SANDALS Whitehouse has described its just-concluded second annual Poetry and Presentation Camp as a heart-warming poetic journey into the mind of a child.

Dubbed, ‘The Journey — A poetry showcase and competition’, the six-day camp — which was attended by 22 aspiring young poets ranging from ages seven to 16 years — saw 50 participants presenting a selection of original pieces with titles like; Confidence, Church People, Drugs and Jamaica Crime Free, which spoke to a myriad of topics, from social issues and ills to emotions. The pieces were judged on creativity, use of words and presentation.

Shadayne Ebanks, whose piece Nowadays Clothes won the prize for most creative in the 10-16 age group, is a second-time participant who hailed the camp as a ‘good initiative’.

“I love creative writing and the opportunity to share my thoughts, and [getting the chance to] properly put them on paper was definitely a plus. Throughout this year’s camp, I’ve gained more confidence and I believe this new-found confidence will certainly help me in other areas of my life for years to come.”

Kemisha Parchment — whose seven-year-old daughter, Divinnia Lawrence, won the prize for Best Use of Words’ in the 7-9 age group for her poem

The Cat — said she was very excited about her daughter’s participation in the camp and proud of her final presentation.

“Divinnia is usually a very shy girl; when it comes to reading and paperwork she’s excellent but she tends to shy away from presentations. Watching her perform was definitely an indication that she has made progress.” Parchment said that she would encourage other parents to have their children participate in the camp each year.

English teachers Sheree Campbell and Evonie Blake exposed the campers, who were from the parishes of Westmoreland and St Elizabeth, to various forms of creative writing and explored the use of personification, rhyming words, mood and metaphor. They also expounded on different types of poems, the use of figurative language to convey vivid images, and the effective use of words to create mood.

Campers were also treated to a sampling of the work of local poets, including writers on the Sandals Whitehouse Management team and Westmoreland-based poet Haile Mika’el, who spoke about the use of poetry and other forms of creative writing as a means of self-expression and activism.

Guidance counsellor Natalie Sterling, one of four presenters who shared with the campers throughout the six-day experience, spoke about “self-expression” in her session entitled ‘Building emotional awareness: taming the aggression’. Sterling’s session assisted the younger campers in talking about things that trigger their different types of emotions and suggested ways in which they could better deal with unpleasant situations and the emotions these situations create.

She also hosted a session with the parents of campers that spoke to the importance of setting an example in the way they access situations, particularly those relating to their children, while former Sandals Whitehouse General Manager Courtney Miller spoke with them about the importance of believing in themselves and their abilities.

For many campers, one of the week’s highlights was a spirited microphone training and practice session with music teacher and Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) gold medallist, Ramon Dennis.

JCDC Central Regional manager Casmarine Daley also provided tips on overcoming fear and general stage presentation.

According to Evonie Blake, this year’s camp was certainly one of substance. “The children learnt a lot, not only as it relates to writing poems but also presentation, how to be more assertive, how to speak properly and overall, how to conduct themselves. The majority of them were really attentive to the lessons, and it was obvious that they enjoy poetry and got excited in sharing their pieces,” she said.

Blake noted that within her age group of 10-16 years, there were several students who were not performing at the prescribed level. She suggested that parents step in to ensure that there is some form of intervention that will help to improve performance.

She, however, applauded Sandals Whitehouse for its efforts in hosting the Poetry and Presentation Camp for a second year. “This initiative should be continued because of the impact that it has on the children, and especially because children need this kind of engagement throughout the summer,” she said.

This year’s camp was supported by the Sandals Foundation and Sound Illusion Entertainment.