Wednesday, June 25, 2025

Creativity Unleashed for Foster Youth at Summer Enrichment Event

(Left) A Five Acres youth shows Peaches Santos, BCD Travel purchasing manager, the hat he constructed using cardboard. In collaboration with Rediscover Center, BCD Travel employees volunteered for an enrichment program they hosted at the charity’s main campus. (Top right) Kjarsten Philipsen, BCD Travel senior vice president, Americas, volunteered to support a youth in foster care living at Five Acres with creating a high-five model during the BCD Travel and Rediscover Center summer enrichment event. (Bottom right) A young teen girl in foster care living at Five Acres creates a journal during the BCD Travel and Rediscover Center summer enrichment event. [Photos courtesy of Five Acres]

Local nonprofit partners bring imagination and learning to children in residential care

Children and youth at Five Acres’ Residential Program experienced a day of hands-on creativity through an innovative summer enrichment event hosted by BCD Travel in collaboration with the Rediscover Center. The interactive program, designed for foster care residents ages 8 to 14, featured four maker stations that encouraged self-expression, problem-solving, and sustainable reuse of materials.

“Our children and youth thrive when given opportunities to explore their imagination and discover new skills,” said Jennifer Berger, chief advancement officer at Five Acres. The event directly addressed the “summer slide” phenomenon, where disadvantaged children often lose academic ground during school breaks.

The maker stations offered diverse creative experiences, including character design with recycled fabrics, architectural modelmaking using cardboard, color shaker toy creation, and puppetry. Throughout the event, BCD Travel and Rediscover Center volunteers provided guidance, snacks, and lunch to ensure every child felt supported.

“Seeing the kids light up as they realized a cardboard box could become a spaceship or superhero shield was incredible,” said Jonathan Markowitz Bijur, Rediscover Center executive director. “Their creativity underscores the importance of open-ended play and exploration at all ages.”

Yipin Lu, senior project manager at BCD Travel, highlighted the company’s commitment to community engagement. “Partnering with Five Acres and Rediscover Center aligns perfectly with our commitment to embracing change and fostering innovation,” Lu said.

The event exemplified Five Acres’ mission of supporting vulnerable children, continuing the organization’s 136-year legacy of protecting and nurturing youth across six counties.