Nkupelia@ucsd.edu
Throughout the past year, Armenian students at UCLA have become increasingly involved in the UniCamp program. Several students are taking the initiative and becoming engaged with this program as counselors. Countless others have made generous donations to assist the camp. The program, which is a long-running tradition at UCLA, has allowed these students to reach out to the community and take part in this important cause.
According to the school’s website, UniCamp has been the official student charity of UCLA since 1948. In an attempt to establish connections between the college and the community, the program sends nearly 1,000 children from low-income households in the Los Angeles area to a residential, outdoor summer camp. Underserved students between the ages of 10 and 17 are given the opportunity to participate in a week-long program with various recreational activities, such as archery, mountain biking, wall climbing, hiking, volleyball, and fishing. UniCamp strives to motivate students to envision a better future for themselves and to build the self-esteem that will allow them to achieve their goals.
UCLA students volunteer their time to assist in teaching the campers the life-lessons that they will inevitably find necessary. The 1:3 student-to-counselor ratio allows for the campers to closely interact with and learn from the students. Nevertheless, the college ensures that the students are qualified and trained to become camp counselors. Accepted students are required to attend weekly meetings and a training retreat during the spring quarter. On-Site Orientation is held during the summer to familiarize the students with the camp surroundings. Counselors are required to complete a supplemental online training course and learn all the UniCamp songs, games, and traditions. Apart from the training, counselors are required to raise $375 to send a child to camp, take a TB test, and submit a background check. Participants have indicated that the training was a worthwhile experience, which allowed them to immensely benefit from the program.
The number of Armenian students being trained as camp counselors for the UniCamp program has increased over time. One such counselor was Allen Secretov, an incoming senior at UCLA who found that the program was the most influential program he had partaken during his three years at the college. He stated that “after going to that first retreat, you realize that not only are you participating in something incredibly altruistic and impactful, but you’re also doing this within a group of around 60 like-minded individuals. The amount of positivity, selflessness, and genuine kindness participants in the UniCamp program exude is incredibly special, and has shaped the kind of person I've developed into at UCLA.”
Allen Secretov also believes that it would be beneficial to have more Armenian students more involved with UniCamp. “Not only would it increase diversity among the counselors, but I think it’ll benefit the campers as well, who will get to experience an interaction with a more varied composition of people than they are usually accustomed to.” By interacting with students from underserved communities, he stated that he was humbled by the determination, resilience, emotion, and mental strength that the campers had.
There were too many good memories for him to just name one, but he did say that each memory, during the camp and the quarter of training that it required, led up to “a big, toothy, squinty-eyed smile.” Secretov, a History major with hopes of attending law school, will surely use the experiences he attained and the lessons he learned at UniCamp for his benefit in the future.
The ideal way to experience UniCamp would be as a camp counselor. Yet, some students find that other means of participation and support prove to be just as beneficial. Ilona Mnatsakanyan, UCLA Alpha Gamma Alpha Alumni who graduated in 2007 with a degree in Psychology, became involved with UniCamp when she decided to help a counselor and friend with fundraising. Having donated to the program herself, she utilized the social networking site, Facebook, to get many of her friends to do the same.
Mnatsakanyan decided to take the initiative because she believes in the importance of charities that benefit the needs of children. She stated, “I have heard first hand from some children the amazing experience they had at UniCamp, and I wanted to help raise some money so more kids could have the opportunity to go to camp and create amazing memories.” Mnatsakanyan believes that it is important for Armenian students to unite in support of all charitable causes that the school supports. “Programs like these aren’t just about having fun - they teach children important life lessons that they will carry with them for a long time - the lessons that help them succeed and hopefully be a Bruin one day,” she added.
Due to the hard work and generosity of the volunteers and donors, UniCamp has raised over $170,000 in their efforts to serve the underprivileged youth of Los Angeles. Through the selfless donations of time and money, the college community at UCLA has reached out to those living in poverty, allowing them to experience youth in a way that they could only have imagined otherwise.
No comments:
Post a Comment