Nov 23, 2016
Camp Counselor Perspective: Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is Paramount One of the counselors at Camp Colley this summer was a graduate student pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW) at ASU. She shares her insight about youth development through participation at Camp Colley. Learning happens on two levels at camp. There are skills that campers know they are learning through participation in each day’s activities. These include shooting an arrow at the target, paddling a canoe correctly, and making a bird feeder. Although campers may not realize it at the time, they are also developing life skills. Through these same camp activities, youth are transformed as they learn to work as part of a team, cope with new challenges and adversity, assess risks and analyze possible outcomes. This social-emotional learning will help them be successful in all their endeavors throughout life. One example is teaching boating safety. Skills to participate in the activity- such as paddling, positioning, and three points of contact are taught alongside the lifelong skills that are naturally incorporated such as teamwork, sharing the spotlight, cooperation, and patience. Incorporating social-emotional learning into activity instruction is a natural fit and one of the reasons the nature experiences youth have at Camp Colley are impactful for life-long learning and success. Connect disadvantaged youth to what they need to succeed. Donate...
Nov 15, 2016
Click to view the Camp Colley Foundation 2016 annual newsletter: 2016 AR.compressed
Jun 29, 2016
by: Kristen Whiteman, Research Intern There is a game that my daughter and her friends like to play called “Never have I ever.” The person in the middle of a circle of people tries to get other people out of the circle by listing activities that they think the other people have participated in but the person who is it has not. It is funny to hear what some of these activities include and how creative the players have to be because so many of the kids have had such rich experiences in their lives and have done so much. This game would not have been so entertaining though with some kids that I lately had the opportunity to spend time with, as there were many activities that they have never participated in. Recently I had the good fortune to spend a weekend at Camp Colley with a group of families who were there for a horseback riding weekend. One of the families I had the privilege to meet had never been to the mountains before. Imagine how fun it was to watch this dad looking at the trees in wonder and taking deep breaths of the mountain air as he exclaimed how beautiful it was. And, the kids couldn’t seem to calm down when it was time to get settled in a tent because they were so excited to sleep in a tent, in sleeping bags; two more things that were new to them. Of course we made s’mores around a campfire that first evening and again these kids experienced a first when they toasted marshmallows over the...
May 16, 2016
by Kristen Whiteman, Research Intern Summer camps have been around for at least 130 years. One source states the first camps were established in1880. From the very beginning, organizers of summer camps were concerned with not only socializing a child, but providing an experience that allowed a child to engage in activities that were different from what they regularly experienced. While summer camps have evolved from a rustic, ecological experience, becoming more all-encompassing, the original goals have not changed. Summer camp is still a place where an individual can learn by experiencing previously unknown interests and by engaging in challenging situations that can cause that individual to grow socially. Camp Colley has these same goals. These objectives guide the programming at Camp Colley. We want youth to have opportunities to participate in challenging activities to help them realize that they are strong, they can excel at new endeavors, and they can learn from one another through interaction and cooperation. Camp Colley uses the guiding principles that have been studied and shown to facilitate pro-social change in youth who participate in camp programs. Research confirms change can and does take place in individuals that participate in these programs. One study (Wilson & Lipsey, 2000) found that delinquent youths who participated in a wilderness challenge program had lower recidivism rates than a comparison group. This finding indicates that outdoor programs foster opportunities for growth and personal mastery. This same study also found that even short programs where a youth is able to work with a group to solve challenging problems and is given opportunities to conquer increasingly difficult physical tasks, help...
Nov 24, 2015
Did you miss our end of year report about the programs at Camp Colley this summer?...
May 19, 2015
The HBO show Game of Thrones has made the phrase, “Winter is Coming” a popular catch phrase among its viewers. Here in Phoenix however, we experience the other side of the coin. The summer is almost upon us with soaring temperatures certain to reach the 110’s and likely the 120’s. This is the time of the year where people crave to escape the heat to cooler weather. Camp Colley is the place for kids and families alike to do that very thing. This summer, sign your child, family or group up for an exciting trip to Camp Colley where you will be able to participate in activities like canoeing, horseback riding, hiking and fishing up in the tall pines of Arizona’s Mogollon Rim. We hope that you will join us this summer, however, if you can’t, please consider a donation to the Camp Colley Foundation to help send some of the less fortunate youth of our communities to Camp Colley for the summer. Visit www.campcolley.org today to make a donation. For only $30 you can send a deserving at-risk, inner-city kid to camp for a day, $90 pays for a full 3-day camp. Your donations are greatly appreciated by us and more importantly, by the children we serve. Stay cool! Summer is...
