The Concept of the “JUNIO-R" Camp

The International Children's Summer Scientific and CreITive Camp “JUNIO-R" is the Yuri Gorvits author's long-livinging project. Yuri Gorvits is a well-known expert in the use of IT in education.  
From 2000 to 2019, it was implemented as one of the projects of the "Center for Modern Education" (Russia) in collaboration with Varna Technical University (Bulgaria), UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (Russia), the Moscow Center for Continuous Mathematical Education, the Palace of Children's Scientific and Technical Creativity (Dobrich, Bulgaria), the Center for Student Recreation, Education, and Sports (Bulgaria), and was supported by many IT companies and other organizations.

The main feature of the camp is the project-based learning approach. Children are invited to participate in real, exciting creative projects. These projects are conducted in thematic "departments" under the guidance of professionals (experts) from various fields.  

One of the key scientific and methodological ideas of the camp is “INTEGRATION.” The projects are primarily interdisciplinary, designed so that children understand the need for different kinds of knowledge to achieve a result and visit different departments to implement their ideas. This approach requires great skill from the experts, but it captivates and engages the children, creating a friendly atmosphere of joint creativity, allowing them to express themselves and appreciate their own value and that of their friends.

The camp is not a school — there are no "lessons," grades, or compulsory tasks. Everything is done voluntarily, which means with enjoyment.

The “JUNIO-R" camp consists of a group of children and teachers from Russia and other countries who conduct their specially designed educational and entertainment programs annually on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria and since 2024 in Georgia. Each session hosts 40-70 children, with one adult (experts and group-leaders) for every 6-7 children. In addition to children from Russia, there are always participants from other countries at the camp.

The Name of the Camp

We chose this name for several reasons:  
- INTERNATIONAL: Over the years, the "YUNIO-R" group has included children not only from various cities and regions of Russia but also Russian-speaking children from the USA, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, and other countries (see the "Cities and Countries" page).  
– CHILDREN’S: It is a place where school-age children, from 8-9 to 16 years old, spend their vacations.  
– SCIENTIFIC AND CREITIVE: This term, coined by the children, reflects that the main goal of our project is to combine leisure and health improvement with creative activities of a scientific and research nature in the "educational departments" using Information Technology (IT).  
– CAMP: This is, after all, a camp in the traditional sense of children's recreation.
– "JUNIO-R." The word “Junior” in both Russian and English means "adolescent," and we added the hyphen to differentiate our camp from others with similar names.

Our core values are not just the warm, clean sea, bright sun, and blue sky but the friendly and creative atmosphere that remains consistent year after year.

”TRAIN the BRAIN, BEST for REST"

This slogan is on our T-shirts, our flag...  
We envision this camp as an attractive place not only for summer relaxation but also for children to gain experience in implementing joint educational projects, acquiring new knowledge, developing abilities, and engaging in international child cooperation.

Why Bulgaria (and also Georgia)

- Excellent geographical location — the Black Sea coast  
- Favorable climate  
- Developed infrastructure and ready facilities  
- Simplified or visa-free entry  
- Convenient transportation  
- Linguistic and cultural proximity  
- A wealth of cultural and historical sites for organizing educational excursions  
- Affordable prices  

Our Main Ideas

- Creating an unforgettable creative and friendly atmosphere  
- Project-based activities in educational departments  
- Integration of knowledge using modern digital technologies  
- No rigid discipline  
- Reasonable control over children's behavior while encouraging responsibility  
- Joint (team) activities of children and teachers  
- A healthy lifestyle  
- Combining rest with intellectual activities  
- Encouraging productive and constructive activities in a playful format  
- A variety of activities  
- Educational excursions to understand the specifics of the host country  
- Taking into account children's interests and individual characteristics  
- Participation in international events with peers from other countries  

The “JUNIO-R" camp accepts children aged 9 to 16. Younger children (ages 7 to 9) may attend the camp with their parents.