What programs does SEEDs for Autism offer for young adults with autism. How does the SEEDs summer camp program work. What vocational skills are taught at SEEDs for Autism. How does SEEDs for Autism support social skill development. What funding options are available for SEEDs programs.
SEEDs for Autism: Comprehensive Job Development Training
SEEDs for Autism offers a unique educational program designed to empower young adults on the autism spectrum with essential vocational and life skills. This innovative initiative goes beyond traditional job training by integrating social skill development and creative expression into its curriculum.
The program operates Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 1 pm, allowing students to customize their schedules based on their needs and preferences. With flexible attendance options and affordable tuition rates, SEEDs strives to make its services accessible to a wide range of participants.
Key Features of SEEDs Job Development Training
- Individualized program goals
- Collaboration with professional artists
- Focus on language and social skill development
- Small group settings for social and computer skills classes
- Exposure to various creative departments
Each day at SEEDs begins with a team meeting, followed by a structured schedule that rotates students through different departments. This approach ensures that participants gain experience in multiple mediums and develop a diverse skill set.
Vocational Rehabilitation and Funding Options
SEEDs for Autism is committed to making its programs accessible to those who can benefit from them most. To achieve this, the organization has established partnerships and qualifications that open up various funding avenues for potential participants.
Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Vendor Status
SEEDs is recognized as a qualified vendor for the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) and the Arizona Department of Economic Services. This status enables eligible individuals to access SEEDs’ services through state-supported vocational rehabilitation programs.
Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA)
For families seeking alternative educational options, SEEDs qualifies as a resource for Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA). This program allows parents of children with autism to allocate state educational funds towards services like those offered by SEEDs.
ESA funding provides 90% of the state funding that would have been received by the child’s previous school, creating a flexible account for educational expenses. This option is particularly beneficial for young adults seeking transitional training and life/social skill building through SEEDs’ programs.
SEEDs for Autism Summer Program: Engaging Activities for Teens and Young Adults
The SEEDs for Autism Summer Program offers a vibrant and structured environment for teens and young adults on the autism spectrum. This program is designed to foster positive social interactions, build self-confidence, and develop essential skills through a variety of engaging activities.
Summer Program Highlights
- Age-appropriate activities tailored for individuals with autism
- Structured environment promoting peer engagement
- Focus on fine motor skills and communication improvement
- Diverse range of activities including culinary, science, music, and arts & crafts
- Incorporation of movement, balance, and dance activities
- Drama sessions and interactive games
The summer program is divided into three sessions, each running for two weeks. Sessions are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm, providing a consistent and manageable schedule for participants.
2023 Summer Session Dates and Pricing
- 1st Session: June 5 – June 16 ($360)
- 2nd Session: June 26 – July 7 ($360)
- 3rd Session: July 17 – July 28 ($360)
To ensure a positive experience for all participants, SEEDs requires a consultation and tour at least one week prior to acceptance into the summer program. This allows staff to assess each camper’s needs and ensure proper placement within the program.
Teaching Methodology: A Holistic Approach to Skill Development
SEEDs for Autism employs a unique teaching methodology that combines vocational training with creative expression and social skill development. This holistic approach is designed to address the diverse needs of individuals on the autism spectrum while preparing them for future employment opportunities.
Key Aspects of SEEDs’ Teaching Approach
- Small class sizes with low teacher-to-student ratios (1:1 to 1:4)
- Hands-on learning in various creative disciplines
- Focus on following directions and processing instructions
- Emphasis on teamwork and meeting expectations
- Development of hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills
- Cultivation of coping skills and self-esteem
By integrating these elements, SEEDs creates an environment where participants can develop practical skills while also addressing the social and emotional aspects of their development.
Diverse Skill Training: From Welding to Writing
SEEDs for Autism offers a wide range of skill training opportunities, allowing participants to explore various creative and practical disciplines. This diverse approach ensures that individuals can discover their strengths and interests while developing valuable vocational skills.
Skills Taught at SEEDs
- Welding
- Sewing and Weaving
- Woodturning
- Ceramics
- Jewelry Making
- Writing
- Computer Skills
These skills are not taught in isolation but are integrated into a comprehensive business model. Participants learn all aspects of product creation, from inception and development to quality control, packaging, and customer service. This holistic approach provides a realistic understanding of business operations and prepares individuals for potential future employment opportunities.
Building a Sustainable Business Model
SEEDs for Autism goes beyond traditional vocational training by incorporating a real-world business model into its program. Participants create home and garden items that are sold to the community, providing practical experience in production, sales, and customer interaction.
Key Aspects of SEEDs’ Business Model
- Creation of marketable products
- Focus on production mentality and discipline
- Development of quality control processes
- Experience in packaging and shipping
- Training in customer service skills
This business-oriented approach not only provides valuable work experience but also has the potential to create direct employment opportunities for program participants in the future. By engaging in real production and sales activities, individuals develop a strong work ethic and gain confidence in their abilities to contribute to a professional environment.
Community Connections and Networking
SEEDs for Autism recognizes the importance of community involvement and collaboration in supporting individuals on the autism spectrum. The organization actively pursues partnerships with other nonprofits and local businesses to create a network of support and opportunities for its participants.
Benefits of Community Connections
- Expanded resources for program participants
- Increased awareness of autism in the community
- Potential internship and employment opportunities
- Collaborative events and initiatives
- Shared expertise and best practices
By fostering these connections, SEEDs creates a supportive ecosystem that extends beyond its immediate programs, providing participants with a broader network of resources and opportunities as they transition into adulthood and seek employment.
Measuring Success: Beyond Vocational Skills
While SEEDs for Autism places a strong emphasis on vocational training, the organization recognizes that success extends far beyond the acquisition of specific job skills. The program’s holistic approach aims to foster personal growth, emotional resilience, and social competence in its participants.
Indicators of Success at SEEDs
- Improved communication and self-expression
- Enhanced ability to work collaboratively
- Increased self-confidence and self-advocacy skills
- Development of coping strategies for anxiety and stress
- Greater independence in daily living skills
- Successful transitions to employment or further education
By focusing on these broader outcomes, SEEDs ensures that participants not only gain valuable vocational skills but also develop the personal and social competencies necessary for long-term success and fulfillment in various aspects of life.
