Top Ten Reasons why Chikopi builds resilience

After a summer at Chikopi our boys leave camp more resilient than when they arrived.  “Why”?  You may ask!  Read on and let us explain why?

• Build friendships – Being a small camp eliminates isolation, there is no hiding at Chikopi.  Being immersed in a diverse environment helps build friendships and teaches empathy.  “You have to be a friend to find a friend”.  Strong friendships help overcome disappointments. 
• Daily routine – establishing a daily routine builds structure.  Boys fight structure but ultimately they thrive on it.  Remove the challenge of “what will I do today” and you open the door to a clear head that is ready to take on the day.
• Empowerment – teaching boys how to help each other empowers them to be able to ask for help when they need it. 
• Technology free – takes the worry out of FOMO. (Fear of Missing Out).
• Responsibility – by providing healthy meals and activities we show by example how to take care of both the body and the mind.
• Goal setting – we teach age appropriate goal setting and encourage each camper to achieve his.  Not everyone will accomplish them but having the support of staff and reinforcement of friends is our goal.
• Strength – not only physical but more importantly emotional.  When boys succeed at their goals, it builds emotional strength.   But emotional strength is also required when they fail to accomplish a challenging goal.  Trusting their choices and learning to laugh at themselves when they fail builds the emotional strength that will help them through hard times, to keep trying and not quit.
• Keep it real – we have all heard the saying “don’t sweat the small stuff”.  As adults we have life’s experiences to teach us how to keep disappointments in perspective.  Boys need guidance on how to see past their current setback.  At Chikopi our staff build excitement by setting challenges that help boys keep a positive and optimistic outlook.  Perhaps they were not successful in todays’ challenge; there is always the next one.
• Change – It is universally known that few boys like change.  Chikopi campers are no different.  Boys, especially young ones can be scared of change.  At Chikopi we encourage boys to step outside their comfort zone; you are on a swim team at home, today we want you to go on the mountain bike, or pick up the lacrosse stick and be the goalie.  Never played anything but Fortnite before, how about going sailing today?  By taking boys out of their comfort zone they learn to accept change as a part of life.
• Self-awareness – As in small schools, a small camp environment builds self-awareness; “what am I made of?”  Chikopi, like life, can be challenging, but we provide our boys the support and encouragement to not only achieve whatever goals they set but more importantly to try their hardest to achieve them and never give up.

So… if your son is ready to build some resilience into his life, a summer at Chikopi is waiting.  But don’t wait too long, 2020 is our 100th Anniversary, bunks are already filling up.  Email: campchikopi@aol.com for more information or the 2020 enrollment forms.