Rec and Sports

Stronger Children: Summer Camps Improve Life Skills pt. 2

In the first part, we examined a bit of what has been removed from our schools and why, more than ever, looking for a program to enroll our children can benefit their development. While the benefits are many, as declared in many studies, we looked specifically at 5-points:

Experiential outdoor education programs help in a great many ways, here are a few main points of impact this type of education will have on a student: 1. An environmental / ecological awareness. 2. Physical challenge and accomplishment positive for both the physical and emotional well-being. 3. Self-awareness / empowerment 4. Interpersonal relations, communication and leadership skills. 5. Socialization and community development.

In this second part of the series we’re looking to develop further the 5-benefits and see how these apply in real camp scenarios.

5-Benefits Explored :

Environment: The environment alone increases learning. For starters, the children simply learn about the out of doors. So many children rarely venture outside. Being out of doors is invigorating and children pay better attention. The out of doors is tactile and children enjoy touching, physically experiencing their world. The out of doors is powerful and unpredictable and children must pay attention so as to not get off task or be taken by surprise. The out of doors (unfortunately) is uncommon and senses are heightened in the unknown: just shut off the light at night in a place youre not familiar: your senses go on high alert!

Physical Challenges When a person is challenged, specifically in a physical challenge, their learning increases. When this challenge occurs in a new environment wherein the individual must measure risk, assess a scenario and calculate how much mental and physical effort is required of them to complete a task their whole being is involved in solving the puzzle. Children in adventure camps are often put in new and unusual situations, which require this very process. When they complete the challenge (as they most certainly do for this is the whole point of the camp and the challenges), an immense surge of hormones courses through the camper.

Self-Awareness / Empowerment The endorphin rush of course, is pride. The camper has conquered something completely new. Self awareness is borne, a new confidence blooms. For a camp staff, watching this seminal moment is equal to the runners-high. These breakthroughs are the reward for working a camp for the summer. Camps sow the seeds of confidence, set a tone of success, that one can achieve their goals. These successes and the environment work in concert to teach and reinforce this new behavior. The campers realize they can achieve, the can succeed in things they previously thought impossible. Worse yet, never even dared to imagine

A camp that focuses on experiential education will support these learning experiences in the way they prepare for the day, the way they attack the exercise and in their evening meetings / fireside chats. This is a specific goal of an experiential styled camp, this learning new behavior.

anecdote While the big adventure accomplishments like rope climbing or tramping or whitewater rafting are the glamorous stories, there are huge personal victories to be had even in the most benign settings. Enter the story of Fate, she was a 17-year old girl, homeschooled and away at adventure camp 600-miles from home, for the first time.

The first night of camp the camp dined in town. Fate, having specific dietary needs was taken shopping by the director. Fate stopped dead in her tracks when the director told her she could pick out her drink for dinner. Fate had never picked out her own drink, she was overwhelmed with the freedom. For her, this was an incredible moment. Fate chose a Sprite to drink, did pirouettes throughout the store and went on to have a very rewarding camp.

Never demean, for one never knows what will or will not be the seminal learning moment in camp.

Interpersonal Relations / Communication / Leadership If the person hanging from the rope is the star, the other campers, while awaiting their turn are the supporting cast. These folks are not out of the activity simply because they’re not the “star” of the moment. They are encouraging the one engaged in the activity, they’re cheering, whooping and shouting. Class isn’t out of session when the focus is on someone else, everyone is required to participate to hold the class together.

Frequently, in a ropes course, only one person at a time is going to make the leap of faith and the others are watching, supporting and getting ready. Inevitably, someone is near the back, rocking back and forth, nervous. In these moment campers learn to lead, to coach, to support and to communicate with the group members. They first learn by following the example set by the counselors.

A summer camp is an excellent environment to learn to communicate, to establish oneself in a new environment without preconceptions. All the campers arrive as new, everyone is on the same ground.

anecdoteMacey, a 15-year old boy, arrived at camp, relatively quite though not afraid or intimidated. He got along well with everyone in the summer camp. There was something going on with Macey but it only showed in the non-congruent mannerisms of his confident accomplishment of physical adventures and the reserve he showed elsewhere.

As the days passed and he grew ever closer to the other campers, his thoughts were revealed, his mother had recently passed away. It was here at camp he was able, in the new environment, to open up and heal some of what was eating at him. The camps are set up for campers to succeed, the tone is set that is a tone of team work and while Macey was adept at the physical, his obstacle course was grieving and returning to a place of personal health.

The supportive environment allowed him to connect emotionally, safely, to process. By the end of a week Macey left camp renewed.

Socialization / Community Development All camps are like little countries waiting to be populated. This begins and ends with each camp session. Its quite a fascinating phenomena.

The campers arrive to the strange new land, camp, debarking their various modes of transportation, gear in hand ready to begin anew. They check out the others arriving. Some are talkative right from the start, others fall back and take a wait and see approach and then there are those somewhere between.

Aside from the counselors, who have established a particular tone to the camp, the campers are free to fine tune and establish the community.

In this virgin environment, theyre learning to form a community at large: leaders, rules, team members, socially expected behaviors. Then camp concludes with new friendships, enthusiasm is high and the environment is supportive leaving the campers feeling energized, empowered.

anecdoteRhianna was from the city. She had a slight build, bleached blond hair and dark, Goth-like eyeliner hid her eyes. She kept her head down and hardly spoke.

During the welcoming fireside chat used to break the ice, she was reserved or gave answers that were clearly defensive responses. Each response was used to verbally back anyone off, keep folks from getting to close.

At camps conclusion, Rhi (as she was known) was one of the most vocal about loving everyone, she was the most adamant that this was the best summer ever, she was the first to call and enroll for camp the next season. She stayed in contact with everyone, including the camp director on the camps MySpace page.

Before camp she was bitten by a poisonous spider. Her parents thought it best to take her to the doctor, mid camp, to make sure she was fine. Of course, the camp agreed. She went to the doctor and even though it hurt to sit, she insisted on coming straight back to camp and finishing her time there.

These are true stories. Camp experiences are powerful. Sending your child to a camp like this is an incredibly powerful gift. The importance of having these types of experience cannot be over emphasized. The children in these anecdotes are better for their camp experience.