A Cairn Camper grins during a S.T.A.N.D. exercise — A Cairn Camper grins during a
S.T.A.N.D. exercise

For a wonderful week in August, I was privileged to spend time with the Staff and Teen Campers of Glen Mhor Camp, one of the Cairn Family of Camps in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. It was a glorious week filled with learning, love, and laughter. How impressed I was with these young people who were so eager to share, to express themselves, and to support one another.

It was our pilot program of S.T.A.N.D. and I really had no idea what to expect. Everything was planned and ready to go and it all seemed to flow together rather nicely in my head but I had truly no idea how it would all turn out.

The setting was breathtaking and the camp’s programming was awesome. Even the weather was perfect (well except for that one incredibly hot day - you know, the day we celebrated Christmas during our morning hour of S.T.A.N.D., complete with hot chocolate, hot Christmas cookies, surrounded and squished in by Christmas decorations, and it had to be over 100 degrees!). Despite the heat, the camp staff was so engaged and eager to help make it a positive experience, and the campers were incredibly receptive to grow and change and make their mark in the world.

Some of the amazing things I witnessed? - campers greeting one another, introducing themselves and starting great conversations; folks holding doors open for one another, asking people to join their groups, and helping each other out without being asked; everyone graciously congratulating the winners and appreciating one another’s efforts in competition; folks discussing difficult issues with maturity and depth, and campers and staff brainstorming ways in which they will leave their legacy.

In fact, one of my favourite stories came on the first full day of camp. After our session on Social Graces, a cabin of young men (true gentlemen actually) saw the food truck arriving just before the lunch hour. They asked the senior staff member if they could cut their program time at the climbing wall short so they could help the kitchen staff unload the food truck.

On the last night of camp, we had a great opportunity through a generous camp alumnus named Donovan “Bocca” Romanyk. His production company, Where It’s At! TV, came to camp and broadcast a one hour live-streamed show in which campers talked about what they had learned through S.T.A.N.D., how they were going to put their new skills and knowledge to work, and showcased some of their amazing talent. It is hard to put into words how proud I am of these teens. They absolutely blew me away.

These campers and staff made my first experience running S.T.A.N.D. exceptional and phenomenally inspiring. In the words of Natalie Merchant, “I want to thank you for the generosity, the love and the honesty that you gave me. I want to show my gratitude, my love and my respect for you. I want to thank you”.

I dedicate this first installment of S.T.A.N.D. online to all of them.

“Thanks for the evenings, friends.”

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S.T.A.N.D. and Be Counted!

For years now, I have been watching the change in teenagers. As a fellow camping professional, I too have battled the increasing media barrage of what teens “need” and “must have”, grieved their loss of a true childhood, wondered where this sense of entitlement came from and what to do about it, and stressed over staff members who seemed to be there just for themselves - all the while trying to keep up with ever-changing technology and its affect on teen culture. I spent years addressing each new issue during staff training and changing policies accordingly. It was exhausting.

I decided it was time for me to compile all I had learned (then and since) and create new and inventive ways to help teens make better choices, to realize they can make a difference and to use their voices to create a kinder, more nurturing world. I wanted to pull it all together in one tightly-woven package.

I began with some questions.

What if we offered them intentional teaching every day?
What if we reinforced it with individual cabin sessions throughout the week?
What if we opened and closed each day with more emphasis on the lesson being taught?
What if we added special touches throughout meals, campfires, and programs that underlined all that we were trying to instill?
And what if we gave them lots of opportunities to practice these new skills in a safe and loving environment?

Could we see changes in only 1 short week?

I had the privilege of running the pilot program at Glen Mhor Camp, part of the Cairn Family of Camps in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. I was invited to attend their Teen Week Camp for teens ages 13-16. It ran for a week in the middle of August. With the camp’s session beginning on a Sunday afternoon and finishing on a Saturday, I decided I had 5 full days to hit these lessons home (plus the bonus of the time on either end). With the grace of the Camp Directors and the enthusiasm of their hard-working staff, I was given the flexibility to work around their daily schedule and suggest changes as I saw fit.

If I wanted them to be intentional human beings, I had to be intentional with EVERY DETAIL. Everything was frontloaded - from the staff meeting the day before the session even began to daily announcements at breakfast about the session’s expectations. Every morning, the entire camp (and many parents and alumni - but more about that later) gathered in the lodge for an hour long leadership session. Skits, games, short videos, small and large group discussions, singing and other activities all came together to teach teens and staff the lessons of the day. Throughout the rest of the day’s programming, we reinforced what was taught and caught the campers doing it right. The changes we saw were more than I could have ever hoped. We challenged them with high expectations and they rose to each and every one and then surpassed them.

Over the next series of newsletters, I’ll go into more detail but for now, let me leave you with the name of the program. For anyone who has ever worked with me, they know I love a good acronym. I’ve always found them an invaluable way for staff (and campers) to remember important things. With that in mind, I decided upon the 5 significant lessons I wanted teens to learn and S.T.A.N.D. was born.

Each letter represents the daily lesson:

S - Social Graces, if you please

T - Take Responsibility for your own Actions

A - Ask Intelligent Questions

N - Never Miss an Opportunity to Pay a Kindness

D - Do All Things with Integrity

So I’m throwing my hat in the ring. I’m putting my money where my mouth is. I’m standing up for what I believe in. I’m joining forces with all those family members, educators and camping professionals out there helping to create teens who are confident, resilient decision makers and positive contributing members of society. I look forward to sharing more of this grand adventure.