4. Diversity

Just as diversity is demonstrated in the picture above, so does the Kaleidoscope Arts Camp try to promote diversity. Part of the camp's mission is "to use performing and visual arts to cultivate creativity and to celebrate diversity and acceptance." While the camp is run out of a Church building, there is no religious affiliation and there are campers of all different religions and races.

Every year the camp chooses a theme, and often times that theme is based on the idea of accepting people of different backgrounds. For example two years ago the theme was peace, and the theme for the upcoming year is "ART-a-TUDE": Using the Arts to Motivate the Good Impulses of People. The camp makes a distinct effort to encourage the campers to be forward thinking and envision a more united world, like the one in the picture.

3. Service in Life

In my opinion people reaching out and helping those less fortunate than them is one of the greatest things in this world, because it demonstrates the ultimate selflessness in recognizing that there is more in this world than the physical and the material. The overall life experience of service is good not only for the vulnerable population being served but also for whoever is performing the service.

Service is important firstly to whatever vulnerable community is being served, because everyone can benefit from a little help from their neighbor. But service is also very important to the individual who is volunteering themselves, because it their own small way of trying to improve the Human Dignity of all people, to raise those who are suffering up to an easier existence.

2. Common Good

My work at the Kaleidoscope Arts Camp benefited the Common Good  in several ways. Firstly I was able to help children have a positive experience by sharing with them my passion for music. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, because the camp offers financial aid possibilities for kids whose families are not in the most stable economic shape, I was able to help provide a positive experience for kids who may not have the chance participate in activities in the arts very often.

My work with some of the kids who were there with financial aid served as a reminder that despite where we might come from we all as human beings share many things in common, and when we bring out our similarities we can cooperate and become friends, just as I witnessed friendships forming between the campers.

1. Human Dignity

Human Dignity is the concept that all human beings are born deserving a natural level of respect and should be treated in that way. I have no doubt in my mind that Kaleidoscope Arts Camp demonstrates total respect for each camper as an individual, and allows each camper to fully express themselves in their art without harsh restrictions being put on them by the counsellors/teachers.

An example of how Kaleidoscope respects Human Dignity through respecting each individual's opinion is in the play/performance the kids give at the end of the two-week camp. Under the judicious moderation of one of the counsellors, the kids "write" the play, and in the process of writing the play, every individual's input is valued equally. Also in the visual art the kids each camper express him/herself fully and the counsellors cannot stop a kid from using any subject for their art unless it is inappropriate.