Summer Camp 2023 Grades 7-9 - IN-PERSON

But name myself I will, with sharp letters, / with tools weighty enough for this planet / constructed of salvaged things. Truth is, / It never mattered what they gave us. / Only what we made out of it. ~Sonya Renee Taylor

Writer and botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer says, "Creation stories...tell us who we are." We learn many different creation stories from our religions, cultures, countries, and families, but we also make our own. Writing a poem, developing a character, making art, cooking a meal, community organizing, building a friendship, and growing up are all acts of creation. In this camp, we'll borrow from creation myths, visionary fiction, and our own family histories to explore how the stories we inherit shape us, and how the ones we write ourselves can make a different world possible.

All summer camps use the art of writing and other modes of artistic expression to enhance self-esteem and build skills in creative self-expression. Programs are designed to help strengthen young people's authentic voices, develop their ability to speak out through writing and direct interaction, and deepen their belief in their own creative intelligence.