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BDN MAINE SPECIAL SECTION • BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM • April 11, 2013
Maine’s Guide to Summer Camps
152 years later, summer camp is a tradition By american camp association
JORDAN FROM PAGE 10
for extended expeditions, but who want to a camping experience. Experienced Adventure Seekers includes camping overnight on the beach of a pond. Advanced Adventure Seekers, ages 13 to 16, offers campers a chance to challenge themselves and sharpen their skills at paddling, backpacking and rock climbing. Extreme Adventure Seekers is for youngsters ready to push the limits. It includes a 12day expedition with backpacking in Grafton Notch State Park in New Hampshire and a rafting trip on the Dead River in Maine. Representative Chellie Pingree (D) • Leaders School teaches children what it means to be a good leader and group memhas been about education,” said Peg Smith, ber, said social worker Eric Taylor, the Bangor chief executive officer for ACA. “Even when Y Leader School and youth director. It focuses campers are learning a specific skill, like aron developing and strengthening self-esteem, chery, they are learning more than just where and helps participants learn about themselves and others. to put the arrow and how to hold the bow. Campers are actually learning about respect, Program highlights include traveling across developing an awareness of those around Maine to bike, hike, kayak and canoe. Potenthem, and gaining self-esteem. Camp educates tial destinations may include the St. Croix River, Acadia National Park, Mount Bigelow for tomorrow — and educates for a lifetime.” ACA is honored to have Representative Pin- and Mount Katahdin. Ninety percent of the program’s staff, Taylor said, are past graduates gree’s support for the camp experience. ACA of the program. Collectively, they drive or fly also recognizes the leadership of the Maine Youth Camping Foundation, and thanks them approximately 17,000 miles to volunteer for one week, Taylor said. for facilitating this important recognition. “It’s a nice collective project,” Taylor said. Reprinted from www.ACAcamps.org by Dickerson, Robichaud and Taylor gave high marks to the Bangor YMCA Wilderness Center at Camp Jordan Director Emerald Russell for her vision and work in developing the new camping concept. “Emerald has done a superior job,” Dickerson said. “It’s really exciting to take three separate tracks [Leaders School, the technical aspects of outdoor skills and the fun of traditional camping] and integrate them,” Robichaud said. For information or to register for summer camp, call Maria Robshaw at 619-4773 or visit www.campjordan.org.
Photo courtesy bangor Y
“Camps are special places where kids get a chance to
The American Camp Association was privileged to have Congress recognize the 150th anniversary of organized camp in the United States in 2011. The camp experience was formally recognized when Representative Chellie Pingree (D) of Maine, extended her remarks about the importance of camp experiences in the Congressional Record on September 13, 2011. In 1861, Frederick W. Gunn took students from his Gunnery School program on a twoweek trip. The class hiked to their destination and then set up camp. The students spent their time boating, fishing, and trapping. The trip was so successful that the tradition continued for twelve years as The Gunnery Camp, and became the catalyst for a nationwide movement — one that spans experiences across the globe and has encompassed milestones in youth development for more than a dozen decades. “Camps are special places where kids get a chance to re-create themselves, develop independence, be physically active, and learn new skills outside of the traditional school setting,” remarked Representative Pingree. “And, through exposure to new experiences, friendships with kids from other states and around the globe, campers gain perspectives on their own lives that
re-create themselves, develop independence, be physically
active, and learn new skills outside of the traditional school setting ... Campers gain perspectives on their own lives that augment their education during the school year.”
augment their education during the school year.” Research shows that involvement in intentional programs during summer months can help stem the natural summer learning loss that occurs when children are out of school. For 150 years, camp has been the natural extension of traditional education — focusing on the whole child and providing the physical, social, and developmental growth needed as precursors to academic achievement. A classroom without walls, the camp experience has long been a critical part of yearround education — providing experiential learning environments for over a century and for millions of children, youth, and adults. “From the beginning, the camp experience
EMCC FROM PAGE 15 Day camps run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., which is ideal for parents working daytime schedules, and include breakfast and lunch. All camps include limited afternoon recreational components to ensure that the kids still get to be kids. “I think the reputation we’ve built over what we’ve done with our Camp Survivor and our culinary camps... show that we do very well with running a great program for a week,” said Corey.