{"id":10514,"date":"2014-04-16T10:16:05","date_gmt":"2014-04-16T15:16:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/?p=10514"},"modified":"2022-01-18T11:24:48","modified_gmt":"2022-01-18T17:24:48","slug":"teenagers-summer-camp-part-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/10514\/teenagers-summer-camp-part-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Teenagers Need Summer Camp (Part II)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Marine<\/a>
A summer camper crosses an obstacle on the high ropes course<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In my last blog article<\/a>, I did some research and gave seven good reasons why teenagers should attend summer camp<\/i> at least once. I wanted to validate my reasons, so I interviewed a summer camp<\/u> expert, SgtMaj Ford Kinsley.<\/p>\n

SgtMaj Kinsley is the commandant of cadets at Marine Military Academy and the director of MMA Summer Camp. Every July he runs a four-week, military adventure camp for boys ages 12-17. He has done this for nearly 20 years.<\/p>\n

After speaking with SgtMaj Kinsley, it turns out that my reasons were spot on! I went through my check list and took notes of what SgtMaj Kinsley had to say.<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

Why Teenagers Need Summer Camp –
\nputting the reasons to the test<\/b><\/h2>\n

Structure & routine<\/b><\/h3>\n

Though most summer camps are not as intense as MMA Summer Camp, they all provide a certain level of structure and routine.<\/p>\n

\u201cStructure and routine aren\u2019t bad things. In fact, teenagers actually end up having more fun when the day their day is planned out,\u201d SgtMaj Kinsley said.<\/p>\n

\"MMA<\/a>
Summer campers work together on a low ropes obstacle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The summer camp at MMA is HIGHLY regimented. All campers wake up at 6 a.m. and go to bed at 10 p.m. In that 16-hour day, the campers participate in at least eight indoor and outdoor activities.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll day, every day, they are doing something,\u201d he said. \u201cThey might be marching or crawling through the mud course, but they are always somewhere participating in an activity.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to SgtMaj Kinsley, it\u2019s good for teenagers to stay busy.<\/p>\n

\u201cBusy teenagers actually do better in school because they develop a strong work ethic. People who have nothing to do never accomplish anything,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Exercise<\/b><\/h3>\n

Summer camp allows teenagers to exercise as they have fun \u2013 and the campers at MMA know this better than anyone! Whether its rappelling, paintball or boxing, almost all of their activities are physical.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the kids who come to our camp are grossly out of shape and have probably never done anything physical,\u201d he said. \u201cWe change that, and we teach them how to survive without their Game Boys and Xboxes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone knows that exercise is necessary in order to maintain good health and a functional body, but are there any other benefits?<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely! Exercise keeps you mentally alert and sharp. It\u2019s an excellent habit for teenagers to get into because it will help them perform better in school,\u201d SgtMaj Kinsley said. \u201cIt also helps them sleep hard at night.\u201d<\/p>\n

New friends<\/b><\/h3>\n
\"MMA<\/a>
Camaraderie grows among summer campers as they overcome obstacles together.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not only will teenagers make new friends at summer camp, but their new friends are more likely to be from other regions, states or countries.<\/p>\n

\u201cName a country or a state, and I\u2019ll bet we have a camper from there,\u201d SgtMaj Kinsley said.<\/p>\n

SgtMaj Kinsley has seen first-hand how valuable it is for teens to meet people who come from different areas and\/or cultures.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur campers don\u2019t just make a friend, they also learn about language, customs and geography,\u201d he said. \u201cMore importantly, they learn early on that people, no matter what they look like or where they come from, aren\u2019t very different after all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Social skills<\/b><\/h3>\n

Most summer camps teach and impress good social skills \u2026 and for good reason! According to SgtMaj Kinsley, the better social skills the campers possess, such as respect, teamwork and communication, the better the experience becomes for everyone.<\/p>\n

