Camp Adventure is a program run by the University of Northern Iowa that sends American college students to American military bases, embassies, and British Military installations throughout the world. These students run day camps, swim lessons, as well as overnight and sports camps. Counselors also act as lifeguards for the children of military personnel stationed on bases.
Camp Adventure was founded at the University of Oregon in 1985. At its inception, the program sent 12 students to three sites in Korea. In 1997, it sent approximately 600 students to 118 program sites in 16 countries, including United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Korea, Japan, Okinawa, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China, Taiwan, and the United States. ~In 2011, it sent approximately 1,300 students to 20 countries.
The camp counselors are trained in games, songs, skits and first aid, lifeguarding, mandatory reporting, CPR, as well as how to deal with the problems that many military children have due to the isolation, frequent moves, and dangerous profession of their parents. Aquatics staff is also trained in Water Safety Instruction as well as other extensive aquatic skills
The counselors train for several months at the University of Northern Iowa and other Universities across the nation. They are then sent to the destination for the summer. Students are responsible for their own passport and visas, but the program provides transportation, room/board, and a living stipend. An extensive background check is performed on all counselor applicants.
Although the program is based at the University of Northern Iowa, Camp Adventure Youth Services students come from over 80 colleges and universities participate in this service-learning program that allows them to gain skills and experience related to youth services and program management.
Counselors receive 12 hours of college credit for participating in the program,
Famous quotes containing the words camp and/or adventure:
“A healthy man, with steady employment, as wood-chopping at fifty cents a cord, and a camp in the woods, will not be a good subject for Christianity. The New Testament may be a choice book to him on some, but not on all or most of his days. He will rather go a-fishing in his leisure hours. The Apostles, though they were fishers too, were of the solemn race of sea-fishers, and never trolled for pickerel on inland streams.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind.”
—Eugène Ionesco (b. 1912)