Once by the sky-blue sea (Magic Camp History)
Magic Camp came into the world from love to children, the wish to fill their summer holidays with fun and excitement, as well as personal development and growth, to show them that English learning is not so much about memorizing words, reading and translating texts as about exciting games, interesting songs and socializing with friends.
The idea had been in the air for a long time. Thanks to the enthusiasm and persistence of Igor Blinov and his colleagues similar camps were being created in Kerch and Alushta in the Crimea in the late 90s. But the real incentive to create Magic Camp came from Tatiana Merkulova, who with her determination, knowledge and experience managed to form a team of counselors and organize the first English summer camp in the Kharkiv region in summer 2000. The name of the camp was “Discovery 2000”. Apart from being a useful experience, participation in the “Discovery 2000” camp proved the possibility of a dream come true.
In March 2001 we started creating a program of personality development with particular emphasis on arousing interest to learning English, which before long was named “Magic Camp” (prompted by Mel Gibson in “Maverick”). The program was based on games, competition and the idea of Leading is Action course by Stephanie Richard, a peace corps volunteer. The dream was realized thanks to the enthusiasm, persistence and creativity of our first team (Katia Nalyvaiko, Vasia Zhyglatyi, Julia Chimiris, Sergei Goncharuk, Lera Telpukhovskaya, Olia Starikova, Liuda Suprun, Dima Grigorenko, Misha Gritsenko, Julia Klimenko, Tania Kozlovets, Dima Kopiy, Lesia Goncharuk, Marina Samonenko, Valik Misostov).
In the fairly modest living conditions of the “Lesnoi” camp by Sudak our first “magics” plunged into the world of English and interesting and informative adventures. We successfully organized 4 sessions for schoolchildren (“The History of English”, “Leadership”, “Culture” and “Mythology”) and 1 session for students (“16+”).
The beginning of autumn did not put an end to the Magic Camp program. Its logical continuation was the “Magic World” program. We organized a Magic Camp Party for our campers, followed by Halloween, Christmas and St. Valentine’s Day. We launched 4 clubs: “Socializing in English”, “We’re all different”, “Journalism”, “Leadership.”
In January 2002 Magic Camp was divided into 2 branches: Summer Quest and Winter Magic. We spent Christmas in the Staryi Saltov tourist centre named after Soich and gained the first experience of organizing winter English camps.
In summer 2002 we faced extension problems. We increased the number of sessions from 4 to 8 and the number of locations from Sudak to Simeiz, invited American counselors, but failed to attract the anticipated number of participants.
Despite being generally successful, the summer Magic Camp season needed certain revision and additional work to lay the basis for more serious development. In October 2002 we launched the Counselor School. But due to the fact that the camp director and some of its counselors went to study to the United States in 2003 Magic Camp was forced to take the time off.
In September 2003 the Magic Counselor School resumed its work. We started preparing for the 2004 season, organized the Halloween, Christmas and St. Valentine’s Day parties.
The expected success came after the Winter Magic in the Carpathians. The happy faces and shining eyes of the returned campers spoke for themselves (read the feedback here). Everybody enjoyed the camp experience so much that they did not want to say goodbye to each other. Thus, the Magic Camp Club was launched. The “magics” attended the monthly meetings in the American Centre, which were later on transferred to the hospitable Vienna House which used to be in Lermontovskaya Street.
Summer Quest 2004 represents our further quest through trial and error for a suitable place for our program: we spent 2 sessions for schoolchildren in the “Volga” holiday home in Kanaka, 2 sessions in the “Crimean Pearl” recreation centre in Alupka and 2 sessions in the “Coral” recreation centre for children in Medvedevo by Yevpatoriya, and also 1 adult session in Alupka.
Winter Magic 2005 faced the challenges of overcoming suspiciousness and the “what if something bad happens” position with the qualitative leap in the civic consciousness of the Ukrainian nation in the background. In spite of the doubts of the many we managed to form a group of positively thinking participants and did carry out the program in Zakarpattia with the “East and West together!” motto.
