SHERRICA Lingard, one of the participants in the RUBiS Energy Jamaica Limited “Envisioning a New World” summer camp, has high praises for the title organisers who she credits for assisting to break the mould of her shyness.

“Honestly, I am a shy person, so I learned how to talk to people, and this really helped me to develop into a more open person,” the 12-year-old student admitted.

It is a sentiment that appears to be shared among fellow campers and parents.

For 12-year-old student Alex Pennant, the camp also allowed him to step out of his shell and saw him engaged in dancing, singing, arts and crafts and other activities.

“I really enjoyed the camp. It was a lot of fun and you got to meet people and build great friendships and relationships,” said Pennant.

Cassandra McCalla, a parent of two of the participants, also shared her story of the camp’s role in the holistic development of her children.

“It has been a great experience for them, and the exposure brought out their softer skills. Most of the kids are shy but I saw where my daughter especially was dancing and was coming home excited and looking forward to returning the next day,” McCalla said.

The students and parents were participating in the art exhibition and closing ceremony of the summer camp at the St Benedict’s Primary School in St Andrew on August 25.

More than 100 students, between the ages of 6 and 12 from the communities of Harbour View, Shooter’s Hill, St Benedict’s Heights, Windward Road, Bull Bay, and downtown Kingston participated in the two-week camp, which ran from August 14-25.

During that period, the students were immersed in a high-impact curriculum designed to enrich their lives, covering subject areas such as mathematics and language arts as well as participation in activities such as arts and crafts, storytelling, drumming, dance, and a visioning circle.

They also received a 30-minute daily life skill lesson, which was conducted by members of the RUBiS management team and other staff.

The Jamaica Environment Trust and Dispute Resolution Foundation also delivered important lessons to the camp participants.

Managing director of RUBiS Energy Jamaica Limited Michel Malatino expressed satisfaction that the company’s investment of $3 million in the camp was a worthwhile endeavour.

He also lauded his team for ensuring that the camp was able to align with the Ministry of Education and Youth’s new initiatives to boost science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM) learning.

“It’s very heartening to see that. We did not want to do anything in a vacuum but offer a programme that is of real value and benefit to the children and to the education sector,” he said.

The RUBiS lead executive also thanked the St Benedict community for welcoming the company.

Corporate social responsibility lead at RUBiS, Siona Palmer, for her part, noted that the camp was a component of the company’s community investments to further support its CSR roadmap, which has as one of its over-arching aims contributing to a more virtuous society by giving back to communities in which the company operates.

Palmer hailed Cemex/Carib Cement for partnering with RUBiS as the cement company donated book vouchers to the child participants.

RUBiS will be looking to undertake other transformative activities in the future.