“I think there is a lot to be said for camp experiences that allow kids to dabble and try many new things. It helps them find out what they are passionate about and where they want to place their focus. But once they find that passion it’s amazing what a more specific focus can give them. These programs do more than scratch the surface; they help a child dig deep into who they are and what they can do,” says Marcy Mastel, director of the Girl Scouts’ Camp Four Echoes in Worley, Idaho.
“Many times we hear our campers say, ‘I didn’t know I could do that!’ They are pushing past their initial reserve and doing something more challenging. They are getting a chance to succeed and a chance to learn what to do if they don’t. They are learning persistence and sharpening skills in a way that you can’t do in just an hour or an afternoon. They are learning to be vulnerable within their group and how to ask for and give help to members of their team. They are learning to rely on their team and how to be reliable.”
