Our summer programs aim to keep our Aslan kids growing in every part of their lives. Studies show that marginalized children typically start their school year behind where they ended their previous school year! But this isn’t true for middle or upper-class children. The answer to “Why?” is easy. Children whose families have means continue to grow throughout the summer with learning and enrichment programs. The same growth opportunities are just not there for inner-city kids.
Aslan’s children don’t play sports on traveling teams or go to all-day summer camps where they’re challenged to continue growing and maturing. This unfortunate fact of life is the reason why Camp Aslan is so important for our children. We fill their minds with fun interactive learning experiences that keep them thinking and growing.
Therefore, Camp Aslan always includes myriad learning opportunities like trips to museums. At the particular museum, our youth learned about space exploration and were able to step into a space suit! They learn concepts such as how vast space truly is. They walked into an “inflatable universe” where they looked up at the night sky constellations as seen from earth.
From space they moved to an exhibit of ancient Egypt where they studied Egyptian history and saw a golden-faced mummy. From here they walked into a room with a full-sized helicopter that they climbed into and operated the “joy stick” control. Fortunately, the helicopter didn’t go anywhere!
Childhood obesity is such a problem in our neighborhoods throughout America that Aslan always emphasizes healthy eating. Each summer we have a “summer juicing” program to show how really good vegetables and fruits can taste.
We love to challenge our students and encourage them to learn new skills. Rock wall climbing and in-line skating are perfect examples. It takes tremendous concentration and strength to reach the top. Some of our students only make it a few feet up, but many make it all the way up the wall and rappel down perfectly.
Even with all the protective gear, in-line skating is difficult. But lots of slipping, sliding, and falls don’t deter our students from trying. Within a couple of hours, nearly all our girls and boys have mastered the skating and can do it without any help.
Each year we send students to Camp Lebanon – a wonderful sleep-away camp in western New Jersey. And through a generous grant from a private foundation, we also send several girls to YMCA Camp Mason in northern New Jersey. Summer is filled with many other things – trips to the beach, science experiments, chess, language classes, face painting, a fantastic “bounce house” and so much more.
You can see why Camp Aslan is so important to our students. For several hours a day we transport our kids to a wonderful, magical place – like Narnia, for all you C.S. Lewis fans! During these golden moments, our children can escape from the difficult, mean streets and situations stifling their lives. They can begin believing that, with Aslan’s help, they can find a life of fulfillment. They come to understand that dreams can come true – they can be successful and push away all the negative voices telling them they’ll never succeed or amount to anything – that their lives can have meaning.
Aslan is always in this for the long haul. We do not give up on any child – no matter what his or her problems might be or how hopeless the situation might look. The heart of Aslan is relationship. No one else in the world is telling these children what we’re telling them, and this is why our work is so very unique and important. Aslan Youth Ministries is now 41 years old. It all started in 1975 when 2 couples moved 2,000 miles away from their homes, families and friends. It has taken perseverance, faith and a lot of hard work, but Aslan is still changing the world every day . . . one child at a time
