Our Leaders-in-Action (LIA) Caribbean program in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is a unique one. As mentioned in our last post, it unites a group of teenagers who are committed to developing their leadership skills by planning, designing, and running a summer camp for local youth all on their own! By doing this, they strengthen their ability to manage projects, communication across cultures, and inspire young people with all kinds of interests. The build up to the first day of camp is full of preparation – list-making, shopping, dividing up responsibilities, you name it – and, of course, tons of anticipation!
This week was the official launch of the camp, and our group of travelers is full of smiles as they report back on the first few days. In front of a scenic palm- and hill-filled backdrop, these LIA students have led songs, art projects, and even a game or two of cricket. Take a look below!
Part of this year’s program is a meal-time homestay. What that means is that our students have several dinner meals with a host family each week. So far, it’s been a great experience for the group, filled with new food and laughter.
Ali, Ben, and Laura all got to join their leader, Megan, for a home-cooked traditional meal with a local woman, Panda, and her family. On their way back home, they got to look over the landscape, seeing all of the trees which provide the local fruit, in awe of the abundance of produce available at their doorstep. Later, Mrs. Black even called out her back door for three mangos when she needed them, and the man in her backyard had them readily available. They even ate coconut fresh from the tree!
Izzy, Alexandra, Noah, Kieran, Katie, and Spencer all joined their leader, Fletcher, for a home-cooked meal as well. They joined Mrs. Black and her family. While Mrs. Black had already prepared dinner for them when they arrived, she had them help her bake a coconut dessert. All six of these students were raving about the baking when they arrived back at the group’s host family’s home later that night.
We can’t wait to continue to hear updates from the camp in the Caribbean, and are sure you can’t either! Keep an eye on our Instagram for occasional updates.
