Training Day

Camp Ayandeh 2009 is set to begin in just a few days, and 36 counselors and staff have gathered in the countryside of Massachusetts at Duquette Academy for staff training. Arash Majdi, director of this year’s camp said of the group, “Another amazing group of counselors have arrived and are training to make sure that this year’s Camp Ayandeh will continue to have a huge impact on all involved because of its unique blend of culture and leadership. I am sure that these counselors will do an excellent job of nurturing the future leaders of our community.”

IAAB counselors Idin Sany and Arian Nakhiaie participate in the Human Knot Ice Breaker

The training started off with icebreakers aimed to develop a base of trust between the participants and to build a level of comfort among the team that is characteristic of Camp Ayandeh. We introduced the history of IAAB and the Camp to the new counselors and began training the counselors on the curriculum, including the activity booths, which will be 75-minute workshops on topics such as Iranian literature, cinema, music, and games, among others. These groups will differ from counselor groups, giving campers a chance to get to know a different group of people outside their age groups.

We also discussed the “mentor-mentee” groups, which will consist of one older camper and three younger campers, who will then decide to focus on an issue they want to promote in their local communities. The older campers will serve to moderate the groups, giving them the chance to be placed in leadership roles, while the counselors are only there to provide assistance when needed.

All the counselors and staff here at Camp Ayandeh are excited to see the new and old campers, and look forward to seeing you all on Sunday!