Summer camps at Sibun- July 2011

PROBLEM SOLVING and much more fun at the camp!
Chess and art camps are taking place at the same time. The theme for these summer camps is Problem Solving, so in addition to chess and art instruction there are a lot of activities that require participants to solve various tasks together as a team.

Creating poster for the talk show about their favorite books that they read at the camp:
Our chess camp talk show: camp counselors are the hosts who interview all the participants on the books that they read during the camp:


Working on creating the second volume of the chess book at the art camp:

Playing various sports..

..including chess:
Working on egg-preservation device-with very limited resources, the teams need to create packaging device for an egg. On the last day of the competion, their devices will be tested.


On the last day of each camp teams compete in the adventure race: they have to go through the obstacle course, cross the river, tube down through the rapids and race back to the lodge. Through all that, the team captain carries an egg, that needs to be well preserved from being smashed and in the end tested for the 8 feet egg drop.



Team effort in action:

Egg drop: most of the teams managed to build such well thought through packaging that the eggs survived the 8 feet fall.
week 1 participants:
week 2: By the end of each week, each participant took home awards for participation,positive attitude, special efforts and sportsmanship and in addition, a chapter book of their choice to read at home. Thanks to the donation from the Lincoln Land Community College Child Development Center and the Memorial Child Care Center from the United States, 130 children enjoyed reading books at the camps and we still had enough books to send home with every single participant and junior coach.

SPECIAL GRATITUDE TO:

Belize Telemedia Ltd (BTL) and
Caves Branch Jungle Lodge

for their co-sponsorship of the 2011 summer national chess camps. Without their sponsorship many children would not have had the opportunity to participate.

SPECIAL THANKS :

Head camp directors: Micah Williams, David Coombs and Jose Teul

Head Chess Coach was Sonia Zepeda, International Chess Master.

Caves Branch Jungle Guides responsible for safety and adventure part:
Edgar Martinez and Pablo Garcia

Please remember the names of the coaches who assisted in running those camps- they used their vacation times to volunteer at those camps and make them so successful. So if you will see them in your community- shake their hands and say THANK you for all what they did for the kids:

Corozal - Omar Huitz and Elvia Huitz
Orange Walk - Kevin Frasure, Gabriel Campos and Eric Cal
Cayo - Abdul Lotiff
Stann Creek - Pedro Pixabaj and Allen Sanchez
Toledo - Policarpo and Aurora Coc

Additional thanks to the junior coaches- their job was not only to assist in teaching chess, but also to supervise the activities - from washing dishes to morning exercises. They were a real pleasure to work with - excellent attitude, energy and enthusiasm. Parents and coaches of those youngsters should feel exceptionally proud of them:

Cayo: Maricela Cocom and Akeem Jenkins
Stann Creek: Kris Sanchez, Rick Pascasio and Colleen Tate
Belize : Steve Flowers

Art Camp: was directed by Micah Williams and Ella Anderson.
Art coaches: Rebecca and John Shannon

Volume 2 of the Chess Mystic Quest will be published by the end of August.
The young artist who created all the illustrations to the book are:
East Cayo- Rasheed Palacio
West Cayo- Gozberto Coy and Roberto Maneur
Stann Creek- Ivan Pixabaj
Belize- Tiago Tonaco