Some of those topics include fitness and nutrition tips, self-defense techniques, what constitutes a healthy and unhealthy relationship, and what it means to be economically self-sufficient.
“The camp is a business and leadership skills development camp,” Haddad said.
The idea of the camp is to engage young people in conversations they might not normally have about their future, she said.
“They have to be a part of designing their own future,” Haddad said.
Last year, the camp served just high school students in two separate summer sessions.
This summer, the program has been expanded to include middle school students as well, out of an interest in reaching girls earlier, Haddad said.
On Wednesday, the middle school-aged campers worked on budgeting work sheets, checking out how a set of hypothetical expenses stacked up against a make-believe income.
“We learned the difference between credit cards and debit cards, and don’t go overboard,” said Marlina Barnett-Crespo, 12.
Marlina said her interest in finances prompted her to take part in the camp.
“I wanted to learn how to save my money,” she said.
After their dose of financial planning was finished, the girls practiced some self-defense moves with the help of Nelson Nio, the creator of a women’s self-defense system called SHIELD.
Nio coached the youngsters how to use their arms to block an attacker’s blows, and how to lower their center of gravity to keep their balance if they are being pushed around.
The girls hopped across the classroom, smiling and laughing as they tried out the foreign moves.
