One of our CAMPers tends to be extremely shy. She is very sweet and loves to make others laugh but she has struggled with being in front of people. There are lots of opportunities to work on confidence at C.A.M.P. University. Students take turns leading each other during our basic skills routine. And of course they have a chance to answer questions during lessons.
This particular CAMPer is also working on her verbal skills. She has a couple of go-to words but can sometimes struggle to get her point across. This is where patience and consistency come into play. Our staff is dedicated to helping each CAMPer succeed and grow and they are always looking for new innovative ways to help. Our Educational Coordinator, Lyzeth, has been instrumental in this respect. She has been working with this CAMPer for a long time now and has done a great job of meeting the CAMPer where she is comfortable and slowly challenging her. She has been very supportive and understanding of the difficulty in developing confidence.
We will occasionally host plays or talent shows at C.A.M.P. University and this CAMPer has made some great strides through the years. She was terrified to even get on stage the first time, but then became comfortable standing next to someone, as long as she didn’t have to participate. When she got backstage she absolutely beamed. The next time, she looked at the audience for a second. Backstage she gave her friends high-fives. Later, she performed a duet with Lyzeth. And let out an excited, “Yes!” when she got off stage. Finally, at our talent show this past Wednesday she performed a solo. What a huge step! It isn’t easy to get up on stage. It’s a very vulnerable place. It’s also important to mention that this growth took several years but no one gave up on her. Everyone saw the potential and worked toward the goal. Someday she might perform in Carnage Hall but for now we’re excited to celebrate this major milestone in her development.
We love that C.A.M.P. University is a place where we can see little miracles every day. Everyone is working towards a goal and everyone is encouraging each other along the way. We are grateful for the staff that is so dedicated to finding new ways to help the CAMPers and for their patience during the process. We are equally grateful for the generous donations that keep our program going and growing. And we are grateful to our board who see the value in constant training and have given us wonderful opportunities to learn from other professionals from all over.