Today’s world seems to have become ultra-competitive…from the time one joins little league until job application time, everyone is looking for that special something that sets them apart from the others. Perhaps no trait is more valuable than leadership, and summer camp is a great opportunity for young men and women to develop and practice their leadership skills.
At Laurel South, our campers look forward to finally being in 7th Grade so they can be in Rangeley (boys) or Katahdin (girls). And, by the way, being able to now opt out of instructional swim is not the main reason. These older campers become Camp Big Brothers and Camp Big Sisters for our younger campers. They take great pride in educating our younger campers about the traditions that make Laurel South our summer home. Our 9th Grade campers run camp for 2 days during Spirit Days!
At the end of the summer, our 9th Graders meet with the 8th Graders and explain the importance of having CIT leaders that the rest of the campers can look up to and emulate in the future. It’s this sense of accomplishment and pride that drives so many to return as staff members!
So, yes, camp is fun. Camp allows us to unplug, enjoy nature and build lifelong friendships. But camp also develops leadership qualities that will benefit campers for a lifetime.