Walt Whitman told us to sound our barbaric yawp but these kids are sounding their… Eayikes.
What the heck?!
Eayikes comes from the acronym EEIICC standing for “Engaged, Empowered, Exposed, Informed, Inspired, Citizens of a Community.” However, EEIICC is not that catchy, so it morphed  into Eayikes.
While Eayikes is just downright strange, it’s the name of a new summer camp in California with a strong message.
Started by Ray Ricafort and some college friends, the camp focuses on building confidence, cooperation and self-esteem among the campers. Ricafort used to be tour director at the nonprofit Roadtrip Nation, but quit last year to dedicate himself to this new project.
The first session was held a year ago with students from various schools and programs. Like any normal camp, the days were filled with various workshops such as dance, creative writing and cooking. But there’s a unique intention behind every activity: To promote individuality while teaching participants to work as a team. Trust in others and individual self-esteem are the ultimate outcomes of the camp.
In the year since the camp first opened its doors, it has continued to expand. Eayikes achieved nonprofit status as well as held its second successful large event called “Wildernizzle” at Malibu Creek State Park.
Large events aren’t the only way it’s spreading the message of empowerment. It also engages the community through small events, such as a human library featuring members of minority groups that volunteered to be “books” that could be checked out. Every “book” was filled with their own stories, which readers discovered. The “books” answered any and all questions that readers had about their background and experiences.
At a time when young people are exposed to such negativity online, Eayikes is working to instill positive attributes in the future generation of this country. Sounds like a cause worth investing in.
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