At language camp, kids translate English into fun
Yesterday morning, nearly 30 smiling kids from around the globe, children who speak languages ranging from Russian to Arabic, Spanish to Vietnamese, moved in unison as they sang, stood and motioned to a camp volunteer.
This motley mix of kids, ages 6 to 13, spend three weeks at the Kenmore Firehouse Community Center working on their English skills through the Northshore YMCA's English Language Learners' (ELL) Camp, which ends next week.
Each day has begun with reading and writing. Yesterday, campers wrote about salt-dough creatures they've made, chatted about the beads on their nametags, or about ocean animals — the week's camp theme. Tutors and volunteers from Bothell's Woodin Elementary answered questions and translated as needed.
"Most are so smart," said Mayela Martinez, who translated instructions into Spanish for a puzzled camper. "And they start with no English. In a couple months — it's so amazing."
Jahzeel Arreola, 9, spoke with a maturity well beyond his years. He came to the United States from Mexico two years ago. English, he said, is hard to learn because "people can't really pronounce it."
"When I hear the teacher speak, I sometimes don't know what she's saying," he said.
"I thought I knew a lot of English in Mexico, but I knew nothing," he added with a giggle.
Beads for deeds
Before students leave for a field trip, Jayne Ritter, ELL director for the YMCA, presents beads to campers for their achievements in writing, reading, attendance, or for doing good deeds.
Campers wave and call out for Ritter to add another bead to their chains of 30-plus beads.
Jose Garibay, 8, got a heart bead — for kindness, because he translated for two new campers from Mexico.
Others nominate their peers for awards. Counselors say it's rare that they have to ask a camper to complete a learning exercise or to do a fellow camper a good deed.
"You'd be amazed at what these kids will do for a bead," Ritter said with a smile.
Yesterday, when the ELL campers joined other YMCA day campers for a water carnival, they blended into the crowd of native English speakers.
But for many, the experience was one in a series of American firsts.
Cham Lim, 13, from Cambodia, has never heard of s'mores. So Karen Le, 7, who was born in the United States but grew up speaking Vietnamese, shows Lim how to melt his chocolate in the sun and later pairs with him for the water-balloon toss.
It's his first week, and he doesn't speak much, but that doesn't bother Karen.
"Because now sometimes I speak English at home," she whispers.
A "personal passion"
This year's ELL session was the first for the Northshore YMCA. It was conceived by Community Programs Director Jen Wagner, who is working on her master's in English-language learning at Seattle University. She calls it her "personal passion."
"There were no programs like this," she said, noting funding cuts for many English-as-a-second-language programs. "We needed to help some students."
So she went to the Northshore School District to find participants — 15 students from Woodin Elementary and 15 from Kenmore Elementary. Wagner plans to run the program again next year.
Participation was free, thanks to funds from the YMCA of Greater Seattle's Endowment Fund for International Programs and Education and other donors.
Though the intent of the program is educational, to help students reach reading and writing standards, some campers had so much fun they said they wish they could stay, even after they learn English.
"I don't want this camp to ever end. Ever," said 9-year-old Carlos Vargas, as he hugs another camper.
The song from the Disney ride must be true — it's a small world after all.
Jessica Delos Reyes: 206-515-5546 or jdelosreyes@seattletimes.com
