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!

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!