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══════════════════【立報】═══════════════════ |
| 教 育 專 題 深 入 報 導《2008-08-07》 |
| 本期內容 | |
| ◎國際專題：不一樣的夏令營 | |
| ◎美國夏令營 助難民融入生活 | |
| ◎美菁英軍校用泥巴與責任吸引年輕人 | |
| 國際專題：不一樣的夏令營 | |
| 策劃、編譯■陳銳嬪、陳玫伶 | |
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夏天的記憶，總是有各種不同的夏令營穿梭其中。 夏令營除了輕鬆愉快，也可以具備功能性、教育性與啟發性。 這個暑假，你參加了什麼不一樣的夏令營？我們又可以設計出怎樣一個不同的夏令營？ 如果今年來不及， 我們期許台灣明年也有不一樣的夏令營！ |
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| （回目錄） | |
| 美國夏令營 助難民融入生活 | |
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哈拉赫住在伊拉克的時候，總是被困在屋子裡。因為外面世界的暴力，她不能到屋外玩耍、騎腳踏車，甚至散步。 今年5月搬到美國迪爾伯恩之後，這名14歲的難民少女開始感受到新的自由。但日子仍有限制，因為她缺乏英語溝通與適應美國生活的能力。 為了幫助像哈拉赫這樣的難民融入美國生活，位於密西根州的路德會社會服務處（Lutheran Social Services of Michigan），今年特別為來自戰亂國家（如伊拉克）的新移民設立了夏令營活動。約有150名大人和小孩參加了這個第一次舉辦的夏令營，路德會希望這類活動能繼續舉辦下去。 哈拉赫透過翻譯表示：「這個營隊幫助我學語言，我需要他們的協助。」 路德會社會服務處指出，以伊拉克人為大宗的1千3百餘難民預計將於今年抵達密西根。從戰爭開始至今，已經有超過2百萬伊拉克人逃離這個國家，希望可以找到一個穩定的未來。有一些人說他們把希望放在底特律，希望參加夏令營能對他們有所助益。 大部分營員來自伊拉克，另外有20個來自東南亞地區的苗族難民也參加了此次夏令營。 營隊舉辦期間的一個早晨，孩子們在籃球場奔跑遊玩的時候，附近教室裡的父母親們正在學習，當天的主題是「如何用英語購買蔬菜和水果」。 老師娜潔爾手持香蕉的照片問道：「這是什麼？」 有一些人看起來很困惑，也有一些人慢慢地唸出了正確答案。 老師繼續展示其他水果的圖片，並且耐心地修正學員們的發音。 阿拉伯區最易適應 為了使他們適應新生活，有一些難民被安置在阿拉伯裔美國人聚集的迪爾伯恩，使他們的生活差異降低到最小。 哈拉赫的家庭在迪爾伯恩可以用阿拉伯語購物、外出用餐和找工作。 她的父親麥吉德說：「我在我的國家可以找到的東西，在這裡也可以找到，這讓新生活容易適應一點。」 但是還是有不一樣的地方。哈拉赫和17歲的姊姊出門時，不需要像在伊拉克一樣穿戴伊斯蘭罩袍。 和其他難民一樣，麥吉德因為替美國軍隊工作，他的家庭安全受到威脅，他說他有一個兄弟被綁架並且被謀殺。 兩年前，麥吉德全家逃到敘利亞，在那裡住了一年半，後來經過聯合國的安置計畫，得以搬到美國定居。 麥吉德的兩個女兒計畫秋天將進入高中就讀，但是他擔心無法找到工作養家。像其他參與這個計畫的難民一樣，他們都聽說當地的經濟蕭條。 不過現在，參加夏令營可以幫助他、兩個女兒和妻子提升各方面的能力。此外，這個營也提供一個平台，讓難民可以分享彼此在新生活中所面對的掙扎，從而抒解壓力。 安全感與鄉愁拔河 今年10歲的營員季娜很高興能夠離開伊拉克，她說：「因為他們殺人。」 但是在夏令營中，她也很想念在伊拉克的家人。 上完手工藝課之後，她說：「有時候想要回到伊拉克，有時候我又想留在這裡。」季娜的母親曼哈爾附和道：「住在美國對我們比較好，因為很安全，然而這裡的工作機會比較少。」 夏令營主辦單位認為，從隊員的參與可以斷定，他們在未來一定會成功。 資深協調專員潔西卡說：「你可以看到，他們很早就到，而且非常渴望學習。」 參考來源：\http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080803/NEWS05/808030532/1007 |
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| （回目錄） | |
| 美菁英軍校用泥巴與責任吸引年輕人 | |
| （路透社） | |
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這是不一樣的夏令營，數十名參加軍隊障礙課程的美國高中生，比賽攀登繩索並在刺鐵絲網下的泥濘上爬行，看誰可以變得最髒。 在森林中的障礙物之間奔跑時，這群年輕人大聲唱著軍歌。當軍校生問他們是否有動力，他們齊聲回答：「有動力，有動力，非常有動力。喔，啊，喔，啊，我要殺人。」 每年夏天，8百名立志當兵的高中生會在西點軍校一週，看看這個訓練未來軍官的著名美國軍校有著怎樣的生活。 伊拉克與阿富汗的戰爭使美軍面對沉重壓力，而民眾對伊拉克戰爭的支持度也很低，使招募未來軍官的任務似乎變得困難。但是官員表示，夏日課程的申請者創下了新高。 西點指出，它招募「學者、領袖與運動員」。參加夏日領袖研討會的年輕人，除了成績優異外，體育與課外活動表現也必須出色。這個為期一週的住宿活動，分兩個時段舉行。 17歲的艾立士‧因別勒來自北卡羅來納，他是學校步槍隊隊長，他把自己對西點的興趣歸咎於在軍中的爸爸。但是，很多參與這個課程的學生，並不是來自軍人家庭。 來自加州費爾菲爾德的凱思琳‧英歌今年16歲，她說，她原本有幾個選擇，如參與和平部隊，但是最後選擇加入軍隊。 她一邊玩一個叫做「美國軍隊」的電動遊戲，一邊說：「我讀五年級的時候發生911事件，當時我就決定，我能為國家做的最好的事就是這個（加入軍隊）。」 「我想，要殺一個人很難，但是如果那是你的工作，而指揮官告訴我，我必須這樣做的時候，我會遵命以保護我的國家。」 移民與冒險 17歲的馬利歐‧范斯蓋茲來自德州艾爾帕索，他希望成為神經外科醫生，但是他說，首先他必須履行對美國的責任。 「事實上是我的媽媽第一個發現這個夏令營，我媽媽來自墨西哥，她說這是一個學習紀律的好地方。」 「這個國家給我以及給我家人的，使我覺得欠這個國家很多，但是我也擔心，因為這裡面有太多犧牲。」他說：「你把國家置於自己之上，犧牲你的家庭和其他好處。」 