Cooking up fun: Common Ground Teen Center hosts annual summer camps
Teens cooked up some fun at Common Ground Teen Center in downtown Washington Monday, the first day of the center’s annual summer camp series.
Summer Cooking Camp began with Italian Heritage Day, led by director Mary Jo Podgurski, who got messy alongside young people making her mother’s tried-and true Mama Cirelli’s homemade bread and homemade meatballs. Campers also learned to make wedding soup, salad with made-from-scratch dressing and tiramisu.
“I’m Italian, so food is connection in my culture. Food is a love thing,” said Podgurski, while Italian music played softly in the background at the Teen Center. “It’s a skill you need all your life. More than that, it’s social. One of the goals here is socialization. Everybody helped.”
Young people took turns adding ingredients, kneading dough, stirring, sampling and yes, even washing dishes during Summer Cooking Camp, and enjoyed the fruits of their labor around a table together.
“It didn’t feel like work. It just felt like a really good time,” said Victoria Allen, 16, of Washington, taking a bite of homemade tiramisu.
The good time, young people agreed, was every aspect of the process.
“The best part: eating,” smiled Aujalae Lyle, 16, of Washington.
“I had a really fun time talking to people,” added Lily Gough, 13, of Canonsburg. “It felt really good to eat our hard work.”
Each year, Common Ground hosts a series of summer camps, and this year’s lineup offers a little something for everyone. Cooking Camp is daily from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through the end of this week, and attendees will enjoy a tasting tour of cultures, crafting delicious French, American, African American and Japanese recipes at the Teen Center.
From July 10 to 14, young people are invited to explore the natural world at Nature Camp, which runs from 9 a.m. to noon, or engage in friendly competition during Games Camp, which takes place from 1 to 4 p.m.
Arts Camp and Theater Camp take center stage the week of July 24. Arts Camp runs from 9 a.m. to noon. Theater Camp begins at 1 p.m. and wraps at 4 p.m.
Teenagers ages 12 through 18 are invited to attend all summer camps, which are free, thanks in part to grant funding from Range Resources and Southwest Training.
For more information on Common Ground Teen Center’s summer camps, email Podgurski at podmj@healthyteens.com.