Previous page: Summer Camps High Adventure Special Events
Summer Camp
The troop attends the summer camp together as a group. The troop has their own campsite, dining tables, and meets together for ceremonies and other camp-wide meetings.
Summer camps are usually six to seven days long and commonly begin on Sunday and end on Saturday. (LDS troops often arrive early on Monday.) Generally it is well organized by the local council. Some vicinities may have multiple camp possibilities -- different locations and/or many dates to choose from. Many units plan and design their own week-long camping event — this will be introduced later in the ``high adventure'' topic. Some units attend camps hours from their home or in a different state. Camps often host five to 15 troops of all different sizes (from 5 boys to 50 boys for example).
Summer camps are staffed by paid and volunteer adult and youth leaders including a nurse or medical professional. The head leader is called the Camp Director. In some cases, the camp staff — who help lead activities and teach crafts and merit badges — may be younger than the camp attendees. Some camps assign a youth staff member to be a liaison for the troop during the week — they are available for questions and often may participate with some of your troop's weekly activities.
Camps cost between $100 to $350 per week per boy. In some cases, a couple of adult leaders for the troop are included for free. The pricing depends on the location and on what the camp provides. Usually summer camps have a camp store that sells t-shirts, hats, pocket knives, snacks, drinks, supplies for merit badge requirements or crafts, bug spray, camp supplies, etc. Some parents have their children earn their own money for camp extras and other parents supply their child with an abundance of money. Sometimes, Scoutmasters may hold and keep track of money for younger scouts as needed.
Often troops need to register and pay for their week of camp several months prior to the event.
Scouts and leaders usually need to have a medical physical examinationFootnote using an official BSA form signed by their own doctor submitted for the camp. The camp's medical director will keep it on file and the Scoutmaster may also have a copy. This usually needs to be renewed yearly. (So if your following year's week of camp is before the physical expires you may be able to use it again.)
Most camps have swimming in a lake or pool (or both) and may have watercraft activities, like rowboating, canoeing, kayaking, and even sailboarding and sailing at some camps. Swim tests are required. In some cases, troops do their swim tests prior to attending camp and others do it at camp on the first day. The scouts are classified as a swimmer, beginner, or as a non-swimmer (or non-participants). The beginner test involves jumping into water over the swimmer's head, swimming 25 feet, coming to a stop, turning around, and then swimming back to starting point. The swimmer test (also a requirement for the First Class Rank) includes jumping into water over the swimmer's head, continuously and strongly swimming 75 yards (using breast, crawl, side, or trudgen strokes) with at least one sharp turn, then 25 yards using an easy backstroke, and completed with a resting float. Generally these tests are supervised by a certified lifeguard or aquatics instructor.
The swim and boating areas commonly require a buddy system. Many camps keep tokens or cards on a board that represent the swimmers. Periodically the lifeguards may call for a buddy check or roll call of the swimmers.
Commonly, troops will be able to sign up for their own camp site which may include an outhouse, running water, camp fire area, picnic table(s), and a covered area. They may also provide A-frame canvas tent-cabins on wooden platforms and cots. (Some camps may charge extra for cots.) The campsite may be distant from others troops, such as separated by trees and creeks, and may even be a long walk (like ten minutes or a quarter mile) from the main lodge or meeting area. Other camps may have all the units camped in the same field, tightly packed with many tents. Troops often decorate their campsites with flags, wooden pole fences, signs, or other ways to identify their troop or patrols. Depending on the camp setup and troop needs, the campsite may be separated for each patrol. In some cases, small troops may share large campsites.
Individual or group showers are often provided. Note that some boys go the entire week without showering — so at least encourage them to go swimming and take a shower after that.
Many camps provide meals prepared by a paid cooking staff and eaten in a lodge or cafeteria. Other camps may provide food which is prepared and eaten at the troop's own campsite. (Some troops alternate this yearly.) Troops usually need to provide volunteers for the kitchen, dishwashers, or cafeteria setup and/or cleanup. Some troops provide their own kitchen storage cupboard, washbasins, and tables. (Troops may even own their own trailers for hauling equipment for summer camp.) Patrols may have their own Patrol Cook — a youth leader in charge of supervising the kitchen and delegating cooking and cleanup work. Everyone helps.
