Camp DeSoto Goals & Objectives

Goals

At Camp DeSoto, it is our goal to aid each camper in developing her relationship with God, her sense of worth, her physical skills, and her capacity to accept and love others, while experiencing peace and contentment in a safe and nurturing environment.

Objectives

In order to reach each goals, we have developed a set of specific objectives that guide staff behavior and decision-making as they care for, teach, and lead campers.

In order to aid each camper in developing her relationship with God, we will:

1. Hire practicing Christian women who will be positive role models for younger girls.
2. Maintain a consistent daily schedule that begins with Morning Watch and ends with a cabin devotional.
3. Encourage each camper to read her Bible daily.
4. Allow opportunities for each camper to discuss her faith with a counselor or other staff member if there is anything she would like to understand better.
5. Provide morning Worship and Vespers each Sunday. (Roman Catholic campers will have the opportunity to attend Mass in the neighboring town of Fort Payne.)

In order to aid each camper in developing her sense of worth, each staff member will:

1. Look for areas of success in each camper and acknowledge these to her regularly.
2. Emphasize to each camper the truth that her worth comes from God’s love for her.
3. Spend time with each camper in her cabin, getting to know and enjoy them as much as possible during unscheduled free time.

In order to aid each camper in developing her physical skills, we will:

1. Allow each camper to choose six-ten activities in order to develop skills in a variety of areas.
2. Schedule 50-minute periods for each activity three times per week (with some exceptions) to allow time for both instruction and practice.
3. Outline a progression of skill development in each activity and encourage campers to challenge themselves and to achieve the highest level they can attain.

In order to aid each camper in developing the capacity to accept and love others, our staff will:

1. Discuss with campers ways they might grow in appreciation of others and their differences.
2. Show love equally to all campers and fellow staff in order to model generosity of heart.
3. Guide campers in seeing themselves and others honestly and in being aware of each other’s feelings.

In order to aid each camper in realizing peace and contentment, we will:

1. Schedule time at the beginning and end of each day for the community to reflect on our lives with God and express gratitude for the gifts we enjoy.
2. Intentionally provide free time each day for campers to enjoy unstructured play and allow them the opportunity to relax.
3. Limit the activities offered to each camper to those appropriate for her age group so that she will not feel pushed or pressured.
4. Provide a daily Rest Hour in which all of Camp is quiet and each camper must be on her bed reading, writing, or resting.
5. Schedule the Camp calendar in a way that avoids over-commitment and assures a balanced pace.

In order to provide a safe and nurturing environment, we will:

1. Hire a Staff of practicing Christian women who demonstrate nurture, discernment, and selflessness, and provide Staff training prior to the arrival of campers.
2. Maintain the standards set out by the American Camp Association designed to promote the physical and emotional safety of children in a camp setting.
3. Provide clear physical, behavioral, and emotional boundaries for campers within which they can enjoy the freedom and fun of wholesome play.