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What’s Special About Camp Augusta?
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Child development
Partnering with parents efforts
Although camp can be an important part of a child’s development, we certainly realize that the family is critical as well. To help parents raise healthy children – to partner with parents, Camp Augusta is doing three things. One, we are providing a safe, healthy, community environment where kids can have fun, and learn a little while they’re here. Counselors write letters to the parents about their child’s experience so that there can be some continuity. Two, we have a component to our website entitled “Partnering with Parents.” Just a few topics you will find there are: behavior management, 40 developmental assets, homesickness, and self-esteem. Three, we provide educational sessions to families during our family camp every year. More efforts to partner with parents are on the way.
Wonderful location
When you think of camp, you probably think of a lake, forest, simplicity, fun, and stunning beauty. Camp Augusta has all of that, and its own waterfall, with the amazing Yuba River just around the corner.
Classic camp
Camp Augusta is not high tech, glitzy, or full of hype and the latest toy trends. Kids’ lives are full of that already. We provide an environment where a kid can see and watch the butterfly, kick a stone and see how it really bounces, and have a conversation with a friend without needing anything that whistles, buzzes, hums, or makes an electronic connection with anything. Life is reduced to rustic simplicity, and we are once again reminded of the pleasures that come from simply being with each other and spending time with ourselves. At Camp Augusta, we create wonderful simplicity, amazing simplicity, ecstatic simplicity . . . it’s simple to us!
Unique activities
Oh sure, we’ve got activities such as a climbing tower, ropes course, canoeing, archery, overnight trips, berry picking, horses, riflery, arts and crafts, mountain biking, mountain boarding, and lots more. But, we’ve also got activities that were played 50 -- 2000 years ago, and that most kids have either forgotten, or were never exposed to, except at Camp Augusta. We’ve got activities such as PDQ, Kabaddi, Zoogle, Candle Duel, 9 Square, Balero, Box Hockey, Juggling, Bocce Ball, Horseshoes, Indian Rope Balance, and over 30 more.
Small size
Our sessions max out at 90 campers. There isn’t a sea of campers and staff to get lost in. When kids eat inside (usually outside at Augusta), there isn’t a rumble when people are just talking normally. The director and staff get to know the kids and chat. Many camps have 250 - 500 kids plus staff, but we like it small and friendly.
Meaningful individual attention
With our small size, comes meaningful individual attention. You’re not going to get a bureaucracy you’re going to get a personal response. Our counselors also write personal letters home to the parents to talk about your child’s experience at camp.
Staff personality and character
Everyone promises a quality staff. We invite you to check out our staff selection process, which includes writing a two-page essay, reading over a dozen pages before the interview, and a 4+ hour interview by a doctor of psychology (not intimidating at all!).
Director with Ph.D. in developmental, social, and organizational psychology and nearly 20 years in camping
Camp Augusta is fortunate to have Dr. Randall Grayson as our director. You can learn more about him under About Camp Augusta.
True community
We live in an age where neighborhood block parties are rare, people go from isolation at home, to an isolated car, to activities that are done either alone or in small groups. Only half the country votes. At Camp Augusta, we strive to create a real community. There is shared effort as kids help clean their cabins, the camp, and help with meals. People belong and we work hard to prevent cliques. Kids and staff have a real voice in how things run at camp. Camp Augusta has core values that we strive to make real daily -- “We are a creative, trustworthy, fun, community of servants focused on the mission.” Our hope is that children and staff appreciate living in a real community, and that they’ll take that knowledge and appreciation with them to make the world outside of Camp Augusta just a little bit stronger of a community.
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Intended Benefits of a Camp Augusta Experience
Independence & self-confidence
- Being away from home
- Increased competence in activity areas
- Camping in the out of doors
Fun
- Scores of activities to try and learn
- Evening programs
- Cabin activities
- “Camp Augusta Playstation” (nothing to do with Sony!)
- Out-of-camp trips
- Special events
- Table games and more
Appreciation for community
Creativity
- Things done repetitively are done in fresh ways with brainstorming
- Being around creative staff who love to experiment
- Whether in arts and crafts, archery, or horsemanship, children are encouraged to try new things. Camp is a safe place to fail and succeed.
Social skills
- Coached through our trained staff -- see “Partnering with Parents”
- From sun up until sun down, camp is a social place to have fun and learn
Activity skills
- Lesson plans and competent instructors
- Time to learn activities if the kids choose to (especially over two weeks)
Build friendships
From sun up until sun down, camp is a social place to build friendships. This is especially true for kids who stay two weeks.
Empathy
- Satisfy the child’s own emotional needs, without encouraging excessive self-concern
- Encouraging children to identify, experience, and express a wide range of emotions
- Provide frequent opportunities to observe other people’s emotional responsiveness (modeling)
Environmental awareness and appreciation
- Provide a beautiful, natural surrounding
- Nature education
- Camping in a minimally-invasive manner
- Be outside as much as possible
- Measuring the food waste at each meal
- Outdoor living skills
Character enhancement
- Hiring exceptional role models through a best-practice selection method
- CAP (Camp Augusta Pride) projects
- Reflections -- inspirational message from the staff
- Evening embers -- cabin chats before bedtime
Healthy lifestyle – exercise, good nutrition, & knowledge of healthy lifestyle
- Nutritious meals
- Healthy snacks
- Lack of television, video games, movies, and other sedentary entertainment
- Frequent exercise through play (the best kind)
- Cleanliness: showers, clothes, teeth, etc.
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