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Discover Fauquier
April 2024
18
Now that summer is within sight, you may be thinking
about healthy ways to fill your children's time before school
starts again. Many of us have fond memories of summer
camp--meeting friends, playing games, learning about
nature, and getting our first taste of independence. Though
the world has changed dramatically since our childhood,
some youth-serving agencies are so committed that they
can evolve and endure with the changing times.
Northern Virginia 4-H Educational and Conference
Center is one of those programs, offering year-round,
research-based programming to the youth and families
of Northern Virginia. Besides providing experiential
learning opportunities for children of all ages, 4-H
programs offer something else: a chance to step away
from the world of phones and social media and discover
how they fit into the fabric of
their community.
Executive director Katie Tennant
explains the different camps
offered to Fauquier County
residents. Overnight Junior
C a m p , a c l a s s i c c a m p
experience, is for kids from 913.
" There are fun hands - on
activities like archery, canoeing,
line dancing, acting, pool and
rec time, and evening campfires,"
says Katie. "Kids get to choose
their activities." She adds that once children turn 13, they
can choose to go through training to become a teen
counselor--an opportunity that empowers young teens
to learn responsibility and leadership. For children under
eight, 4-H offers campers (with their parents present) a
weekend experience that acts
as a building block toward
r e adin e s s fo r O ve r ni g ht
Junior Camp.
Specialty camps are also
offered throughout the summer,
including a military adventure
camp for 13- to 18-year-olds
made possible by a grant
par tner ship with Purdue
University. The sleepover camp
is five days and four nights,
with a focus on adventure and
wilderness survival skills,
including first aid, leadership
development, and support with
interpersonal relationships like
conflict resolution.
Camp Fantastic is a week-long
camp for cancer patients and
survivors aged 717. Medical care is provided onsite so
campers can focus on classic summer camp fun--they
enjoy a ropes course, canoeing, swimming, cooking,
sports, and more.
Camp SMILE (Summer of Memories, Inspiration, Learning,
and Enrichment) is an annual summer residential camp
specifically designed for rising 5th graders from Fauquier
County Public Schools (FCPS).
Campers participate in academic
enrichment activities taught by
certified FCPS teachers from
various specialties, giving
students an edge and one final
mind/body boost for their last
year of elementary school. They
also enjoy traditional camp
experiences, like swimming,
hiking in a beautiful outdoor
setting, and singing beside a
campfire. In addition to previewing
and practicing 5th - grade
curriculum academics, Camp
SMILE participants attend a "Five Needs" class that helps
build their self-esteem and awareness of their basic human
needs. Many activities focus on developing the "Five
Cs"--critical thinking, communication, collaboration,
c reat iv it y, and
citizenship. This
combination of
academic practice
and fun physical
activity enriches
a n d s u p p o r t s
students' growing
minds and bodies,
setting them up for
success as they transition into a new developmental stage.
Camp program director Tatyana Yates was once a 4-H
camper, and now she enjoys watching other children benefit
from the program. "Camp had a huge impact on me," says
Tatyana. "Each week, we do a survey that asks the kids
how camp impacts them, and we get amazing answers."
In last year's report, students shared that as a result of
their camp experience, they found new confidence in
social situations, their mental attitude improved, and they
learned how to lead and work with others more effectively.
Most importantly, students reported that they learned that
life can be lived joyfully without a phone. If you are
interested in registering your child for camp, learn more
at
(540) 635-7171.
~ Caitlin Scott
Northern Virginia 4-H Knows
What Today's Kids Need
The Season
of Joy!
When the storms of life are raging and it
feels like nothing's going right, it can cause
you to see the entire world clouded in a
negative light. It's easy for adults to become
jaded as we go through life. We begin to
forget the things that make us happy. But
sometimes if we take a step back and
watch how others react to a situation, it
can change everything.
Children are the perfect example. Watch
them as they discover the world around
them each day. In the mornings, they run
and play before school instead of
complaining about the weather or not
having enough coffee to get through the
day. When they encounter other kids their
age, they accept them as new friends
quickly and easily. They do not fi rst judge
someone and then decide to let them into
their life. They delight in the small things,
like butterfl ies and fl owers and stickers.
A popsicle can make their whole day.
Watch them ride their bikes, sticking their
legs out with joy and racing each other,
laughter echoing through the neighborhood.
Let us be more like children. Let us run
and play in the rain without a care in the
world. Take notice of the blooms beginning
to rise up from the ground and the feel of
the warm sun on our skin. Let us not get
caught up in the mundane tasks of life but
be thankful for spring, for fresh air, for
warmth and light, for friendship and love.
Let us look for the simple, the small, the
tiny little specks of joy in each day. Let
those things become the big things. Find
common ground with people you encounter
throughout your day. Accept them as they
are. Offer a smile to a stranger. See the
world in a different light. Be the light in
this world that helps others to see it too.
If you experience a moment of joy this
season, please share it with us
at
facebook.com/MentalHealthFauquier.
We want to help you see the good. Contact
us if you are having trouble getting out of
the negative. We are here to help.
by Renee Norden, executive director
The Mental Health Association
of Fauquier County