Coming of Age Challenge #8 Supercamp

"The best week of my life" was how Zoe-Pascale described her week at Supercamp. "What is Supercamp," you might ask. In a nutshell it appears (since we didn't go ourselves) to be lots of "success moments" over and over and over again that occur in one week developing higher levels of competence and greater levels of confidence. The Tenents of the "Quantum Learning" method they use are:

• Everything Speaks - What you say and how you say it sends a message.
• Everything is on Purpose - Everything has an intendended purpose - everything. 
• Experience before Label - Learning happens best when information is experenced before it's labeled (Hey it sounds like great discovery based learning we use at work!)
• Acknowledge Every effort - Students are acknowledged for stepping out of comfort zones, for both their competence and their confidence.
• If it's worth learning, it's work celebrating. - Celebration provides feedback regarding progress and increases positive emotional associations with the learning. 

At camp, Zoe learned and integrated 8 keys of excellent, valuable communication skills (to use with friends and parents), relationship and problem solving tools to help resolve all the middle school conflicts, the value of venturing out of her comfort zone and living above the line. 

Since she has returned other than a few hormonal outbursts, she goes back to these skills when she gets stuck with relationships or we (me - mom and her get in a fight). Her confidence in the past two months has soared. 

First, she decided to run for class delegate, put together a poster, a slogan and asked for the kids vote. For three years she has talked about doing this, but never had the confidence. This year she did and won!

Secondly, we went to meet with 3 separate teachers this week. Usually during these meetings teachers state how great she is doing, but wish she would participate and speak up more and that she is timid. This year, 3 separate teachers from French to Science to Latin all said she is a great contributor, participant, and speaks up. We were amazed! Was this Supercamp? We can only think this had a great deal to do with it as that week at Supercamp has given her the confidence to find her voice, be present, and speak up. 

So, what's the challenge ---Growing up at this age with confidence and competence and skills that will last her forever.