At the same time we witnessed the first steps of the Magic Camp Abroad program. We went to the Karkonosze mountains in Poland. We faced some challenges as the pioneers of the program, but it was interesting and enjoyable anyway.
Summer Quest 2005 was conducted in Malyi Mayak and the “Volga” holiday home in Kanaka (Crimea), and also in the “Enerhetyk” holiday home in Zakarpattia.
Winter Magic 2006 was traditionally spent in “Enerhetyk”, and Summer Quest 2006 we spent in Malyi Mayak. The only novelty was a not-so-numerous session in Ponizovka by Simeiz, which turned out to be a great experience – friendly, enjoyable and warm.
January 2007 (the traditional time for our Winter Magic) did not indulge us with snow, which nevertheless did not prevent us from keeping up the Christmas spirit! That winter we launched the new Magic Travel Ukraine program. We set out to explore the ancient Lviv. A fairy tale in stone! A breath of history! Living traditions! If only we could treat that beauty with due care…
The spring brought the new breath of the Magic Travel Abroad program. We started with exploring Hungary and Budapest at the end of March and afterwards enjoyed the beauty of the spring Prague at the end of May 2007.
Our current programs:
INTERESTING, INFORMATIVE, ENJOYABLE!!!
Magic Travel Abroad
Magic Travel Abroad (Magic Journey Abroad) - one of the programs of public organization «UMNITS» (www.umnits.org) for the development of a free-thinking, creative, successful, self-defined, socially active and responsible person. The program has existed since 2004.
SPRING (Italy, Malta, Poland-Czech Republic-Germany)
SUMMER (France, Britain, Malta)
Purpose of the Program:
- help overcome the language barrier when communicating with foreigners
- learn to perceive and respect the culture of other countries
- develop commitment, reliability and confidence
The Program Participants:
- immersed in exciting competitive - English-speaking environment
- develop communication skills in English
- improve myself as a person
- learn to set goals and to find the means to implement them
- acquire skills to navigate the terrain and use the card
- develop the skills of planning their own budgets
- acquainted with the language of the visited country, its culture, traditions and characteristics
- try yourself in the role of a journalist
- develop skills scene photos
Tangible result of the Programme:
Electronic reference book about the country visited.
Reference is hosted at www.magiccamp.net and serves as a good reference point for those who are going in this country.
Program Benefits:
- universal for all ages
- fun and easy relocation, using games, puzzles and tasks, expertly trained team leader
- warm atmosphere of support, trust, mutual support and self-created command and educational games
- free time is filled with entertaining English classes, sports and creative games under the guidance of experienced managers with plenty of humor and enthusiasm
In addition to guided tours in advance, one day stay in another country group develops its own itinerary to interesting places and it explores the country in line with the objectives.
All have successfully completed a program devoted to the magics and become members of the Magic Camp Club. All magics have the right to participate in the "Magical World" at a discount.
With us is always fun, informative, interesting!
Travel Ukraine
Magic Travel Ukraine - Travel developing program with the English language
in different parts of Ukraine.
The name itself suggests its programs feature - it is for fans of movement, change impressions permanent interesting journey, for those who are not afraid of life on the road, for those who want to not only treat, but also to understand, compare, draw conclusions, to actively explore the world even in English!
If this is about you - join us!
With us it is always interesting, fun, informative!
+38050 4017 947 - Andrew
+38067 5900 556 - Andrew
+38073 0537 889 - Andrew
Our counselors
Vereshchaka Alina
Counselor since 2010.
I am the organizer of international Magic Travel programs, as well as the head of the Social Committee in KNURE, organize trips to an orphanage and conduct social actions. I like working with children very much - they fill me with energy, joy and inspiration.
I try to discover for them a wonderful and fascinating world filled with many opportunities and perspectives.
Vyunnik Nadia
From 2008, she has been a senior counselor.
