'Super powers of their own': Law student creates summer camp for diverse students

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — On a recent sunny afternoon at Evansville's Bayard Park, Antonio Williams paused from playing with his friends.

Digging around in his backpack, Antonio pulled out a green LEGO block-shaped piece of candy and grinned.

"It's pretty cool," he said, before popping it into his mouth.

This was no ordinary piece of candy. 

He earned it doing something a lot of 12-year-old kids like Antonio might prefer to forget about over summer break — algebra.

Antonio didn't mind, though. In fact, it was one of his favorite things he had done in his first week at Black Lemonade, a summer day camp program in urban Evansville.

"In math we do fun things. We popped balloons, and then we solved the math equations inside them," he said.

After just its first week, the new program already has all the kids it can take.

Fun is an important part of the learning equation, said Tim Catron, a graduate student in business administration at the University of Southern Indiana who's teaching math at Black Lemonade.

"We want to do it in a fun way, especially since it is summer," he said. "I want these kids to have the best of opportunities and to have a chance at a bright future. I'm all about treating people equally and with respect. We are all made unique."

For Antonio, like many of the kids participating in Black Lemonade, the summer program is providing more than a learning opportunity. 

"I'm seeing mostly new people who I wouldn't talk to or interact with without the camp," Antonio said.

In the first three days, Antonio had already solved algebra equations, gardened and made new friends, including some he was excited to discover are from the new school he will attend in August.

"I'll already know some people there," he said.

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For sixth-grader Ryan Simmons, Black Lemonade is the first time she has been in a learning environment with other kids for a long time because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said she moved to Evansville from Virginia.

"I moved here in December on the day before Christmas. I wanted to go to school but I had to do virtual school," she said. "It's cool because I haven't been around kids in almost two years."

Jazmine Hale, 12, said she is learning to be a leader.

"It's better to be that way because if you are a follower you can get to a place in life that isn't good," she said.

Even the baking soda and vinegar (with green food coloring) volcano experiment she had fun doing during science had a more serious lesson behind it, learning how to control anger.

Green was for the comic book character the Hulk, who is transformed into a massive, incredibly strong green superhero when he becomes too angry.

It was part of Black Lemonade's superhero-themed curriculum, which ties each week's learning to a specific superhero connected to a specific lesson.

"By the end, we are supposed to make a comic book with our own superhero," Antonio said. 

When life gives you lemons

The woman behind Black Lemonade is Kaymi Butler, a 26-year-old law school student and Central High School graduate.

Butler said she decided to start the nonprofit program in June 2020 in response to the indifference she was seeing in the world.

"I want students to realize they have superpowers of their own they can use to help them in life," she said. 

Butler, who attends school in Tennessee, said her undergraduate studies in criminal justice led her to doing volunteer work at a juvenile detention center and with nonprofit organizations where she developed a passion for working with youth.

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A self-described rebellious teenager, Butler said she understands the pressures kids face.

Butler said she drew on the encouragement she received in her own life as she worked on putting Black Lemonade together.

"Every piece of advice and word of encouragement came back to me. I remember those positive words," she said.

Butler said she wanted to put together an organization to provide an affordable program that put a premium on diversity as well as learning.

"I saw the need for it here. I'm a product of this environment," she said. "I did not understand the importance of diversity and inclusion until I moved. In college, I remember being intimidated. It was the first time I was seeing people of color in a progressive environment."

As she worked on putting the program together, Butler said she found inspiration for her program's name from the old saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

The program lasts from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. five days a week through July 30. In between breakfast and lunch, students rotate through math, English/reading and science classes based on their age groups. Classes are designed to actively engage students with fun, hands-on learning activities.

Afternoons are spent in group activities that promote inclusivity, diversity and teamwork, as well as sports and physical activities.

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Finding a home

After developing her curriculum, Butler said she asked others to review it to make sure it met EVSC's educational standards.

Black Lemonade, however, still needed money, a location and staff so Butler put out an appeal on Facebook and social media. 

Kerseclia Patterson, academic outreach coordinator at Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center, located at the University of Southern Indiana, responded. 

Patterson saw a chance to integrate the center's mission of recruiting, educating and retaining health care professionals in underserved communities.

She brought in members of the Black Nurses Association to provide onsite health care staffing and incorporated a health science component to Black Lemonade's curriculum.

Patterson connected Butler with Boom Squad, a similar-minded organization in Evansville dedicated to helping kids from historically underserved communities.

Boom Squad's headquarters at 800 S. Evans Ave., in the former Stanley Hall Enrichment Center school building next to Bayard Park, was the perfect home.

While Boom Squad had a grant for expanding its summer activities, it needed a curriculum.

"She brought in some excellent programming, said James Hale, Boom Squad programming director. "The kids are just seeing a new aspect of learning. If it is something that enhances kids learning and betters them and gets them to college; we're all for it."