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Over 100 attend DYS 2023 Summer Youth Empowerment Camp
Participants Devin Iguel, right, and Keoka Savea shoot hoops during the Division of Youth Services’ 2023 Summer Youth Empowerment Camp at the Carolinian Affairs grounds in Garapan on Wednesday.(LEIGH GASES)
The outdoor Division of Youth Services’ 2023 Summer Youth Empowerment Camp at the Carolinian Affairs grounds in Garapan is bustling with over 100 participants.
The children in the camp are engaged in cultural activities and sports to keep their young minds and bodies active during the summer.
The camp started on July 10 and will last until July 21 for students 5 to 12 years old. Session 2 is scheduled from July 24 to 28 for students 13 to 17 years old.
DYS Family and Youth Enhancement Program community development specialist Anna Rangamar said, in an interview with Saipan Tribune on Wednesday, that the camp is going well despite the rainy weather that welcomed the camp this week.
She said “it’s a lot of physical activities, team building activities, and cultural activities. Camp has been okay so far. It looks like the children are enjoying themselves.”
Children were divided into different groups and stations—sports activities including soccer, obstacle course, basketball, and volleyball; leaf weaving and leaf painting; arts and crafts; and the coconut station where they learned how to make coconut candy and coconut oil, among others.
They also had a field trip to Kalabera Cave and World War II remains yesterday.
Koeka Savea, a 9-year-old camp participant seen playing basketball with 8-year-old Devin Iguel, said that he joined because he wanted to have fun this summer.
“I don’t really want to stay at home and be bored the whole time,” Savea said. “My favorite thing to do here is weaving and playing basketball.” He said he’s also made friends during his time in the camp.
There are about 20 adult and high school volunteers in the camp assisting with activities. One volunteer, 14-year-old Ciena Omapas, said that she enjoys being with children and that she’s volunteered since she was 12 years old. “The camp so far is fun. I got to make new friends. Everybody is like one big family here. The kids, they can be hard-headed sometimes, but I love them. They’re good kids and I see a lot of potential in them.”
The partners of the camp are CNMI Public School System Project Haligi, Northern Marianas CREES, NMC 4H, Mariana Islands Nature Alliance, and the Division of Coastal Resources Management.
