Discover & Grow
Our Annual Vacation Camp
The Discover and Grow Vacation Camp 2026 is proud to welcome three of Trinidad and Tobago's most talented and celebrated creatives — a calypso composer whose work has shaped our national art form at the highest level, and two children's authors whose books are already finding their way into the hands and hearts of Caribbean children everywhere.
These are not just guest appearances. They are encounters that will stay with our campers long after the camp ends — moments where a child sits across from someone who looks like them, sounds like them, and has used their creativity to contribute something meaningful to Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean world.
Each visit is designed to inspire, to challenge, and to show every child in the room that their own story is worth telling.
LARRY HAREWOOD
Calypso Composer · Former Teacher
Larry Harewood is one of Trinidad and Tobago's most accomplished and respected calypso composers — a creative force whose work has shaped the sound, story, and spirit of our national art form at the highest levels of competition.
Larry has written compositions for some of the most memorable performances in Trinidad and Tobago's calypso history, including:
— Chuck Gordon: two-time Calypso Monarch (2014 & 2015
— Duane O'Connor: Calypso Monarch (2012)
— Karene Asche: Calypso Queen (2006); Junior Calypso Monarch
— And several other national calypso competition winners
His work spans both the Junior and Senior Calypso Monarch competitions — reflecting a deep commitment to nurturing the art form across generations. He has written for children and adults alike, bringing the same craft, intentionality, and cultural pride to every composition.
At the Discover and Grow Vacation Camp 2026, Larry Harewood will lead our Calypso Writing sessions — giving children ages 9 to 12 a rare and unforgettable opportunity to learn the art of calypso writing from one of its masters.
Our campers will explore the storytelling behind the music, the social commentary woven into every verse, and the rhythm and structure that makes calypso one of the most distinctive and powerful art forms in the Caribbean world. And then — they will write their own.
Because calypso is not just music. It is our history, our humour, our heart, and our voice. And every child in Trinidad deserves to discover that it belongs to them too.
LARRY HAREWOOD
Calypso Composer
Former Teacher
KATRINA KHAN-ROBERTS
Children's Author · Marine Biologist
Katrina Khan-Roberts is a Trinidad and Tobago children's author whose work sits at the remarkable intersection of storytelling and science — bringing the wonder of the ocean, marine life, and the natural Caribbean world to children in a way that feels like pure adventure.
Katrina is the author of:
— The Marine Biologist's Guidebook
— The Marine Biologist's Activity Book
— The Marine Biologist's Storybook
— Mertrina's A-B-Seas — The Marine Biologist's Alphabet
Her books introduce children to Marine Biology through story, illustration, and activity — combining literacy and science in a way that is as engaging as it is educational. She writes about the Caribbean world our children actually live in — the creatures they have seen, the waters they have swum in, and the natural environment that belongs to them.
At the Discover and Grow Vacation Camp 2026, Katrina Khan-Roberts will visit our campers for a special Author’s Visit — sharing her journey as a writer, her passion for marine biology, and what happens when you combine science and storytelling into something that is entirely your own.
For children who love the ocean, science, animals, or reading — or for children who have not yet discovered that they love any of these things — Katrina's visit will be an experience that opens something new.
Katrina's books are available now at Bold Print Bookshop. Visit boldprintbookshop.com or WhatsApp us at 778-9388 to order your child's copy before camp begins.
KATRINA KHAN-ROBERTS
Children's Author · Marine Biologist
PHILLIP SIMON
Children's Author · Radiologist.Creator of the Petra Series
Phillip Simon is a Trinidad and Tobago children's author and the creative mind behind one of the most beloved Caribbean children's book series in recent years — the Petra series.
Phillip is the author of:
— Petra and the Poui
— Petra and the Panman's Daughter
— Petra Colouring and Activity Book
— Petra and the Princess of the Kendo — coming soon
The Petra series is rooted in Trinidad and Tobago — in our trees, our music, our landscapes, and our people. Phillip Simon writes about the world our children actually live in. He puts familiar places, familiar sounds, and familiar faces on the page — and in doing so gives children something that imported books so rarely can:
The feeling of being seen. The feeling that their world is worthy of being written about. The feeling that stories belong to them too.
At the Discover and Grow Vacation Camp 2026, Phillip Simon will visit our campers for a special Author Visit — sharing his journey as a Caribbean storyteller, the inspiration behind the Petra series, and what it means to write for children who deserve to find themselves on the page.
Our campers will not just hear about books. They will hear about what it takes to look at the world around you — the poui tree, the panman, the princess of the kendo — and decide that those stories deserve to be told. And some of them will leave that encounter believing, perhaps for the very first time, that their own stories deserve to be told too.
Phillip Simon's books are available at Bold Print Bookshop. Visit boldprintbookshop.com or WhatsApp us at 778-9388 to order your child's copy today.
Phillip Simon
Children's Author
Radiologist
Creator of the Petra Series
At the Desha Academy, our vacation camps are designed to provide children with meaningful experiences that combine learning, creativity, exploration, and fun.
We believe that school vacations and special camp experiences should be more than just a way to pass the time.
Our camps create opportunities for children to develop confidence, critical thinking skills, creativity, communication skills, and positive relationships while participating in engaging, hands-on activities.
Campers enjoy activities such as Creative Writing, Reading & Literacy Activities, Arts, Crafts, Problem Solving Challenges, educational games, storytelling, Author Visits, Calypso Writing & much more.
Our camps are designed to:
encourage curiosity and a love of learning
build confidence and independence
develop creativity and self-expression
strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving skills
foster teamwork, communication, and friendship
provide a safe, supportive, and engaging environment
Whether your child enjoys reading, writing, exploring, or discovering new interests, our camps offer opportunities for growth and learning.
At the Desha Academy, we don’t just keep children occupied; we help them learn, create, explore and grow.