The camp community understands that participation in camp produces a variety of impacts; what is less understood are the causal mechanisms leading to outcomes. In the past, research on the camp experience treated causal mechanisms as monolithic; this commentary argues that a weakness in existing camp research is the assumption that…

While many studies have investigated environmental education programs, fewer have focused on the longer-term effects of these interventions. This study provides insight into the longer-term influences of an earth education summer camp in Nova Scotia, Canada. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview process with seven parents of…

Over the course of three summers, Sierra Health Foundation hosted a weeklong summer youth development camp for REACH coalitions at its Grizzly Creek Ranch retreat facilities in Portola, California. Located 130 miles east of Sacramento, Grizzly Creek Ranch is set in the mountains of Plumas County and encompasses 1,500 acres of forests, streams and…

Describes the four-day resident Mother-Child Camp of the Portland (Oregon) YWCA for mothers and children from the age of two and one-half and up. Outlines purposes, daily schedule, costs, staffing, and indicates special considerations to accommodate needs of young children. (NEC)

A British educator discusses the summer he spent as an American camp counselor. Discovers that in combining the roles of activity center, holiday resort, and place of learning, over 8,000 summer camps are an important part of educational process and significant formative influence on a large proportion of this nation's young. (NEC)

This issue presents a summary of the 1976 Sierra Club Outings. Brief descriptions are given of each outing including the dates, costs, deposits, and leaders. The outings offered include knapsack trips, ski touring, underwater exploration, foreign trips, bicycle trips, and burro trips. (MR)

This handbook contains information designed to help develop campcraft skills. This basic guide to outdoor living contains the following chapters: (1) Come On Out; (2) On the Trail; (3) Your Own Outdoor Equipment; (4) Campcraft Skills; (5) Fire Building and Fireplaces; (6) Outdoor Food; (7) Knotcraft; (8) Lashing; (9) Toolcraft; (10) Finding Your…

Presents an overview of programs conducted in earth and environmental education in Nova Scotia. Describes programs offered by the Halifax Outdoor Centre, the HeartWood Institute, and Peak Experiences, providing outdoor and adventure experiences to elementary and secondary school students and adults. (CDS)

To have a successful nature program, summer camp directors must hire qualified nature counselors, give the program equal status with other activities, promote the program to prospective campers and their parents, and incorporate environmental ethics. Included are suggestions for developing an appealing and relevant nature program. (LP)

This is a series of seven reports describing and evaluating the following physical or basic skills development programs: Bicycle Program, Camping Program, Swim For Your Life, Outward Bound, Physical Skills Development Program, Community Summer School Programs, and Operation Recover. Modes of program operation and statistical data about students…

Although camps have made opportunities increasingly available to youth of poverty areas, little was reported about how successful their programs were. In addition, there persisted an uneasiness that the numbers of children and youth of poverty areas included in camping programs were not proportionate to the need. Local and national studies were…

Describes the Wolf Creek Nature Camp environmental education program that integrates awareness of the natural environment, knowledge of environmental concepts and issues, and action on environmental problems. The two-week program raises campers' self-esteem; increases their interest in, and curiosity about, nature; and fosters outdoor skills. (MDH)

Female elementary students were measured for awareness and use of senses. An experimental group received perception training and a control did not. Results indicated that perception training increased the pleasure associated with the environmental encounter, the number of different senses used, and general awareness of the environment. (Author/MA)

Reported are the results of a project assessing the impact of a revised Massachusetts sanitary code on 500 summer camps for children. The study compared camp compliances with the proposed regulations to the level of compliance with existing regulations. (BT)