CAMP KENNEDY

Camp Kennedy aims to empower 15 young Romanians aged 14-17 to become active citizens, increase their English language ability, learn more about U.S. democratic values, and offer participants the necessary life-long tools to engage in civic activism and social responsibility.

Through this unique program, Romanian teens will get the chance to understand the tools of civic activism first-hand, while augmenting their English language skills needed for our globalized world. Inspired by President Kennedy’s inaugural address asking Americans to reflect upon what they could do for their country, this camp will draw on the best civic engagement practices from the United States designed to support Romanian citizens who are committed to making substantive contributions to their own country.

All camp activities will advance leadership and other 21st Century skills development by cultivating critical thinking, public speaking, teambuilding, and goal setting. Teaching methods will include interactive workshops and simulations, peer discussions, observations and critical reflections of government institutions, and interactions with decision-makers.

Schedule

Until when can I apply?

You can apply to Camp Kennedy 2022 until 9 May 2022.

https://forms.office.com/r/tCrNtyTPNy

What happens if my application is selected?

You will be part of the project!

When do I get the final answer?

This date will be determined based on the permanent closing of applications.

When will the Summer School take place?

Camp Kennedy 2022 will take place from July 15-21, 2022.

AMONG CAMP KENNEDY SPEAKERS OVER THE YEARS:

ELIZA CHIRILA-POP

Eliza Chirilă is currently National Director of the American Councils for International Education, Romania Chapter. At the American Councils, Eliza coordinates the US Department of State's FLEX program, a scholarship program for high school students, as well as programs such as the Elie Wiesel Study Tour and Camp Kennedy. Her areas of interest are youth policy, international law, education and communication. Her interest in the area of public youth policy and the European Union has brought her to the position of expert on structured dialogue with young people in the Romanian Youth Forum in 2014-2015. At the Youth Forum, Eliza coordinated the National Network of Ambassadors of Structured Dialogue with Young People, as well as the National Caravan on the same topic. Previously, Eliza was Romania's Youth Delegate to the UN for the 2013-2014 mandate. Currently, she is also active in the Global Shapers Bucharest Hub and is one of the co-authors of the book "Romania of the New Wave." and ambassador of KULT Hub Roman.Pi

CEZARA GRAMA

Cezara Grama is a graduate of the Faculty of Law of the University of Bucharest and since 2014 she has been working with Expert Forum Association in the framework of the Rule of Law, Justice and Anti-Corruption program, as well as on the organization's education and active citizenship projects. Since 2014 she has been actively involved in the coordination of election observation campaigns in Romania. She is also a graduate of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Romania's Leaders for Justice Programme.

GELU DUMINICA

Gelu Duminică is executive director of the Together Agency, sociologist, professor at the Faculty of Sociology and Social Work of the University of Bucharest and author of several works. Starting as a volunteer with the Agency in 1999, Gelu Duminică has since become the head of the organisation, which has so far launched dozens of projects for the development of Roma communities in Romania. Personally, Gelu Dumincă fights against prejudice and discrimination and advocates meritocracy and the right to be different.

CODRU VRABIE

Codru Vrabie is a civic activist, trainer and consultant on good governance, transparency, accountability and integrity in the public sector; over the years, he has contributed to several reform measures in justice and public administration-some of which are documented at Academia.edu. With a degree in legal and political sciences (Romania, Bulgaria, United States) and a master's degree in administrative sciences and European affairs (Romania, Netherlands, Spain), Codru has been working for civil society in Romania since 1998. Since 2010, Codru has been working in the Leaders for Justice programme, which is replicated since 2017 in the Republic of Moldova under the name LEAD. Since April 2018, Codru has joined telegraful.net, where he works on the podcast series Ipoteze in helmets, a project of the Curaj Înainte Association.

ANDRADA CILIBIU

Andrada Cilibiu is PR and Communications Coordinator at Filia Center, a non-profit, apolitical and feminist organization that fights gender inequality through activism, advocacy and research. For Andrada, the Filia Centre was her first interaction with civil society in Bucharest and with activism made out of passion. Now, she advocates for equal opportunities with the same passion and dedication inherited from the organization.

DUMITRU OPRIȚOIU

Dumitru Oprițoiu is Project Manager at Europuls - Centre of European Expertise, a non-governmental organisation founded in 2010 in Brussels by a group of Romanian experts in European affairs. The aim is to promote the European integration process in Romania and the development of a European public space. Dumitru holds a degree in History from the West University of Timisoara and a Master's degree in International Relations and Development Studies. His main interests are the integration and history of Europe and the European Union, as well as the foreign and neighbourhood policy of the European Union. He worked as an intern for the RO2019 platform and was an intern at the Romanian Government. His areas of expertise include EU neighbourhood policy, transatlantic relations and EU regional cooperation.

Activities

Camp Kennedy aims to foster civic leadership in participants through a diverse range of activities that can provide them with both the information needed for future activities and the role models and motivation to follow their ideas and actively contribute to the development of today's society. Thus, the camp programme will include activities such as:

- Interactive seminars with local specialists, teachers and activists on:

• Romania's democratic institutions and the separation of powers in the state

• The public policy-making process in Romania and the role of citizens, journalists, interest groups and government officials in it

• The importance of diversity and tolerance

- Study visits to various public institutions

- Interactive workshops on civil society and the role each citizen plays in a democratic society; observing the differences between the culture and civic engagement of citizens in the United States compared to Romania.

