PEACE CAMP 2015

The Guidance Center’s PEACE CAMP, operated out of the A.D. Healey Elementary School in Somerville, is in its 6th year. Camp is being enjoyed by 30 campers this summer!

PEACE CAMP serves girls and boys from Cambridge and Somerville, ages 6-12, and is geared towards children who have been identified as individuals who are vulnerable to bullying either as target, bystander, or aggressor. The focus of each of the two 3-week sessions is on helping children work together to learn and strengthen friendship and leadership skills in a relaxed environment. Through numerous fun activities campers are encouraged to take new and healthy risks, safely express ideas, and to learn to work cooperatively with others.

Other components of our camp day can include activities in science, dancing, rhythm and movement, and art. And like most camps, field trips augment the program too.  One of the most recent outings was to the Beautiful Stuff Project, which provides free materials donated from local manufacturers to be transformed into art projects. Beautiful Stuff Project also donated supplies to PEACE CAMP to allow campers to make mandalas as a mindfulness activity.  And last week, the campers visited Parts and Crafts, a “creative makerspace” that uses art, science, programming, and engineering to encourage children’s natural growth and development.  Peace Camp is truly a unique program and one of the few therapeutic day camps in the area.  I want to say thank you to our dedicated staff that make this camp program successful each summer!

~Scott M. Bock, Founder/President/CEO