The kids’ team spirit, fun and energy were the highlights of the event.
In January, about 150 children, teenagers and other young participants came to the 4th edition of Summer Connection, an Renova Foundation initiative that values play, new friendships and team spirit among the younger generations.
Photo: Carolina Coelho
The program schedule that was developed at the Osquindo Club and at the Reference Center for Children and Adolescents (Cria) included dance workshops, games, crafts, audio production, music and other activities for socializing, having fun and quality recreation.
Free time, the right to play, the cultural imagery world present in myths and legends, health care and safety at home were the subjects that guided the construction of the program, which had “the rights of children and adolescents” as transversal theme.
According to Felipe Andrade, coordinator of Education, Culture and Tourism at the Renova Foundation, “the activities of Summer Connection value playing, creativity, the construction of new knowledge and community integration. In addition, Summer Connection is a moment of socializing and bonding between children and adolescents of the Bento Rodrigues and Paracatu de Baixo schools with other communities in Mariana”.
See some testimonials from participants, parents and workshop staff:
“I’m enjoying this so much, it’s really cool! The games are interactive and I learned a lot here today. What I liked most was the music workshop and the Safe Home game, and that I won a prize!”
Jean Vitor Batista Pombo, 12 years old
“As a mom I love Summer Connection! As soon as I come home from work my daughter starts telling me about her day and all the practical activities. I love seeing her so excited and hear that there are so many workshops… It is a wonderful opportunity for children and for us, the parents, the peace of mind to know that your child is not only playing but also learning!”
Carla Maia (mother of Sophia Maia)
“The days at Summer Connection were such fun and so creative. Children could do all sorts of activities and express themselves in many ways. So, it was a creative space where the children could experience all sorts of skills to bring out their potential, in addition to lots of play, which is what they know best!”
Fernanda D’Angelo – Manual Arts Workshop
The result of one of the workshops was the creation of a podcast by the young participants, which you can check out below:
The podcast was made by Isabelle Pereira, Ketellyn Martins, Larissa Fernanda, Sarah Luiza, Ana Julia and Yuri Costa and was supervised by Rayssa Oliveira Gomes (Monitor), Fernandelli Fernandes (Technical and Logistics Coordinator), Fernanda D’Angelo Tonidandel (Manual Arts Workshop specialist), Gisele Alves (Production Coordination) and Debora Santos (Production Coordination).
“Safe Home” game
One of the activities of the 4th edition of Summer Connection was the “Safe Home” game, developed by the Renova Foundation in partnership with the Municipal Civil Defense to disseminate prevention in a playful way.
The objective of the game was to make children and teenagers aware of the risks of domestic accidents, presenting 42 different scenarios, with situations in which the players – divided by teams – had to identify the dangers and avoid accidents within the home, such as: leaving the gas valve open when leaving the house, being in open areas on rainy days, going up and down the stairs, leaving the pots on the stove in positions that can pose a risk and garbage thrown away in an inappropriate place.
Summer Connection is organized by the Renova Foundation through the Program for the Recovery of Schools and Reintegration of the School Community, in partnership with the Mariana Municipal Office and the Osquindo Club. The event was created in 2018 so kids from affected communities can reconnect and bonds and for integration with other children of the municipality during the school holidays.