Tailored Support: Individualized Attention and Accommodation
One of the key strengths of SEEDs for Autism is its commitment to providing individualized support to each participant. Recognizing the unique needs and challenges faced by individuals on the autism spectrum, the program offers a range of accommodations and personalized interventions.
Individualized Support Strategies
- Customized learning plans based on individual strengths and needs
- Flexible scheduling options to accommodate sensory sensitivities
- Adaptive tools and technologies to support skill development
- One-on-one mentoring sessions with skilled professionals
- Regular progress assessments and goal adjustments
This tailored approach ensures that each participant receives the specific support they need to thrive within the program and develop the skills necessary for future success.
Parental Involvement and Family Support
SEEDs for Autism recognizes the crucial role that families play in the success of individuals on the autism spectrum. The organization actively encourages parental involvement and provides resources to support families throughout their journey with SEEDs.
Family Support Initiatives
- Regular parent-teacher conferences to discuss progress and goals
- Family workshops on autism-related topics and strategies
- Support groups for parents and siblings
- Resources for navigating educational and vocational systems
- Guidance on transitioning to adulthood and independent living
By fostering strong partnerships with families, SEEDs creates a comprehensive support system that extends beyond the program’s direct services, ensuring that participants receive consistent encouragement and reinforcement in all aspects of their lives.
Preparing for the Future: Transition Planning and Career Exploration
As participants progress through SEEDs for Autism’s programs, the organization places increasing emphasis on transition planning and career exploration. This forward-looking approach helps individuals and their families prepare for life after SEEDs, whether that involves further education, employment, or independent living.
Transition and Career Services
- Career interest assessments and exploration activities
- Job shadowing and internship opportunities
- Resume building and interview skills workshops
- Connections with autism-friendly employers
- Guidance on post-secondary education options
- Training in self-advocacy and disclosure strategies
By providing these services, SEEDs equips participants with the tools and knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their future and successfully navigate the transition to adulthood.
Continuous Improvement: Program Evaluation and Research
SEEDs for Autism is committed to ongoing program evaluation and participation in autism research to ensure that its services remain effective and aligned with best practices in the field. This dedication to continuous improvement allows the organization to refine its approaches and incorporate new insights into its programs.
Research and Evaluation Initiatives
- Regular assessment of program outcomes and participant progress
- Collaboration with universities and research institutions
- Participation in autism intervention studies
- Incorporation of evidence-based practices into program design
- Professional development for staff to stay current with latest research
Through these efforts, SEEDs not only enhances its own programs but also contributes to the broader understanding of effective interventions and support strategies for individuals on the autism spectrum.
Expanding Horizons: Future Goals and Initiatives
As SEEDs for Autism continues to grow and evolve, the organization has set ambitious goals for expanding its reach and impact. These future initiatives aim to address unmet needs in the autism community and create even more opportunities for individuals on the spectrum to thrive.
Future Plans and Objectives
- Expansion of program offerings to serve a wider age range
- Development of online resources and virtual learning options
- Creation of a social enterprise to provide long-term employment
- Establishment of satellite locations to serve rural communities
- Advocacy for policy changes to improve support for adults with autism
By pursuing these goals, SEEDs for Autism aims to create a more inclusive and supportive society for individuals on the autism spectrum, extending its impact far beyond its immediate programs and services.
PROGRAMS OFFERED — SEEDs for Autism
job development training
This educational program for young adults teaches vocational job development skills while continuing to practice life and social skills. We develop program goals for each participant and work with our staff and professional artists to implement language and social skill goals while working on vocational techniques. Social skills classes and computer skills classes are also taught in small group settings.
The SEEDs for Autism studio is open Monday – Friday from 9am to 1pm, and Friday from 9am – 1pm. Students can choose to schedule the days each week they would like to participate in. Tuition costs are very low and depend on how many days a week students attend. Partial scholarships may be available. Each day begins with a brief team meeting then students follow their schedule for the day to the various departments. In a typical day, a student will be in 2-3 different departments. Students work in every department to get an experience in each medium.
vocational rehabilitation
SEEDs is a qualified vendor for Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) and the State of Arizona Department of Economic Services. Please contact your case manager or contact us to find out more.
EMPOWERMENT scholarship accounts
SEEDs qualifies as a resource for parents who have chosen to apply and receive funding for ESA funds. We can provide services for young adults diagnosed with autism, seeking transitional training and life/social skill building through an ESA. An Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) is an account similar to a checking account with 90% of the state funding that would have been received by the school the child previously attended. For more information, The Arizona Department of Education’s website answers a series of frequently asked questions or you can contact us directly.
SEEDs for Autism Summer Program
At SEEDs for Autism we provide summer programs designed specifically for teens and young adults on the autism spectrum.
Our summer participants experience a wide range of age appropriate activities while engaging with peers in a structured environment. Spend the summer at SEEDs and enjoy three session of positive social interactions, building self confidence, developing fine motor skills, improving communication, and most of all… having FUN!
Culinary, Science, Music, Arts & Crafts, Movement, Balance and Dance Activities, Drama, Games and More!
All campers are required to schedule a consultation/tour at least one week prior to acceptance. Camp space is limited, so act now and reserve your spot today!
2023 SUMMER SESSIONS
1st Session: JUNE 5 – JUNE 16 (9:30am – 1:30pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, $360)
2nd Session: JUNE 26 – JULY 7 (9:30am – 1:30pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, $360)
3rd Session: JULY 17 – JULY 28 (9:30am – 1:30pm every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, $360)
For an additional $10.
00, students can purchase a SEEDs Summer Camp T-Shirt!
Contact us for more information
Phone: 602-253-4471
Email: [email protected]
HOW WE TEACH
SEEDs is a vocational training program that works directly with each individual who comes to our program. Our departments/classes are small, with a 1:1, 1:2 to 1:4 teacher-student ratio, thus allowing for concentrated and direct attention. Skills are taught in welding, sewing, weaving, woodturning, ceramics, jewelry, writing, computers and more. They don’t come simply to learn arts and crafts, as all products are specific in detail and construction. We teach these categories because they are visual and require:
following directions and taking instructions
processing
meeting expectations
teamwork
hand eye coordination and fine motor skills
coping skills
self esteem
This hands on approach allow us to train and interact with our participants, building them up to be active participants who have a better understanding of what is required to communicate, express, deal with anxiety and be involved with others.
