Greetings from The GreenHouse! Our summer camp for kids and teens of the community is well underway. This year has brought many great experiences that we are excited to share with you. The theme of Adventure Zone for the elementary kids this year is "Galactic Adventures: Making Our World a Better Place". Each week the kids have a new "secret mission" where they are challenged to make a positive impact in their community. This has included writing a note of encouragement to a friend and collecting items to share with Loaves and Fishes, a local outreach center for women & children.
The kids have also been enjoying workshops - everything from making recycled crafts, bocce ball, music lessons and edible science. On field trips, the kids have gone to the library, movie theater, and laser tag - where they also had a lesson on how a laser works! The camp also include summertime favorites of trips to the swimming pool, skits portraying Bible stories, and lots of water games. All of these components add up to creating a place of continued learning, exploration, and a good healthy dose of fun!
LIQUID & Summer Academy: Camp for Neighborhood Teens
The teens in Liquid camp have been hanging out in "No Gravity: Breaking Free From What's Holding You Back". They have had guest speakers come and share personal stories of overcoming obstacles, and being able to grow from these experiences. The teen program has been growing, with the number of teens and this summer at an all-time high. We've been keeping them busy with workshops including lessons on how to make Korean sushi, homemade carrot cake, and learning the chemistry behind making ice cream and root beer from scratch.
Field trips have included a day at the bowling alley, pool parties, scavenger hunts at the mall, and the highlight of the summer so far: Team building through water challenges at the Sac State Aquatic Center (through a grant with the state for under-resourced youth). Teens from our "Summer Academy" (above) are brushing up on their math skills, baking healthy foods with peaches and veggies from our community garden, and are working hard on this year's Shakespeare production of "The Taming of the Shrew" for their siblings and parents at the end of July.
We have also seen some powerful moments of personal growth, especially during Oasis (our weekly youth group, pictures below) where the teens have been able to openly express their questions, struggles and emotions, and come together to pray for each other. It's become a beautiful place for where teens can form healthy relationships with their peers and with adult staff, volunteers, and neighborhood parents who care for them. They've been going "back to the basics" with a summer series on prayer, worship, and "What's the Bible got to do with me?"
Above: Speakers during Oasis this summer have included Norma Rosado (Chito's wife), Josiah, Nicole, and Pastor Dave.
This summer has been very full of planning, organizing and orchestrating, and it has already been very rewarding! We want to take time to personally thank you for your involvement in the work of The GreenHouse. As each of the staff and volunteers know, this is a job that cannot be done alone. Your support is so valuable as we continue to create a safe place for these young people to learn more about themselves and the world around them, and grow into their fullest potential.
Brian, Crystal, and Pastor Dave have a fun night at a recent Sacramento Republic game with teens from our Summer Academy and LIT programs.
