YOG - Youth of Gayatri

The gayatri pariwar camp is such a fun way to learn Indian culture! Can spirituality be scientific? Yes. I learned it through Gayatri Pariwar camps. Learning here is so much fun! Games, debates, sports, songs, quizzes, group activities and skits are some of the ways we learned in sessions. Saints who come from Shantikunj, India are highly knowledgebale, friendly and loving. Local instructors are equally knowledgable, experienced and well trained. Morning Yoga, Pranayam and Meditation sessions are excellent! Shantikunj music teams are amazing! Their devotional music creates lot of energy in the group. Evening cultural programs, dandia and antaksharies were lot of fun! Picnic is also lot of fun! Staying facilities, food etc was also very good. Overall, the camps are well organized and educative in a very fun and practical ways. I made lot of good friends here in past four years and I can't wait to attend the camp this summer. - '''Veda Pandya (CT)'''

"Its one of greatest times I had in my life" -''' Mayur Gajjar (IL) 

"Let Dr. Saheb bring Shantikunj to you and your heart....." - '''Mayur Gajjar (IL)'''

"I have had the privilege to not only participate, but also volunteer in the last four national Gayatri Pariwar Youth Camps. These camps have taught me a lot about myself, and about the scientific world around me. Interacting with other youth in my age group and listening to their inputs about different topics gave me many new perspectives that I will always take with me. Each day of the camps were filled with fun activities such as the picnic, culture night, sports, garba, interesting discussion topics, and much more. Attending these camps has been a great experience and the people I have met have all become my really good friends." - '''Arti Bhatt (CA)'''

"ballin'." - '''Puneet Sharma (LA)'''

"This is going to be my eighth year attending the annual Gayatri Pariwar youth camps. Only my first year was I able to actually sit in lectures and daily classes like a normal youth. For the past six years, I have always been taking care of the Group 1 (ages 7-10) children. It is a tough job, but there are a couple of techniques that have been proving success. First of all, children love to talk. Every year, I make sure my presentations and activities to include lots of interaction. They love to talk about their parents, friends, daily routine, etc. So, I always ask questions so that they can tell me their stories. A couple of years ago, I did a presentation on Problem-solving. I asked them what type of problems they had. I asked them how they reacted. I asked them how they can go about solving it. I simply acted like a facilitator in midst of kids teaching themselves. Also, this specific age group enjoys moving around. They get antsy sitting in one place for more than one hour. The same goes for me. Therefore, I always have activities lined up which include a variety of movements. Another year, I tried to remake a couple of common games like “Hot Potato” and “Simon Says” into more educational activities. The games were familiar to them and they learned something while playing. The challenge is always to keep them under control. But, it is possible with some classroom rules and discipline. Most importantly, I find that being a friend to the kids is most beneficial. I cannot stand up in front of the classroom and tell them what they can and cannot do. They will never listen and never come back to the youth camps. Rather, I give them options of what is better and what is best. They have to make the right decision. Thus, I try to take the role of a friend more than a teacher. This way, they confide in me and will want to see me again in the upcoming years." - '''Barkha Patel (NJ)'''