The result is BRYTE Camp, which kicked off its 4th summer of providing education, arts, sports and fun earlier this month. BRYTE Camp is a five-week academic enrichment program for refugee youth in Providence, ages 6-14. Through experiential learning, ESL-informed literacy and math curriculum, and innovative group enrichment, BRYTE Camp works to reverse typical summer learning loss and helps close the achievement gap for its refugee students from grades three to eight. Brown student counselor/teachers, along with high school junior counselors selected from the refugee community, co-facilitate small classrooms of four to eight campers, allowing space for individual attention and supplementary academic support.
BRYTE Camp builds a diverse and supportive community of approximately 55 refugee children who share a range of common experiences that may include life in refugee camps, trauma as a result of having lived through violent conflicts, and interrupted or non-existent formal schooling. Through field trips, swimming lessons and other enrichment activities including Art, Science and Sports, BRYTE Summer Camp helps refugee children explore and understand new communities in Providence. As well, participation in BRYTE Camp supports refugee students in developing essential language skills, deeper understandings of the expectations of ‘regular’ school and the self-confidence to succeed in school and in society.
Funding for BRYTE Camp comes from the Swearer Center for Public Service at Brown and private donations. Administrative support for BRYTE Camp is provided by the Swearer Center and DIIRI.