They learn from professionals who are experts in their fields and know how to create products that are useful and functional. Skills taught include inception, development, quality control, packaging, shipping, all the way through to customer service. The same is true with SEEDs. As we build and create home and garden items that are available for sale to our communities, we teach all aspects of a business to help recognize and understand the model and needs.
These products they make require production mentality, discipline, and focus in order to keep up with sales. On top of that, SEEDs is also creating a business model that is intended to eventually create jobs directly for a percentage of those who are in the program.
We rely heavily on community connections and networking with other nonprofits, whose mission is also to educate, this allows us to bring diversity to our participants, and collaborate. It is our goal to introduce and appeal to a wide array of interests and concepts that connect with others in our state.
Finally, we exist to bring friendships to our participants with their peers. They have opportunities to enjoy such experiences through role playing, group activities, social curriculum, and the variety of clubs we offer.
SEEDs for Autism is a place without limitations, that offers encouragement, possibilities, mentors, friendships, and genuine life triumphs.
“I now walk with purpose.”
–a quote from one of our participants
Gateway Academy, the Valley’s Top School for Autism, Announces Its Warrior STEAM Camp This Summer
Join Gateway Academy for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math Workshops Designed to Engage Students in 3D Design, Circuits, Code Blocks, and Virtual Reality
Just because the traditional school year ends, it doesn’t mean that opportunities to learn and grow should end either. With that spirit in mind, Gateway Academy, the Valley’s top school serving students diagnosed with High Functioning Autism, is proud to announce the dates for this year’s Warrior STEAM Camp, a summer camp designed to engage middle and high school students in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math disciplines.
The Warrior STEAM Camp will be happening from June 5th to June 30th, 2023.
Gateway Academy is an incredibly supportive and comfortable community where students build transformative relationships and a courageous sense of self. During Warrior STEAM Camp, those core relationships combined with the social and emotional job of shared experiences enable students to tackle challenges, learn and grow inside or outside a lab! It is designed to blend adventure, experiential learning and fun in a supportive educational experience for incoming or current 6th through 12th graders who may have struggled in more traditional school settings.
The Camp is designed as a fun, immersive experience for those students who want to learn more about any STEAM area. The four-week program is divided into one-week sessions, including the following courses: Fractal Art, Engineering and Technology, Elegoo, Alchemy, Code Monkey, Exploring Coding and Beyond, Forensic Science, Aeronautics, College Tours, Learning Core Skills, Tech/Interest Etiquette, and much more.
“This is a unique opportunity for students to come check out Gateway Academy and see what we are all about while diving further into the jobs of today and tomorrow,” said O. Robin Sweet, Executive Director and CEO of Gateway Academy. “Whether students are looking to explore a new passion or meet new friends our Warrior Summer Camp takes the STEAM Curriculum to a fun and interactive level for the month of June.”
Gateway Academy is an established leader in educating Twice-Exceptional students and students with High Functioning Autism for grades 6-12 by highlighting curriculum’s that support academic, social and emotional development. They focus on and excel at helping students improve their executive functioning skills while also providing opportunities to participate in a myriad of additional activities such as student council, National Honor Society, multimedia art, world language, Gateway NASA, instrumental and digital music, in addition to the scientific disciplines highlighted in Warrior STEAM Camp.
A full list of the clubs and activities available to students can be found here.
Gateway Academy is also proud to be an accredited, non-profit school that accepts both Empowerment Scholarships as well as State Tax Organization Scholarships, with numerous resources in order to guide parents through the funding process. They encourage parents of prospective and current students to visit their ESA Parent Support page. ESA funds can be used for the Warrior STEAM Camp!
The cost per session is $750, and it is a Co-Ed program for students in 6th to 12th grade. The full four-week session runs from June 5th to June 30th, with workshops happening from 9 AM to 3 PM Monday through Thursday, and 9 AM to 12 PM on Fridays. Enrollment is limited! To enroll, please fill out the 2023 Warrior Summer Camp Enrollment Agreement, which will be sent to you upon inquiry. Application deadline is April 30th.
For more information about the Warrior STEAM Summer Camp or to apply, please call 480-998-1071 or email rsweet@gatewayacademy.
us.
For more information about enrolling at Gateway Academy, call 480-998-1071 or visit https://gatewayacademy.us/
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How does a summer camp help develop self-reliance?
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When parents send their child to summer camp, their main goal is that he should have a good rest from school loads. Sometimes, if the camp is thematic (languages, science, programming, and so on) – to get useful skills. But the camp can also be an indispensable means of developing independence in a child (with which many children now have huge problems).
How can a children’s camp help here? By Tatyana Yuryevna Smirnova, director of the Obraz Orthodox school near Moscow and organizer of school summer camps.
Why children are afraid of independence
Let me start with a very illustrative example. There is a kindergarten at our school, and once we took a child there, already quite large, almost six years old. This boy did not talk, could not dress himself, eat on his own. He was diagnosed with autism. To pay for expensive treatment, my mother got several jobs, and grandmothers took care of the child. And then one day I watched a picture of a school bus with kindergarteners pulling up to a stop, the children getting out, and this boy is walking from a high step, not even looking into the void.
Because I’m sure that grandmothers will pick him up. And indeed, they do! This picture impressed me, I began to figure it out – and it turned out that the child’s problems were not so much due to autism, but because of the grandmother’s overprotectiveness. Why should he try to do something on his own, if everything is fine anyway, if he is surrounded by absolute care, he is dressed, spoon-fed, dust is blown off him? After that, I advised the boy’s mother to quit most of her jobs and come to grips with her son, without such close participation of grandmothers.
Unfortunately, this case is not unique. Maybe not with such vivid manifestations, but childhood lack of independence is a massive problem, and parents are most often to blame for it. Because a dependent child is convenient and safe. These words “convenient” and “safe” must, of course, be put in quotation marks. But as many people think. If you put a child at a computer or give him a tablet, then he will be in front of his eyes, he will not go outside, where he can fall from a tree, where hooligans can offend him, and so on.
If you collect a briefcase for him at school, he will not forget the pencil case and the Russian textbook. If you clean his room daily, it will be clean.
As a result, children grow up who do not have basic self-care skills, who do not have experience in solving a variety of life problems, who are unable to build relationships in a team, and who easily fall under someone else’s (and sometimes dangerous) influence. Moreover, the lack of independence is also manifested in the intellectual sphere – such children (and later adults) are afraid to master new areas of knowledge for themselves, they are afraid to consider any issues from different points of view. They very often become victims of a variety of manipulators.
