Dance performance by campers.

(Harbour Island, Eleuthera, Bahamas) Harbour Island’s ‘Space to Create’ two week summer camp program, created by 27 year old Bri’lander, Will Simmons, had 51 students take part this year, with 12 counselors and teachers on staff, made up of mainly local Bahamian volunteers – as well as a math teacher from the College of the Bahamas, and three international volunteers – including an artist from New York, USA; language and creative writing teacher from The Island School and a volunteer teacher from Toronto, Canada.  A number of the local volunteers were also students who had participated in ‘Space to Create’ as campers in previous years.

Simmons (left) emphasized that this year the camp, which ran from July 29th until August 11th, focused on quality, rather than quantity – restricting participants to the 9 years and older age group (grades 5 through 12), while expanding the programs.  Core classes this summer included ‘space to create’ with creative arts, dance, drama and music; ‘space to learn’ with language and writing, reading, and math; and brand new in 2013 to the camp, ‘space to explore’ with a marine science program – which got the kids out into the water.

The camp, which climaxes each year with a grand finale closing show, hosted its 7th annual closing show on Sunday, August 11th.  Simmons very proudly shared that with the opportunity this year to have more focused attention on the individual children, they were able to script, choreograph and produce much of the show themselves, adding, “They just excelled beyond what I thought was possible.”

The 2013 theme, ‘Reach out and pass it on’, according to Will was an opportunity to highlight the connection between the older and younger generations on the island – a reminder to the the older of the legacy they leave and to pass on leadership and opportunity to the younger, and a challenge to the younger generation to be actively involved and engaged in their future.  “That theme just built us up this year, and it really inspired all of us to keep going”, Simmons said.

 


Town Meeting skit with Drama and Song.

 


Camp staffers were shown appreciation with pristine sand dollars as gifts.