Outpost's Mission, Philosophy and Safety
Mission
Outpost Summer Camps provides group-centered, outdoor-based, traditional camp experiences for children
and young adults, designed to enrich and develop each participant's social, emotional and physical skills.
Philosophy
While most programs for children place the focus on the activities, our model for success is built around the process. Our staff are specially trained to nurture campers and help them grow and develop during the summer season, guiding them through the process of learning and mastering new skills, creating and maintaining positive peer friendships, and enjoying themselves outdoors.
In fact, this is the secret behind our program and our success - how we provide camp is more important that what we do.
Our daily program schedule leaves opportunities for staff to create customized adventures throughout the day, using the group's name and traditions that are made up by the kids and counselors themselves. In this type of program, the campers are the stars! Rather than coming home and responding to the standard "How was your day?" question with "Fine," our campers excitedly describe their unique adventures to the tiniest detail!
What children want most is to belong; to be accepted by a group of peers and the adults that lead their group. At Outpost Summer Camp, this is a central theme of all of our programming. We call this "group-centered camping," and the focus is on creating an environment in which each camper feels like he or she belongs to the group. This in turn fosters confidence, creativity, social skills, and a positive sense of self and of community.
Creating this special environment is the task of our directors and staff. It is a deliberate process that takes a great deal of both education and experience. Our directors are professionals with years of experience creating positive and safe experiences for children. We invite to you read what our camp parents have to say about Outpost Summer Camp. In 2011, we celebrated our 10th anniversary with a project called My Outpost Story, where our long time campers and staff described their Outpost experiences directly. Please check it out - it's fun!
As an accredited member camp in the American Camp Association (ACA) since 2002, and with directors actively involved in ACA, Outpost provides a true, powerful "camp" experience. Outpost's founder and owner, Stuart Jones, welcomes families to our Outpost programs here. He and his wife Kelly are parents to four children, the oldest three of whom enter 2012 with a collective 13 years of Outpost summers between them.
We also encourage you to take the time to read this excellent article
(pdf) on the Power of the Camp Experience by ACA CEO Peg Smith. She articulates the value of choosing a high quality, intentional summer camp experience very well.
Safety
At Outpost Summer Camp, we take our responsibility for your child very seriously. We design our program with safety as the foremost concern at every step:
- Our directors are are trained in American Red Cross CPR for the Professional Rescuer, First Aid, and Lifeguarding.
- We complete extensive background investigations prior to hiring our staff. This includes fingerprinting, drug and alcohol testing, thorough reference checking and obtaining driving records for our drivers.
- Each of our group counselors is trained and certified in American Red Cross First Aid and CPR.
- Our staff training, held prior to camp, includes comprehensive sessions on emergency procedures, crisis management, positive discipline, and child development, all designed to prepare our staff as thoroughly as possible to provide the safest environment for each child in our care.
- Our counselor to camper ratio is at least 1:6 at all times (1:4 for Pre Camp).
- All our drivers are extensively trained and licensed. For information, please visit our Transportation page.
- Our directors carry cell phones and two-way radios, and are able to communicate with both our office, and if necessary, parents, at all times.
- Our programs are fully accredited by the American Camp Association.