No doubt every camp director has a slightly different answer to this question. However, as the directors of Centauri Arts for seventeen years, we have a fairly clear idea of what we believe our camp should do! Camp, in our view, should be a place where young people are empowered to create, guided by inspiring counsellors and wise leaders who know when to offer support, and when to step back and let their campers lead the way. What do they create? Friendships. Communities. Performances. Art, poetry, photographs, films. They create opportunities for themselves and for others. They create stories and memories. But more than anything else, in a new environment among strangers who quickly become fellow artists and role models, they create themselves. Themselves as leaders, articulate individuals, responsible young adults, good friends, artists, dreamers, practical achievers, team players, problem solvers, creative thinkers, compassionate citizens, hard workers and confident youth with a strong sense of identity and a pride in who they are. Every child’s achievement is not the same. A shy nine year old’s sense of accomplishment will be different from that of a talented 16 year old whose feelings of self worth were damaged by a poor year in school. Every success story is different. The important thing is that every single camper has one. So what can summer camp do? Far, far more than a summer spent in front of a computer, or hanging out at the mall. A good camp can give a young person the greatest gift of all. The gift of self discovery.

Julie
Director
Centauri Arts Camp
www.centauriartscamp.com

Centauri Arts Camp is a residential arts camp located in Ontario, about 1 1/2 hours from Toronto.