Children are Building Lasting Bonds This Summer

An annual summer camp organized by Doctor Carolyn Gentle-Genitty, a tenured professor in the United States, concludes on Friday.  The past few days have seen children from across Lake Independence attend educational and recreational sessions at Swift Hall and Saint Martin de Porres School where they are learning very important life skills, including financial literacy.  As part of this year’s program, the Belize Bank Limited joined forces with the program and spent the day with the young participants teaching them about financial responsibility.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano stopped by and filed the following report.

 

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

Summer camps are melting pots of diversity.  Children interact with peers from various backgrounds, cultures and communities.  The exposure they receive helps them to develop essential social skills like communication, empathy and teamwork.  They also learn the value of friendship, sharing and resolving conflicts amicably.  Here at Summer Bond, a camp that has been established in the St. Martin’s area, kids are building positive relationships.

 

Dr. Carolyn Gentle-Genitty, Organizer, Summer Bond

“We know that through social bonding, attachment, commitment, involvement and belief helps students to succeed.  [It] helps all of us to succeed, no matter age, money, exposure.  Once you take away all of those,  the number one factor is bonding… and those four things, somebody being attached to social activities, engage in pro social activities, believing in the value of what they are working towards, and committed, being a member of something.”

 

 

 

 

Summer camps are transformative experiences that equip children with essential life skills, values, and lasting memories.  Among them is financial literacy, the ability to understand and effectively use various skills, including personal financial management, budgeting and investing.

 

 

 

 

 

Denise Godfrey, Marketing Manager, Belize Bank Ltd.

“In our arts and craft session, we are teaching them about financial inclusion, the importance of money and then they get to draw what money means to them or what they would do should they come across or when they start working what they are going to do with their earnings, whether it’s building a house, furthering their education, they get to draw that out on paper.”

 

 

 

 

The annual recreation offers a wide range of activities.  Children can explore new hobbies, discover hidden talents, and honing existing skills.  These experiences teach perseverance and dedication.  Nine- year-old Elon Gordon attends Ladyville Evangelical School, he is a participant at this year’s camp.

 

 

 

 

 

Elon Gordon, Participant

“I thought it was gonna be fun and I am gonna make lots of new friends and lots of new people and I was kind of waiting for school to open back.”

 

Isani Cayetano

“What have you learned so far?”

 

 

 

Elon Gordon

“Lots of things, some more about sports, service, gratitude and education.”

 

Isani Cayetano

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

 

 

Elon Gordon

“I want to own my own business.”

 

With rising childhood obesity, physical activity is crucial.  Summer camps provide ample opportunities for active play, sports, and adventure activities.  This not only improves physical health, but also promotes mental well-being.

 

 

Michelle Murray-Gordon, Teacher, St. Martin de Porres

“I love this camp particularly because it caters to four aspects of the children’s development.  They focus on art, education, service and gratitude and sports.  My area where I assist is with service and gratitude, so the kids rotate for an hour in each session for the day, every day.  And then we help to develop their skills and knowledge within the area. We try to do hands-on stuff, like yesterday they wrote to thank you notes to persons who are important to them, as well as help clean the perimeters of the compound and read to their peers.  So they are very eager and receptive to the skills and that has pleased us greatly.”

 

 

So consider giving your child the gift of growth, discovery, and joy that only a summer camp can provide. Isani Cayetano for News Five.