terra summer

Terra Summer 2012

No session dates have yet been scheduled for 2012

Terra Summer 2011

To accommodate the diverse schedules and needs of families and children, for 2011 Terra Summer is pleased to announce THREE sessions of varying length and curriculum:

Session I (3 weeks, June 13 - July 1)

Session II (3 weeks, July 5 - July 22)

Session III (2 weeks, August 1 - August 12)

Session I is designed for newcomers to Terra Summer. It explores the basics of the story behind what we eat (please see the curriculum tab under PROGRAM) and, generally, will replicate the activities and curriculum of Terra Summer 2009 and 2010.

Session II, on the other hand, will delve deeper into some of the concepts already explored, such as social justice and fair trade; it will focus on more specific food groups, refine farming and culinary techniques, and allow space for a bit more independent work. Session II is optimal for children who have already attended Terra Summer.

Session III, previously designed as a vegan session, has been changed to STREET FOOD! – an exploration of the magical, colorful offerings found on sidewalks around the world that showcase regional cuisines, topographies, and sociologies. The two-week session will include farming, lots of fun cooking, and discussions about what we can learn about a culture from its foods. We will also explore the genesis of street food and what it says about how societies work. Staple Terra Summer topics such as social justice and animal rights will also be discussed.

PLEASE NOTE: ALL SESSIONS REVOLVE AROUND TERRA’S PREMISE OF TEACHING CHILDREN TO THINK THROUGH FOOD. ALL SESSIONS WILL INVOLVE COOKING AND FARMING, AND ALL SESSIONS WILL BE FUN! All children are welcome to any of the sessions; simply keep in mind that the sessions are designed to better suit the needs and knowledge of different groups of children.

Thus, a child who is 13 and who has already been to Terra Summer before is likely to be more engaged in Session II. A child who is unfamiliar with the concepts explored at Terra, or who is on the younger side of the 11-14 age range, is better suited for Session I. Children in need of Terra’s structured and academically stimulating environment through the summer, regardless of whether they have attended Terra before, are welcome to enroll in both sessions consecutively. The vegan session is best suited for children who have attended Terra Summer before, or who plan to attend one of the other two sessions in summer 2011. Clearly, an interest in animal rights and the concept of impacting the world through food choices is recommended.

If you have any questions about the session dates or curriculum please feel free to call Sybil Fix at 828-782-7842 for more information.

The cost for a three-week session is $900; the cost for the two-week session is $600. Full and partial scholarships are available.

A note about VEGETARIANISM AT TERRA SUMMER: Terra Summer is a vegetarian program. We do not eat animals. We made this decision in order to expose children to the concepts behind a nutritional and lifestyle choice that is compassionate and environmentally sustainable. And we want them the children to swim in waters that are intellectually and spiritually complex. In the past, some parents have reported that exposure to these topics at Terra Summer has caused children to want to change the way they eat outside of our program and to question the food choices in their – your -- home. Parents report that after attending Terra Summer, children sometimes no longer wish to eat meat, and when grocery-shopping with their parents, question or reject foods that were previously normally accepted. This can be a challenging development for the entire family, and you should be aware of it: Children at Terra grow up and change, and often the change is very personal and unsettling! We are happy to help you negotiate the challenges in any way we can. Please feel free to call Sybil at any time if you have questions.