STEPS Special School proudly brings you its first ever annual day camp, and for this year, it highlights love of and in the family in its theme Ohana.

                In the Hawaiian culture, “Ohana” means family, and its “concept emphasizes that families are bound together and members must cooperate and remember one another.” (wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohana) This term is also mentioned and best defined in one of the most beautiful quotes from the movie Lilo and Stitch. The quote goes, Ohana means family and family means nobody is left behind or forgotten.” (goodreads.com) So, why choose Ohana? It is because STEPS family truly embraces and continually displays and promotes love and care like that of a family. In STEPS, everyone is bound together with love and compassion, joy and acceptance, and humility and cooperation.

                Furthermore, STEPS gladly invites an extended member of its family – the Wonderkids Montessori School students to join them in this fun adventure of the Ohana Day Camp. What are these fun adventures?

Ohana Day Camp Adventures

5. Obstacle Course. The ‘Ohana Day Camp begins with the exciting obstacle course composed of four main obstacles: a.) the road of tires, b.) wall/rope climbing, c.) cup stacking, and d.) surf slide. In the road of tires, one has to run through tires going to the sand area. After reaching the sand area, one may choose to climb up through the walls or the ropes. Upon reaching the platform, one will have to stack three cups into a pyramid. After doing that challenge, one should run to the longest slide for the surf slide. Lastly, each member from three groups has to complete each obstacle before taking a flag corresponding to their color at the end of the course and taking it to the next member to signal that it is his time to go. Whichever group finishes first will be the winner.  

                The obstacle course gives the children, whether or not with special needs, the opportunity to develop and master up cognitive, social and gross motor skills. How so? First and foremost, they have to listen to the instructions before they could perform all the different obstacles. To note, it was not only simple instructions that they have to follow but also series of instructions that they must remember. Secondly, each student has the chance to perform while the rest should wait for their turns. Learning to patiently wait and to take turn is a social skill each child has to develop. It was also a chance to display good values such as cooperation and teamwork and sportsmanship. Lastly, the obstacle course helps the kids develop muscular strength and coordination by performing these obstacles.

5. Water Relay. Water has a deep significance and importance in the Hawaiian culture. It is considered as a sacred and reverend element from Mother Nature on which people should rely on for a healthy life. They also believe “on the interconnectedness of mankind and the natural elements” and so, they strongly respect the right of each person to equal access to water. (blog.waiakeasprings.com) In a similar way, every child is given the right to enjoy a healthy physical being through different water activities. During the Ohana Day Camp, the students of STEPS from the higher level enthusiastically participated in the water rely, while the students from the lower level did the fishing activity. Surely, the students did not only boost their physical well-being but most importantly develop positive mental benefits.
5. Film Showing: Moana. Moana is a 2016 3-D animated film by Disney. The film tells of the strong-willed and determined daughter of a village chief named Moana who was chosen by the ocean to find the demi-god Maui. She was tasked to return the heart of the earth goddess, Te Fiti and save her people. The film does more than just portray the culture of the Polynesian people. It teaches life lessons and moral values each one can apply in his life. Moana displayed extraordinary courage and determination in the face of challenges from her own fear, from the opposition of her own father and from the external obstacles she met while finding Maui and returning the heart of Te Fiti. She was able to muster up that courage because of her unshaken love and compassion towards her people whom she considers her family. However, how did Moana successfully defeated her greatest enemy in the movie Te Ka?  It was not through invincible physical weapon. She defeated Te Ka with kindness. And, that only shows the true meaning of victory.

                Moreover, film viewing has numerous benefits and can be therapeutic. Film therapy, as it is commonly known as, helps one to channel different kinds of emotion and to draw out strength and think of solution whenever faced with fear and problem. Aside from that, it helps one to formulate learning, develop creativity, promotes self-identity and activates concentration, focus and attention. Thus, film viewing is not merely a form of kids’ entertainment and/or leisure activity. It is a therapeutic way to develop emotional intelligence and cognitive skills.

                The Ohana Day Camp activities was not limited to these three activities. There were also a bracelet-making booth which allows everyone to take away a souvenir and the Ohana Photobooth to take away memories of the event with them. Other highlights at the culmination of the event were the singing of the Moana’s How Far I’ll Go and the giving of presents of the Wonderkids Montessori students to STEPS students and teachers. The Ohana Day Camp was indeed an event filled with fun, love and learning.

For inquiries, visit STEPS Special School at No. 10 Street 12, Thao Dien, District 2.

Call us: 039 546 3532 - 028 2253 4728
Email: info@steps.edu.vn
Website: http://www.steps.edu.vn/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stepsspecialschool