Day 5 - Haiti Camp Finishes with a Bang!

Haiti Camp Finishes with a Bang!

Today we completed our final day of our Taking Shape/Cepras summer camp combining the children associated with the Cepras organization and the children of Lephare orphanage. What a week we have had! Learning, growing, dancing, singing and meeting new friends!

Today we finished with a performance of all of the dances, games  and songs we have learned this week.  It was hard to say goodbye especially to all of the children that touched us in so many ways. Despite the bitter sweet goodbyes, Taking Shape is ecstatic to announce that we have partnered with the Cepras organization of Haiti to conduct our Taking Shape camps annually. Look for our mission camp registration and announced dates to be available September, 1.

.A huge thank you to Marcella Gibbs, Benson Jean and Emmanuel Pierre of Cepras who allowed this camp to happen! What experience it was for our team of 3….. Ms Beana, Mr Sam and Ms Tracey. We are looking forward to opening up our 2018 summer Haiti mission camps with a larger team of Taking Shape STAR leaders and dance studio owners! Until next year…..!

Au Revoir!!

Day 4 - Fish are a hit!

Today was the last full day of camp, tomorrow we finish up with a performance and celebration with the children of Cepras and Lephare orphanage.. Today’s big hit was creating a wall of rainbow fish!  Cepras President Benson read the bible story of the loaves and the fishes. The children made a wall of beautiful fish using weaving and construction paper. Very creative!

We had several new dances and games that we introduced to the campers such as the Macarena, Limbo and Duck Duck Goose. Games are a huge hit with this bunch!

After day 4 it has been so cool to see the kids of Cepras and Lephare orphanage become friends and establish relationships. They have shared a common experience and have formed some wonderful friendships along the way!

Day 3 - August 2017 Mission Camp Trip

Another full day at the Cepras Camp! Today we arrived at the camp with 23 Lephare orphanage kids and a 9 month baby in the Tap Tap (another name for Taxi but it is a short bed Toyota truck painted in vibrant colors). We met up with the remaining children attending the Cepras camp at the CMAS school where the camp is being held.  

Such a variety of ages from a 9 month old to 24 year old boys and girls coming to camp to learn, grow as leaders and make friends. 

Today our campers learned some American favorites; The Chicken Dance, YMCA and the Wobble. We also joined both ages together for a Cotton Eye Joe production number. Yee haa! 

Musical chairs, public speaking using a microphone and several crafts and art contests throughout the day!
Benson the President of Cepras conducted a very creative bible skit focusing on the story of the prodigal son. Haitian children are quite entertaining and great actors! 

What an experience this has been so far! Haitian children are so similar to Americans in that they are like sponges, they want to learn. They love to play and they take care of each other. I have seen our leadership team grow as young leaders themselves as they instruct activities, games, songs and lessons to children that don’t speak the same language. Leading others in example rather than words! 

Day 2 - August 2017 Mission Camp Trip

Two different tribes of children joined together today for their first day of our Taking Shape Leadership Camp. Twenty two children from the Lephare orphanage and twenty five children from CEPRAS organization came together for a day of leadership, dance, games, crafts and bible skits. What a day it was! 

Taking Shape team leaders Savanah Wozny and Sam Lock lead outdoor activities of soccer, dodgeball, relay races and hip hop dance. Dance and sports are universal! Even though there certainly was a language barrier, when the music is on or you give these kids a ball we all speak the same language.

Leadership activities were a big hit with our campers! We worked on public speaking and made purpose posters highlighting what was important to each child. We discussed what our goals are and what everyone wanted to be when they grew up. Several future doctors, nurses and engineers are going to be running around here in Haiti in the years to come! 

The story of Noah’s Arc was the favorite as we put together bible skits for our final day! 

We continue on with our mission of leaders raising leaders as we head into day 2 of our Taking Shape leadership camp……. 

Day 1 - August 2017 Mission Camp Trip

Today our Taking Shape Team arrive in Port-au-Prince Haiti for our first mission camp trip. We would like to give a BIG thank you to all of those that donated supplies for our dance, sports and leadership camps. Our suitcases were loaded with so much love from our community and our team is now fully equipped to provide a great experience for the students here in Haiti. Our team is looking forward to a week of growth and service with some amazing children!

