18th July 2011
Today marked the first day of the Olympic Youth Camp. This year’s camp is being held at the Centre of Excellence, Macoya from 8am to 4pm for the next two weeks. Thirty-one campers assembled in the Nelson Mandela Hall to experience a holistic Olympic youth camp. The camp is divided into three parts. Part one consists of learning and understanding, part two consists of craft and culture and part three comprises of physical literacy and physical activity.
It was a wonderful opportunity for campers to get to know each other and break the ice. Once the icebreakers started, it did not take long for campers to get settled and participate fully in activities and discussion. Campers were well poised in a circular setting. This created a cosy and interactive atmosphere for campers to freely express their views and give examples on the core Olympic values of excellence, friendship and respect. This set the tone for the rest of the day.
The afternoon session heated up when Ms. Kelly Ann Wilson spoke about Hygiene. She held the interest of all the campers when she actively engaged them in a discussion on bad breath and body odour. Campers were eager to express their views on this matter. This session was definitely an eye opener for many campers as Ms. Wilson boldly addressed issues that campers were reluctant to discuss.
The session closed with Mr. Kwame Lawrence who spoke about the six basic techniques to making a good sports story. These were very helpful tips and campers were encouraged to further apply these techniques by capturing any interesting story to be published. At the end of the presentation campers posed questions to Mr. Lawrence about the career of sport journalism and his career history. Mr. Lawrence will return next week where a panel of individuals will highlight different careers in sport.
Tomorrow campers look forward to another day of camp where they will be put into groups and issued a challenge. Campers are encouraged not to miss a day, since each day there is something exciting and new to learn. It is an opportunity to educate, empower and evolve.