This week, an SIUC children’s camp taught by international students will attempt to build bridges to other cultures.

Shelly Gimenez, chairwoman of the camp’s executive planning committee, said each day of the week a different culture is highlighted.

The US is made up of many different cultures, and I believe it is very important that our children understand them to have a productive society and future, Gimenez, coordinator for the division of continuing education, said.

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Children from throughout the state between the ages 8 and 13 are taught to cook meals, play games, practice customs, dance, build crafts and learn other aspects of a culture from a graduate student who is from the featured country.

Sommer Barnes, a fourth grader at Noble Elementary School from Chicago, said she has learned a lot about different countries and what types of food they eat.

We’ve been learning new dances and cooking Chinese rice, nachos and Mexican beef stew, she said.

Lauren Kiehna, a sixth grader at Steeleville Elementary School, said she learned a lot about customs from different countries.

We had a class on how people stereotype people from different countries and this program has really shed a new light on other cultures, Kiehna said.

The children divide into four groups and each group studies a certain culture. Every night the children practice skits for an international show to be held Friday at 7 p.m. in the Student Center auditorium.

Gimenez said they hope to teach the children to have a greater understanding and tolerance for other cultures.

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We hope to eliminate the stereotyping of cultures, Gimenez said. The children are our future and they must learn to interact with different people because that’s how the real world is.

Clelia Pineda, an international facilitator from Colombia, said she believes the program is wonderful because the international students get a chance to

see CULTURE, page 5