In just a matter of months now, campers and their families will be pulling into the camp lane. Our signature sign, “Caution! Future World Leaders At Work and At Play” will be among the first indicators of entrance into a very special place!
What’s a leader? Oh….they come in many sorts! Confucious said that the best leaders are those who are never seen—who happily empower others to shine. For leaders that stand before others, the best are listeners, they are compassionate, empathetic problem solvers. They use their voices to make positive differences in their communities. And they are creative, fun-loving individuals, too.
Are those types of leaders developed at Camp Betsey Cox, as our welcoming sign suggests? The answer, of course, is “yes”! Meandering up to the main yard, families pass by any number of Betsey Cox young leaders. They may spot a few girls catching up after a winter apart, chatting together on the first level of the tree house. On the second level of the same magic spot, there may be two girls lost in books they finally have time to read and think about. Further up the yard a few girls are shooting hoops on one end of the tennis court while others practice their tennis skills on the other end. Entering their cabins, families find girls sitting together building new friendships and cementing old ones once again. Each of these camp activities encourages girls to find their voices, to challenge their own perceived limits, to think about new ideas, and to have fun doing so!
We can all agree that leaders exhibit self-confidence. Every day of their Betsey Cox camp experience, girls choose their own schedule of activities. At the end of a session, girls leave with the confidence to take greater charge of their off-season life.
Common to all leaders is their willingness to find their voice and camp life includes time for a lot of voice raising! We sing—loudly at times and softly at other times. We think together! Life in a small cabin group encourages even the youngest campers to offer their opinions and ideas to cabin decisions. Weekly community meetings provide opportunities for girls to contribute their thoughts to the entire camp community as they grow in self-confidence. Tucked away in our quiet corner of Vermont, girls feel safe to try out their roles as leaders and as leaders who know when to follow.
Last summer a younger, quieter girl came to camp. At the end of her session she came up shyly to ask if she could read a poem that she had written about her camp experience. Bravely she stepped up at announcement time and did just that. The support for her finding her voice was reflected in resounding applause. These are the magic moments that happen at Camp Betsey Cox!
