Hello again, and happy summer! With the first day of camp fast approaching, we know there may be some new and not-so-new camp families out there feeling those first-day nerves. It’s only natural to do a bit of wondering and worrying, and we know that in the end, most first-day nerves can be traced back to the same concern: will my child be safe and cared for at camp?
We want you to know that our number one priority in selecting and training our camp staff is ensuring that we’ve built a team of people who will put their campers’ needs first every moment of every camp day. So how well are we meeting our campers’ physical and emotional needs? Let’s take a look at the data!
Campers need to feel safe in order to learn and grow, so data collection included specifics about camper safety and well-being at camp.
Challenge Success researchers and camp leadership team staff conducted 30 different activity observations, and marked that they agreed with the prompt “The counselor uses excellent judgment in assessing and addressing physical risk” 100% of the time.
99% of campers who completed surveys agreed with the prompt “I was encouraged to drink enough water each day.” With over a dozen drinking fountains spread throughout camp and counselors who lead frequent water breaks (plus plenty of campers that bring their own reusable water bottles), we work to make sure our camper’s stay hydrated all day long.
Our 1st – 9th grade counselors filled out a observational surveys about each individual child in their group, and they reported that 98.5% of campers ate enough food during the camp day. Because our counselors eat lunch with their own group each day they can actively remind campers to eat their healthy food first or to take three more bites of that sandwich. Group counselors quickly learn who may be a picky eater and who may need extra encouragement. Counselors for our younger groups even check each individual lunch bag to make sure campers are eating enough before moving on to the next activity.
I can really be myself at this camp.
There was at least one counselor I felt comfortable talking to if I had a problem.
The counselors here listen to what I have to say.
The counselors here treat me fairly.
People here respect me for who I am.
I feel included at this camp.
The counselor treats all campers positively and models respect. Campers are comfortable interacting with the counselor, and there is a clear rapport between campers and counselor.
The counselor ensures that all campers feel included in the group and the activity and encourages campers to practice inclusive behavior.
We believe that the data reinforces our belief that we do an excellent job of keeping our campers safe, both emotionally and physically. But in our view, camp should go beyond safety basics. We want our staff to really, truly care about their campers’ needs, big and small. We want to give your camper back to you in better shape than when they arrived, whether that means that they are more confident, that they have a new friend, or that they learned a new skill. And we know that to truly flourish, campers need to not just be safe, but to feel safe. Campers need to know that they are seen, heard, and valued. So for us, each and every decision comes back to the same question: what is best for the camper?
Thanks for stopping by to read this post, and please – if you have any questions or concerns about your camper’s first day of camp, give us a call! Our leadership team would be happy to hear from you.