Not always, by the way, such people suffer from their lack of independence. On the contrary, for the time being, many of them are satisfied with this state of affairs. Life is calm, no need to worry about anything, you will always be taken care of. And independence seems to them a way out of the comfort zone and therefore scares.
Actually, a normal, healthy child tends to strive for independence. He wants to master the world around him, he imitates adults – yes, often overestimating his strength, not seeing any dangers, but this desire in itself is natural. But if adults prevent this in every possible way, if they deprive it of any opportunity to show independence, then something breaks in the child, he loses his desire to know both the world and himself. More precisely, he has subconscious fears that block his craving for independence.
What are these fears? Fear that you will not succeed – and you will be laughed at. Fear that you will fail and you will be punished. Fear that nothing will work out for you, and you will once again see what an empty place you are, zero without a wand. A child may not always be rationally aware of these fears, but they exist, and they do not grow out of nowhere. They are almost always based on traumatic experiences caused by adult mistakes.
Photo: fernandoalmeida/pixabay.
com
If such a child is offered: let’s try to run chasing, let’s teach you to play chess, let’s take part in the filming of an amateur short film, and so on – he will most likely refuse. He will refuse with the words: “Yes, well,” “I don’t want to,” “I’m not interested.” But in fact, fear is hiding behind these “do not want” and “not interested”.
What is children’s independence
Let’s first understand: what do we mean by children’s independence? Naturally, it is hardly possible to give an exact definition here, but for myself I formulate it this way.
Firstly , an independent child knows how to build relationships with other children without the help of adults, knows how to overcome his fears, is able to show himself in a children’s team, is able to overcome the first difficulties by entering a new team for himself.
Secondly, , an independent child is able to take care of himself – get dressed, wash, clean up after himself, heat up food, wash dishes, and so on.
Thirdly, , an independent child is able to choose from the options offered, and not wait for adults to decide for him. For example, when children come to our school camp, they choose an activity. Maybe you want to communicate with local residents, interview them? Or maybe you are more interested in making a feature film with the guys? Or maybe you are attracted to the development and implementation of a role-playing game? Or maybe you want to learn some new skills for yourself – learn to swim, for example? Or learn to bake pies? Or learn to take great pictures? Or archery?
How not to kill independence?
What should be done so that the natural desire for independence inherent in any healthy child develops in the right direction? The obvious answer is that it is necessary to give him the opportunity to act in his own way from infancy.
Here, however, we are faced with the problem of risks. After all, it’s risky when a child acts in his own way.
What if he falls and hits you? What if he gets burned? What if he gets lost on the street? What if he put some filth in his mouth and get poisoned? And suddenly plops down in a puddle? What if he doesn’t do his homework? But what if? And these “what if” any parent can name as many as you like.
The natural desire to protect against any risks leads to complete lack of independence. But ignoring any risks will also not end in anything good, you can’t completely eliminate yourself, relying on “maybe”. It is too likely that something really tragic will happen to the child. Not snot, not a broken knee and not a deuce in mathematics.
In my opinion, the way out is to divide the risks into acceptable and unacceptable ones and create a space of freedom for the child , limited only by unacceptable risks . The baby is learning to walk. If he falls, that’s an acceptable risk. And if he wants to play with a kettle boiling on the stove, this is already an unacceptable risk.
If he gets into a puddle in the yard and gets his feet wet, that’s an acceptable risk. And if it gets into the transformer box, it is already unacceptable.
What risks are considered acceptable and which are not, of course, is up to parents and teachers who take into account the specific situation, take into account the characteristics of the child. There may be a situation where getting your feet wet is an unacceptable risk, or there may be a situation where jumping off the roof of a barn is an acceptable risk. If you don’t believe me, watch the episode in the movie “Kingfisher” when the student, encouraged by the teacher, jumps from the roof of the barn… into a haystack!
You have to understand that you can’t spread straw everywhere, that tragedy can happen even where everything seems safe. A man at home stood on a stool to change a light bulb, lost his balance, fell – and please, a multiple broken leg. Happens? Rarely, but it happens.
And then everything depends on the psychological characteristics of the person.
If he has a neurotic personality, then he seeks to control everything and everyone around him, it seems to him that, acting correctly, he is able to nullify any risks. A striking example is the director of the camp, comrade Dynin, from the film “Welcome, or No Trespassing”. Such people multiply any potential threat by a hundred and take such precautions that the space of freedom shrinks to a point. And the opposite option is the cheerful comrade Mitrofanov from the same film. “Guys, go to the river to swim!” – without any thought that it is necessary to think about children’s safety, that a crowd of children thoughtlessly rushing into the water needs at least some kind of control.
Extremes are always bad, and the way out is in the “middle way”. That is, both parents and teachers should create such a space of freedom, which, although not infinite, is large enough so that the child can fully develop inside it. Yes, there should be categorical “no”, but there should not be too many of them.
These “don’ts” should prevent threats to life and health, threats that are indisputable, obvious, and not far-fetched.
Photo by Krists Luhaers on Unsplash
Within this space of freedom, the child is forced to make choices and face the consequences. Climbed into a puddle, wet your feet – you will not be scolded and punished. But if you catch a cold, get sick, you will have to lie in bed and take medicine, walks, trips and so on are canceled for some time. I got on the Internet, found a bunch of information about dinosaurs, drew a comic book about them, showed it to the class, earned universal approval, raised my self-esteem. I wanted to go to the grocery store on my own, tried it – and felt my demand. You did a great job of unloading your parents.
In this way, the habit of independence is formed – through experience, positive and negative. And the more such experience a child has, the less likely it is that he will realize his independence according to the scenario “I’ll freeze my ears to spite my mother,” that is, he will begin to act specifically in defiance of adults.
This happens when a child is constantly squeezed, squeezed, limited in everything, petty controlled – and then suddenly stopped. Naturally, at first he will get drunk from the freedom that has suddenly fallen on him, and then, perhaps, he will be frightened and again ask for the zone of his former comfort. But if the parents acted competently, if from infancy they created a space of freedom for the child and constantly expanded it according to age, then independence becomes a natural thing for the child, he will not strive for independence for the sake of independence – he already has as much of it at any given time as he can really pull.
