DREAM Guzman Ariza Summer School & Camp

Project Specifics:

•    Name of Project: Guzman Ariza Summer School & Camp

•    Location: Cabarete, North Coast, Dominican Republic

          •    Type of Facility: Summer Educational Program

          •    Ownership: The DREAM Project

          •    DREAM Start date at Project: July, 2004

          •    Special Donors: USAID, Guzman Ariza and Associates, Ocean World, Rochester Community

                 Schools, and all of our DREAM Partners

Project Overview:

   The Guzman Ariza DREAM Summer Camp was founded in 2004 with the goal of providing a quality camp experience for the underprivileged children of Cabarete. However, as both the need and success of the program grew, and waiting lists soared to over 150 youth,  “summer camp” soon turned into a school of its own.

    In 2008, the DREAM Project established two unique summer camp programs: one for 10-12 year olds and another for 13-18 year olds, serving 250 at-risk youth and indirectly impacting over 1,000 community members. After observing and identifying the needs of at-risk youth over the past four years, the Guzman Ariza DREAM Summer School & Camp provided a specialized educational support to reverse the trend of increasing dropout rates and risky behaviors.

    The Guzman Ariza DREAM Summer School & Camp incorporates a unique student-centered, project-based curriculum. Students learn through educational excursions developed to give youth practical, engaging and memorable experiences. Upon entering, many campers report never having left their immediate neighborhood. In the program, youth are able to explore and benefit from the surrounding natural environment. Students learn about Dominican art history and anthropology at the Centro de Leon Museum in Santiago, receive swimming lessons and water safety instructions at water parks, observe marine life at Ocean World in Puerto Plata, paint their own canvases at Motif Art Gallery in Sosua, learn about airplanes at the Puerto Plata airport, tour the Jewish Heritage Museum in Sosua, experience another way of life at a Haitian Batey in Caraballo and listen to a critical tale from their own history on the Mirabal Tour in Salcedo. All field trips are supported by local businesses that are now partners with the DREAM Project. DREAM Partners offer their support by providing free and discounted admissions for educational field trips, improving the quality of education for these youth and furthering the sustainability of the summer program.

    Equality and appreciation for diversity are themes taught and modeled throughout the duration of camp. These themes were founded and adapted from the principle of Peace Education championed by the Montessori teaching method. By providing personalized attention through foreign and local mentors, summer camp provides a safe environment that encourages youth to build on their own strengths and develop their self-esteem.

The Guzman Ariza DREAM Summer School & Camp is more than just a camp, it is a crucial educational program that provides youth with guidance and redirects the relationship tourism plays on this small community. Youth enjoy basic hygienic lessons on hand washing and tooth brushing in health class and are also introduced to more complex concepts, such as racism, by going on educational excursions, witnessing its consequences and speaking with those who have experienced it firsthand.

 

Program Goals:

The objectives of the Guzman Ariza DREAM Summer School & Camp Program were developed with the purpose of creating a model support program that would help keep children in school, instill life and job skills and, most importantly, the confidence they need to develop to their full potential. The program creates a framework of structure that provides guidance and academic enrichment to our participants, providing them with the opportunity to succeed. Implementing quality academic tutoring programs that target students’ literacy, math, writing and ESL skills increases student achievement. Students who are behind become engaged in academics, which in turn, affect their performance and attendance in the academic school year. Offering education on socially prevalent issues such as racism, HIV/ AIDS and basic health, exposes adolescents to global issues that affect their community and life.  Establishing a safe environment that encourages youth to build on their strengths ultimately develops self-esteem for future generations.

The goals of the Guzman Ariza DREAM Summer School & Camp Program are:

              • To create a safe environment, where youth can build on their strengths and interests, ultimately 

developing their self-esteem.

              • To develop and implement quality academic tutoring programs that support the development of

students’ literacy, math, writing and ESL skills.

              • To provide education on socially prevalent issues including racism, HIV/ AIDS and basic health.

              • To train Dominican teachers and parents who can utilize what we teach them year round.

              • To create more public awareness to leverage the costs of this program.

              • To increase business involvement in establishing internships for adolescents.

              • To solicit skilled volunteers, who will run and ultimately generate the funds needed to sustain the

summer camp program on an annual basis.

              • To obtain quantifiable results so as to create a model to be replicated in other communities.

Programs:

Youth Program

Adolescent Program

For Future Volunteers:

Please email volunteer@dominicandream.org to request more information.

Project Timeline:

2008

              •   The DREAM Guzman Ariza DREAM Summer Program celebrated its 5th anniversary by expanding to

 operate two camps serving 250 youth and adolescents.

2007

              •   The DREAM Project hosts a summer program at the DREAM Center for the first time.

              •   Swimming lessons are incorporated into the progam.

2006

              •   A volunteer staff of 54 lead a five-week summer program for 185 children

              •   DREAM partners with Batey Libertad and Grassroots Soccer to bring HIV/AIDs and sexual                                   awareness education to at-risk adolescents

2005

              •   DREAM celebrated second annual Guzman Ariza Summer Camp

              •   A volunteer staff of 22 lead a summer program for 120 campers

              •   DREAM leads first educational excursions taking children everywhere from Sosua to Ocean World in

Puerto Plata

              •   DREAM conducts its first successful Apprenticeship Program, placing 30 children in the local businesses 

for ½ workdays

2004

              •   DREAM celebrated first annual Guzman Ariza Summer Camp             

    •   A volunteer staff of 10 leads the first annual summer program for 90 children