By Amy Batista, Special Writer
The Rise Summer Camp held its annual talent show and art walk during its finale the week before last.
“Counselors worked with students to plan and rehearse for the talent show scheduled for the final week of camp,” said Rise Case Manager and Summer Program Coordinator Cristiana Ciobanu. “The children were our inspiration. After spending a couple of weeks with them, we realized how special they are and what wonderful things they can create. This is how and why our talent show and art walk were created so we could showcase their creative side to the entire community.”
The talent show is a camp tradition, she added.
“It has grown from dancing and a song played on a CD player to this year featuring a live band with the campers performing solo vocals,” she said.
The “Show Us Your Talent” event was held at the Grace N. Rogers School from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 6 followed by children, staff, board trustees, and parents walking across the street to participate in the art walk at the Walter C. Black School from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
“For the past five years, we have featured an art walk directly after the talent show,” Ms. Ciobanu said.
“I like that the artwork is based on books,” said Board President Nancy Laudenberger, as she posed next to some artwork on the wall outside of one of the classrooms during the art walk. “It’s creative and you can see how they put the colors down, smashed it up and made their design and just had fun. That’s what summer camp is all about.”
“Every student here has worked very hard for the past six weeks,” said Music Coordinator Jeffrey Pando.
There were 110 students from pre-K through eighth grade enrolled in camp this year. The staff consisted of high school students, college graduates, as well as certified teachers.
Ms. Ciobanu said the camp had its biggest number of volunteers this year.
“Every summer we have a number of enthusiastic high schoolers, ages 15-17, willing to donate their time and help out with the camp,” she said.
Teacher assistants also worked with individual groups to prepare for the talent show. The groups sang and danced, some even performed vocal solos for different songs by artists including but not limited to Carly Ray Jaepsen, the Black Eye Peas, The Minions, Bruno Mars, Demi Levato, the American Authors, and more for their acts. Students also performed expressive readings and a beat box routine.
Students had the opportunity to learn beat boxing in a new camp workshop this year.
“I am going to try to bring special guests every year so the kids learn something different,” Mr. Pando said.
The Montclair State University Jazz Quintet assisted in the talent show and performed a few special numbers including “Fly Me to the Moon.”
The counselors and staff hopped on the stage to perform a special musical number they created for campers, which was a song about camp counselors set to the theme of “Ghostbusters.”
During the show, the two “best students” were awarded prizes. One person was chosen from groups one, two and three as Senior Camper of the Year and one from groups four, five and six for Junior Camper of the Year. Anthony Tacuri, 8, of East Windsor, and Melissa Nonsoque, 8, of Hightstown were both excited to receive their trophies.
Anthony said the trips were his favorite part of camp and science was his favorite subject.
Melissa said her favorite part of camp was going to the pool.
“We learned how to swim more,” she said. “The trips here are very fun.”
She said she also learned how to create fact families.
Carlos Buri, 15, of East Windsor, a high school student who volunteered to help with the camp, said, “It was fun working with the kids. I’m glad I did this.”
“The Summer Academic Enrichment Program offers students the opportunity to develop their math, art, science, language arts skills, and strengthen their social skills,” Ms. Ciobanu said.
She said that each day, the children receive a nutritious breakfast to start their day in a healthy way and receive a nutritious lunch at noon.
“The program is fully licensed by the state of New Jersey and is fully insured,” she said. “The participants and staff reflect the diversity of our community and are fluent in several languages in addition to English. Families pay a small fee based on their income level and sibling discounts are offered.”
She said in the morning, children report to homeroom after their breakfast before attending a rotating schedule of classes including math, science, language arts, reading and art.
“New Jersey certified teachers conduct the academic classes that are designed to foster students’ imagination as well as enhance basic skills,” she said.
In 2014, the camp used the East Windsor Regional School District curriculum so children would be ready for each subject area on the first day back to school, she added.
“After lunch, they attend ‘Social Savvy’ classes that teach real-life skills, which include theme-based group projects facilitated and supervised by bilingual licensed mental heath consultants,” she said.
These classes give students the opportunity to role play and practice social skills and conflict resolution strategies that will improve their self-esteem and self-confidence, she added.
“We emphasize practicing good manners and healthy refusal skills to help children resist dangerous peer pressure as it relates to bullying, substance abuse, sex, and tobacco,” she said. “The licensed mental health consultant also conducts parent workshops during the summer program to strengthen families and promote the social and emotional development of the whole family.”
New this year was a nutrition program taught by Efrain Monterroso, a nutrition counselor.
“We introduced healthy foods into last year’s program, but this was the first year that the children had 45 minute twice weekly courses that taught nutrition and exercise exclusively,” Rise Executive Director Leslie Koppel said.
He taught 72 nutrition and exercise lessons this summer.
“I love to surprise the children with new ingredients and food they never tried before,” he said. “The recipe that looked yucky but tasted good, according to the students, was the apple pie smoothie. It looked like a big mess of apple with cinnamon and oats but it ended up having a great taste and flavor.”
The students’ favorite recipe was surprisingly the kale smoothie, he added.
“They favored the fact that they didn’t need to see nor taste the vegetable,” he said. “The smoothie had pears, orange juice, banana, water and kale.”
He said it was nice to see that the campers appreciated this recipe after tasting a kale salad that they did not like.
“After that class, I heard a lot of students say that they made their parents buy kale and had them make kale smoothies at home with different fruits,” he said. “It was nice to see that the kids experiment and open their eyes to many new vegetables.”
Ms. Ciobanu said the nutrition class was this year’s favorite activity for both campers and staff.
“I couldn’t believe how excited the kids got to eat spinach and kale,” she said. “It was wonderful to see everyone try and like new foods and fitness exercises.”
Every Friday campers attended a special event or field trip to attractions such as the Crystal Springs Aquatic Center, Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park and Freedom Fest State Fair among others.
“The final day of camp incorporates a family picnic where staff, family, sponsors, and participants mingle and celebrate the accomplishments of the individual campers,” she said. “Every year we strive to make this program bigger and better.”
Rise had support for the camp from The Bunbury Company Inc., Gamma Phi Beta International Sorority, Junior League of Greater Princeton, Mary Owen Borden Foundation, Princeton Area Community Foundation, PNC Bank, Novo Nordisk, First Energy Foundation, 1st Constitution Bank, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, The P&G Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation, First Presbyterian Church of Hightstown, The Borough of Hightstown, The East Windsor Regional School District, East Windsor Township, Mercer County Social Services, HiTops, Jewish Family and Children Services, Faith Justice-ServiceworX, and Farmers Against Hunger.
“If you are interested in volunteering, donating or sharing any ideas, we would love to hear from you,” she said.
For more information, visit www.rise-community-services.org.
