This summer, Tennessee’s middle schoolers can look forward to a free Constitution camp – a day of education, games, and prizes on July 7. Students will be treated to a free lunch and a t-shirt as well.
The camp will focus on presentations discussing the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights, Founding Fathers, and slavery, followed by games reinforcing what the students learned. The camp is based on a curriculum that was directed and started by Sandi Wells.
Moms For Tennessee President Cecilia DeSonia explained that this camp came together due to the difficulty of encouraging schools to adopt similar curriculum.
“My organization – we’ve tried to make improvements in the school systems, and it’s been quite challenging. It’s our way of educating students on our own,” said DeSonia. “We hope this is the first of many events. We’d love to see churches or other organizations reach out to us so we could do Constitution camps with them, and educate more kids.”
DeSonia added that they would be focusing on a similar event in the future for high school students.
In an interview with The Tennessee Star, one of the event organizers, Patrick Hampton – President and CEO of CURE Chattanooga, an organization focused on spurring urban regeneration in Chattanooga –Â concurred that their inspiration for the camp was the realization that not a lot of American values are being taught in schools or homes.
“I want my community to have that. It’s kind of difficult to teach those values in schools these days because of the indoctrination,” said Hampton. “We really want our children to love this country.”
Hampton shared that he would be taking an unconventional approach to the discussion of slavery and how it squares with the American founding.
“It will be kinda like class. It will be education and entertainment. I will be dealing with the part of the Constitution that deals with human rights and slavery and things of that nature. I will be giving my perspective on slavery, and how slavery impacted the African American community,” explained Hampton. “I’ve been to Africa, and I’m going to tell my story of how I came to love my country due to slavery.”
Parents interested in signing up their middle schoolers can do so here. Registration is limited – the number of participants will be capped at 60 students.
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Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and the Star News Network. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to [email protected].
