by Sarah Swaim
What better teach skills such as leadership, teamwork, and conflict resolution than to learn how to work together in nature? All of these skills are essential for learning how to thrive in life no matter what the circumstance.
Consider this:
Children that live in neighborhoods with access to green spaces have lower body weight changes
– Bell and colleagues, 2009 IUPUI
Spending time in nature reduces ADHD symptoms
– The University of Illinois, Andrea Faber Taylor and Frances E. Kuo
Children that live in neighborhoods with more trees are less likely to have asthma
– Dr. Gina S. Lovasi and colleagues from Columbia University 2008
As a charity, Document Mountain by Cornerstone has decided to sponsor Camptown. Camptown brings outdoor education and adventure to over 500 underprivileged youth in central Indiana. We guide youth away from the pressures of home, school and the neighborhood and give them a setting in which they can build life skills, grow spiritually, build friendships, and experience the pace and flow of nature.
We lead youth to a better path through experiential adventure programs in the great outdoors. Ideas and attitudes formed through direct experiences are a greater influence on choices and behaviors in the future than those formed through indirect experiences.
Programs take place on both public and private lands throughout the United States. Camptown uses outdoor wilderness adventures such as backpacking, canoeing, and mountain biking to teach leadership, teamwork, character development, diversity, history, and environmental stewardship to youth from all walks of life. We instill, in each youth participant, environmental awareness and stewardship, effective leadership and teamwork skills, awareness of personal choices and consequences, a vision expanded beyond current life circumstances, responsibility, respect for others, and self-confidence.
Camptown started with serving 60 youth in 1993 and has grown to serve over 3,000 kids.
Document Mountain by Cornerstone is proud to be a sponsor of Camptown. For more information go to www.camptown.net.