More than fifteen young Belize City residents just learned a skill most people don’t even know exists in Belize, and one they could turn into a business.
The Department of Youth Services (DYS) wrapped up its three-day stained-glass workshop today and awarded certificates to participants who learned to design, cut and assemble stained-glass pieces inspired by Belize’s national symbols. The camp is one of more than forty free programmes DYS is running this summer.
Instructor Jokeeta Savariau, a former US-based architectural and aviation engineer, has run youth camps in Belize for eleven years, with themes shifting annually from robotics to stained glass. She said an earlier stained-glass camp in Punta Gorda tied the craft directly to history. “We made cool patterns from the underground railroad. So they were able to incorporate the learning of the history of slavery, moving towards freedom, and also geometry and mathematics, as well as using scientific principles to solder the glass.”
DYS Youth Officer Kyle Miller said bringing the workshop to Belize City was deliberate. “It’s not something you see regularly, something there’s a market for in Belize… but you can come and create your own market,” he said.
With the guidance of Miss Jokeeta, I believe that you can even pursue something like this on your own,” said attendee Trent Clarke.
Miller is encouraging more young people to sign up for future camps.
