Portraits

Garden Activities

Twice a week campers go to the Common Threads garden located in Hyde Park. Each camper has the opportunity to learn about organic gardening through interactive lessons with the garden teacher. The campers are responsible for the maintenance of the garden; they get rid of unwanted weeds, mulch needed areas, and plant fruit, vegetables and flowers. Below are pictures of campers enjoying an afternoon in the garden!

Snapshots from the Kitchen

Campers enjoy daily classes in healthy cooking while preparing food from all over the world. Students learn basic kitchen skills, cooking techniques, and the importance of fresh ingredients as they prepare ethnic cuisine together! Before cooking, instructors provide a brief overview with cultural information and nutritional tips.

In addition to learning new and healthy recipies, campers have an opportunity to earn "Kitchen Stars." Stars are given daily, on the basis that campers were respectful, responsible, safe, listening, and working together while in the kitchen for the day. Counselors, volunteers, and the chef instructors decide if the star is given. At the last day of camp, the team with the most "Kitchen Stars" wins a special prize.

Below are some of our favorite chefs having fun and cooking some savory dishes.

From Common Threads

Chef Aleka and campers smile for the camera!

From Common Threads

Yum...Salmon shish kabob's from Latin American

From Common Threads

From Common Threads

From Common Threads

Campers are awarded with a "Kitchen Star"

Indo-American Hertitage Museum

Campers go on a field trip every Friday. The first field trip was held at the Indo-American Heritage Museum in Rodgers Park. Campers spent the day learning about Asian Indian culture by eating ethnic food, listening to the presenters, and going on a scavenger hunt.    




Yoga!

Counselor, Hayley models a Sarie

First Week Wrap-up

Campers are split up into groups on the first day of camp.



Whitney goes over a recipe before the students begin.



Students learn from the Muntu Dance Company.

Camp is just Beginning...

As the children poured into Kennedy King College for the first day of camp, you could see the fear in their faces. Everyone was timid when meeting new adults and when being split into groups. About half of the kids have been to a Common Threads after-school cooking class before, the others were very unfamiliar with what exactly they would be doing. This shyness, discomfort and intimidation seemed to melt away in the heat of the kitchen. Everyone was eager to help, eager to learn knife techniques, and eager to try new food. These photos are from the first three days at camp - moments inside the kitchen and in the classroom.



In the classroom, the students learn how to make paper mache masks.



Champion cheese grater!



Listening for the recipes of the day.



Grilled summer veggies.





Sitting contest, ouch!



The children learn Muntu dance.