2008 Summer Camp at Urban Compass

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This summer, Urban Compass sponsored a four week summer camp for a group of 15 Urban Compass students. During camp, the students were able to participate in daily field trips to expose them to the Greater Los Angeles Area.

The goal was to provide both educational and entertaining experiences each day. Activities included excursions to Cabrillo Marina Aquarium, the California Science Center, the Los Angeles Zoo, the Hollywood Bowl for the ‘Kids and Theater Arts Program,’ and surfing at Zuma Beach. The students also participated in a summer basketball clinic with the Clipper’s assistant coaches where they learned about teamwork and the basics of basketball.

The last week of camp was a real treat for the students. Megan Stanford, a recent graduate of Mater Dei High School, developed the week-long program and recruited 20 high school volunteers to help run the camp. The students participated in a variety of activities including arts and crafts, swimming in the Olympic sized pool, playing football on the high school football field, learning dances from the cheerleading team, relay races, doing chalk art, and acting out plays. At the end of each day, students were sent home with goodie bags full of school supplies, nutritional food, and clothing.

The kids had a blast being honorary Mater Dei Monarchs for the week. It was a joy to see the kids at 7:30 every morning dressed in their camp t-shirts grinning from ear to ear; the students truly enjoyed each day of camp.

Urban Compass is grateful for the help we received from Megan Stanford and the other Mater Dei students. It was an enriching experience for both the Urban Compass students and the high school students. They learned and grew from interacting with each other and some of the Urban Compass students have even kept in touch with the high school students.

We look forward to next year’s camp and to the prospect of expanding the number of students who participate and the duration of the camp. We are grateful to be able to provide these enriching activities for the students and to keep them occupied and stimulated during the potentially slow summer months.

Urban Compass Programs

• Film director, F. Gary Gray brings a new approach to academic enrichment with Project Watts - a filmmaking workshop involving students from 112th Street Elementary and Verbum Dei High School in partnership with Urban Compass.
• Clarence Shields, M.D. and the Team Heal Foundation provide health services to student athletes at Verbum Dei High School.
• Connecting university and high school students with kids in the classroom during and after school.
• The development of a middle school in South Central Los Angeles, which aims to serve youth in Nickerson Gardens and surrounding areas.
• A Weekend Parents Program, which hosts community parent program events in South Central Los Angeles.
• Coaching and coordinating athletic and recreational events at the high school, college and professional
  levels.
• A Summer Bridge Program that offers academic and enrichment opportunities to keep kids involved
  when school is not in session.
• Coordination of trips to locations outside of the community to expose students to new
  experiences and to reward them for achievement in school.