Leap Into Literacy: An Amazing 4 Weeks

Written by: Alex Whang

Alex is a Grade 12 student and Leap Into Literacy’s official social media intern for summer 2015.  A previous volunteer at the Branksome Hall/Rose Avenue campus for two years, she is excited to be taking on this new role.

Eight days of swimming, one trip to the zoo, two Pan Am Games, 30 hours on iPads, 1,000 photos, and countless friendships later, Leap Into Literacy 2015 has finally come to an end. I think I speak for every camper and staff member when I say the end of camp is always bitter sweet. Although our days will no longer be filled with the daily energy and excitement of Leap, the memories made this summer will always be with us and never forgotten.

Wednesday marked another successful day at the Kortright Centre for our very own Pan Am Games. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day to spend outside participating in activities and exercising our teamwork. A final thank you to everyone at the Kortright Centre who made our two visits possible.

Across all three campuses, today was filled with end of camp celebrations, open houses for friends and family, and heartfelt goodbyes. Between teachers and students, volunteers and students, and teachers and volunteers, meaningful friendships were made and it was a pleasure witnessing the care and kindness everyone involved in Leap has for each other. The enthusiasm of all Leap campers and staff is truly infectious and it’s this type of energy that makes Leap Into Literacy such a special place.

A final big thank you to everyone who dedicated their time and effort into making Leap Camp 2015 run so smoothly. Thank you to the campus directors for your tireless efforts and organization which ensured every camper and staff member were taken care of. Thank you to the teachers for dedicating your time this summer to helping the students improve their literacy skills and for your dedication and compassion. Thank you to the volunteers for committing such a large part of your summer to Leap- you are all true role models. Thank you to the students for your willingness to learn and always coming to camp with a smile- we hope you have an amazing rest of the summer and a great school year ahead! And finally, thank you to everyone who worked behind the scenes at the Leacock Foundation who contributed to the camp’s success. Without you, Leap could not have been possible!

I sincerely hope everyone has a wonderful summer and you’ve enjoyed keeping up to date with all things Leap. It has been an absolute privilege serving as this year’s social media intern. The people I’ve met along the way have made this experience so memorable- I’ve truly never met a group of people as friendly and welcoming as everyone involved in Leap. Thank you for making this summer one of the best yet! Finally, enjoy this final video of the highlights of the past month and remember: Leapers got the beat!

Posted in Education, Leadership, Teaching, Toronto, Volunteering, Youth Empowerment.