Lexington United Summer Camp June 2013

Koehler and Brownrobie at The Plantory

Lexington United's first summer camp, a week-long training for youth, has concluded.

Lexington United, a CKCPJ project funded in part from a Partners for Youth grant (see their website at http://lexingtoncommunitybuilding.org), collaborated with several other local organizations to train enrolled youth in games such as "Alien Slime," "Clip-It," "Shrinking Island" and "Do You Love Your Neighbor?"

Led by Gail Koehler, Sarabeth Brownrobie and Tanya Torp, the youth learned conflict resolution, prejudice reduction and leadership skills through experience (not lectures).

 

Gamification keeps learning real

Better Bites workshop

Partnerships with other local community educators provided important diversity to the lessons learned. One afternoon, for example, Better Bites came to the Plantory to show the youth how to prepare healthy foods for their families.

 

Before receiving their graduation certificates and a stipend, the campers showed what they had learned in a capstone experience open to the whole community - Lexington United's first Community Games Night. Conducted at East 7th Street Center on Friday, June 21, the cooperative games included "Blob Tag," "Rattlesnake," and Rabbit in the House." 

Koehler plans to host another camp next year during spring break and perhaps some mini-camps at various times in the year. As Merlene Davis wrote in her Lexington Herald Leader article: "With a little help, this program could be an example of adults learning from our children."

Community Games Night at E 7th Street Center

 

The camp is a first step - ideally, the program will be incorporated into the public schools curriculum offerings. CKCPJ hopes the youth will spread the word at school, and their teachers will invite Lexington United in to work with their classes.

We know that schools that implement peer mediation techniques experience a reduction in absenteeism, suspensions and expulsions. CKCPJ wants to be a part of making our schools a better place for children to learn. 

Gail Koeher (right)

Peacemaking starts with our future, so let's create PEACE leaders right here, right now in our youth.