This summer one member of the JB participated in a truly unique program. Anna Daniels had the opportunity to be a counselor at the CISV Faces of NY Mosaic. This is a program for kids of NY City designed to provide a CISV experience. A diverse group of New York area 11 and 12 year-olds went to this free, one-week summer camp to learn what it means to be a global citizen and live harmoniously with others – sharing resources and ideas – in a fun and safe environment.
I’ll let the words of Alanna Badgley, Co-Director of the Mosaic Camp, describe the results as she wrote them later in a letter to the parents of the participants.
“Within one week, your children opened their hearts and minds, with a willingness to be transformed in the process. They built a community of trust and friendship and developed deep connections with one another. On our last night together, we sat around a campfire by the lake and shared stories with one another of how we were each impacted by the week we had together. Almost everyone (adults and children alike) identified a feeling of liberation from a previous experience of being held back in some way, maybe by their shyness, or fear of rejection, sometimes by geography or finances, a bad feeling that hadn’t gone away until now, or perhaps simply not knowing it was possible to open up fully. But this past week, we transformed, together, into stronger and more capable leaders, who are more willing to be ourselves and express ourselves openly.”