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by Lucy Norvell
It happened again at George's theatre
camp last summer! He arrived home feeling great,
having learned so much about himself as a unique
individual, about the role he's capable
of playing in a group, and really ready for the
various roles he'll play in the school
year ahead — in classes, casts, and choirs,
and as a brother, son, friend, and citizen. It's
a great privilege for me to see my own child
thrive at summer camp after devoting so many
camp summers to the children of others.
Some
of last summer's highlights included sitting
in the audience spellbound by the performances
of my child and those of his friends whom I've
watched grow up on the stage summer after summer;
mingling afterwards in the glow of a New England
sunset with families who have become our good
friends over the last five years; connecting
with the counselors whose tremendously positive
impact on George's life and future seems
immeasurable; and witnessing the first of several
significant goodbyes he'll say in his senior
year of high school.
Arts camps, like my son's
theatre camp, offer campers the same benefits
as general and other specialty camps offer their
campers; they just do it in ways that resonate
for artistic kids. Growth at any camp happens
as a result of safe risk-taking. Arts camps actually
provide numerous opportunities for taking risks,
for putting yourself out there, for flirting
with various kinds of potential failure. Standing
alone on a stage. Submitting your work to a camp
or town art show. Creating and serving a recipe
of your own devising. Auditioning. Trying a new
artistic process for the first time often involves
the risks of working in a new medium, holding
different materials and foreign tools: a loom,
a potter's wheel, a kiln, brushes, a microphone,
knives, circular saws, sewing machines. But artistic
risk-taking is as thrilling and promotes as much
growth for campers as zipping down the zip line
of a high ropes course, summiting a mountain,
navigating Class IV rapids in a canoe, or shooting
the winning goal. Camp professionals know that
campers learn from taking these huge risks — and
through taking much smaller ones, too.
George's
theatre camp has inspired similar growth for
him. I asked him recently how these last five
summers at theatre camp have influenced him.
I couldn't possibly paraphrase his words: “Because
of camp I know more about who I am. Camp encourages
me to be me — to be my best self. I've
become more aware in my relationships. I'm
a better human being because of acting camp!” How
touching to hear him articulate this sentiment.
It was stunning because it's so true. And
he's gained all this in addition to solid
acting and performance skills. His camp workshops
focused on memorizing lines, stage combat, improvisational
theatre, directing, Shakespearean plays, technical
theatre, and leadership. He relies on this camp
knowledge and practice each year when he returns
to the highly competitive public school theatre
program that executes a dozen productions annually.
While my husband and I recognize and appreciate
the development of various concrete acting skills
honed at camp, we join George in valuing the
larger impact of his camp experience. His deepening
appreciation for all the arts is apparent on
a daily basis. George's extemporaneous
tribute to his grandmother at her recent 90th
birthday party literally brought tears to our
eyes. He was poised, eloquent, authentic, and
extremely comfortable expressing love for her
in front of a large group of family and friends.
Teachers remark about how well this shy guy now
speaks up in class and how thoughtful, engaging,
and confident he is in school. Living and working
so intensely with peers at camp has enabled him
to navigate the choppy waters of adolescent friendship.
He knows his camp friends are lifelong friends
and what he's learned and experienced within
the context of these friendships has made him
a better friend to so many outside camp. Theatre
camp has empowered George's sense of himself
as an individual and as part of his camp community,
which he considers an additional family.
The
benefits of George's camp experience are
so integrated into his current life, it's
impossible to imagine how he could have grown
up without camp. My family is so grateful to
the camp professionals who influenced our son's
growth and development so profoundly. Because
of camp, he entered his last year of high school
at the top of his game. Because of camp, we're
confident that he's positioned to face
the many transitions and adjustments ahead next
fall at college — positioned to be a fully
contributing member of a residential educational
community. George told me the greatest news recently.
At the end of his freshman year in college, he's
certain of the work experience that stands to
teach him the most and help him to prepare for
the future. He plans to be a summer camp counselor!
Originally published
in the 2008 November/December issue of Camping
Magazine.
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