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12 Days of Giving – Day 7: Giving youth a place to build relational skills

December 12, 2021 7:00 am by Jason Friesen Dynamic Featured Image

Attending a new school as a teenager can be intimidating. New classmates to get to know, plus new teachers to learn from, plus new surroundings to acclimate to can be an equation for a stressful situation for any youth.

St. Paul’s High School recognizes those challenges, especially for Grade 9 students who are new to their campus. That’s why they host a Camp Day each fall for the new Grade 9s to get to know others in their class and share an experience that can serve as a starting point for friendship. Camp Manitou has been the perfect setting for them to host their Camp Day each year.

Though students get the pleasure of swinging down the zipline, cruising through the forest on bikes, and sharing stories around the campfire, St. Paul’s has other goals in mind that focus on social skills, teamwork, inclusion, and being open to new people and experiences – things that each of those Camp Manitou activities and their outdoor setting perfectly set the stage for.

Every class has students with wide-ranging comfort levels and confidence, but each year’s Camp Day offers the chance for St. Paul’s staff to see shyer kids come out of their shell and build camaraderie as they participate in the activities at Camp Manitou. Whether climbing a rock wall, playing in the field, or shooting arrows at a target for archery, Camp Manitou’s activities make engaging with others that much easier for students who might not find social connection as natural, and can pave the way for a better school year.

“Camp Manitou provides fun and adventure, but is also ripe with teachable moments about being open to new things, inclusion, being a good team member, and being kind to others. It really is an ideal facility.” – Jennifer Kolton, St. Paul’s teacher

 

Be a game changer this holiday season by giving more youth like students from St. Paul’s High School a place where they can build relational skills by donating to the TNYF 12 Days of Giving campaign HERE! All donations make a difference for Manitoba youth, as just $50 provides lunch to a camper for a week of summer camp, and $270 covers the cost of a week of day camp for a child who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend.