Unplugged

As we move into the cold winter months, we look forward to the warm summer air and being at Vista. Beyond the friendships and fun activities, there is a unique opportunity to grow at camp. Unplugging from screens, social media, and getting away from the pressures from the outside world allows us to create a community where you can feel real connection, let your imagination run wild, and gain independence.

Unplugging means our campers and staff engage face-to-face. They learn to trust and care for each other while enjoying shared experiences. Learning to navigate social dynamics in a diverse environment is the building block of empathy. Kids learn to value differences and communicate in healthy ways, making strong lasting friendships.

Without the allure of screens, kids at camp engage in creative play. Downtime between structured activities is the best time in Sierra Vista. I’ve witnessed art, reading, music, skits, games, and several stuffed animal weddings. Girls share their passions, talk, dance, and giggle. When you ask a camper about their favorite memory from camp, it’s usually during the down, unstructured times.

Being at camp fosters independence. Every day comes with new challenges from riding horses to climbing rock walls, adventure is everywhere to be had. Alongside those big moments are small almost more important victories like making your bed on your own, overcoming homesickness, navigating new friendships, writing home for the first time, exploring new foods, and sleeping outside under the stars. Those small everyday victories create a more confident camper.

The final night of camp, we talk about bringing camp home. Campers talk about the friendships they have made that span the globe. They talk about the new skills and confidence they are bringing home. But, most importantly, they talk about feeling loved and accepted. All that would not be possible through a screen.