Keep up with us on our  taking shape FB page this week as we post of our camp!

Gearing up for our first Haitian Mission Trip..

In just one year since the launch of Taking Shape we have seen such a huge growth in leadership and community outreach in our foundation. Next week, our Taking Shape team will travel to Port au Prince, Haiti to teach the first STAR leadership camp to the children of CMAS Haitian school and Lephare orphanage. The camp will be a 5 day camp serving over 50 children ages 6 and older. The camp is focused on dance, performing arts, sporting activities and the introduction of the STAR leadership program to children of Haiti. Our mission is to develop young leaders who make a difference in their communities and world by growing other leaders leading a life of purpose.

Taking Shape Executive Director, Tracey Wozny quotes, “This is the first mission leadership camp that we have organized on the global front.  Our goal is to establish annual summer leadership camps where STAR leaders from other dance studios, their teachers, directors and studio owners can come share their love of dance, performing arts and their passion to grow young leaders globally. It is an exciting time in our quest to make differences in lives of others Here, Near and Far! ”

Taking Shape will be opening registration for our 2018 Haiti leadership and performing arts camps on September, 1. Updates will be posted on our website at Takingshape.care and through our facebook pages.

The Taking Shape mission team will be in Port au Prince Haiti from July 31-August 6. We are needing the following items for our mission camps for those that would like to donate, please click here. Our drop off times are as follows (if you are in need of a different time please contact us at info@takingshape.care)

1018 E 10th St, Carrollton, MO (Shapes Dance & Acro Studio)
Monday, July 24th from 4:30-6:30pm
Wednesday, July 26th from 4:30-6:30pm

14 N Jefferson St, Marshall, MO (Shapes Dance & Acro Studio)
Tuesday, July 25th from 2:30-7:00pm
Wednesday, July 26th from 5:30-6:30pm

106 Wollard Blvd, Richmond, MO (Shapes Dance & Acro Studio)
Tuesday, July 25th from 3:30-6:30pm

The Ripple Effect

Leadership is a ripple effect! I got to witness this with my own eyes last Saturday as I saw Taking Shape STAR leaders organize a community outreach event at our studio with a close partnership we have on our NEAR platform with ICE Dance studios.

ICE Dance studios is a non profit dance studio in inner Kansas City directed by Isha Williams. Her passion to teach and inspire young dancers beyond just the dance studio matches the same culture and vision we have in our leadership program with Taking Shape.

In the past several years our STAR leaders have developed a partnership with the students of ICE Dance Studios and traveled to their studio in Kansas City to teach several acrobatic and stunting master classes . These master classes were taught by our STAR leaders with the intention of sharing their talents with others, developing leadership qualities through community outreach projects, but more importantly establishing relationships and friendships with other dancers outside of our small little comfort zone in rural Missouri.  

This year in hopes to continue this growth of leadership in our Taking Shape STAR program, our students invited ICE Dance Studio to come to our hometown and experience a workshop of aerial silks, trampoline, tumbling and leadership activities.

Wow! What an experience it was to sit back and watch! STAR leaders took ownership of the event. They not only took pride in the event by preparing the studio for their visitors but they organized and carried out all of the activities from beginning to end from introductions, to teaching rotations, to leadership games and a pizza party, even cleaning up! . It was so neat to watch leadership in true fashion from our young STAR leaders and the friendships they developed by sharing their passion!

I truly believe that leadership is not something easily achieved. Some kids are born natural leaders. Others struggle with confidence and correct tools needed to be successful in leadership roles. What I do know is this…….. Children are sponges and if given opportunities and put in situations where they are exposed to values, character, leadership opportunities, they rise to the occasion.

Setting a stage for a lifetime of positive and impactful opportunities can only create a ripple effect of leadership to others. It starts in a small corner and ripples throughout this generation. This smart, intelligent, purpose driven generation that will willingly follow a path to successful leadership if given the direction.

We are looking forward to being the catalyst for this ripple effect as we partner with others Here, Near and Far to create young leaders of the next generation.

Visit us on takingshape.care