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by Marvin Domsky
Camper conduct, it's a topic that's sure to come up when camp directors
gather to talk about camp. Today, many camp directors express concern
about the lack of respect and inappropriate behavior exhibited by some
campers. Tall Pines and Willow Grove Day Camps have found a way to stimulate
good citizenship and motivate positive behavior. The camps' awards system
rewards campers who meet a specific goal, and the campers respond enthusiastically.
The camps have found that the system has helped to increase enrollment
and bring campers back year after year.
The awards, which are presented in front of the entire camp, give campers
the opportunity to achieve success and recognition in areas other than
athletics or specific talent areas that camps traditionally reward. At
these camps, the following activities could earn campers and staff special
awards:
- Cleaning up an unsightly area
- Decorating a cabin
- Planting a tree, a bush, or flowers
- Painting a mural
- Making nature signs using natural materials
- Whitewashing rocks to designate a trail or path
- Singing a song or the national anthem at assembly time
- Doing a good deed for another person
- Taking part of an environmental project
- Doing a good deed for the camp community
How Campers Earn Awards
Staff, group heads, counselors, and the camp director can nominate and
present the awards. At the weekly Friday Assembly, an Oscar-type trophy
is awarded to the camp group that has performed one or more of the listed
activities. At the end of the summer, individual trophies are awarded
to everyone in the group that received the most "Oscars".
Individuals campers can also win awards. Counselors may nominate campers
for a special achievement award anytime during the camp season. These
awards can be given for to the most improved camper in a certain activity,
a camper who has gone out of his/her way to perform a camp project such
as special clean-up, or to a camper who exhibited good sportsmanship.
Other Types of Awards
Tall Pines and Willow Grove also give other awards and prizes to campers.
- Victory Award: Given to the individual or group for a special
sporting event, theater performance, aquatic accomplishment, or winning
a camp contest.
- Order of the Arrowhead: This award is given to a camper or
counselor for extraordinary service to the camp for any reason deemed
worthy of recognition. This person is presented with a replica of an
original Indian arrowhead mounted with copper wire and attached to
a leather lariat.
- Tootsie Roll Award: Tootsie Rolls or other small pieces of
candy are given to campers who find unusual plants or insects. Tootsie
Rolls may also be used to sweeten the disposition of a misbehaving
child when he is brought to the director for a conference.
- Small Toy Awards: The
camp also gives campers small tokens, such as cars, dolls, or small
toys, to motivate behavior improvements.
Many directors may debate the benefits
of an awards system, but these camps have found that present-day campers
love to receive tangible recognition for their accomplishments. The child
who catches the largest fish of the season and receives a fishing trophy
goes home at the end of the day with as big a smile as does the camper
who has received an award for his exceptional conduct on the bus or a
van.
Originally published in the 2000 May/June of Camping
Magazine.
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