Freedom's benefits

It’s a lot more fun than summer school.
But its roots – and mission – are far more meaningful than what we traditionally think of as summer camp.
Freedom School is something brilliantly in between.
Officially, it is a summer-long program for children – primarily kids from urban-core churches – that emphasizes reading, writing, mentoring, leadership and conflict resolution. Obviously, that’s a lofty aim when, in reality, kids just wanna have fun. And thus why I call Freedom School something brilliantly different.
This week class was being held outdoors at the James A. Reed Wildlife Area in Lee’s Summit. But it was hardly recess. Ironically, the same week that these Freedom “Scholars” were learning the importance of outdoor skills, there were news stories of the growing trend of kids spending LESS time in nature activities. Child obesity is, consequently, an increasing problem.
The wonderful thing about this week at the Reed Area is that the kids were not only having a world of fun, but getting a full bite of biology, bird watching, global positioning system instruction, fishing and canoeing, among other popular outdoor activities.
In one back meadow, the kids were scattered out among the native grasses. Unlike at nearby Bluestem Lake where the “Scholars” were frolicking in delight in their canoes, the kids here were quiet, serious and intent. They were paired up, clipboards and GPS units in hand.
“We’re working with GPS … and compasses,” said Wendy Parrett of the Missouri Department of Conservation. “The kids are using them to find sites out here. … It’s kinda like a treasure hunt. We marked those out ahead of time.”
When one pair seemed perplexed with the device, Wendy trotted off to assist. The kids seemed to doubt what the electronics were telling them.
“If it changes, you wanna go with the way it changes,” she reaffirmed.  “You’ll walk the way it tells you, and you’ll get better instruction how to get there (if you just trust it).”
A short time later we continued our conversation about her particular station.
“It’s got them exploring all through the field and walking and finding different areas,” she continued.
“And probably scaring up a couple insects along the way,” she joked.
“Yep … absolutely … and hopefully no poison ivy,” she added, laughing.
As I ventured back toward the lake, I ran into Kathie May, another nature mentor from the Conservation Department. She was leading an older group of kids on a bird-watching expedition. Except for Kathie, none of the kids even noticed me. That’s because they all had their eyes pinned to binoculars. Each of their heads was tilted back, scanning the trees for birds.
“Wow!” one girl said in a quiet whisper.
It was a defining moment for me. I wondered how many “wow” moments she had had in her young life. It also struck me that she had not been wowed so much by spotting some rare bird, but probably some ordinary bird that we might spot in our daily routine. But seeing it up close through binoculars was something she had never been exposed to.
“Wow!” I thought to myself. “I am so fortunate to have witnessed this child’s joy of discovery.”
In the afternoon, I bumped into my boss, Phil Philips, Kansas City’s Regional Supervisor for Outreach and Education for the Conservation Department.
“Looks like they’re having a lot of fun,” he said with a wide grin. “That’s important!”
Several of the nearby Conservation Department volunteers quickly affirmed Phil’s observation.
And the truth be known – both the kids and those doing the teaching were having lots of fun. And that, indeed, was important.
Although based in enjoyment, the lessons of Freedom Schools all across the country are far more meaningful than a good giggle or guffaw.
Freedom Schools, sponsored locally by the Kauffman Foundation, were born from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It was the vision of Marian Wright Edelman, whose Freedom Schools today have become an institution. It’s obvious in the dedication of the volunteers, especially those who have graduated from past summer schools and are now back as college-age interns and mentors.
The kids this summer, and this week at the Reed Area, are learning about bird beaks, bluegill and the bow of a boat. But more importantly, they are getting something that goes much deeper. And they’re doing it without even knowing it – building dignity.
“Right!” said Wendy Kese, one of the college leader volunteers. “And giving them confidence … and letting them know that they can make a difference in their world no matter what someone might tell them.
“Freedom Schools definitely changes lives.”
And, in the process, teaches them how they have to work together to make a canoe go straight.