It was a symphony of music, laughter and excitement as more than 80 young people from across Mayaro and Guayaguayare brought the curtains down on the Black Deer ‘Learning Can Be Fun’ July-August vacation camp sponsored by energy company, BP Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT).
Now in its ninth year, the six-week camp is hosted at the Guayaguayare RC Primary School which has many of the necessary amenities, including a playing field, and even SMART boards that were installed by bpTT.
Six experienced and qualified tutors engaged with and imparted knowledge to the eager campers who ranged between the ages of four and 15.
For 14-year-old Rio Claro West Secondary student, Asha Cabrera, who has attended the camp since inception, it was yet another transformative experience.
“The tutors are always very interactive and knowledgeable and they guide us in terms of academics as well as relevant life lessons. It was here that I developed and explored my love for music and playing the steelpan.
“I have benefitted as a student and as a person from being a bpTT Black Deer camper. I want to be part of the evolution of this camp in terms of catering to the needs of older kids while giving back by developing younger students,” Cabrera explained.
The multi-talented Cabrera fully entertained the audience with a rendition of her father’s calypso composition ‘Youth Anthem’, which advocates a positive perception of young people in society.
The students had a number of presentations including a steel band medley of popular local songs performed by the older students as well as endearing individual performances by the youngsters.
Underscoring support for the camp was bpTT’s Community Liaison Officer, Matthew Pierre.
“This camp is unique in that it utilises highly interactive teaching techniques to reinforce fundamental learning skills such as literacy, numeracy and critical thinking. The tutors create a nurturing and fun environment where the students feel comfortable to move at their own pace. They have excellent and dedicated tutors and the kids also assist each other to succeed.
“From the feedback we receive year after year, the Black Deer campers go back to school in September much more capable and confident of attaining their full potential.”
The camp utilises a mix of conventional and non-traditional techniques to reinforce the various skills students demonstrate at different education levels.
The campers were exposed to remedial learning in math, English, social studies, spelling and science, which was punctuated with hands-on exposure to arts and craft, sports, music, agriculture as well as taking part in exciting field trips.
On hand to guide the students in math and science was tutor Kerisha Boodhu, who recently graduated from The University of the West Indies as a recipient of bpTT’s Brighter Prospects scholarship programme.
Boodhu said: “My career goal is to become an educator and this camp was as much benefit to me as it was for the students. One of the key aspects of Brighter Prospects was community-based volunteerism and I was inspired to give back to my community, especially in terms of educational uplifting.
“These campers are shown that creativity, individuality and freedom of expression are great learning and developmental tools and the Black Deer Camp is just another example of transformative investments that bpTT is making across the south-eastern region.”
The benefits of the annual Black Deer camp are so enduring that families originally from Mayaro, who have moved to other parts of Trinidad and even further afield like the United States, plan their vacations around the camp so that their children can attend.
President and founder of the Black Deer Foundation, Arvolon Wilson-Smith, explained the significance of the camp.
She said: “We focus on education and merge it with an understanding of the need to foster environmental sustainability. We do our part, but the parents and kids are the ones who have made the camp into the success that it is—they support our efforts and get engaged in the experience as much as the kids.
“Our approach is unique in that we give individual attention and cater for different learning styles such that every single child knows that he or she is part of making this camp great.”
Carlene Baptiste, mother of first-time camper, nine-year-old Shania, was overflowing with positive feedback.
“This camp experience was simply beautiful,” she said.
“It was exceptionally organised and my daughter was excited to go every single day—she wishes that it never had to end. They learnt a lot and I sat with her and helped with projects so that it was a learning experience for me also. She’s excited to go back to school and share what she’s learnt and for me as a parent, that’s priceless. Our community is really thankful for this wonderful camp.”