And another important point: children not only need to be given space for freedom, but also to be explained what kind of thing freedom is. This is also a topic of discussion. How do we understand freedom? What is it – an end in itself or a tool that we use in the name of some higher goals, based on higher values? We are discussing this in our camp “Khorobrovo”.
Moreover, in August we will have a special shift (named the same as the already mentioned film – “Welcome, or No Trespassing”), dedicated to the theme of freedom. Children will not only become participants in discussions, but also in practice, in a game format, will learn to use freedom.
How the camp develops independence
Children develop independence not only through home education. Of course, the school and other children’s institutions also make their contribution. For example, a summer camp (as well as a winter one). And this contribution can be huge! In one shift, sometimes it is possible to achieve what parents have not been able to do for years.
What happens to a child who ends up in a camp? He finds himself in a new environment for himself (or, if he is not going to the camp for the first time, in a familiar, but not at all the same as at home). The circle of contacts is expanding. The routine of the day is changing. Living conditions are changing. There are many more opportunities, more interesting activities.
Responsibility to friends also appears, and for a child, especially a teenager or pre-teenager, this is extremely important, because if children go to camp of their own free will, then mainly in order to make new friends or meet old ones again.
For a teenager, the opinion of friends about him is extremely important – and this opinion is formed from the attitude towards his actions. If the guys see that you are a reliable person, that you have your own opinion and you know how to defend it, that you have interesting ideas and you are able to implement them, that you don’t whine for any reason, that you don’t let your squad down in various common affairs, then you gain authority. So the goal here is clear.
But in order to achieve this goal, you have to show independence wherever possible. Even in elementary things. For example, at home you are not used to cleaning your room, there is a mother or grandmother for this. But in the camp, if you screwed up in the ward and didn’t clean up after yourself, it will show up – and your squad will receive penalty points, lose in the competition with other squads.
Maybe even a terrible thing will happen: you will be deprived of ice cream. Because of you! And so that this does not happen, in order not to be disgraced in the eyes of the guys, you have to strain, you have to do something that you are not used to at home. And it’s not that someone forced you to do it: no, you make the decision yourself, freely and consciously. Or, let’s say you have a cool idea – to develop an adventure game for younger children and run it. It is almost impossible to do it alone, which means that you are looking for helpers, and you do it, and everything works out, the kids are delighted, and your authority among peers is noticeably increased.
By the way, this example shows a very important facet of independence: an independent person knows how to soberly assess his strengths, knows how to work in a team, he does not try to replace everyone with himself, he feels responsible for a common cause, he, if he was invited to some project, does not thoughtlessly carry out the assigned task, but thinks about how to do it better, makes his proposals.
And how many opportunities for independence appear if children go hiking in the camp! They themselves cook food on a fire, put up tents themselves, figure out for themselves who and how to help.
Or, for example, in some camps there is such a line of work as expeditions (in different camps this may be called differently). The bottom line is that a team of children (usually not the entire squad, but only part of it) goes to some area and begins to explore it. For example, this is the nearest village. How to explore? Learn its history by talking to locals, find out what interesting places there are (and take photos), find out how people live here now. Maybe if some legends are associated with this place, find out this too (including through an Internet search). And then, returning to the camp, make a report on the expedition, a presentation – different formats are possible here, from a “living newspaper” to a theatrical scene. But in the process of such an expedition, how many things do the children have to do that they have not done before! Take interviews, search for information on the Web, take landscape or reportage photographs, navigate on a map or on a navigator to find the necessary objects .
.. Of course, no one sends children alone, adults accompany them and insure them, but at the same time they do not do their work for children. They can suggest something, give advice – but in such a way that the children themselves take the initiative.
Photo by Artem Kniaz on Unsplash
In other words, in a good, proper camp, teachers set themselves the goal of developing independence in children, and for this they create the very space of freedom, and also create motivation so that, once in this space, children do not get bored, but find something to strive for. Yes, as in the family and at school, this space of freedom is not infinite, yes, it has boundaries, there are unconditional prohibitions.
For example, when children are swimming, adults are of course present and take the necessary safety measures. If children go to the forest, then, of course, you have to control that they dress appropriately for the situation, so that their clothes are treated with ticks. But if everything is organized reasonably, if adults are guided by common sense, and not by neurotic fears, then children quite calmly perceive such external restrictions and are not particularly fixed on them.
They have something to do in the space of freedom created for them.
By the way, the older a child becomes, the greater the amount of freedom he has, but at the same time, the greater his responsibility. In the right camp, this is expressed in the fact that children are given the opportunity for “career growth”. That is, to us, for example, to our summer camp “Khorobrovo”, teenagers of 15-16 years old go already as counselors, and at 13-14 years old they can become assistant counselors. There is also such a ladder of growth in scout groups. The detachments are divided into patrols, there is a patrolman and his deputy in the patrol, children from 13-14 years old become junior instructors and conduct training sessions with younger children, organize various gaming and cognitive activities for them. And from the age of 16-17 they become senior instructors and act almost on a par with adults. For children, such prospects are extremely important, they have something to strive for, and this greatly contributes to their independence.
How to choose a camp
We talked about how a camp can develop independence. But not every camp! I rely on my own experience, that is, on the experience of summer camps that we organize at our Obraz school, on the experience of other camps known to me, where pedagogical teams adhere to the same approaches. However, there are a lot of camps, and among them there are such as in Klimov’s film “Welcome, or No Trespassing”. Camps where the main emphasis is on comfort and safety, where fluff is blown off children, where the formula “rest = entertainment” is taken into account.
It’s good when parents know which camp to send their child to. They know about this camp from acquaintances whose children have already been there, they know from people who worked in this camp. Word of mouth is sometimes the best source of information. After all, not only students from our school come to our camps, but also children who somehow found out about us. And then they tell the other kids. Some come to us for many years, waiting for the camp for a whole year. It even happens that such “camp” children are ready to study with us in our school near Moscow, they are ready to travel every day from Moscow, just to stay in the atmosphere that they liked so much in the camp.
But parents who want to send their child to a camp do not always have one in mind. And then they start using search engines, trying to find the optimal ratio “price – quality”. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. I’ll give you a few tips on what you should pay attention to.
1. Be sure to read the reviews on the Web about this camp. And look for them not only on the camp site (there, quite possibly, there will be only complimentary ones). However, having met negative reviews, do not rush to immediately perceive them as the ultimate truth. There are all kinds of people, all kinds of situations. Now, if there are a lot of such reviews, there really is reason to be wary.
