Organization. Time Management. Problem Solving. Teamwork. Communication. These are all critical life skills needed to become a successful, independent adult. Unfortunately, learning and actively practicing them in your day to day life can be challenging, especially for kids with ADHD. As a parent, you work diligently to role model these behaviors and give your child opportunities to use them, but with the pressure of school and life, consistently working on skills can be difficult. Summer camp gives your child an opportunity to work on these life skills in a structured way with the support of peers and our staff! Time away from home also helps campers develop independence and become more self-reliant while they are working on these skills!
At SOAR, we utilize Role Cards to give campers opportunities each day to not only be a leader in their group, but to learn and practice life skills. These daily roles and responsibilities can also bring out strengths camper’s didn’t know they had and spark new interests. Below are 7 daily roles and responsibilities that your camper will have an opportunity to be involved in at least once while at camp.
Yoda
Yoda is the group leader of the day. Yoda will facilitate group meetings and make sure the group is staying on task. As leader, Yoda is responsible for knowing the day’s schedule, ensuring that everyone is involved, and knowing all other team members’ roles and responsibilities for the day. They also make sure the group is always prepared and have their 5 essentials.
Sherpa(s)
Sherpa is all about gear–making sure the group has all the gear needed for the day’s activities, keeps all gear and equipment clean and in good condition, stores all gear after use, ensures no gear is left behind at the campsite, and makes sure all gear gets checked back in at base. They will also be in charge of checking the tents and black box every morning for cleanliness and waterproofing.
Coach
Coach works closely with Yoda to make sure team members are all on the same page regarding the schedule. They facilitate sunscreen circles throughout the day and call for water breaks to keep the team hydrated. Coach gets to carry and display the group flag and any team mascot and keep up the team morale. During any downtime, Coach will also help facilitate group games and activities!
Chef(s)
Chef is the leader of mealtime! Chef is responsible for knowing the day’s menu and making sure the team has everything they need to prepare meals. They establish and enforce kitchen circle and safety. Chef will also assist with preparation of meals and will serve equal portions to team members. Chef also will put away leftover food and clean the stove. Each morning and evening they will check the cooler to make sure food is not water logged.
Captain Planet
Captain Planet is responsible for taking care of the earth by ensuring no waste is ever left behind! Captain Planet is responsible for cleaning up the campsite before leaving, doing a last minute check before leaving an area to make sure we are leaving it as we found it, removing all trash from the van, and setting up wash bins at mealtime. They also carry the water purifier to ensure the group is hydrated and supervise the fire building process, including putting out the fire.
Every single role is important to the team’s success. This holds each team member accountable and helps campers see that working as a team can be rewarding! Our staff with guide campers and remind them of their daily goals, and the rest of the team will be encouraged to always help each other out! Once your child is experienced with these roles, you can adapt them for use at home. Giving each family member a daily role and responsibility can improve communication and consistency to help your child continue to develop these life skills!