Good friends and goodbyes...for now!

In the camp’s true spirit of mixing work and play, Thursday began training in the art of taarof – that unyielding Iranian form of hospitality. After learning a number of different taarof strategies, the campers competed in one-on-one taarof contests. The competitions, while informative, also provided plenty of laughs and a chance for the campers to show their creativity.

The afternoon’s cultural programming continued with Iranian dance lessons, followed by a panel discussion on college preparation and college life led by counselors Nakkisa Akhavan (Berkeley), Arash Majdi (Georgia Tech) and Yousef Tehrani (Pomona). The campers discussed everything from SAT preparation to the college application process to first-hand accounts of the college experience. Since the counselors and staff represent a wide-range of institutions, including Wellesley, Tufts, Harvard, Oxford, Emory, George Mason and William & Mary among others, the campers were able to get a glimpse of the variety of colleges available to them and to begin strategizing how best to get there.

On the last night of the camp, the campers took the stage, entertaining the audience with their outstanding performances in the talent show. The red Gojeh’s performed a hilarious skit involving a dance-off between their members. The orange Porteghals told the story of their mascot, “Bibi Porteghal,” and her marriage to the good-hearted Ali Karim rather than the evil Dariush. The blue team, Dokhtar Irooni and Siavash, also stayed true to their team name in performing a beautifully choreographed dance to the song, “Dokhtar Irooni (mesle gol-e).” Finally, the green team, Sabzi Polo, performed a humorous skit telling the story of two Iranian parents and their children’s intercultural relationships. All of the performances were stellar, and after much deliberation the final winner was…..drum roll please….Dokhtar Irooni and Siavash!

The talent show was followed by a final party full of laughter and good memories. On Friday morning, IAAB staff and counselors led the final awards ceremony, recognizing each of the campers for their individual achievements and also reflecting on the memories, teachings and friendships of the previous week.

Looking back, it’s safe to conclude that the IAAB Leadership Camp has exceeded all of our expectations. In the words of one camper, “the best part of this camp was ending it knowing that our Iranian heritage is actually not at risk for we will all hold the name of our Iranian identity close to us as we become successful in our own ways. I feel like the Iranian-American community is in good hands now and in the future…”

As the campers boarded the ferry to depart from Thompson Island on Friday afternoon, the emotions ran high. Each goodbye was bittersweet, for though the camp had impacted each of us in its own distinct way based on what stage of our lives we are in, the community that has been created is something we all share and will cherish for a long time to come.

As we watched the ferry drift back to the mainland, we couldn’t help but notice that the grey sky that had greeted us upon our arrival five days earlier was now a bright and refreshing blue, reflecting our newfound sense of hope in the future of our community: the Iranian-American youth.

Aida's Camp Journal

Camper Aida, 18, shares her journal entry for June 30th...

Before this camp, I could not see myself being active in the future Iranian-American community. In fact, I wasn't even sure if there would be one at all. But seeing so many people my age who speak Farsi, and who are truly passionate about the culture, has made me reconsider my own level of activity. And also seeing the number of kids who are not able to be active in it, but are dying to be, also makes me want to do all that I can to help them enjoy the culture.
What was so amazing about this camp was that I found like-minded people. For one week I was on an island with 35 Iranian-Americans around whom I was not silent at all. The fact that I was animated, and held a similar role in the group to that which I hold in [my American] school, or in Iran amongst my cousins, while actually being at the crossroads of the two worlds, is a pretty phenomenal thing for which I have the camp to thank. I have never had that in my life, and never thought I would. The fact that I met people who were younger than me, and older than me, whom I could really talk to, meant a lot to me.

Mohammad's Camp Journal - June 29th

Camper Mohammad, 18, shares his journal entry...

“Word of the day: INSPIRATION

I have been inspired by the people that surround me. I have been inspired to be more Iranian, more American, and ultimately more of a person who will bridge together these two identities while in the journey of becoming a leader.

This camp has inspired me, “to be me” again. Coming at a time when I was struggling to maintain – although I hate to admit it – both the rich culture and traditions of Iranian life and the modern “always changing” western world, seeing other Iranian-Americans made me realize that this struggle is not just another obstacle with choices and circumstances. I have come to solve the frustration that I have of not being able to choose which identity by choosing both. It is of much more ease to take the best of each culture and to create a warm diverse environment with it for oneself.

I have seen this environment already made in this camp. With each “tarof” that responds with a “thank you,” the IAAB society has made me see the connection that can be made between not just Iranian-Americans, but the possibility of knowing that two worlds can be together without disagreement. An Iranian-American is an example of the unification of the western to the eastern world. And to see in this camp the youthful Iranian-Americans of today, interlacing their sides together with hope and dream of only giving it back to their own future, it makes me feel that my Iranian-American heritage and Iranian and American image is in good hands.”

