while six other officers, who are members of the community policing programme, frequently visit the grounds to interact with the campers between the ages of 08 and 16 years.
The partnership with the police provides a more structured system for discipline and correction; promotes mutual understanding between the officers and the youth; and also helps to bridge the gap between the police and the community.
Mr. Liburd stated that he was pleased with the partnership and also mentioned that additional safety measures will see regular visits from the ambulance service to handle any medical needs or emergencies, which complement the regular on camp service.
“There are a lot of people invested in ensuring that you are safe, secure and have the appropriate environment to realize the fact that you have untold potential and can strive towards achieving that,” he said.
The camp director warned the students that having the correct attitude is important to realizing their dreams and aspirations and encouraged them to have fun while being open to learning new skills, meeting new people, and embracing all of the positives over the next two weeks.
The theme of the Annual Summer Residential Camp is: “Empowering Our Youth to Soar for Much More: Summer Camp 34.”
