There are only 18 summers in childhood. How will you make this one count? The school year in SC ended at the end of May and the Felician Center geared up with a few camps for the kids in June.
First there was a READING, MATH, SCIENCE CAMP for the children registered in the Learning Center. Organized by Sister Susanne and Sister Carol, volunteers were brought in for fun instruction in the academic areas. The kids had creative and fun approaches to classroom learnings. One highlight was Kat Tisdale, retired educator, who did a fingerprinting activity demonstrating the uniqueness of each child. The younger students studied the stages of the butterfly and created butterflies with a photo of themselves as the body of the beautiful creature.
Stories were read, vocabulary studied, comprehension tested and math solving with volunteers Claire Tejero, Kathy McClary, Emma Miller, and Marian Wilson. Sister Johnna directed some activities during personal computer time with the children.
To celebrate their successful camp days, the children were treated to an inflatable water slide on the last day.
A second week was designated MUSIC CAMP directed by Darby Ward, music director of Kingstree Methodist Church. In just a few days, the children learned some music theory, singing with some soloists and harmonies, accompanied by a few drummers, ukuleles, kazoos, and tin whistles. There was a hokey pokey dance and cha cha slide.
Sister Carol was the kazoo instructor. Emma Miller and Marian Wilson taught a few dances. Kathy McClary assisted with serving snacks and much more.
On the last day of camp, parents/guardians and board members Mary Lisa McGill, Sellecia Pressley, Jean Nexsen and Kathy McClary came to enjoy the musical program from the children’s learnings.
In addition, the children are eligible for summer kid friendly grocery bags on Fridays for 8 weeks. The St. Francis Fund sponsored by Felician Services completed its three-year grant funding to Felician Center with providing the summer of 2023 with these blessings. They helped to make sure this summer counts for our rural, economically disadvantaged, kids in Kingstree, SC.