We received this letter from Kids Creative alum Ebban Maeda when we asked him to reflect on his time in camp. He speaks about his time as a camper when he first met Stephen Jacobs, all the way through working with us for the past two summers. Ebban now attends LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts in Theater. Here's what Ebban has to say:
January 26, 2011
Dear Kids Creative,
I have been involved in Kids Creative since I was in Kindergarten. Being the shy student that I was, I was not open to new experiences nor after school clubs until I met Stephen Jacobs, who slowly became my first idol. I recall the first day of the after school program was close to Easter, and I had an Easter egg. It broke, and upset and crying, I asked Stephen if I could have another one, and dropping everything he made sure I got it. As Kids Creative evolved, I did too. When they started the Summer Camp, I remember being extremely excited to attend.
I would not have called myself an actor, but dressing up and pretending to be someone else is exactly what a child wants, at least what I wanted. A large element from the camp that continues to be an important part of my life is music. The music that is written either by Stephen and Adam, or even the children to some extent, is fun and enjoyable. Besides the fact that the camp is based around the idea of peace, love and art, it was still a very fun camp. We went to the park, the sprinklers (or urban swimming), a few museums and every now and then the Dirty Socks Funtime Band’s Show, which I recall being quite “awesome”. The acting aspect didn’t truly dawn on me until Mr. Clown and the Day the Sun got Wet. It was my first experience singing solo on a stage, and my first experience having a lead role. What is truly amazing is that everyone in the production was happy. Unlike actual acting groups, everyone got a role they were happy with. If one didn’t want to be a lead and have many lines, they didn’t have to be, while if one did, they would have all the lines they wanted. Now of course, we were just children, but the fact that there was either little to no argument at all made the camp a very safe place, at least for me. I also recall liking camp more than school at some points, and wished that Stephen and Adam were involved in my actual academic classes, that would have been awesome. So because of this I was always looking forward to come back and creating a new character. What is amazing to me is one of the great skills I have taken from the camp was projection. Everyone had to be loud to be heard, and everything was projected from my voice, even though that still wasn’t that loud. The games that were played in camp are some that I still play. Fun, little and educational games that have led to be known as improv games. Finally my camper life was coming to an end, but little did I know I’d be back!
In middle school, I learned that I was not a huge fan of little kids. Being the 12 year old I was, I guess I was hypocritical, and I never got along with little children, unlike the rest of my friends. In 7th grade my school, Clinton School for Writers and Artists was putting on a production of Into the Woods. This was the first musical that I was in where I did not write the character myself. I wasn’t going to audition, but remembering how much fun Kids Creative was, I did and got the smallest role. In all of middle school, this was where Kids Creative truly helped me. No one had ever been really upset by a role in camp, so why should I be? Instead I went with it and had more fun than the leading role. The next year I auditioned for Little Shop of Horrors and got the role of Audrey II, putting the official stamp on my acting life. I was auditioning for high schools, and my first choice was LaGuardia High school for Music, Arts, and Performing Arts. It was a dream to get in for Drama, which I had decided would lead my high school search. After much practice I auditioned, and got into the LaGuardia for Drama. It was the best day of my middle school life, as well as a feeling I will never forget. One day I heard from my parents that Adam and Stephen were honoring me on my acceptance into LaGuardia, and the event was such an amazing night of laughter and fun. After my first year in drama I received word from my mother that Kids Creative was wondering if I would want to be a counselor in training. I felt as if I had to repay them for everything they had given me when I was younger, and seeing Adam and Stephen again seemed like a miracle, so I took up the opportunity and found myself in a room with a few other people listening to Adam and Stephen talk about the camp. I was suddenly back in Kindergarten, I knew almost no one around, but again in a matter of a mere five minutes I felt at home. All the other counselors were very nice and seemed like great people. It was amazing to see what was talked about that I never realized, as I was younger. However, I was still worried that my unfit relations with small children would lead me to be fired. On the first day of the job, I met all of my campers and worked with Tejon Witter, and Alexis Schuster, who I would soon become very close with. Surprisingly to me, I absolutely loved the children as they were all charming. As camp progressed, I found myself opening up the little kid inside of me, something I had not done in years. There was a freedom with the children, and I thought that I had finally seen what Adam and Stephen had seen so many years ago. It was beautiful and ended my strange dislike towards children. Other than that, being behind the scenes with Adam and Stephen was amazing, learning what they have throughout the years. Finally I had seen Adam and Stephen not as the superior camp leaders they are, but as the friend that I could talk to on the same level and understand completely. Last summer I came back to the camp and was paid as a C.I.T., this would mark my first real job. The experience was just as amazing as the year before, if not better. In 8th grade I became interested in playing the guitar, and Stephen being the amazing guitarist he is taught me his songs and tricks and I truly grew as a guitarist and student.
People always ask me if I remember being a camper, and how being a counselor is different. Well, Kids Creative has given me more knowledge, passion, love and encouragement than all of my years in school combined. It has changed my life, and I hope that many and many more years of this camp will bring happiness and joy to children. I always have thought, Adam and Stephen have spent over 10 years of their life making children happy and spreading joy and art and love throughout their camp. I can only hope to be as inspirational, good hearted and as wonderful as they are to children. I have spoken to many children at the camp about it, and even they will tell you the greatest slogan, catch phrase, moral and simply truth that Kids Creative uses, “All ideas are good.”
Sincerely,
Ebban Maeda
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