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 Images of smiles, giggles and laughter of children etched in the mind of a teacher are probably the most valuable memory left after a youth camp.
After almost four months of waiting, 39 out-of-school children finally gathered in a Youth Camp last August 28 – 29, 2009 at CLC Retreat Center in Pamukid, San Fernando, Camarines Sur. From 20 coastal, lakeside, roadside, upland, lowland-interior farming-fishing barangays of Cabusao, Calabanga, Sagnay, and Buhi municipalities, 23 boys and 16 girls fully participated in this one of two remaining major activities on literacy development among targeted poor out-of-school youth.
 The youth camp was a 2-day series of indoor enrichment activities designed to supplement scheduled 2-day literacy classes alternately but regularly conducted in the past 10 months by a roving teacher with municipal-based teachers inside designated learning centers located in each town center.
With focus on listening, speaking, reading, and a bit of literary writing, the adapted design for the Youth Camp as conducted did not run short of games, getting-to-know-you more, and other fun activities which most pupils voiced out in their pre-activity wish list.
Getting-to-know-others started with getting-to-know-oneself through a presentation of various psycho-geometric figures among which each child chose the one that (s)he liked best and stated reason for choosing such.
With pencil and water color brush, pupils drew and painted their group interpretation of a story entitled “Ang Alamat ng Ampalaya” as read to them. Reading of several stories about health and the environment became more fun and meaningful after a series of role-playing of characters in the story assigned to each group.
The pupils also produced group collages out of old color-printed newspapers to show the things around them influenced by radio, TV, and other media which they think can either enhance or hinder their growth and development as persons.
Paper cutting and folding exercises out of given patterns also added variety and color to the entire youth camp.
In the imaging exercises, short phrases and complete sentences written by many pupils revealed their reasons for liking to live in the city or wanting to stay home in the countryside. They also mentioned what they would do, together with their mothers to show their devotion to our Lady of Peñafrancia this September.
Time gaps in-between programmed activities were filled by occasional group-singing, dancing, food breaks, and a 3-minute video presentation of selected pupils’ activities since November of last year, including a 2-day Educational Tour last March 27 – 28, 2009.
 Recognition of distinct individual and group work and performances was accorded to pupils. All of them were truly happy and grateful for the material and sense of belongingness and importance shown to them as children.
All the 6 project staff and teachers were fully prepared making sure each part of the program of activities centered on efforts that truly celebrate children’s individuality and capacity for group participation in this learning setting provided by the youth camp. Reviewed reading strategies learned from the recently held “Booklatan” training-workshop were used in the Youth Camp.
The Youth Camp was made possible with the help of the current administration of 4 MLGUs each of which provided full or in part transportation for the pupils and teacher coming from their respective municipality. Parents’ permits that were secured earlier on were re-affirmed with full support by the parents themselves in their meetings with teachers held on-site last August 8, 18, 20, and 25.
The Empowerment through Literacy for Forty Project about to be completed in October of this year is one of the university’s commitments to partake in local community development of 5 prioritized barangays of its 4 partner municipalities as agreed with respective LGUs at the municipal and barangay levels.
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