After campers wowed the audience with their outstanding performances in the much-anticipated talent show, campers, counselors and staff prepared for the last evening of laughter and good memories at Camp Ayandeh 2009. The night consisted of dancing ‘til three in the morning, enjoying each other’s company and fully soaking up our final hours together at camp. The night ended bittersweet as campers headed back to their cabins to sleep.

On Sunday morning after packing our belongings and enjoying the slideshow of pictures from the week’s activities, we spent the next few hours saying our goodbyes (we all know how long it takes Iranians to say goodbye!) and fitting in as many hugs as possible. We exchanged phone numbers, took even more pictures, and began talk of reunions in each region of the country. As buses arrived to take the first group of campers to the airport, emotions were running high and the tears began to flow.

It is barely enough to say that this year’s camp has surpassed the expectations of both staff and campers alike. After a week at camp, each camper left with a better understanding and appreciation for their Iranian-American culture, a newfound desire to take on leadership roles in their own communities, and a number of beautiful new friendships. We also can’t deny the overpowering effect campers continue to have on the staff and counselors, as we continue to grow and learn from them every year. We could not have been more impressed with the educated and gifted group of campers that we received. A tight-knit community was created in Hinsdale, Massachusetts, one that we all share and will cherish for a long time to come. Once again, a memorable Camp Ayandeh proved to be the “highlight of the summer” for everyone.

As staff members, we aspire to be role models for the campers. However, we realize that the relationship between the younger and older campers can often be closer than that between the younger campers and us. For this reason, we strive for our older campers to be role models for the younger ones. At the beginning of the week, we challenged them to become leaders and it has been their choice to step up to the opportunity.

Starting Day 1, each of the upper level campers was assigned to be a mentor for three younger campers. As a group, they identified a problem that affects a community of their choice and strove to find a solution to this problem. Not only did this activity encourage civic engagement, but it also allowed the campers to get to know others outside of their counselor groups and age groups. They formulated and discussed the implementation of various solutions and planned a way to promote it in the community. They presented their ideas through “science fair”-style posters and also answered questions from counselors and fellow campers.

This team building activity promoted cooperation and community engagement. For five days, the groups worked on their presentation and the only role the counselors and staff had was to be available for occasional guidance. The mentors were the leaders in the group, and in some cases the mentees felt confident enough to take on the role as leader.

For most of the camp, counselors and staff are there to facilitate the activities. The mentor/mentee project is unique in that it is designed specifically for the campers to take charge. We aim to show them that they already possess the qualities of a leader. Furthermore, we hope that this project demonstrates that they do not need adults to efficiently and effectively organize a community project.

It was amazing to watch how some of the same kids who were shy at the beginning of the week developed the confidence to take charge and become role models in the eyes of the younger campers. We challenged them to take initiative and action. We set the bar high and they greatly surpassed our expectations!

More pictures coming soon!!