There has been much debate and discussion recently in the Camp community over some of the proposed ideas of the Obama Administration and it’s initiatives for Education Reform. One of the main concerns is the idea of extending the school year calender to continue through the summer in an effort to offer a more thorough and consistent learning schedule for students.
If the Education Reform were passed to adopt a year-round school year calendar, what effect would this have on summer camps?
The American Camp Association has developed “A Case for Camp“. In it, Peg Smith, CEO of the ACA, makes many valid points. Smith states, “It’s just possible that our children are beginning to lag behind other nations in academic achievement because we are focusing on the wrong things. Teaching children to pass standardized tests doesn’t necessarily teach them to think for themselves. Education is about more than teaching answers; it’s about equipping our kids with the ability to develop the art of seeing the possibilities.” I agree with Smith, and I support the American Camp Association’s position that that the organized camp experience is a vital component in the development and education of the whole child.
Personally, I would not be who I am today if I had not gone to camp. In a story that I wrote about my camp experience as a child, I talk about how I developed my passion for drumming at an early age at summer camp. Although I did have opportunities to perform in school, it was the experiences that I had at camp that gave me the confidence and courage to pursue my dreams.
Summer camps are not endangered and if anything, I see their role in childhood education being even more acknowledged and recognized in the future.
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What do you think, are camps endangered by year round education reform?
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