Camp Ayandeh is coming to a close, and while we are sad and wish to cherish the last activities and time we have with each other, we eagerly anticipate the long-awaited Talent Show, where campers perform skits within their counselor groups, sending all of camp into laughter and hysterics.
Counselor groups, divided up by age and grade, are the foundation of Camp Ayandeh throughout the week, and the majority of activities and discussions are completed in these groups. On the first day of camp, groups decided on team names, and the roar of team chants can be heard throughout the day before and after activities, during lunch, and during breaks. Camp Ayandeh aims to construct a sense of community throughout the week, while simultaneously fostering friendly competition among the groups. Campers can earn points for their groups by participating in activities, doing good deeds, being courteous, and showing both team spirit and good sportsmanship. These points and team rankings are announced nightly, recognizing campers for their accomplishments.

After a long rainy Thursday, the sun finally shone down on Hinsdale, MA today, just in time for the Team Challenge, a perennial camper favorite. Team challenge is a series of activities that campers must complete together in a camp-wide race: a water balloon toss, a quiz game, a game of charades, and a basketball shoot-out, where several members of the team must shoot a basket (assists don’t count!). This challenge is designed to ensure all team members work together to complete each section before moving on, while also encouraging friendly competition among the groups.

IAAB Camper Arian Jadbabaie discusses with his team during IAAB's Team Challenge

I planned to cheer along with the staff and watch the activities from afar, but once they took off I was completely drawn in! In all the excitement, I found myself running along the court to each activity along with the groups, shouting words of encouragement and cheering along with the campers.

As teammates and staffers cheered from the court, groups of teams waiting to compete cheered the competitors on from the sidelines. Ayandeh aims to maintain a strong level of friendly competition that gets campers excited about both the physical activities and cultural discussions. Sportsmanship is a key skill which campers can carry on into their lives outside of Ayandeh.

After some close calls, in the first round of the challenge, group “T-Raqs” (a play on T-rex and one of our favorite breaktime activities – raqs!) won the team challenge while the younger team of “Two Gooz For You” (sorry moms and dads) won the second round of the challenge.

This annual tradition will likely continue to be a favorite and we look forward to another great Team Challenge next summer!

As we progressed into the second day of Camp Ayandeh training in Western Massachusetts, I couldn’t help but take note of the beautiful grounds of Duquette Sports Academy. The 22-acre site nestled amongst 100 acres of land and beautiful trees makes the Sports Academy the ideal location for a week at Camp Ayandeh. Located in Hinsdale, Massachusetts among the Berkshire Hills, the Sports Academy provides a quiet, secluded environment for campers as they reflect upon what it means to be an Iranian-American and engage in cultural discussion and awareness with other campers their age.

Duquette Sports Academy is set along Plunkett Reservoir

I sat down with Kent Qualls, the Academy Director of Duquette Sports Academy, who has been here every year for the past seven summers. He described Duquette as his family’s “home away from home”, and shared a brief history of the Sports Academy. Dan Duquette, the founder of the Sports Academy, has served as the General Manager of the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos. As Mr. Duquette raised his family in Western Massachusetts, he aimed to build a healthy, positive environment that could deliver a valuable camp experience to nearby student athletes and their families. Hinsdale was the perfect place for Mr. Duquette to persue his goal and establish the Sports Academy.

Seven summers later, the IAAB family is excited to be holding Camp Ayandeh in the nurturing environment of Duquette Sports Academy, and we look forward to the campers joining us tomorrow!