2. Carefully study the site of the camp, pay attention to the teaching staff.
What kind of people they are, what achievements they have, what they do professionally, how long they have been working with children, whether they studied this somewhere or have mastered everything in practice. Look for information about them in third-party sources.
3. It is very important that the site of the camp has a detailed program of its work. It is a detailed program, and not general words like “development of creative thinking”, “outdoor games” and so on. Assess how realistic what is written in the program. For example, it says that the children from the first shift plant potatoes, and the children from the last shift dig them up and bake them on a fire. Considering that potatoes are planted in central Russia in early May and dug up in early September, this raises questions.
4. In addition to the program of work, it is important to find out the daily routine and, most importantly, what the children will be doing at any given time. And then it happens, for example, that the camp seems to be sports, they really go in for sports with the children, but in total it takes four hours a day, and the rest of the time the children are left to themselves.
5. Don’t put too much emphasis on comfort. That is, there is nothing wrong with comfort in itself, but if the main emphasis is placed on it, this may mean that, apart from comfort, there is nothing for children to offer there. And one more thing: small rooms for three or four people are not always good. Imagine that the children did not agree on the characters, and in a room for three, two begin to poison one. After all, this may not be such a monstrous bullying, when you need to urgently take action, up to contacting the police. But it can be constant teasing, jokes, ridicule. This makes the child feel bad, but he himself, most likely, will remain silent, and even if he did, there are no witnesses. Large rooms for eight to ten people are much better in this respect. There is a much higher probability that someone will see, someone will intercede, someone will tell adults.
6. If possible, before signing the contract, it is better to come to the camp and see everything with your own eyes, talk live with the management and teachers, ask them questions (which can be written down in advance so that you don’t get confused and don’t forget anything important at the time of the conversation).
In general, how willingly they make contact with you can say a lot. If they see you as an annoying nuisance and try to get off as soon as possible, this is a serious wake-up call. And if you understand that you are glad that they are ready to tell and show you everything, then you are most likely enthusiasts of their business.
Prepared by Vitaly Kaplan
Autistic people in the countryside: how can you include “special people” in everyday life
– Big, sporty, swimming?
– Pool!
So cheerfully I answered the question of the sociable autistic Lesha at the end of our day in Davydovo. When he asked me for the first time, I stumbled, but the guys around helped me. Then I realized that it was a kind of password, a distinctive sign of their own.
Last week, together with video correspondent Ekaterina Zagulyayeva, we went to the Transfiguration community in the Yaroslavl region and spent the whole day there. Now I have a new dream – to go there with the whole family and live for at least a week.
The main question
Yaroslavskoe highway was deserted at that early hour, we drove straight to Rostov and without traffic jams, and then turned towards Borisoglebsk. Around stretched endless fields, meadows, copses, tall pines, slender birches. I wanted to get out of the car and breathe in this non-Moscow air, but we were in a hurry. It’s not far from Borisoglebsk to Davydovo, the last turn, the road became unpaved, and now the bell tower is visible in the distance.
The Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God stands on a mountain, visible from afar, it is the center of life in the village and the community. Around the temple are village houses, behind them is a camp.
The camp was the main reason for our trip. Disabled people – mostly mental, mostly autistic – live here not behind fences, not behind a wall, not in a specially designated place, and only there. They, like everyone else, participate in church services, walk around the village, work, sit by the fires in the evenings, sing songs and communicate.
This life “not behind barbed wire” of those who are usually, for various reasons, kept within four walls, we wanted to see. We wanted to see what inclusion really is, how it is possible to include “special people” in everyday life not at the level of conversations or theoretical ideas, not in some distant future, but here and now.
Confessor of the community and founder of the camp Father Vladimir Klimzo poses a tough question to everyone who is somehow involved in the topic of mental disabilities – how will they live when their mothers are gone? During the day we will hear it more than once, try to answer it ourselves and write down the opinions of different people.
The answer to this important question will explain almost everything – the history of the camp, the participation of parents and volunteers in its life, and the prospects for its development. But first things first.
Obedience
“Come at 10 am, you must be sure to attend obedience.
Everyone will be here – both disabled people and volunteers. You will see how we work. This is before lunch, and after that there are all sorts of art therapies, performances and other entertainment, ”Fr. Vladimir said by phone. And we went to the camp early in the morning.
At 10 o’clock, after getting up, charging, having breakfast, the obediences begin. There are a lot of jobs in the camp, each of which is quite practical in nature – to collect currants or herbs, to rake hay or rake it in stacks, to clean stalls in the stable, to chop vegetables for dinner, to cut old T-shirts into long rags, from which beautiful rugs will be made later, and – most favorite – to stack firewood in captivity.
I walk up to a group of young people standing in a line: volunteer – “special” – volunteer – “special”. Hello. The young man with his back to me nods but does not answer.
His neighbor on the left greets cheerfully and immediately takes the initiative:
– Hello! The name of? Surname? Surname? Weight? Height? Year of birth? Month? Number?
I answer all questions clearly, autistic Yura is happy. But when he asks me who was born on the same day and month as me, I stumble. Yura triumphs, immediately says several well-known names and continues a flurry of questions. After about three minutes he switches to English, he asks me what the words “handrid” and “glacis” mean. The young man in glasses smiles.
Later I find out that this is an American volunteer who came to Davydovo with his sister. He almost does not speak Russian, but the language barrier does not interfere with communication. In the evening we will all watch a performance in English prepared by volunteers from another continent.
Yura, like the other inhabitants of the camp, likes to move firewood. The work is monotonous, monotonous, calm. They do this every year. By the way, many “special” come here not for the first time.
Used to strange neighbors
The first time disabled people appeared in the village of Davydovo 10 years ago. Father Vladimir was the rector of the temple, and acquaintances asked him to help – to give the opportunity to rest in the village to several families with mental disabilities. Father Vladimir allocated a house, put cots in two rooms. The first families arrived.
“No one knew how to communicate with them, what to do, our girls began to arrange an active life for them, art therapy, so much so that the poor mothers did not know how to stop this activity,” the father recalls with a smile. “But nothing, everything went well, the next year they wanted to come to us again.”