Graduated from the school counselors Magic Counselor School, training course Studio Image Leadership, various training sessions on public speaking, effective communication.
Active, sociable, responsible, purposeful, patient.
Klymyshyna Nadia
From 2004, she has been a senior counselor.
Higher education, specialty "Referent-translator".
British Council Summer Schools for Teachers in Methods of Teaching English 2002, 2004, 2006, Moscow School of the School of Tomorrow 2007, TESOL and AITEFL.
Strong features: Optimism, I easily find contact with children, I know and can come up with many simple, developing games, I can solve conflicts of any complexity and confusion.
Stanishevskaya Tatiana
Counselor since 2010.
Student of NTUU "KPI", Faculty of Linguistics.
I graduated from English language courses. I am engaged in tutoring with children.
Responsible, reliable, purposeful. I love children and active recreation.
Ampwera Brian
Counselor since 2009, session leader.
Trained in Counselor School.
Fun and thoughtful.
Consultants
Stark, Randy
Van der Craats, Anthony de Vries
de Haan, Jorrit
Program Director:
Klymyshyn Andriy
Leader since 1982
About Camp
Magic Camp is one of the programs of the NGO MERIT. Its mission is to develop open-minded, creative, self-determined, successful, socially active and responsible individuals. It is basically a camp for children and adults where its participants:
- acquire the skills of working in a team and develop their leadership skills
- live in the atmosphere of creativity, self-development, mutual support and good manners
- communicate exclusively in English (especially with the camp counselors)
- explore the unknown, learn to overcome difficulties, sing songs in English
- and plunge into a captivating English speaking atmosphere
Every day is full of fascinating lessons of English, cognitive excursions, sport and creativity games being led by Ukrainian and American teachers with an abundance of humour and enthusiasm.
The program was founded in 2001 and has been developing in 4 directions:
1. Spring Magic - Spring break in Kharkiv, in Malta, immersion in history, culture of Poland - Czech Republic - Germany
2. Summer Quest is a summer adventure which guaranties profusion of energy and health at the warm and welcoming Black Sea and in the cool Carpathians.
3. Magic Autumn - Autumn holidays in Kharkiv, Lviv and Malta
4. Winter Magic is a winter enchantment of spending Christmas Holidays in the Carpathians and Poland.
5. Magic Travel Ukraine is a journey to picturesque and most breathtaking places of Ukraine.
6. Magic Travel Abroad is a magic journey abroad (Poland, Hungary, Check Republic, Turkey, Egypt, Malta, Great Britain etc.)
The participants who successfully complete the program become “magics” and thus participants of the Magic Camp Club. All “magics” can participate in Magic World programs with a discount.
If you are interested in the Magic Camp history, please visit History.
Interested in participating in one of the programs? Please, fill out the application form here.
Got feedback? Want to share your thoughts? Please, write here.
You may find answers to your questions here: frequently asked questions.
Interesting, informative, enjoyable!!!
About the Center
MERIT (UMNITS) – Methodology, Education Research, Information and Training Center
Mission:
To encourage the development of open-minded, creative, self-determined, successful, socially active and responsible individuals.
Aims:
- To create proper conditions for successful personality growth of all the participants of a learning process in formal and informal education;
- To create programs of effective education and development for children, youth and adults;
- To popularize the methods of personality development.
Objectives:
- To improve the programs of the Magic Counselor School, Magic Teacher School and Trainers’ School;
- To enlarge the geography of Magic Camp, Magic Travel Abroad and Magic Travel Ukraine, Magic School of English, MERIT Training Camp, trainers’ “Network of Growth”.
Our programs:
MERIT (UMNITS) holidays with personality development is one of the programs of our organization combining rest with discovering the inner potential of each individual, educating a versatile individuality and developing one’s character.
The aim of the program is to involve the participants into a continuous process of self-cognition, perfection and development.
MERIT Training Camp
If you are interested in Magic Camp history, click here.
MERIT members
Andrew Klymyshyn, Manager of MERIT.
