Children receive certificates for sports camp
Today over one hundred children from Caribbean Shores received certificates after successfully taking part in a youth camp. The event, which featured a number of different sports, was organised to give youths in the area something to do while on vacation. As News Five’s Jacqueline Woods found out at today’s closing ceremonies, the old adage of “it’s not whether you win or lose” still rings true.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
There was nothing but smiles on the children’s faces as they were awarded for participation in the Caribbean Shores Youth Camp. One hundred and seventy-five children between the ages of seven and seventeen participated in a number of sports designed to promote teamwork and sportsmanship.
Jacqueline Woods
“The camp lasted for three weeks, do you believe this objective was achieved and why?”
Keino Quallo, Camp Co-ordinator
“Yes. You can see the smiling faces and the friendships that were achieved during the camp. You can see that basically we came close to what we wanted to achieve, which was teamwork.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Was that difficult trying to get the children to work with one another?”
Keino Quallo
“Yes, because even in sports we have the individual who want to come out, who want to star and shine but after awhile they realise that the objective, which is to win the game, is easily achieved when you do it together.”
The camp also provided an opportunity for the children to do what they love best.
Rujan Staine, 12 years old
“I decided to come to summer camp because I want to do football for my school and I wanted to learn the basic things that you suppose to do in football game.”
Maurile Young, 12 years old
“You meet different people and you meet friends and they teach you different sports.”
Kristin Young, 8 years old
“I like that I can have many friends and I can talk to lots of people and I can play basketball and volleyball and different sports.”
While the activities may have been ” all fun and games” for the children, the greater purpose of the camp was evident to older generations.
Veronica Myles, Grandmother
“I think it keeps them from getting into trouble and I enjoy it because Belize is getting so funny right now that a lot of troubles, a lot of guns and whenever you put on the TV you hear about accidents…a lot of accidents. I wish the government would try to promote more things to keep youths active and we need more co-operation from parents and so to have these things because by having this, you have less problems and the children they keep busy.”
Jose Coye, Area Representative
“I think it is mostly the same kind of problems that kids are faced with when they are out of school or out of a home where they can be better supervised. That during the vacation if they are not put to do something productive or participate and interact in some social event they tend to get a little bit on the other side and I think this is what motivated us to do something for the children.”
Camp co-ordinators say the activities also help to develop one’s character, preparing the youths for a productive future.
Keino Quallo
“Well in life you have to basically help one another and part of it is that they learn how to lose. They learn that you can lose but you can bounce back and attain what you want to attain.”
Reporting for News Five, Jacqueline Woods.
Camp organisers say they plan to make the camp an annual event.