Camp activities may include religious services, singing in the lodge, campfire stories, day hikes, swimming, canoeing, and daily flag ceremonies with troop roll calls. Troops may be assigned or given the opportunity to lead some of the camp-wide activities. Some troops or patrols carry their unique flags and have their own cheers. Depending on your troop or camp policies, the boys may stay together as patrols or use a buddy system.
The week long scout camp is a great opportunity for the boys to work on many requirements for ranks and a diverse range of merit badges. Usually official scout camps will have counselors for around 10 to 20 (or more) different merit badges. It is encouraged for the boys to sign up for the scheduled classes and some boys may be able to complete at least a few merit badges during the week. Ambitious boys may earn six or seven or more merit badges in the week, but it is common to usually sign up for a few merit badges. Four or five merit badges may be a good amount for a young scout so they can also enjoy the other camp opportunities. Many consider it easier and faster to earn merit badges in the week-long camp setting. Scoutmasters usually have the opportunity to sign up the scouts for their preferred merit badges weeks and even months before the week of camp. The scout may want to plan ahead for the merit badges taken at camp by reading the pamphlets and discussing requirements with others. Maybe some requirements can be done before camp too. The scouts should not over schedule and may want to sign up for a mix of fun and also challenging merit badges.
The classes and activities may be spread out over the week at specific times. It is a good idea to have someone with a watch to help keep track of time. Also in some units, the Scoutmaster also keeps an itinerary for all his boys' classes and activities.
A scout that attends summer camp in his first year is far more likely to be in scouts 12 months later than one who didn't. For many troops, camp is only attended by the younger scouts, such as those in their first three years.Footnote(The older boys move to other, more adventuresome activities.) Often camps also have a dedicated First Class course of study for younger or new boys with a focus on accomplishing the requirements for the Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class ranks.
In addition to registered classes, camps often have unregistered, drop-in activities — such as swimming, canoeing, basket weaving, carving, pioneering (building with ropes and poles), and day hikes -- for fun or even to work on achievements. Camps also have patrol or troop competitions, such as triathlons, boat races, and dodgeball. A fun activity common at camp is the canoe swamp — for the Canoeing merit badge, the boy must capsize a canoe; there may also be contests or battles where the boys swamp other's canoes.
Two concerns or problems with scout camp include: homesickness and lack of discipline.
Week-long summer camp is often a child's first long-term independence from their own family. Homesickness is defined as melancholy or being distressed from being away from home or family. Research shows that at least 80% of all boys have some level of homesickness but less than ten percent is severe. Tips for preparing for camp include encouraging your child's independence and practice separations throughout the year (such as normal scout overnight campouts), discussing what camp will be like before he goes to camp, role playing, packing a personal or fun item from home (but make sure it is okay for your troop and camp's policies), and sending a letter or care package ahead of time to arrive the first day or during the week of camp. Also find out your troop's and camp's phone availability or phone call policies. (It is also commonly suggested to not bribe boys nor suggest offering early pickup.) Camp is a great opportunity to learn independence and confidence.
Lack of discipline covers: boisterous, unsupervised boys causing perceived trouble — or quiet and tired boys who don't attend classes or join activities. The keys for helping solve this are the same for having a successful camp:
- It is important that the boys signup for and attend classes that interest them and also they are capable of learning and accomplishing.
- Have a camp calendar or schedule that shows the camp-wide activities, eating and meeting times, and individual class schedules.
- Have a camp map so the boys (and leaders) can find where to go.
- ...Footnote
- A physical examination is needed for activities that are three days or longer.
- ...Footnote
- Note that LDS troops do not send 11-year-old scouts to week-long camps.
Previous page: Summer Camps High Adventure Special Events
Next page: Special Events
|
Order the parents and new leaders guide to Boy Scouting Inside this quick reference you'll learn: how to get started (for the boy, parent, and leader), about significant requirements, how to earn merit badges, to prepare for overnighters and summer camps, what to wear on the uniform, about the boy-led patrols, how to volunteer, steps to complete the Eagle, and lots more! Order the Book Now |
