From Camper to Student, the KSS Progression

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We have two terms in which we refer to our participants during the summer season. We have campers and we have students. We refer to participants in any Day CampDiscovery Camp, or Discovery Adventure as campers. The most important aspect of KSS for campers is…camp!

The camper experience should be one of fun, community, learning, and growth. The focus for campers is the traditional camp experience: games, campfires, friends, skits, s’mores, in essence, everything that makes camp, camp. We want campers to grow by pushing themselves in an environment that is comfortable and nurturing for their development. We break down barriers through songs, skits, costumes, and goofy camp magic. The camper experience is a phenomenal building block towards becoming a student. Campers are introduced to the tools that they will later use when they graduate to our more trying programs.

The student experience is designed to look and feel different from a camper experience. Participants in our Discovery Expeditions are referred to as students. While the camper experience is centered around fun, the student experience is more concentrated on learning and challenge.

The core curriculum of Discovery Expeditions are leadership development and outdoor living skills. Students in these programs will be challenged. We push our students physically, mentally, and emotionally to grow in a safe environment. Students are physically tested through hiking, backpacking, and other adventures, but we also challenge students to learn to lead their peers and discuss topics such as diversity and inclusion. The student experience is not always an easy one, but it is one of the most fun and rewarding experiences KSS can offer.