Summer Camp 2022 was a blast! For the past six weeks, 300 Touching Miami with Love children and youth from Overtown and West Homestead participated in our all-day Summer Camp. Our students engaged in fun and dynamic programming that offered -valuable lessons for their academic success.
Our K-5th grade students participated in daily literacy classes, arts, devotionals, social-motional skill development, STEM enrichments, fitness, and a weekly field trip! They had a fantastic time learning, interacting with their friends, and experiencing unique activities. Further, we provided our children with complementary vision and dental screenings thanks to Jessie Trice Community Health System, Community Health of South Florida, and Florida Heiken Children’s Vision Program. With their help, our students received essential health services that can be difficult for some families to afford.
A big highlight for our students was our weekly field trips. Ana, one of our middle schoolers, expressed her joy after learning how to skate for the first time. During a field trip to Super Wheels Skating Center, she was fearful of skating on her own, as she had never done it before, but she had a desire to learn. Her instructors guided her and encouraged her to try it on her own. After a few attempts, she could skate by herself! She is a very determined young lady, and we celebrate her learning a new skill!
Like Ana, many of our students experienced different activities for the first time. Our children had the chance to go to Miami Zoo, Homestead Cybrarium, SkyZone, U-Pick Farm, Miami Seaquarium, Venetian pool, Super Wheels Skating Center, Bowling, Glass Bottom boat trip, Roscoe Warren Municipal Park, Marlin’s Game, a trip to Miami Beach and they had a special visit from Wild Animal–World! And our youth attended field trips to Launch Trampoline Park, Anne Kolb Nature Center, Beach Day, Top Golf, and Fox in A Box Escape Room.
As part of our 6th-12th grade student’s Civic Engagement component, students experienced: Our Town: Overtown Food Tour, Florida Film House film classes, Secret Woods Nature Center, Eco Tour at Virginia Key State Park, The Social Hub Miami (A selfie Museum), and they all received clothing items from the Shoe Gallery. These experiences offered students new perspectives and new skills and are empowering and allow students to reflect on the ways they want to give back to their community.
We brought back our weekly community cookouts this year and hosted our Summer Teams again! A Special thanks to Brentwood Hills Church of Christ, Zebulon Baptist Church, Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church, and First Baptist Church of Marion NC, for serving with us and positively impacting our students through exceptional hands-on lessons.
We are grateful for a successful Summer Camp and all the fun-filled educational lessons our students learned while gaining new and creative skillsets. We cannot wait for Summer Camp 2023. If you are interested in volunteering next year, click the link below!