At MMA, campers must respect the drill instructors and staff and speak to them courteously and properly, using words such as \u201csir,\u201d \u201cmay,\u201d \u201cthank you\u201d and \u201cyes\u201d (not \u201cyeah\u201d). They must also learn how to think and work as a team. The teenagers are also taught the most important rule of communication: Speak clearly and concisely and do not interrupt.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe social skills vary among the campers. Some may be too shy while others may be too brash. Whatever the case, they learn how to interact with all types of people,\u201d SgtMaj Kinsley said. \u201cTeenagers may not realize it now, but their ability to work well with people and articulate clearly and effectively will determine their future success.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many of the summer camp activities actually help the campers build their social skills.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir success on the team activities depends on how well they work together and communicate,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s better for them to learn it here instead of the workplace.\u201d<\/p>\n

New challenges<\/b><\/h3>\n
\"A<\/a>
A DI provides instructions to a summer camper as he begins a rappel from a 30ft tower.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All teenagers will probably face some type of challenge at summer camp, and that is okay.<\/p>\n

\u201cTeenagers need challenges, because you can\u2019t grow without them,\u201d SgtMaj Kinsley said. \u201cSummer camp gives these kids an opportunity to test and challenge themselves to find out what they\u2019re capable of.\u201d<\/p>\n

He described most of the activities his campers have to participate in. Some sounded exciting. Others sounded SCARE-Y!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cFor the boy who is afraid of heights, the Stairway to Heaven will be very hard for him to do. The high ropes are also pretty tough for many of the campers \u2013 especially when it\u2019s time to jump off the power pole,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Fear and anxiety are natural, but these emotions should not stop teenagers from trying.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s usually hard for them to start, but as they get further and further along the activity, their doubt begins to lessen and their confidence begins to grow,\u201d SgtMaj Kinsley said. \u201cWith a little bit of focus, and some encouragement, campers can accomplish things they never thought possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/b>Self-confidence & self-esteem<\/b><\/h3>\n
\"A<\/a>
A summer camp platoon guide stands at ease during the drill competition.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Summer camp has some very positive side effects. When teenagers learn new things at camp or overcome challenges, it boosts their self-esteem.<\/p>\n

Summer camp can even be a \u201cgame-changer\u201d for some teenagers. SgtMaj Kinsley receives letter and emails from parents every year after the campers get home.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey tell us how much their son has matured or how much more confident he is now,\u201d said SgtMaj Kinsley. \u201cWe\u2019ve even received letters and photos from parents who sent their son to summer camp many years back. They tell us how well he is doing in high school or college because of his summer camp experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Independence<\/b><\/h3>\n

While it may not be complete freedom, summer camp allows teenagers to experience independence. It\u2019s not always easy, but teens and their parents need to practice letting go.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor many of our campers, it\u2019s the first time they\u2019ve ever been away from home,\u201d SgtMaj Kinsley said. \u201cSome of them get homesick, but they usually get over it after the first week, once they\u2019ve made friends and adjusted to the routine.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to SgtMaj Kinsley, most teenagers do not realize how much they depend on their parents until they attend summer camp.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany teenagers learn how to do their own laundry, make their own bed, pick up their own room and even save their money,\u201d SgtMaj Kinsley said. \u201cThough every camp is different, what they learn at summer camp generally helps them when it\u2019s time to move away from home.\u201d<\/p>\n

There you have it! It\u2019s important for teenagers to attend summer camp.<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/b>Summer is right around the corner, so if summer camp is an option for your teen, you need to start planning. Being a college student myself, I think I might take the summer off and try to get a job as a camp counselor!<\/p>\n

\"Danielle<\/a>Danielle Banda is a communications major at the University of Texas at Brownsville.<\/em><\/p>\n

Marine Military Academy is an all boys private college preparatory boarding school. For more information about our summer camp visit our website: https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In my last blog article, I did some research and gave seven good reasons why teenagers should attend summer camp at least once. I wanted to validate my reasons, so I interviewed a summer camp expert, SgtMaj Ford Kinsley. SgtMaj Kinsley is the commandant of cadets at Marine Military Academy and the director of MMA […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":10992,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-summer-camp-2"],"blocksy_meta":{"styles_descriptor":{"styles":{"desktop":"","tablet":"","mobile":""},"google_fonts":[],"version":6}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10514","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10514"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10514\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11041,"href":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10514\/revisions\/11041"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10992"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.summer-camp-mma.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}