來自新墨西哥州的奧斯汀‧福摩爾現年17歲，可以環遊世界、看識新天地的前景很吸引他，雖然對上戰場感到緊張，但是他說：「這只是另外一種冒險。」 「我之前沒有察覺原來有這麼多像我的年輕人。」他坐在操場上的黑鷹直昇機門口，一邊說一邊露齒而笑。 1802年起，從西點軍校畢業的人保括前總統艾森豪、在第一次海灣戰爭中的美軍統帥史瓦茲柯夫和太空人伯茲‧艾德林。當他們在位於紐約州哈德遜河畔風景優美的校園待一個星期，這些高中生很快就可以融入軍校學生的生活。 他們清晨5點起床進行體能訓練，在軍校生的口號下行軍，參加學術工作坊，之後把其餘的時間花在操場上。 「我們有能力挑選最有競爭力的學生。」負責審核入營的天恩‧貝奇德中校指出，這個8百個名額的計畫，共有3,674人申請。 他說，那些參加夏令營的人並不會保證錄取入軍校，但是他們有比較好的機會。入軍校接受4年的大學教育後，畢業生必須服5年役，再當3年後備役軍人。 「我並未在這裡過濾他們，沒有打算驅逐弱者，只是給他們資訊，讓他們可以做更好的選擇。」 戰爭中的國家 17歲的艾麗絲‧芬克的牛仔褲與粉紅色襯衫黏滿泥巴，臉上塗上偽裝色，她穿上防彈衣，把金黃色馬尾塞進鋼盔下，然後爬上悍馬運兵車檢查機關槍。 「在伊拉克，你提的東西將比這重上40磅。」上等兵札斯廷‧弗萊契告訴她。弗萊契是第10山地師的士兵，去年才從伊拉克回來。 芬克是兩位陸軍准將的孫女，而爸爸則是中校，她說家人很支持她加入預備軍官訓練團，反而是她在康乃狄克州威爾通的朋友比較不支持。 「我的小鎮沒有軍人，目前這個小鎮是反戰的，加入軍隊表示你支持戰爭，但是我很多朋友都是反戰的。」芬克說。 「當我說我打算加入預備軍官訓練團或加入西點軍校，他們說：『我們不想你被殺死。』」 芬克表示，支持伊拉克戰爭與否與她的軍人志願無關。「我覺得這是我的責任，這是我盡本分來服務國家的方式，這是我的選擇。」 傑弗里‧威爾遜中校負責這次的學術課程，他說這次的申請者創下新高。 他說：「我並不確定我們的國家捲入戰場是否會影響申請者的意願，但是我相信，這一代的人有很強的為國捐軀意願。」 被罵與被操 西點軍校生的生活受到嚴格管控，從如何摺內褲到桌上個人物品的排列方式，每一個細節都有其規定。 莊妮‧孔莎現年17歲，來自密西根州的她擅長撐竿跳高，這使她在障礙課的表現與男生平分秋色，她享受團隊合作與領導才能訓練，但是還沒有確定是否要申請軍校。 她的衣服因為在鐵絲網下爬行而沾滿泥濘，她說：「這是最有趣的一部分，但是我也最不喜歡這一環節，因為我不喜歡被罵與被操，這對我是很艱難的。」 有一天的學術工作坊，一群學生模擬演出一場謀殺案審判，其他學生則在電子工程課上造出一個尋找光源的機器人。 第三組學生則透過流行文化的元素，表現出《星際大戰》與《辛普森家庭》如何詮釋斯多葛哲學。 在一個與10名軍校生座談的下午，學生問關於休閒時間、喝酒所面對的處罰、需要進行多少勞動、是否有線上課程、冬天有多冷與多少睡眠時間等問題。 一名軍校生約翰‧威廉說，他因為某些錯誤的原因選擇了西點，事前對它並不暸解。 「我知道很多人為了錯誤的原因而來。」他告訴學生：「你要人們以你為傲、這是個榮譽、你不想讓別人失望。這可能並不是壞事。」 「我因為錯誤的原因而來這裡，但是當然，我因為正確的理由而留下來。」 Climbing ropes and crawling in the mud under barbed wire, dozens of American high school kids at an unusual summer camp vied to see who could get most dirty as they tackled an Army obstacle course. And as they ran between obstacles in the woods, the kids shouted Army chants. Asked by a cadet if they were motivated, they shouted back in unison: "Motivated, motivated, downright motivated. Ooh, aah, ooh, aah, I want to kill somebody." Each summer, 800 high school kids hoping to become soldiers spend a week at West Point to see what life is like at the prestigious U.S. military academy for future army officers. With the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan straining the U.S. military and public support low for the Iraq war, recruiting future officers might seem a tough sell. But officials say applications to the summer program are at a record high. West Point says it recruits "scholars, leaders and athletes." Kids at the Summer Leadership Seminar, a week-long residential program held over two sessions, have top grades and are strong in sports and extra-curricular activities. Alex Imbriale, a 17-year-old from North Carolina who is captain of his school's rifle team, attributed his interest in West Point to his father, who is in the army. But there were plenty of students on the program who are not "army brats." Kathleen Engle, 16, from Fairfield, California, said she had looked into the Peace Corps and other options but decided on the military. "I was in