Our Philosophy

Summer Camp Is for Having Fun, Making Friends & Trying Something New

Our Mission
Camp Alsing works to provide our campers with skills and strategies to explore their boundaries, build connections with peers, and have a great time in a traditional camp setting.

Our Vision
When a camper finishes their session at Alsing, they will leave camp knowing they are part of a
community that understands and embraces their unique qualities and contributions to the world around them. They will feel more confident about who they are and emboldened by their abilities to navigate their way in the world.

Our Philosophy
At Alsing, we believe that every child should have the opportunity to attend a camp and benefit from the community, activity, and challenges that a quality summer camp experience entail. We believe that our campers are uniquely talented, and we embrace them for who they are, and work with them to help them be the best version of themselves – which means they are comfortable and happy in their own skin. We believe that all our brains are built differently, and we all have varying strengths and challenges. Rather than simply teach rote behavioral skills, we believe it is imperative to help our campers understand the motivation behind “appropriate/expected” behaviors and how they help connect us to those around us – and we benefit from those connections. We believe that a child’s behaviors, both positive and negative, are motivated by desires and unmet needs. It is our responsibility to do our best to help campers become more self-aware of these needs, and advocate for themselves in a productive way to get their needs met.

We believe that summer camp has a transformative, life-long impact on staff and campers, and we work to enhance that experience for all of us, each summer. We believe in affirming everyone’s identity and autonomy while providing the support needed for a positive and successful camp experience.

Every child should have the chance to jump off a dock, make a friend, and laugh until their sides hurt. We believe that camp is a powerful tool to promote social development in a fun, safe environment. Our goal is for Alsing campers to enjoy themselves, stretch their comfort zones, and build social connections, returning home with new skills and talking about the time of their lives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Place to Learn from Each Other

We know that all kids today have a lot of stimulus competing for their attention. Our campers can be especially focused on academics, technology, music or a host of other activities. We believe that integrating their knowledge in these chosen areas with the interests of others and contributing to the community of camp, is the way to bring out the best in our campers and help them connect and experience something new. We respect and admire their passions without judgment. We will put our phones away, take time to play chess, and learn how to build a campfire. We can listen to fellow campers play the guitar, then collect rocks along the shoreline of the lake.