Inspired by the movie The Help, 12 teens from various schools recently participated in a week-long, heart-warming summer camp at the Family Resource Centre (FRC).

Adapted in part from the movie scenes, activities focused on story-telling, identifying groups in society that are not often heard of and exploring food.

First on the agenda was a visit to the Pines where teens got a chance to interact with residents, who shared their own childhood stories and film video interviews on their lives as teenagers.

FRC Programme Coordinator, Miriam Foster said “I am pleased that they had an opportunity to spend time with clients of the Pines and try to bridge the generational gap momentarily and get-to-know each other.”

At the next stop – Michael’s Genuine Restaurant – Head Chef Thomas Tennant allowed students to experience a kitchen whose focus is on innovatively using local products to create delicious meals.

Enthused about using local produce, Chef Thomas said, “The most important thing of which I remind my staff is that we should keep our food fresh, simple and pure.

He also mentioned that sustainability, responsibility and local products were the secret to his delectable dishes. “Buying local fruits and vegetables when in season, is a sure way of verifying optimum quality,” the young chef explained.

From learning that mangoes actually have ‘cheeks’, how to peel an onion without shedding a tear, as well as how to fillet fish, the young campers were mesmerized by his tips and demonstrations. Later at FRC, Ms Ruth James also provided a traditional Caymanian cooking demonstration on how to make stewed conch – a typical Caymanian dish.

To wrap up the fun-filled programme, campers created a video based on clips from their week of activities. This special presentation included scenes from the movie ‘The Help’, along with insightful interviews of participants that also focused on discrimination and its effects.

As each student was asked to invite a person they admired to the conclusion of the camp, family and friends joined them to celebrate this unique occasion.

Commenting on the camp’s success, Ms Foster said “It is not your typical summer camp, but we hope students were given an opportunity to think critically while having a good time.”

Enthralled by the friendships that they made during the week, students are already looking forward to next year’s summer camp.

Photos: Taken by Yvette Cacho and Shenea Whittaker