fifth grade when 9/11 happened and that's when I decided the best thing I could do for my country was this," she said, playing a video game called "America's Army." "I guess it's going to be hard to kill someone, but if that's your job and that's what our commander tells us we need to do, I'm going to do that in order to protect my country." IMMIGRANTS AND ADVENTURERS Mario Vazquez, 17, from El Paso, Texas, hopes to be a neurosurgeon but first he says he has a duty to America. "My Mom is actually the one that found out about it," he said of the West Point summer program. "My mother is from Mexico ... she said it's a good place to get discipline." "I owe a lot to this country because of what it's given me, because of what it's given my family, but I also have fears because it's a lot of sacrifice," he said. "You put your country before yourself and you sacrifice your family and a lot of other privileges." Austin Fullmer, 17, from Las Cruces, New Mexico, said he was attracted by the prospect of moving around the world and seeing new places, and although he would be nervous about deploying to a combat zone, "it's just another adventure." "I didn't quite realize there were this many kids like me," he said, grinning as he sat in the doorway of Blackhawk helicopter parked in a field. Graduates of the academy founded in 1802 include former President Dwight Eisenhower, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, who led U.S. forces in the first Gulf War, and astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. During their week at the picturesque campus on the banks of the Hudson river in New York state, the high-school students are immersed in cadet life. They are woken at 5 a.m for physical training, they march in formation under the command of current cadets, take academic workshops and spend a day in the field. "We're able to pick the most competitive students," said Lt. Col. Dean Batchelder, who handles admissions. There were 3,674 applications for 800 places on the high-school program. Those who attend are not guaranteed admission to the academy -- which offers a four-year college education in return for a commitment of five years active duty and three years as a reservist -- but they stand a good chance, he said. "I'm not here to screen them," Batchelder added. "We're not trying to weed out the weak, we're trying to give them the information so they can make a better choice." NATION AT WAR Her jeans and pink shirt caked in mud, her face daubed with camouflage cream, 17-year-old Elise Fink put on a flak jacket, stuffed her blonde ponytail under a helmet, and climbed up into the gun turret of a Humvee to check out the machine gun. "In Iraq you'll be carrying about 40 pounds more than that," Specialist Justin Fletcher, a 10th Mountain Division soldier who returned from