Day 4 - Culture & Leadership Mix So Well!

"In creating the leadership camp our goal was to provide the campers with an environment that we wished we could have had when we were growing up; an environment in which Iranian culture is embraced and leadership skills are developed. So far, the leadership camp has exceeded all of our expectations. The group dynamic among counselors, campers and staff has been extremely positive; after only four short days on the island, we all feel as though we’ve formed meaningful and long lasting relationships with one another." – Shabnam Sharbatoghlie, Project Manager of IAAB Leadership Camp

Music and celebration mixed with discussions and panels on Wednesday as the campers’ activities included a live Iranian classical music concert, interactive information stations on various Iranian celebrations, and discussions on gender-specific issues.

The day began with a fascinating panel discussion on the experiences of young Iranian-American leaders. Nikoo Paydar and Narges Bajoghli, Co-Executive Directors of IAAB spoke sincerely about their experiences growing up Iranian-American and explained how the creation of IAAB started with a vision that they were then able to translate into reality.

Also on the panel were Dr. Farzan Parsinejad of the Iranian Studies Group at MIT and counselor Mana Kharrazi, both of whom gave candid accounts of their personal experiences and efforts to create community within the Iranian-American population. The campers later expressed their appreciation for such a panel, with one 17 year old camper stating, “Before the camp, I wasn’t exactly hopeful about our community or the potential we have to make a difference. Hearing the panel members talk about how they dealt with the challenges of being Iranian-American gave me a lot of hope.”

In the afternoon, the male and female campers were divided into two groups and given an opportunity to engage with the counselors, staff and one another on issues such as self-image, dating, and other challenges associated with growing up as an Iranian teenager in American society. The campers wholly embraced this opportunity to share some of their stories and to learn from how others have dealt with similar challenges.

An Iranian-American camp would not have been complete without dedicating time to understanding the significance of various Iranian celebrations. As such, the main conference room was converted into five stations, each representing one major celebration and an associated hands-on activity: Eid-e-Noruz – completing haft-sin trivia questions; Mehregan -- mixing ajil, Shab-e Yalda -- translating a poem by Hafez; Aroosi/Iranian weddings -- creating noghl party favors; and Chahr Shanbe Soori -- making candles.

After the celebrations were over, the campers were treated with a live performance of Iranian classical music by Counselors Yousef Tehrani and Kayvan Farchadi. Not only did the campers get to enjoy the mystical sounds of the setar and the daf, but they were also introduced to the history of the instruments and the meanings behind the enchanting music that they produce.


There are only two days left of the leadership camp and many more exciting activities, (including the talent show!) are coming up! We wish you all could be here to witness how the campers have grown since stepping off the ferry four days ago…zendebad be in javanan-e irani!

Sara's Camp Journal

Sara Tehrani, 15, shares her camp journal entry for Tuesday, June 27th...

“Today we had two members of IAPAC speak with us about their work and role in the Iranian-American community. My group learned so much about how to go about evaluating political prospects. Afterwards half of us played vasati while the other half made Persian picture frames. It was so much fun! It was nice to switch to less-active activities and to relax for a while. I love doing the Iranian activities because it makes the camp so much more fun so it’s not only leadership-based. Which brings me to our next activity: team cooking. My team made doogh and sharbat-e-albaloo. Everyone loved it. We also did a public-speaking activity that allowed us all to share with the whole camp. My team, Dokhtar Irooni won our first team challenge. We used a lot of teamwork and strategy to win the challenge. We cheered each other on to motivate each other and we did great!
After dinner we all went down to the beach to play “I AM,” a game that makes us see our different roles in society and the value of them. When we were attacked by mosquitoes we moved into the conference room to finish up and to play “Who am I.” We each had cards on our foreheads that read different things. For instance, “ignore me” or “interrupt me” and based on those cards, we were to have a conversation. It was impossible to do but we learned many good lessons.
Before bed, we met in our counselor groups to discuss our talent show act! It’s a surprise but I guess I can tell you it’s going to be awesome! Dokhtar Irooni!”

Day 2 & 3 -- Learning the leadership ropes!

Day two and three of the Camp have been fully packed with challenging and informative activities, not to mention loads of “raghs va shadi.” On Monday, the campers participated in a full day of activities on the low-ropes course. These included a trust walk while in blindfolds which taught them the importance of trusting their teammates; an obstacle course which taught them the value of persistence in problem-solving; a balancing activity which forced the teams to formulate a strategy, effectively communicate it, and then to cooperatively execute it; and a maze with no exit, encouraging them to never underestimate the importance of asking for help.

