The Circle of Courage at Camp

Kids, adults, and staff members find community at camp, whether it be for a whole summer, a week, or just a single day. They are included and accepted in small groups while being able and encouraged to broaden their connections with other campers throughout programming. Not only are campers connecting to one another but they are constantly encouraged to be their authentic selves from the moment they arrive at camp. Belonging is cultivated when kids can accept others for who they are, when they can accept themselves for who they are, and when others accept them for who they are.

There are a multitude of aspects at camp where group and individual successes and failures are celebrated. Campers are given tasks and activities to complete on a daily basis and it not only strengthens their independence but their confidence in their level of mastery as well. When campers experience success and failures alike, they are motivated to try new techniques and new strategies and are overall more confident in their abilities. Mastery is built when campers find interest and motivation in new things, when they experience individual achievements, and when the whole group triumphs with success.

Camp allows kids to try new things, learn new skills, and engage in new experiences that they might not have otherwise had the opportunity to try, all in a safe and supervised environment where failure is accepted and uplifted. Not only are kids encouraged to try new activities, but they are given the necessary autonomy to do so. When kids are trusted to make decisions for themselves, they build confidence and ultimately self-determination which are both vital to gaining independence.

The community created at camp lends itself to generosity that spans all age groups, genders, socioeconomic backgrounds, and racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Camps allow kids to be introduced to new communities and different perspectives at a far higher rate than in their everyday lives. When this happens, kids realize that they are part of a bigger picture that spans farther than anything they had experienced before coming to camp. The importance of empathy and service to others is not only discovered but also elevated.