Since its establishment in 2009, the Alliance Cultural Foundation has focused on the educational needs of Hualien and Taitung. To provide more opportunities for students in these remote areas to engage with English, the foundation started summer English camps in 2010. Over ten years, these camps have significantly increased English learning resources, training around 500 volunteers and hosting over 1,500 children. In 2020, the program transitioned to the "Reading Program," introducing the online English self-learning system (Reading A-Z) to local schools and after-school programs.
The English camp offers an environment that encourages speaking English and inspires learning. The residential camp fosters independence, teamwork, and cultural exchange. By integrating English learning into engaging courses, the camp helps children explore their interests and become more confident.
In 2010 and 2011, volunteers from the University of San Diego's ETA4 program and the "Medical Humanities Core Team" held sessions at National Taitung University’s Jhihben Campus. Starting in 2012, the camp partnered with Taipei American School's H2H International Service Group and domestic college students, moving to Junyi School of Innovation. This collaboration aimed to create a three-way learning experience among all students and foster a lasting connection with Hualien and Taitung.
Goals
- Inspire children's interest in English through an all-English environment and diverse courses, and help them understand the importance of learning English.
- Integrate English into activities to learn practical English and increase opportunities for children to speak English actively.
- Develop a habit of reading in English, encouraging continued self-directed learning after the camp.
- Through group living, teach children life etiquette, discipline, interpersonal skills, and independence.
- Cultivate the spirit of volunteer service and the 4C abilities (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity) in college volunteers, enhancing their leadership and camp organization skills through group work, proposals, and communication.
- Develop seed students by providing English learning resources and establishing long-term supportive relationships after the camp.
Participants
The camp recruits students from 5th grade in elementary school to 8th grade in middle school in the Hualien and Taitung regions, giving priority to economically disadvantaged and indigenous students. A portion of the spots is reserved for the foundation's partner organizations and after-school programs.