Iraq late last year, told her. The grand-daughter of two brigadier generals and daughter of a lieutenant colonel, Fink says her family was supportive of her interest in West Point or the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). Her friends in Wilton, Connecticut, less so. "My town doesn't do military," Fink said. "My town is very anti-war right now, so to join the military means you're pro-war, and a lot of my friends are anti-war." "When I said that I was planning on doing ROTC or coming to West Point, they said 'I don't want you to get killed.'" Fink says support or disapproval of the war in Iraq is irrelevant to her military ambitions. "I feel it's my duty, and it's people's duty to serve their country in some way," she said. "This is the way I chose." Lt. Col. Jeffrey Wilson, who runs the summer academic program, said applications for the Summer Leadership Seminar were at a record high this year. "I'm not sure how the fact that we're a nation at war has influenced the motivation of any particular student to apply," he said. "I think that there is a strong sense of service in this generation." YELLING AND HAZING Life as a cadet at West Point is highly regimented, with every detail from how to fold your underwear to the position of personal items on your desk dictated by regulations. Jordy Kronshag, a 17-year-old from Callumet, Michigan, whose skill at the pole vault made her the equal of much larger males on the obstacle course, said she enjoyed the teamwork and leadership training but was still unsure about applying to become a cadet. "This is the fun part," she said, her clothes muddy from the low crawl under barbed wire. "But also a part I don't like is all the yelling and the hazing, that's going to be tough." On a day set aside for academic workshops, students in one group staged a mock murder trial. Others built a light-seeking robot in an electrical engineering class. A third group played "Double Philosophy Jeopardy," with pop culture categories showing how characters in "Star Wars" or "The Simpsons" illustrate stoicism or the philosophies of Friedrich Nietzsche. At a panel discussion with 10 current cadets one evening, the students asked about free time, punishments for alcohol use, how much cadets work out, whether they have online courses, how cold winters are and how much sleep cadets get. Cadet John Williams said he applied to West Point for the wrong reasons and didn't know much about it in advance. "I know a lot of you are doing it for the wrong reasons," he told the students. "You want people to be proud of you, it's pretty prestigious, you don't want to let people down," he said. "That might not be a bad thing." "I came for the wrong reasons, I've definitely stayed for the right reasons." REUTERS |
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