A lot of students are home this week, and most will be for the rest of the school year. I am hearing of some schools doing really well with at home learning and I suspect some are struggling a bit, but there’s some really good news about all this. Here’s how to make your child a better student than they would have been without COVID-19.

First the data: In 2015 Clemson University conducted an Educational Outcomes Study of parent perceptions on behalf of the NCYCA. I have been in professional camping for thirty years and I hear from families describing the growth that camp has fostered all the time (I just got an email from a mom this morning). But when I read these results, I had to blink and read them again. 

Parents described notable increases in their students’ resilience, communication, critical thinking and decision making. This led to 91% of parents stating an increase in their campers’ success in school. 3.7% said they were not sure or needed to wait to see, leaving just 4.4% saying that they did not believe camp helped with school.

That’s mortgage rate low, or it was a couple weeks ago. It’s about the same percentage that the Quinnipiac Bobcats had of making the NCAA Tournament (4.2%) if it had happened – alas. 

So that’s great if they can come to camp, but there are also some things you can do at home. The magic of camp comes through friends and adventure (aka trying things we are not sure we will succeed at doing). Here’s the opportunity: 1) Instead of friends that become family this is a chance for family to become friends. 2) Adventure is available with almost anything you do outside. Just look for outdoor challenges. Yesterday it was the Holtzman family jumping off the blob tower into a very cold Lake Dorris. You probably have a cold lake, a steep trail or campsite near you so have at it!

The result will be improved resilience, communication, critical thinking and decision making, and those things make great students.

Great Camping!
Adam and Ann