Month: March 2017

How Camp Taught Me to be Humble

March 13th, 2017

Camp is a lot of things. It’s fun and it’s gorgeous and it’s exciting. But it’s also very big. It’s acres and acres of land, its gigantic trees and sprawling landscapes and giant lakes. It is set against giant mountains and has a unique way of quickly reminding everyone who enters about how small they are in the grand scheme of things.

Camp has a funny way of putting things into perspective for both campers and staff, and it can be a humbling experience. It’s interesting how one camper who is considered “popular” at school enters the camp experience completely equal to the quiet and reserved student who doesn’t say much at school. Status at school and at home means nothing here and puts everyone on the same playing field from day one.

Take Max for example: Being the star athlete was how he defined himself at home. He was the fastest and strongest on his team, and everyone knew it. But when he got to camp, he met some other guys who were equally as talented, some even more so, and it challenged Max to find other ways to define himself. He did a lot of soul-searching that summer, and learned about the deep and foundation character traits that defined him, and learned that being a great athlete was just a part of who he was, not all of who he was.

Life lessons like this are learned all the time at camp. Campers can learn humility in other ways as well. One of the best ways to learn to be humble is by serving others. Campers see first hand how to serve others selflessly every day as they watch counselors and staff work hard for them. Campers also act as Big Brothers and Big Sisters and learn quickly what a big responsibly it is to have people look up to you.

Camp is such a unique experience, and many campers leave with a deep appreciation of the experience they were gifted. They understand that so many kids across the country don’t have access to such an innovative, hands-on, safe, fun and diverse camp experience, and they leave camp truly humbled and grateful for what they have.

Character building and life lessons are built into the foundation of Camp Weequahic. Campers learn a lot about themselves here and develop a deeper and more genuine understanding of themselves and the world around them, all while they jump, dive, sing, run, play, act, create, dance and swim the days away.

Jamming Out at Camp

March 6th, 2017

Music can be tied into so many activities and experiences at camp. From songs around the campfire to traveling songs, incorporating music into camp life just comes naturally. For campers who are interested in fine arts such as dance, music and theatre, music is a tool that can be used to express themselves in a way that written or spoken word just can’t. Dance classes give campers an artistic outlet to do what they love, and can create a strong sense of self-confidence.  Camp Weequahic gives them the opportunity to explore music as a way of self-expression, and has so many benefits for the growing minds of young campers.

 

Whether it is singing, dancing, or playing an instrument, music works wonders on a growing, adolescent brain, and can teach them things that build their character and helps them become more productive members of society. While they are having fun with their fellow campers and counselors through music instruction, they don’t realize they are becoming more creative, more communicative, and more well- rounded in the process. At the end of the summer, many campers are proud to go home and show off their new musical abilities, and it gives them a sense of pride to have learned something new while they were away from home.

 

Children who learn to play an instrument at an early age benefit in many ways. It teaches perseverance, helps with math and number skills, enhances coordination, improves memory, reading and comprehension skills, and can help sharpen focus and concentration. Studies have shown that learning to play an instrument has lifelong benefits, which is why music and access to instruments is such an important part of camp life. Campers can learn to play the guitar, participate in a live show, or learn about the behind the scenes workings of a real radio station. Camp provides plenty of options for all kinds of personalities and learning styles to really dive into music and everything it can teach them.

 

It is safe to assume that most campers are exposed to music on a daily basis back at home, but at camp they are exposed to different types of music, which broadens their horizons and helps them become more culturally aware. They learn to appreciate different styles of music, and learn the history behind specific music styles, instruments and songs.

 

Camp Weequahic is all about providing children with the tools and resources they need to build their character and set up a foundation for a successful future. This goal could not be reached without the incorporation of dance, songs and musical instruments into the every day life of the campers.

Mindset Matters

March 3rd, 2017

No too long ago, a very smart researcher and teacher wrote an important book that changed my thinking. In Mindset, Dr. Carol Dweck discusses the differences between growth and fixed mindsets. To quote her website:

“Mindsets are beliefs – beliefs about yourself and your most basic qualities. Think about your intelligence, your talents, your personality. Are these qualities simply fixed traits, carved in stone and that’s that? Or are they things you can cultivate throughout your life?

People with a fixed mindset believe that their traits are just givens. They have a certain amount of brains and talent and nothing can change that. If they have a lot, they’re all set, but if they don’t… So people in this mindset worry about their traits and how adequate they are. They have something to prove to themselves and others.

People with a growth mindset, on the other hand, see their qualities as things that can be developed through their dedication and effort. Sure they’re happy if they’re brainy or talented, but that’s just the starting point. They understand that no one has ever accomplished great things—not Mozart, Darwin, or Michael Jordan—without years of passionate practice and learning.”

At Camp…

I can’t tell you how many times we’ve had kids at camp who said they couldn’t do something: get to the top of the climbing tower, get up on stage, make a fire, or make it another day at camp… only to succeed after changing their minds.

There will be lots of cases when you may think to yourself, “I’m just not good at this. Nothing will help.” (I know I certainly felt that way in both my Statistics and Cost Accounting classes….)

But here’s the thing – that’s just not true. Sure, you may not be world class at something, even if you give it your best shot for many, many years. But you can ALWAYS improve. And, if you have that growth mindset, you’ve got the best chance of improving.

Words Have Power

Dr. Dweck ran an interesting experiment. Kids were separated evenly between two rooms and each room was given the same puzzle. Once everyone had finished, the researcher in one room told the kids, “Wow, you finished. You must be really good at puzzles.”

The other room was told something slight different. “Wow, you finished. You must have worked really hard on that puzzle.”

Not very different, huh? But wait – and this is where things get interesting. That same researcher gave each group of kids a harder puzzle to solve, a really tough one. What do you think happened?

The researchers found that the room of kids told they were “good at puzzles” gave up solving the puzzle at a much higher and faster rater than the kids who were complimented on ‘working hard.’ Hmm….

Are Good or a Hard Worker?

Being good at something is a zero-sum game. That means either you are good at something or you aren’t. And, if you feel you aren’t good at something, how long do you do it? Right… not long.

However, if you see yourself as a hard worker, someone who will persevere and take on a challenge, you’ll keep at things longer and have a greater chance of success.

As you can see from the experiment, it doesn’t take much to change your thinking. Just a few words are needed from an important source – a teacher or parent or mentor – to make a change in a young person’s mind.

But do you know who’s voice is most important on this front? Your own! As we are fond of saying at Camp Weequahic, you get to pick your attitude all of the time.

Do your best to choose a growth mindset going forward. It will help more than you can imagine. We’ll be ready to help you keep that rolling at camp this summer. Have a great weekend!