Parents today are all asking the same question: What will it take for my child to succeed in todays world?
Despite all the technology we live in, I was suprised to see that Americans still realize the need for the soft skills. The skills that are not taught in school. Sure, we need to stay competitiive with science and math skills as the world becomes smaller and more competitive. Yet, we all see the need for the less tangible skills in our kids, such as teamwork, logic and basic communication skills.
The Pew Research Center recently asked a sample of adults to select among a list of 10 skills: “Regardless of whether or not you think these skills are good to have, which ones do you think are most important for children to get ahead in the world today?”
The answer was clear. Across the board, more respondents said communication skills were most important, followed by reading, math, teamwork, writing and logic. Science fell somewhere in the middle, with more than half of Americans saying it was important.
So how does Summer Camp fit in to all this? We teach soft skills. We help children figure out what works and what dosent when dealing with peers. Teamwork prevades all of camp life. Children become independent and figure things out for themselves. Camp is so much more than just fun, games and songs outside. it is one of the best training grounds to ensure future success. Michael Eisner of Disney, said it best,"But oh, the lessons I learned on those camp canoe trips. We could never survive the first day if we did not practice teamwork, show initiative, handle adversity, listen well and not least importantly, maintain a sence of humor:"
