Teens give up week for life-changing experiential summer learning program

Teens give up week for life-changing experiential summer learning program
Teens give up week for life-changing experiential summer learning program
Students share their thoughts, perspectives and experiences, while hearing from others whose lives and stories are very different from their own.

Some 50 high school students will give up one week of their summer vacation to be a part of a residential program that MCCJ is offering with a series of workshop covering racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, and immigration.

The program, which takes place at St. Thomas University, is known as MCCJ’s Camp MetroTown, and it brings together teens from differing backgrounds in order to dig deep about the issues that separate people and bring them together.

MCCJ leaders firmly believe that the world is a better place when we listen to our youth, and they listen to each other, which is why registration currently is open to all high school students looking for a unique, life-changing experience.

From June 18 to 23, the high school students are given a taste of what it is like to live inside a college dorm, as they share their thoughts, perspectives, and experiences, while hearing from others whose lives and stories are very different from theirs. Camp MetroTown delegates are chosen for their differences, but they end up living together, breaking bread together, and discussing the issues that divide us.

By the end of the week, teens leave camp with a deeper understanding of the issues that affect young people, and a sparked enthusiasm to create positive change in their communities and beyond.

Over 30 years ago, a highly respected voice of South Florida’s Jewish community attended Camp Anytown in Birmingham, a sister program to Camp MetroTown. Brian D. Siegal was only 14 years old when he was first exposed to discrimination. It was a painful thing to experience during a formative time of his life.

“Through listening to my fellow camper’s stories of discrimination, tragedy and hardships, and by their sharing their joy and their pain, my perspective grew. I started to develop a stronger sense of empathy, rather than fixating on my own difficulties and challenges. I started caring more about the struggles of my fellow campers, and I grew as a person,” said Siegal who also added that his experience inspired him to fight prejudice and discrimination as the director of AJC Miami and Broward.

Given the power and momentum of the youth movement after the Parkland shootings, and the role models local youth leaders have become, MCCJ expects that this year’s Camp MetroTown will be even more significant.

“It’s so inspirational and humbling to witness the growth of the youth during this program, and even more fulfilling to witness them stepping into their own power,” said Heather Burdick, MCCJ program director. “Young people come away from this experience with a clearer view on their feelings and opinions on varying issues in Miami, having shared living spaces for a week with folks who come from very different perspectives than their own.”

With an understanding of those issues, they also come away with the realization that they themselves can be an advocate for change; by taking action to create the positive change they want to see in their communities.

Registration currently is open, but spots are limited. To apply online, go to https://miamiccj.org/metrotown-application-new-form/.

MCCJ was founded in Miami in 1935 as the Miami Coalition of Christians & Jews. It creates a safe haven for dialog, trains inclusive leaders and promotes understanding for all faiths, races and cultures through education, advocacy and conflict resolution. It hosts the oldest interfaith clergy dialog in the United States and presents prejudice reducing programs in local high schools, among other activities.

For more information, visit www.miamiccj.org.

 


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