Throughout the course of the day, the campers also learned other valuable lessons such as acknowledging that those leading the group need not always have all of the ideas, knowing when to step aside and let someone else take the lead, and witnessing the immense value of communication and patience in the face of a team challenge.

In the Monday evening discussion session, the campers tackled a new issue: what they would like the Iranian-American community to look like in twenty years. Some of the characteristics that the campers’ ideal future community would hold include: an increased sense of community (ex: community centers and cultural organizations), more political involvement, overcoming of stereotypes, and a growing pride in our Iranian culture and heritage.

On Tuesday morning, the campers started off the day with a stimulating address and hands-on workshop session led by the Political Director of the Iranian American Political Action Committee (IAPAC), Morad Gorban. Mr. Gorban not only discussed the political process in the US and the role of a PAC in supporting candidates, but also stressed the importance of increasing the Iranian-American voice within US government.

In the afternoon, Narges Bajoghli, IAAB’s Co-Executive Director, led a very informative session on effective public speaking. The campers had the opportunity to put their skills to the test by making a series of prepared and impromptu speeches in front of the group, challenging their abilities to speak effectively and cogently.

Tuesday afternoon rounded out with a cooking session, during which each of the teams rolled up their sleeves to prepare a Persian side dish. Teams prepared mast-o-khiar, noon paneer and sabzi pinwheels, salad shirazi, doogh and sharbat-e albaloo. It was besyar khoshmaze!

Tuesday evening concluded on the beach of Thompson Island, where the campers engaged in an activity intended to make them more aware of the roles they play in the world. While sitting on the beach at sunset, the campers reflected on their roles before sharing their thoughts with the rest of the group.
Some of the campers' thoughts...

"I am an independent thinker,
I am my mom’s Sunshine,
I am a dreamer who appreciates how lucky I am,
I am someone who wants to improve,
I am thankful to have great friends and family,
I am a believer in non-violence,
I am fifteen
I am my dad’s fashion consultant,
I am independent of and dependent on society,
I am one of few and one of many,
I am an Iranian-American,
I am a proud Persian.”

The adventures and lessons on Thompson Island continue, so be sure to check back for more tomorrow – and leave comments here to show your support for the campers!

Day 1: Welcome to Camp!

Salaam and hello from Thompson Island! We are pleased to report that the inaugural Iranian-American Leadership Camp is off to a tremendous start! Despite the rainy weather, the safe arrival of all the excited and enthusiastic campers immediately brightened the island. After settling into their rooms and meeting their roommates, the campers were officially welcomed by the IAAB coordinators and counselors and taken on a walking tour of the island.

In addition to participating in a series of interactive “get to know you” games, the campers were divided into smaller groups headed by a pair of counselors, with whom they'll work closely throughout the week. The teams quickly used their creativity and Iranian senses of humor to come up with team names and cheers.

Even though it was only the first day at camp, the campers did not hesitate to jump right into candid discussions about the Iranian community and their roles within it. Our first discussion session concentrated on laying the groundwork for the camp’s central theme: leadership.
The group first addressed the qualities that make a good leader, followed more specifically by the traits of a leader specifically within the Iranian-American diaspora. By the end of the session, the campers had effectively established a working definition of what it means to be an effective leader. This commonly agreed upon definition will be expanded and reflected upon throughout the week.

The discussion, though focused on leadership, also included insightful commentary by campers on individual vs. collective leadership, the sense of pride among Iranian-American youth, what it means to be "Iranian," the advantages of building a cohesive Iranian-American community, and the effects of stereotypes and prejudices both within and upon the community.

We look forward to an exciting week of leadership training, cultural awareness, and fun!

In order to give you a little glimpse of what the campers discuss and experience each day, we’ll be including a few of their own thoughts -- in their own words -- at the start of each post.

Check back tomorrow for an update on our adventures through the low-ropes course!

Jaa-ye hamegee khalee!

The Official IAAB Iranian-American Leadership Camp Blog

Welcome to our blog!

Here you will find information, updates, and photos from the Camp, which will be held June 25-30, 2006 on Thompson Island, Massachusetts. Leave comments on this blog to show our community's support, encouragement, and well wishes for the young Iranian-American leaders attending the Camp!

Are you coming to the Camp? Leave a comment to this post and introduce yourself to counselors and other campers!

Check back soon and often throughout the week for more from Thompson Island and the Iranian-American Leadership Camp!