The Youth Advocacy Board has put together a week-long camp for middle-schoolers in July. Partially funded by the Walton Co Healthcare Foundation and supported by community partners/volunteers, they are able to make the camp very affordable, only $50 for a week of fun!
Click or tap on this link to apply or access the application through the QR code on the flyer below.
The WYP’s Youth Advocacy Board is a group of high school students from Walton County. For the past decade, they have had Memorandums of Agreement in schools to provide health, tutoring and after-school programming services.
“We learned during virtual COVID summer camp that we can meet the needs of our students remotely and have continued and expanded this work in person. We received support and training from the Walton Co Board of Commissioners, The Walton Foundation, The Walton County Healthcare Foundation, Whole Foods, Athens Area Community Foundation, Ga.Family Connections, Ga.Tech, UGA, and others to conduct a needs assessment and design, not a “STEM” or “STEAM” camp, but a “WISE” camp. We are staffed by some of the best Walton has to offer in the areas of Wellness, Ingenuity, Science, and Engineering. They are assisted by our board of 24 high-schoolers and college-age alumni. Together, we’ve learned that we can do anything,” organizers noted.
Details of the areas to be covered are given below.
WELLNESS: Conceived and implemented by 4 SCHS students, our wellness component is led by Monroe Diversity Council member and gardener, Barbara Bastian. Our teen board utilizes training in Community Resilience Model and Mental Health First Aid. We are supported by OnStage Walton Vice President Wesley Henson, who leads our interpersonal communication enrichment.
INGENUITY: The name was coined during the 21st CCLC camp by homesteader, poultry expert, and yoga instructor Meredithe Gohn. We aim to foster practical critical thinking by utilizing art and a robust work ethic. Co-led by Mrs. Gohn and UGA Student, WCSD RISE Art Enrichment leader, and program designer, Carrie Turner.
SCIENCE: A collaboration of all areas with a focus on Food and Animal Science. This enrichment is led by WGHS Cafeteria Manager Marie Smith, assisted by local botanist and apiarist Breanna Lewis. Basic pet care/animal therapy is facilitated by Eli Fenn from Monroe Veterinary Clinic and Alexis Cotton from Pound Puppies and Kittens.
ENGINEERING: Our funding coordinator and program designer is GWA Alumnus (2019) and UGA Biomedical Engineering Presidential Scholar, Graham Fenn. Graham has worked in various camp and afterschool environments including WCSD, The Bridge of Georgia, and Monroe Country Day School. Walton WISE TM is the culmination of those experiences. He attended Georgia Tech’s CEISMC STEM Leadership Conference and the Atlanta Science Festival this year. We will implement a similar program model to GT’s summer camps, but located in Walton County for students who don’t have resources to travel.
The fine print: Due to space and financial constraints, we can accept only 50 students. Due to safety protocols for our enrichments, recommendations are required from a professional coach, teacher, counselor, pastor, etc. Camp fees are $50, which will be used solely to pay our staff and volunteers a small stipend for their time. Similar camps cost $300-$500 per week.
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