Thus, the format of the camp in the village of Davydovo has developed – two shifts per summer. The first is in June, the second is in July. Many mothers with children come from year to year, but this summer Father Vladimir decided to welcome as many new “special” ones as possible here.
People come to Davydovo, one might say, from all over Russia, from different cities. Those mothers who came not for the first time are calm – nothing will happen to their child. The one who is here for the first time is worried – a person who is used to staying at home, going with whom even to the clinic in the neighborhood is a test, suddenly finds himself in nature, in an open field or in a village among other people, but at the same time no one looks askance at mom in surprise or indignantly.
Even the locals, far from any idea of inclusion, no longer pay attention to strange neighbors. We’ve gotten used to it in 10 years.
Davydovo is a small village. In the center on the mountain – a church, around – houses and a grocery store. There is only one street here, and at the back of the village there are wagons – for families, two large tents for volunteers – one for girls, the other for boys. Nearby is the so-called summer kitchen, where some obediences take place, creative activities, where they sing songs and tell fairy tales if it’s raining outside.
There is also a small stable, now 2 horses and ponies live on it. A new house is being built behind the trailers.
Hippotherapist Maria Konstantinova meets us in the levada. She works with a little girl and a pony. Tomorrow is the annual summer concert, we need to prepare a number, but the pony is still not listening well.
“You know, many of our “special” people work out with horses at home, they ride, they ride,” says Maria, “but here we focus on something else. How to take care of a horse, how to properly saddle it, how to wash it, how to clean it – that’s what I try to teach them.”
Life in Davydovo is organized in such a way that no special conditions are created for you – whoever you are. You just live an ordinary life, you work to eat, you communicate, you rejoice. And, most importantly, you participate in common prayer.
“Specials” and volunteers
All the time that we have been here, I have never felt embarrassed in the presence of “specials”.
Never once was somehow uncomfortable or uncomfortable.
In the evening, over tea, Father Vladimir will talk about three important components of camp life: firstly, these are the “special” people themselves, secondly, their mothers and, thirdly, volunteers. Although I already wrote above that there are basically no walls and fences in Davydovo, I want to say again and again that no one is kept locked up here.
Of course, for a person accustomed to living in the city, this makes it possible to feel free. He walks across the field – a small big man. Perhaps he does this for the first time in 15-20-25 years of his life. He sees this high sky, these endless expanses, he inhales the air filled with the aromas of herbs and flowers, inhales deeply.
Volunteers are a separate chapter of Davydov’s life. This year there are 47 of them. Beautiful guys and girls – mostly from 13 to 25 years old – live for several weeks side by side with the disabled and help them. Many come not for the first time.
Volunteer Oleg is 19 years old, he graduated from the 1st year of the Moscow State Technical University named after Bauman, this year Oleg was appointed head of the tent of young people. For the first time, Oleg and his sister were brought to Davydovo by their godmother. He was then 13 years old. He lived here for a week, then did not come for a year, and from the age of 15 he travels independently every summer.
“I really like it here,” the young man says. – I am surrounded by friends, we have been traveling here together for many years. Here you breathe differently, as if you are living a real life. I have been waiting all year for these weeks in Davydovo. I think that if I had not got here, my life, my choice of life path, in general, everything would have turned out differently.
I would like to talk to Oleg, but he is in a hurry, the obedience is over, after 20 minutes lunch – I have to wash my face and get to the refectory.
This year, two autistic people live in a tent with volunteers. They, for the first time in their lives, live without their mothers. They only watch them from the side and are very worried that socks or a T-shirt are worn inside out. “Nothing,” Oleg reassures the mothers, “this is not the main thing!”
Older volunteer Zhanna. She is walking down the road with her little son. It turns out that you can come here with your child – he will find both a place and something to do here. I introduce myself to Zhanna, I say that I came from Moscow, I work on the Mercy.ru portal. “Incredible! Jeanne exclaims. “We in America love your site so much!”
Zhanna lives in Michigan, she is Russian and attends an Orthodox church. A few years ago, Father Vladimir happened to be in their church, he told the Orthodox Americans about Davydovo, about the community, about the camp.
The story made an impression on Jeanne. Some time later, she came to Russia to visit relatives, stayed in the northern part of the Moscow region, and then realized that it was not so far from the Yaroslavl region.
I came to Davydovo on my own and stayed here for a week. This year, a week seemed not enough for her, with three children – 12-year-old twin girls and her youngest son – she decided to spend a whole month in Davydovo.
– What attracts you here so much? I ask.
“You know,” Zhanna says, “when I first came here and got to the liturgy, where everyone was standing – autists, mothers, volunteers, and members of the community, I felt that Christ is standing with us now. This presence of God is very tangible here. Once you’ve felt it once, you can’t stop thinking about this place.
“Special” spend the whole day with volunteers – in the morning to exercise, then to the refectory, work together, go to the forest together. One or two volunteers are assigned to each “special” camper.
Some communicate with their ward for more than a year, someone keeps in touch even in the winter, after the camp. Volunteers are fully responsible for the disabled people entrusted to them, they are accompanied everywhere, giving mothers the opportunity to take a break from difficult children.
Moms
Moms is a big and difficult conversation. The hardest thing to look at here is on them. Most often they are lonely, abandoned by their husbands, tied to a “special” child from morning to evening.
We write all the time that mothers live here with their children, forgetting to add that these children are not so young. Of course, there are schoolchildren here, and even one 5-year-old boy, but, basically, these “children” are adults who, alas, will never become truly independent.
Mothers understand this like no one else. The most terrible question that faces each of them is: “How will he live when I am gone?”
“Imagine this mother,” Father Vladimir says.
– Even when the child was in the womb, she was forced to get rid of him, but she did not have an abortion. Then he was born, and the doctors began to say, “Leave him alone. The state will take care of him, why do you need this freak. You will give birth to another, healthy one.” But she did not abandon her child.
Then the husband left – in most of these families, mothers are left alone. But she continued to pull the family already alone. And now the child has grown up, he is not independent, he cannot live alone. Mom is not getting younger, this question arises before her – where will he live after her death? At PNI? In a fool? Where?”
Every mother should answer this question. But to answer it, she needs time, she needs strength. The camp gives mothers the opportunity to relax.
After they have been taking care of their child 24 hours a day for years, they have the opportunity to be alone, stand calmly in the temple, pray, talk with the priest, and also talk with psychologists, correctional teachers, and just do something that is not related to the illness of their dear and beloved boys and girls.
