Thank You Notes from Scholarship Recipients

What is the Value of Camp?

By Paula DeTellis, Camp Director of Camp Woodhaven in West Boylston, MA

“I’m here because of camp,” said Joe Hubbard, the keynote speaker at the annual American Camping Association convention. Hubbard went on to explain how his experiences at camp as a shy African American child led him to become a motivational consultant and coach to the LA Rams, as well as the USC and UNLV football teams, for more than 14 years. As I listened to his testimony of the impact of camp on his professional adult life, it led me to explore the question, “What is the value of camp?” Many parents have come to me and said, “I just love camp. My kids come home exhausted and go right to bed after their dinner and shower.” Together, we have a good laugh at the video footage and pictures they have shown me of angelic, snoring children. Is there more to camp than good exercise? What is the intrinsic value of the camp experience for your child? Let me share with you a few key life skills I see developed in campers every year.

Community Minded: In a world that is increasingly “me” centered, campers learn the benefit of belonging to a community. They see that a community is not a place or location, but the people who share experiences together. It is a place for them to feel safe and be themselves. The camp community becomes something they belong to forever, and just like a family, they are always welcome to come home.

Service Oriented: Service is honored in the camp setting. Whether the campers serve another camper or help clean up from activities, we encourage and reward their acts of service.
Environmental Awareness: The close proximity of camp to nature is very important toward their understanding of the impact of waste and human interaction on the environment. Campers build a relationship with and love for the land. They learn that they are the God appointed caretakers of the land. Our camp has some specimens of rare native wildflowers which campers can learn to recognize and to protect their habitat.

Teamwork Centric: The adventure specialist area focuses on activities that teach teamwork and the benefit of working together to achieve goals. They learn to recognize the value of each person on the team. The campers experience the thrill of team spirit as they are part of their group. Problem solving experience allows them to see how shared ideas can parlay into an even better idea.

Developed Social Skills: Campers get lots of practice meeting new people. The camp uses ice breakers and teaches them how to make new friends. Campers are also coached to use their words to express their needs, happiness, or frustration. Once campers have the verbal mastered, they move on to learn the value of eye contact and a friendly smile. They also find out about the power of body language.

Resourceful: Hands on projects show campers how to gather materials and create something without running to the store to buy a kit. They are encouraged to use creative problem solving to fix a problem or make a prop. Recycling is encouraged as campers make new old out of something old. Waste is discouraged.

Ease in Crossing Cultures: Campers get to meet and interact with people from other cultures. They get comfortable talking to and forming relationships with people from other backgrounds. They enjoy programming that explores traditions in art, storytelling, sports, and music from other countries. These are essential as participants in a global economy.

Good Listeners: Campers work on good listening skills as they receive instruction from multiple staff members. Group time allows them to find value in listening to the other campers as they take turns speaking during sharing times. They learn to enjoy the sounds of nature and to appreciate silence as a time to listen as God speaks to our hearts.

Communicators: As campers move beyond the basic verbal social skills, they become more confident in sharing their ideas and instructing other campers. They also show an ability to communicate their feelings, hopes, and goals. They offer eloquent feedback to the camp staff, a sign of great initiative, mental processing, and ability to make clear judgments.

Confident: The most important confidence a camper develops is the confidence to try. Campers are encouraged to try each activity even if they do not feel like they can do it well or they have never done it before. This is the victory that opens a child to a lifetime of learning and insatiable curiosity.

Values Character & Integrity: Campers learn the peace that exists when everyone acts with integrity. Activities throughout camp encourage the development of good character traits in your child. Chapel and devotions carry this a step farther to show campers that God is our strength when it is difficult to make good choices and that by “loving our neighbor as we love ourselves” we show God that we love and honor Him.

Skilled Presenters: Campers get very skilled in performing in front of people. They practice this as they take turns leading songs with their groups during the flag ceremony. They also perform at the Thursday Overday campfire circle, variety show for the parents, and sometimes for chapel skits. Over time, they develop their ability to become more animated and dynamic in their presentation and discover the thrill that occurs when the audience responds.

Faith Filled: Many people spend years searching to fill the empty space in their hearts that only a relationship with God can fill. Campers learn to experience God in the every day. We encourage them to express worship and gratitude individually and as a community.

What essential qualities to the making of a successful person! This inventory of traits looks like a laundry list of leadership qualifications. It is no wonder that people with camp experience are often hired first. These skills are not guaranteed to come with a university education, but come with lots of hands on practice.

I believe these essential elements culminate into one thing: PASSION. Just observe our Leaders in Training participants, many of whom have grown up at camp. You will find passion in their midst, and it is contagious! My husband, George, says this about passion, “Passion leads to Vision and Vision leads to Destiny.” Clearly, this explains the camper success stories of individuals such as Joe Hubbard. What is the value of camp you ask? It is PRICELESS!!