Summer is here and it’s time for camp! Sadly, this year, COVID-19 is spoiling the fun, making real world camps a safety concern. Like many other challenges, Camp Dunnabeck met this one head on.
Camp Dunnabeck at Kildonan has been going since 1955 and had no intentions of skipping this year. As an academic camp for students with dyslexia and other language-based learning differences, Camp Dunnabeck has always had to think outside the box.
Camp Director Sean Andrews, who is dyslexic himself, has a Masters in Emerging Technology with a focus on distance learning so running a virtual camp was the perfect solution. With the help of 3DWebWorldz, Camp Dunnabeck can celebrate it’s 65th Anniversary.
The camp has 3 key components.
- Remedial learning. It is an academic camp, after all. The academics are one of the challenges the camp is conquering. The kids range from 8 to 16 and are average to above average intelligence. The problem is they don’t all learn the same way. Camp Dunnabeck knows how to adapt. “If kids can’t learn the way we teach, we need to teach the way they learn.” That’s exactly what they do.
- Learning other skills. Life isn’t just academics, especially at summer camp. The kids have an opportunity to learn other skills including music, art and theater. This year, with the help of 3DWebworldz, some of the kids are learning 3D world building.
- Maybe the most important is a Sense of Community. Camp Dunnabeck let’s kids take ownership of who the are. They are Dyslexic and proud to be part of an elite group that includes Albert Einstein, Alexander Graham Bell and Pierre Curie.
The camp in 3DWebWorldz is based on the real world camp, thanks to Evie_Marie. Besides building the camp, she is teaching 3D worldbuilding and creative writing.
When everything was ready, Sean had one regret. The kids loved to canoe in the lake. He mentioned it to Evie_Marie and like magic, canoes were added.
The kids have access to a game room and movie theater. Once a week there is a concert. For the 4th of July, Sonya Javette performed and after the show, fireworks went off over the lake. It was a magical evening.
Everyone is hoping that next year the camp can be a sleepaway camp again. Whether or not that happens, they plan on working with 3DWebWorldz for a virtual component to allow more kids that can’t physically attend be able to learn and enjoy the camp experience.
Until next week, keep exploring and I’ll see you in 3DWebWorldz.
