Junior Youth + Children Migrant Farmworker Camp - Hollister, Ca - June 9-13

Junior Youth and children from throughout California’s Central Coast gathered to study, create and build bonds of friendship at a camp for the families of migrant farm workers this summer.

The event was held in Hollister from June 9-13 and had participants from Salinas, San Jose, Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and Watsonville.

This was the third annual incarnation of the event, and had a total attendance of 20 junior youth, 21 children and 7 parents over the 14 days.

The material studied at the camp was a part of the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program and the sequence of Baha’i Children’s Classes from the Ruhi Institute.

According to the Regional Training Institute of California, the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program was created for youth between the ages of 12 and 15, a critical period when they begin to form the thought patterns and values that will guide their future. Through a series of books, art activities, and service projects, the program helps enhance the junior youth’s ability to recognize confirmation, strengthen their power of expression, deepen their reliance on God, and more, while also developing skills such as reading comprehension, mathematics, and memorization. Typically organized in groups with the guidance of a trained animator, the program helps adolescents develop a strong sense of identity and equips them to contribute meaningfully to their communities.

With regards to Children’s Classes, the Institute says: “Children's classes nurture qualities like honesty, generosity, and trustworthiness, empowering participants to become compassionate contributors to society. The Institute encourages teachers and community members to view children as ‘mine[s] rich in gems of inestimable value,’ guiding their spiritual and intellectual growth. As children develop, they strengthen their character and inspire positive change, fostering a culture of service, unity, and progress.”