Calling the next generation of leaders: Heads Up! Hartford wants young people
Summer
is my favorite season. I have a couple of reasons for that. First, I'm a
summer baby. I love warm weather. The hotter the better. Secondly,
summer meant no school. I was free to play and be me, but I had to stay
out of trouble. In reflection, I can look back at my elementary school
years and say summer was a period of time in my life when I was
carefree, making friends, and also learning some basic life skills that
still serve me today.
As I got older, how I spent my summers changed. I was still having fun but I was introduced to more structure in the form of summer camp. I went to day camps, but after I saw the original Parent Trap, I kept asking my mom to send me away to a sleep away camp. Due to family finances sleep away camp didn't become a reality. Lucky for me when I was jonesing for sleep away camp I could just watch the Parent Trap.
At 13 I got my first job as a summer camp counselor with The Waterbury Girls Club (now, Girls Inc. of Southwestern Connecticut) and that experienced helped me learn what it means to be a leader. I honed skills around team building, active listening, problem solving as well as the hard lesson of when it's time to walk away and let it go. I didn't realize it then but it was life changing event.
As
a board member of Heads Up! Hartford (HUH) I'm excited to share a
summer camp opportunity for high school students in the greater Hartford
area. This year's summer camp week will take place from June 21-28 at
the Ethel Walker School in Simsbury, Connecticut.
HUH hosts a week-long summer camp that brings together young people from urban and suburban communities to develop their leadership skills through community service and engagement. An all-volunteer staff works diligently to foster attributes such as servant leadership, social emotional skills building, and diversity and inclusion. They also help them prepare for college.This is the sleep away camp experience I wish I would have had as a teenager.
Heads Up! Hartford has been running this summer camp for 16 years and more than 1,100 students have attended. The original camp was faith-based in its development and mission, but throughout the board has broadened its reach to include non faith-based organizations and youth campers, volunteers, and Board members who strive for similar values of community service and youth leadership development.
HUH is accepting applications for their campers and volunteer counselors. The deadline to apply is June 1.
Here's how you can help
The board wants a full roster of young people signed up for this year's summer camp. Help us spread the word:
As I got older, how I spent my summers changed. I was still having fun but I was introduced to more structure in the form of summer camp. I went to day camps, but after I saw the original Parent Trap, I kept asking my mom to send me away to a sleep away camp. Due to family finances sleep away camp didn't become a reality. Lucky for me when I was jonesing for sleep away camp I could just watch the Parent Trap.
At 13 I got my first job as a summer camp counselor with The Waterbury Girls Club (now, Girls Inc. of Southwestern Connecticut) and that experienced helped me learn what it means to be a leader. I honed skills around team building, active listening, problem solving as well as the hard lesson of when it's time to walk away and let it go. I didn't realize it then but it was life changing event.
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| Volunteering at Foodshare |
HUH hosts a week-long summer camp that brings together young people from urban and suburban communities to develop their leadership skills through community service and engagement. An all-volunteer staff works diligently to foster attributes such as servant leadership, social emotional skills building, and diversity and inclusion. They also help them prepare for college.This is the sleep away camp experience I wish I would have had as a teenager.
Heads Up! Hartford has been running this summer camp for 16 years and more than 1,100 students have attended. The original camp was faith-based in its development and mission, but throughout the board has broadened its reach to include non faith-based organizations and youth campers, volunteers, and Board members who strive for similar values of community service and youth leadership development.
HUH is accepting applications for their campers and volunteer counselors. The deadline to apply is June 1.
Here's how you can help
The board wants a full roster of young people signed up for this year's summer camp. Help us spread the word:
 |
| Ready, set, and giving back! |
- Register online or email us for a registration form
- Join our Facebook page and Like us
- Follow us on SnapChat
- Follow us on LinkedIn
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