What summer camp did you go to? Was it a sleepaway camp next to a lake, with canoeing and arts & crafts? Or maybe you were a drama nerd who went away for an intensive theater production; a musician or artist who gained exposure to new techniques over a week’s time, an athlete getting advanced training. Whatever it was, we’re sure it was a meaningful experience.
In our neighborhood, there are people working to bring that to local kids. Uke Go Girl! was started to empower girls and help them find their voice through the very accessible and unique ukulele. Cherokee Street Reach, in its second year, exposes kids to advanced art classes and encourages them to foster leadership skills and creativity through self-expression.
These week-long camps kick off on Monday, August 3rd. They will draw dozens of kids in the area and engage them in hours of creativity.
Uke Go Girl! will start with a mindfulness exercise, then get to hear from Devon Cahill of Letter to Memphis before starting to get to know the ukulele. Then Cherokee Street Reach campers will dive right into class and hands-on activities. When they leave at the end of the first day, they’ll be carrying their take-home art supplies in Cherokee Street Reach backpacks, the result of a joint effort between Nebula, Cherokee Street Reach and STL-Style.
We love the idea of camp participants carrying these bags for years to come. Even better, Uke Go Girl! and Cherokee Street Reach will help kids gain concepts and confidence they’ll carry with them for the rest of their life.
Interested in getting involved? Here’s a short list of ways to help:
- Celebrate these awesome programs at the Community Art Festival at Blank Space on Friday, August 7th from 11a-4p. There will be a performance by Uke Go Girl! campers and art from Cherokee Street Reach participants.
- Send some love and support through their Go Fund Me pages: Uke Go Girl! and Cherokee Street Reach.
- Sport Uke Go Girl! swag by buying a t-shirt.
To learn more about community engagement at Nebula, please contact us.
