by Angela Gatari, Community Events & Partnerships Manager

This summer, the campus of Pearson College UWC in Metchosin will take on a younger vibe with the first-ever “Pearson Experiences” Summer Outdoor Leadership Day Camps for 6 to 14-year-olds.

“When I look out over our 77 acres of beautifully forested land along the shores of Pedder Bay – I can’t think of a more exciting location for a kids’ summer leadership camp!” said Angela Gatari, Community Events & Partnerships Manager, Houseparent and Mom.

“And we’re not only promising a unique setting but also an exceptional experience based on Pearson’s nearly half-century of leadership learning and supervised outdoor experiences.”

This summer, during July and August week-long day camps at Pearson, kids from across southern Vancouver Island will enjoy participating in activities such as hiking, kayaking, sports, arts and crafts, drama, dance, leadership and team building, unique cultural celebrations and much, much more on campus.

“Island parents and families will also be able to choose from a variety of safe, supervised educational field trips plus other optional adventures such as supervised trips around Race Rocks Ecological Reserve, kayak tours of Pedder Bay and swimming lessons,” added Gatari. Families can find out more and register at https://www.pearsoncollege.ca/leadership-day-camps/.

Gatari explained that the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainty about the global travel situation this summer, made it a challenge to plan on hosting the short-term residential Pearson Seminar on Youth Leadership (PSYL) this summer. PSYL normally draws young people aged 15 to 18 from around the world and across Canada.

As well, a number of external seasonal activities that require longer-term planning such as the Pacific Paddling Symposium, the Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts and a full slate of outdoor weddings and other events that normally keep the campus busy during summer months also unfortunately had to cancel onsite operations for this year.

“Events like these bring in needed revenue to help support scholarship and operations at Pearson,” said Gatari. “Like everyone else during 2020 and now 2021, we needed to pivot quickly which opened up opportunities for us to be creative in offering our local and regional community families and friends a chance for their children to experience a summer camp in an outstanding natural setting close to home.”

Pearson Experiences campers are also assured of a distinctive cross-cultural experience thanks to the College’s unique history of welcoming students from around the world for nearly half-a-century.

“We anticipate that many of our camp leaders and counsellors will be drawn from current students on campus, including international students, who will enrich campers’ experience through cross-cultural learning opportunities,” said Gatari.

“Many of our students who become day camp leaders and counsellors have also acquired kayak and watercraft safety certification, first-aid training and emergency response experience as part of our regular outdoors-oriented curriculum here at Pearson.”

Gatari stressed that all COVID-safe measures and protocols will be in place during the day camps, and they will be adjusted as determined by public health guidance. All campers should be screened for symptoms by parents/guardians in the morning before coming to camp. All participants will be monitored for any symptoms during the day.