By Matt Gray, Camp and program director
Somerset Valley YMCA, Hillsborough branch
To the editor:
If you ask any child attending summer camp why they enjoy it, inevitably the word “fun” will come out of their mouths. Camp is fun, there is no denying that, but it is so much more.
A summer camp is an intentional community where children are positively guided through experiences that are truly life changing.
All parents want their children to be successful. They hope that the success their children display as youngsters will continue as they move through college and eventually into the work force. However, as the work force continues to evolve, it is important to ask what we can do to ensure this generation of children will achieve success in life.
A survey of more than 400 employers from across the United States found that young people entering the work force are deficient in a specific set of critical skills. Employers consistently state that communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity — the four Cs — are among the most important skills for new hires, and they are in short supply.
The four Cs are skills that any camp professional will tell you occur every day in their programs. Campers are encouraged to work together and problem-solve during team-building activities.
They are praised for their creativity during arts and crafts or performing arts. Campers communicate with one another and their counselors all day because there is no escaping behind the screens of technology. They are guided towards failure at times, not only to gain experience practicing critical thinking and problem solving, but also to feel the power of perseverance once they finally succeed.
If teachers are considered the masters of developing the three Rs in our children, camp counselors are the equivalent for the four Cs.
Summer camp is becoming the choice “enrichment” option for children. Not only will they leave camp feeling more confident and comfortable, but they will develop the skills critical to adulthood.
Children spend their time from the first week of September through the third week in June participating in the rigors of a traditional education. The importance of knowledge absorbed during these 10 months is critical. However the way children spend the 10 weeks of summer vacation might just make the difference in their future success.
