The OP Institute and Camp are off to an electrifying start. Summer is for exploring, and our participants are doing just that. In the first three days of programming, our teens have delved into circuitry, creative practices, botany and started their book clubs. For more details on our first days of programming, continue reading, and follow us on social media at @octaviaprojnyc.
Our Summer Camp participants gave new meaning to the term light up a room. They combined their knowledge of circuitry and artistic expression to create a piece that reflects how lighting changes a scene. Each piece incorporates a mini LED powered by a circuit. Pictured below is Madina’s work, where she depicted a firefly in a jar.
A creative practice allows us to see the world through fresh eyes. Our Summer Institute participants learned about Robin Wall Kimmerer, a mother, scientist, and decorated professor who melds science, spirit, and story in her writing. While on a nature walk, our teens tried their hand at Kimmerer’s creative practice. They identified a subject and, thinking like a scientist and creative writer, wrote what they noticed.
We’ve hosted a book club in our programs for the last nine years. By integrating a shared reading experience, our participants build common ground with each other, learn valuable writing lessons, and explore a new source of inspiration. This year we’re reading This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron and Nayra and the Djinn by Iasmin Omar Ata. Thank you to Bloomsbury Kids and Penguin Kids for providing our participants with these books.
This is just the beginning, and we’re excited to see what else our students create this summer. As you go about your day, we encourage you to think like an OP participant. Be curious, creative, and try something new.