Kauai teenagers have an opportunity to receive a full tuition scholarship to attend this summer’s one-week camp, Jammin’ July, which will be held from Sunday to July 29 at the Hawaii Leadership Academy on Kamehameha Ridge on Oahu. An anonymous
Kauai teenagers have an opportunity to receive a full tuition scholarship to attend this summer’s one-week camp, Jammin’ July, which will be held from Sunday to July 29 at the Hawaii Leadership Academy on Kamehameha Ridge on Oahu.
An anonymous donor is providing full scholarships (tuition valued at $980, and air fare not included) to the first 20 Kauai teens to the camp dedicated to the late Shannon Smith of Kauai.
Smith attended the Hawaii Leadership training as a teen camper and rose to being a Team Leader extraordinaire. He was an aspiring walk-on football player for the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Twenty years ago, Smith made the ultimate sacrifice of surrendering his own life to save the life of a young boy — his football coach’s son.
Delorese Gregoire, founder of Winners’ Camp Foundation, remembers being overwhelmed by young Smith’s ability to color in the faces and beings of little lost and confused teens wading through the perils and angst of Teendom.
“Shannon always, in all ways, had the amazing ability to nurture and celebrate every kid who was put in charge of his keeping,” Gregoire said. “He is remembered at Winners’ Camp everyday for his mantra to campers — ‘You gotta love it!’ — and it is imprinted on the back of the camper and staff shirts.”
Bill Cordes, master facilitator at Winners’ Camp, admired young Smith as a positive role model for the campers, naming his first-born son after Shannon. Shannon Cordes is now 19 years old, recently graduated from high school, and will be returning to Oahu with his dad for Jammin’ July’s Leadership Academy.
“This Jammin’ July Camp is a week for us to remember Shannon Shea Smith and pay tribute to him as I know he is at every camp with us, guiding us and leading our leaders,” Gregoire said.
Jammin’ July is Winners’ Camp’s week-long summer residential learning program for teens ages 12 to 15 years old, and is designed to enhance teenagers’ academic performance and social proficiency, giving them tools to make positive choices.
During camp, teens are encouraged to develop concern for others through teamwork and team building.
Campers learn specific techniques to improve skills such as accelerating note taking, memory training, visualization and creative thinking techniques, self-management methods, while developing positive and constructive attitude about their own capabilities.
Teens’ parents can apply online at winnerscamp.com.
Info: 306-8008
