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Last week the Kump House was filled with a level of energy it probably hasn't felt since the Kump family's six children first moved in almost 100 years ago.
Fourteen 4-8-year-olds explored the Spanish language with cooking, singing, games and crafts at the Kids Spanish Summer Camp, led by Leah Devine. From the first day, when the children were greeted at the door with "Hola, Buenos Dias" until the last day celebration, campers were exposed to learning language in a fun and creative way.
Devine, who teaches Spanish at Elkins High School, transformed the Optimum Learning Lab into a colorful classroom filled with flags and "papel picado," or "pecked paper," the traditional Mexican banner made with brightly colored tissue paper. The downstairs workroom was filled with the scent of the traditional foods the children made. The outdoor pavilion was a place to gather for fun.
Every day, campers learned to sing in Spanish, speak about colors, and create art. They were read stories by familiar authors, such as Eric Carle, in Spanish. They tasted dragon fruit from Ecuador and made Mexican bobbing head turtles or "tortugas." Every afternoon, they made foods from Spanish-speaking countries like Colombia, Spain, and Cuba. They explored the world in five days.
The campers also explored unique places in the Kump House: secret dresser drawers in a third-floor bedroom and a magic laundry chute that transported notes about Spanish Camp all the way to the basement. Muy emocionante (very exciting)!
Our community is fortunate to have talented, passionate teachers who can provide such quality summer educational experiences.
Devine acknowledges she is a true believer in learning other languages. After studying Spanish at EHS, she completed a year as a Rotary exchange student in Costa Rica. She credits this experience for setting her on a path to becoming a Spanish teacher. After majoring in Spanish Education at Berea College, Devine volunteered, studied, and traveled extensively throughout Spain and Latin America. One of her goals, she says, is to inspire local youth to learn Spanish and become global citizens.
It was also inspiring to see the energy that Devine's camp assistants brought to the camp. EHS graduate Natalie Sutton had just returned home after completing her Rotary exchange year in Mexico. The enthusiastic camp team was rounded out with EHS graduate Annmarie Raschella, home from Harvard, and current EHS student Hayden Simms.
"The Kump Education Center was delighted to sponsor this excellent camp," said KEC Director Heather Biola. "We plan to offer more programs, workshops and lectures in the future." Follow us on Facebook (Kump Education Center), drop us a line with ideas at kumpec@gmail.com, or visit our website, kumpeducationcenter.org.
In the meantime, come to the Kump House today, June 24, to the Wild, Wonderful Woods celebration from noon until 5 p.m. There will be music, food, kids' activities, tree walks, house tours and the famous Pie Auction at 2 p.m. Newly opened areas of the home will also be featured. Join us! The event not only celebrates West Virginia's 160th birthday but also our unique forest heritage.