- Educational simulations and thematic debates with experts

Visits to important institutions such as the Embassy of the United States of America in Romania were a main point of the 5th edition:

Logistics

The information on this page relates to edition V, 15-21 July 2022.

Where will the sessions take place?

The sessions of this event will take place in a hostel near Bucharest. This will also be the location where all meals will be served and accommodation facilities provided.

What will the accommodation facilities be?

Participants will be accommodated in a hostel, in individual rooms, in a location where all the necessary sanitation and social distancing measures are respected in order to minimise the risks of contact in view of the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Do I have to pay for accommodation?

No, accommodation facilities will be fully funded by the project organisers.

Will we have all three meals included?

Absolutely. Breakfast, lunch and dinner will all be included in the programme and will be served in the hostel.

How comprehensive will the programme be?

The activities of the camp will start each morning at 9 am and during the day there will be several types of sessions, visits to different institutions, thematic discussions and non-formal activities. These will end around 22:00. During the day there will be several coffee breaks and meal breaks.

Can I leave the camp at any time?

No. The organisers have planned a number of group outings where we will leave camp together but none of the participants will be able to do so individually. Participants will be able to go to nearby shops/pharmacies during breaks, accompanied by an organiser, but will not be allowed to leave the area where the event is taking place.

Is there a dress code?

As far as the dress code is concerned, there will be a number of events such as openings or official visits to institutions that will require formal, office attire. Outside of these activities, the attire will be casual, suitable for sessions and debates as well as teambuilding activities.

When does the camp end?

The camp will end on Saturday 21 July 2022.

Q&A

Who can apply for this project?

Eligible persons for this project must be high school students, at least 15 years old and not more than 17 years old at the time of the start of the programme (15 July 2022), who are Romanian citizens. There are no restrictions regarding the city of origin, high school profile, general average, etc. It is recommended that applicants have an average level of English conversation, given that part of the programme will be conducted in English and are willing to organize at least one local civic project, between 22-31 July 2022.

Do I have to be a straight A student or does extracurricular experience count?

Both educational background and extra-curricular experience are relevant for the selection of participants and are of equal importance. Participation in school competitions, Olympiads and very good learning outcomes are elements worth mentioning in the application. At the same time, volunteering experience, participation in out-of-school competitions, training programmes and non-formal education activities can be an important and even decisive element in the selection of participants.
However, a very high number of extracurricular activities or an excellent overall average does not guarantee acceptance to the programme without other elements being taken into account.
The application and interview will be conducted in English. Please complete the application form in full in English.

What are the costs of this programme?

All costs of this program are fully covered by the organizers through funding from the US Embassy in Bucharest;
There is no participation fee for those selected;
Accommodation and meals will be provided and there is no cost to the young participants.

Can I fill out my application in Word format and send it by e-mail or even by post?

Absolutely! If you don't have internet access, the form doesn't work properly or it's just easier for you to send us the application in Word format, all you need to do is download, fill it in on your computer or by hand and send it to us in digital or printed format.
The way in which the application is completed and submitted will NOT be considered as a differentiating criterion in the evaluation of the application.

Does it matter which profile I follow at high school?

No, it does not. You can follow a theoretical, technological or even vocational high school, this element does not affect in any way the evaluation of the application or the possibility of being selected. This information is for information purposes only.

What happens if I find out that I have been selected but I can no longer participate for personal reasons?

In the unfortunate event that you have already been selected but will not be able to attend the event, we would ask you to notify us by phone or e-mail as early as possible to ensure that the remaining place will be offered to another applicant with a very good application. Non-participation in the programme does not entail any financial or other obligation, except to give as much notice as possible, preferably by 1 June 2022.

Our Team

Camp Kennedy is financed by the U.S. Embassy Bucharest and coordinated by American Councils for International Education, Romania office. The project team is the following:

Eliza Chirilă-Pop, American Councils Romania Country Representative 

Eliza Chirilă-Pop will lead project development and provide operational oversight of Camp Kennedy .Ms. Chirilă-Pop has worked on youth affairs for several years, having previously been a Youth Delegate to the United Nations and president of the Romanian-American University (RAU) Students Councils, RAU Senate and Board Member, and Vice-President of the National Students Union (USR). Ms. Chirilă-Pop is active in the civil society community, involved in the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Bucharest Hub, programs involving student transition to the workforce, and other areas of social economic development. She has provided operational oversight of Camp Kennedy, 4/4ForFriends and Elie Wiesel Study Tour as well.

Iuniana Mîndru, American Councils Romania, Program Coordinator

Iuniana Mîndru will coordinate the local programs. Ms. Mîndru has worked in education for three years and in the research and trade field at the Japan External Trade Organization for several years. Ms. Mîndru has started volunteering activities since high school at the Romanian Japanese Studies Center within the Romanian American University and she was involved in various cultural and economic projects having the focus on overcoming the cultural and communication barriers.

Ștefan Duminică, American Councils Romania Program Assistant

Ștefan Duminică is the Camp Kennedy 2022 assistant. He is studying communication and public relations at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies, Bucharest. For five years Stefan was involved in organizing a youth theater festival. During high school he was a member of a non-governmental organization where he participated for two years in teaching activities with disadvantaged children.

Contact us

If you would like more information about the program, have any questions about it or have any queries about the application, you can contact us via any of these communication channels:

• E-mail: campkennedy@americancouncils.org

• Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/AmericanCouncilsRomania