Singing
In the evening, before the service, Father Vladimir gave us some time, we sat on the open veranda of his modest house, in which books dominate, and drank tea. Suddenly there was singing from below. “Come quickly, listen,” said the priest. “These are our mothers singing.”
Beautiful women were walking through the village. They sang folk songs. Someone sang, the rest picked up. They went to a large clearing in the center of the village, where there is a huge swing. Here they take turns sitting on them two by two and swinging.
The singing and the monotonous movement of the swings lulled me and took me somewhere far, far away, perhaps to early childhood – to the village where my best childhood years passed, where there was the same endless sky and fields, and the song flowed in the same way, not restrained by any conventions and far-fetched rules.
I sat on a log and listened to songs, and looked at the big swing, and became small and happy.
The Center for Traditional Culture is also one of the projects of the Davydov community, as they say. Singing and round dances are revived here, holidays are organized for everyone at Christmas, on the Trinity, folklore festivals are held. The CTC is actively involved in the life of the camp, and in the lives of children from kindergarten, school, boarding school.
My thoughts were interrupted by an old friend, it was from her that I first heard about Davydovo. Tatyana Sveshnikova came here for the seventh time, but for the first time as a mother. “How good it is for moms! Tanya exclaims. “I used to go as a volunteer, but now with Dimon, my mother.”
Tanya adopted Dima a few months ago. He hardly moves because he has SMA (spinal muscular atrophy), Tanya carries him in her arms. Dima has thin arms and legs and a very beautiful face. He is shaggy, but it suits him amazingly.
“Grows her hair out so it doesn’t look the same as in the orphanage,” says Tanya.
“Come visit us and I’ll introduce you to our other mothers.” “Yes,” I nod back. And then other sounds join the female singing. Above the hills, the village and the road in the distance, a bell ringing is heard, he calls everyone to a prayer service.
Supportive living house
Tanya does not live in a change house, like most mothers do, but in a new house. It has not yet been fully built, finishing work is underway inside, there is still no water and sewerage, but Father Vladimir hopes to do everything by the cold weather. Tanya lives here with Dima, in the next rooms there are two more families.
Tanya will leave soon, because Dima, with his diagnosis, needs to be in Moscow, close to the doctors, but two other mothers with their children decided to stay here for a whole year. For such a permanent joint residence, this house was conceived.
– Father Vladimir put before us a very acute question: how will the child live if you are gone? – says one of the mothers, her name is Elena.
My daughter has autism and developmental delay. She will never be able to live on her own. She feels bad in the city, we rarely go out on the street, but here she behaves in a completely different way. I see that my child is really happy here.
– Aren’t you afraid of everyday difficulties? I ask my second mother, Natalya. – Summer is good, but autumn will start, rains, impassability, then snow, long dark evenings…
– No, I’m not afraid. I got so used to the wary and negative attitude towards my son that when I was here and saw people who are open and friendly, who are ready to help and support, I decided to stay. Maybe not forever, but for some period. In any case, in order to make any final decision, one must live here for a full year.
– But the house is not ready yet.
– I believe Father Vladimir, he said that the house would be completed, and I think that it will be so. Now, when volunteers are working with our children, we help in construction – we paint, glue wallpaper.
Our house is gradually becoming residential and comfortable.
– How will this house solve the problem that Fr. Vladimir pointed out so sharply, on the one hand, and truthfully, on the other?
“I don’t know when the Lord will call me,” Elena says. “But I believe that in this community my child will not be abandoned. He will be taken care of.
– You are an urban person. Can you earn a living here in the village?
– There is internet here. I am the chief accountant, this work can be done remotely, so I do not see any problems in this sense.
Natalia and Elena invite us to drink tea, but we have to hurry – we have a visit to the kindergarten, and then a performance. “So our children will go to kindergarten for a holiday! Our kindergarten is inclusive!” the women laugh.
Kindergarten
Yana Vladimirovna, the organizer of the kindergarten, meets us on the threshold of an incredibly beautiful hut, located right behind the temple.
The house is painted both inside and outside with bright colors, ornaments, horses. The house looks like a doll house. We climb the stairs and find ourselves in a large room.
In the center there is a white Russian stove, curtains with fabulous creatures on the windows, it seems that Vasilisa the Beautiful and the cat scientist are about to appear at the door. Small chairs and tables are pushed into the corner. There should be a lot of space in the middle of the room, today they are celebrating the birthday of the girl Masha, they will dance. In the next room there is a small kitchen where food is prepared and children are fed.
Yana Vladimirovna opened this kindergarten a few years ago – her own children were growing up, she had to do something to keep the local village children busy. A house appeared, painted by volunteers, and the kindergarten started working.
At first it was difficult. The parents of the children are different – some work, some do not, somewhere the family is decent, everyone goes to the temple, and somewhere at home they drink well.
But all children are taken to kindergarten. Together they are brought up, together they take them to neighboring cities on excursions.
“The locals were wary at first,” says Yana Vladimirovna. What am I going to do with their children? And now everyone is happy that we have such a garden in the village. Even when we are going to leave somewhere for the whole day, they always let us go.”
They don’t take money for kindergarten, parents help as much as they can, either they come to do something, make something, or bake something, or buy food for everyone. The garden is supported by charitable donations. When summer camps are held in Davydovo, the young children of volunteers and “special” preschoolers also take part in the life of the kindergarten.
“We have built our own elementary school,” says Yana Vladimirovna. – Because there is a school only in the neighboring village, and we found a good teacher in our community. Why send our children to another village? We got our classes.
They study well and are close to home.”
Change the life of the whole village
When Father Vladimir became the rector of the church, created the Transfiguration community, which began to actively engage in various social activities, the villagers became wary. A stranger from Moscow, establishing his own rules here, did not evoke positive emotions.
Then there were wagons, strange people walking around the whole village. Any of us would hardly have reacted calmly to such cardinal changes in the immediate vicinity.
But over time, the inhabitants of those 30 houses, of which, in fact, the village of Davydovo consists, got used to it. Even strange people have ceased to pay attention. So what if they walk the streets and wave their arms – who doesn’t happen to!
Camp administrator Maria Fedotova has been coming to Davydovo for 5 years now. It was Maria who took us everywhere during this long day, showing us and telling us about the life of the community.
