On June 14-17, Camp Neidig was held at Camp Manatawny. Camp Neidig is a leadership camp sponsored by the Rotary Clubs of the Rotary district. Nearly 100 young student leaders attended the camp to grow their leadership skills.
Throughout the weekend students participated in problem solving and leadership activities, attended seminars on important leadership skills, and participated in workshops. Students were placed into groups of around 20 people and had Rotary volunteers as their group leaders. Groups would participate in problem solving and leadership activities that required communication and teamwork to complete. In some cases, teammates were blindfolded or given an impediment to further challenge the group. Ava Green, a Hamburg student who attended Camp Neidig over the summer notes, “The activities were sometimes stressful, but they were so fun. I genuinely grew as a person.”
The seminars were held with every participant and the group leaders. A guest speaker would come to camp and give a presentation on a specific topic: listening, how different personality types handle situations, what it means to be a leader, etc. These seminars helped to give students a better understanding of leadership and allowed them the opportunity to apply the lessons and skills learned to the activities they were participating in during the rest of camp.
Workshops were a chance for students to get to know members of other groups. There were five workshops that students could choose to participate in: choir, yearbook, skits and talent, mindfulness, and closing ceremony. In choir, students chose and learned three songs that they were able to perform in the talent show and during the closing ceremony. The yearbook workshop consisted of creating a camp yearbook and interviewing staff and speakers. The skits and talent workshop planned and performed a talent show. The mindfulness workshop planned different activities for students to participate in that helped handle different situations and emotions. In the closing ceremony workshop, students worked together to plan the closing ceremony of camp. They had to pick a theme, which was then used in the other workshops for their ideas and activities, make decorations, and plan a closing ceremony complete with speeches and performances that showcased all of the groups and workshops and their hard work throughout their time at camp.
Students stayed in cabins around camp and ate in the dining hall. This was another opportunity for the young leaders to meet new people. Green states, “My favorite parts were waking up and seeing the friends that I made and being able to spend the whole day with them.” There were also a lot of fun activities that involved multiple teams, such as kickball, volleyball, open swim, campfires and team competition. During team competition, each team competed in relay races and other activities to win best team. Including fun activities between the workshops, seminars, and other activities helped to add even more fun to the weekend.
The experience and atmosphere are extremely positive. Everyone is supportive and wants each other to succeed. Camp Neidig provides a wonderful activity to meet new people, learn skills about leadership and communication, and have a great time doing it. It is a fantastic experience that allows students to grow, develop important skills, and make new friends and lasting connections. As a final note Green expresses, “I left camp sobbing. I told myself I wasn’t gonna cry, but I cried so hard. I left camp with some amazing friends that I still hang out with today.”
For more information contact Mrs. Wyles-Herbert or Mrs. Machamer, or visit http://www.campneidig.com/.
