Camp Brings Out Your Inner Butterfly

“True self-discovery begins where your comfort zone ends.” -Adam Braun

The journey toward self-discovery is different for every child. Each person comes to camp with their own unique experiences and understandings about reality.

Our premise – Reality can be relative.

• We all have filters which impact the way we interpret and respond to the world around us.
• These filters define how we think, feel, and perceive the world.
• They create our own unique patterns of thought, feelings, and
  behaviors.

Therefore it becomes imperative that camp professionals assist each child as they design their own unique roadmap toward self-discovery. Self-discovery and personal growth in any camper emanates from hundreds of daily interactions with people in the community. Taking risks can be both physical and/or psychological. One person’s comfort zone is very different from the person standing next to them. As these experiences unfold it is incumbent upon staff members to give these teachable moments clarity.

The pathway to personal insight is not always smooth. Sometimes the lessons learned come from a place of conflict and anxiety. These revelations can and should be just as valuable as the positive ones. There is a yin and yang that gives context and perspective to how one experiences, interprets and internalizes life’s events. Each offers a child a valuable opportunity to learn and grow.

Self-discovery mirrors life. There are great times, sad times, scary times and times where one feels marginal in the community or
conversely realizes that have become a leader in the group. It is the accumulation of all these moments that carve out who you are and who we will become.

This roller coaster ride to help children grow is intangible at times. One sees growth choices a child makes or in how they carry themselves in a more confident manner. It is not often that camp professionals get to hear from the kids, in real time, just what camp meant to them and how it has impacted the person they are today.

The following is a wonderful example how camp changed two girls for the better. Their words demonstrate their appreciation for what camp did for them…The truth is, after hearing these sentiments there wasn’t a staff member that wasn’t smiling from ear to ear and very proud of the young women they have become.

Danbee is a place that instills the confidence that allows you to be completely yourself. Each and every girl acts in a different way, looks different, and enjoys being uniquely themselves. At Danbee, because your differences are embraced,
these very girls can do just that. This is one of the many reasons Danbee has become our summer home for the 7 years.

As our second home, it means a place where we have found our best friends, where we have discovered our ability to let loose, and where we have developed the confidence to be proud of who we are. During the school year, it’s where we want to be; it’s what we had to look forward to, and what we had to get us through the tough times. Danbee changes everyone for the better.

When I first stepped off the bus as a little hornet, I was so timid. I was afraid of going to camp without knowing who I would be in a bunk with, who I would become friends with and how I would survive without my parents. I was so shy and afraid to step out of my comfort zone. Danbee helped me break out of my shell and become confident with who I am.

This is why camp folks do what they do. If done right it is absolutely satisfying to find out that your collective efforts through the years bore fruit. These girls and many more will leave Danbee but one thing for sure, Danbee will never leave them. Camp is an amazing community that enriches the lives of children.