Summer Institute - VYLI 2nd Annual Summer Institute 2006

 

Training Young Leaders of Vieques

VYLI’s Summer Institute is a week-long intensive training, the centerpiece of our year-round program where we train young and emerging leaders to build a new Vieques. The 3rd annual Summer Institute was a great success -- fifty young people (ages 11-17) had the opportunity to learn how to make their dreams come true. Every morning they expressed their ideas through art and writing exercises, then shared them with others in small and large group presentations. Working with VYLI’s faculty, staff and camp counselors they learned how to create action plans to stay focused on their goals during the summer months and school year. They gained courage by listening to teen leaders and adult mentors share their dreams, their stumbling blocks, and ways they overcame them. Each afternoon they participated in hands-on workshops: culinary arts, cultural arts & handicrafts, computers, music & theatre and swimming. In just one week, they accomplished a lot! Six young women experienced being a chef; six young men learned to swim; our young entrepreneurs made beautiful indigenous jewelry; our young actors produced a play; our musicians created VYLI’s new themesong and performed it at our graduation and our technology group helped create this newsletter and an inspiring slide show featuring Summer Institute youth. Step-by-step, these young people began to pave the road to their own future. This year Vieques youth had a rich cross-cultural exchange with young people from the British Virgin Islands, New York and Puerto Rico – as well as faculty from the Conservatory of Puerto Rico and Oregon. Members of the community shared their gifts as speakers, mentors, supporters, sponsors and businesses provided invaluable training. Viequense leader Carmen Portella Weir facilitated an interactive exchange with young people on teen pregnancy prevention. Each group presented their action plans for the new Vieques Youth Center to director, Cruz Bellardo and the Mayor’s representatives. The week culminated in a fabulous pool party at Ileana Cambo and Roberto Cacho’s home. Nothing could top the pride we felt on Sunday as we watched our youth perform for their thrilled family and community members and receive their hard-earned graduation certificates!

Culinary Arts Workshop

Chef Kalich Padro and his staff were impressed when six motivated, young women arrived at the door to the Paso Fino kitchen at Martineau Bay Resort & Spa. After receiving a tour, the youth immediately started learning about the rigorous work that a chef faces every day. This great Culinary Arts Workshop made for a five-star experience! Thanks to their mentor, Emily Fletcher chef at The Mineshaft in Virgin Gorda these chefs-in-training developed great action plans to keep themselves on track during the coming years. They even had an inspiring interview and were featured in El Vocero. Our six stars shined!

Music Workshop

Llanel Rivera and Eliud Vasquez from the Conservatory of Puerto Rico were amazed with the natural talent of the Vieques youth! During the week, they encouraged and coached these young people to develop their talents, write their own songs and accompany their lyrics with piano. They prepared a great performance for graduation that grabbed the audiences’ attention!

Theatre Workshop

Actress Melissa Reyes and UPR theatre student Maria Soler challenged Vieques youth with the very sophisticated play, The Things of Life by Rene Marquez, a social commentary on Puerto Rico’s economic situation in the 1940’s and today. Seasoned young actors took the lead roles while new actors had a chance to express their talents. First they learned how to write scripts, play, rehearse and personify roles; and learn make-up techniques. After a week of intense rehearsals, they magnificently performed their debut to an amazed audience at graduation. One day this Theatre Group may become the pride of our island!

Cultural Arts + Jewelry Workshop

Last spring, VYLI leaders Lynda Bayron and Kassandra Castillo participated in the Caribbean Artisans Festival in Tortola. They were inspired to share their gifts this summer and cultivated the creativity of other Vieques youth. Every afternoon, they turned Vieques’ natural resources of seeds, beads, shells, glass and stones into unique jewelry. The young artisans proudly wore their hand-made crafts; some young entrepreneurs sold their wares at graduation. Kassandra’s exquisite pieces were sold at the Taste of the Islands. Proceeds help support her travel to San Juan to participate in the Elite competition (for more see page 3).

Swimming Workshop

Freya and Richard Block were thrilled that six young men learned how to swim in their pool in just one week! Every afternoon from 1-4 p.m. the eager students learned different techniques and swimming stunts: how to dive, swim underwater, freestyle, backstroke and breast-stroke. With help from Camp Counselors Tania Cruz and Eliasib Utreras, these young athletes overcame language barriers and had a life-changing experience. They even prepared a great performance for the pool party.

Technology Workshop

This diverse group of youth from Vieques, Fajardo and Jost Van Dyke (BVI) improved their computer skills and expanded their technology awareness. Every afternoon, they worked together to document the progress being made by other Summer Institute workshops – and helped create this issue of the VYLI newsletter. Thanks to our fearless leaders Norma Gonzalez from CREATE in Portland, Oregon and VYLI Technology Coordinator Josué Cruz, this group won the “lemonade award” for overcoming many logistical challenges with flexibility and a positive attitude! Everyone at gradation was excited by their inspiring presentation using Microsoft’s software Photo Story!