Liberty Lake’s philosophical raison d’etre is best explained by our 5-Star-Points of Youth Development. (Hmm, perhaps we should offer “Conversational French” as an elective activity.) We developed the 5-Star-Points system because we’re professionals with high expectations. We believe that every moment of every day at camp is an opportunity for both campers and team members to positively impact each other’s lives. This is a deceptively simple thing to say. It is a profound mindset we teach the many children who attend our camp.
If you yourself never attended summer camp, it’s easy to assume the camp experience is an enjoyable form of child care (from late June through August). And you would be right—if camp isn’t fun, what’s the point in going? But at Liberty Lake we ask ourselves, “Why are we at camp?” The answer to this question extends far beyond simply having FUN. Fun is just one of the many results of summer camp.
This is why we’re so gung-ho about integrating our philosophy into camp activities and electives. We monitor the many behaviors essential to being a decent human being and acknowledge campers when “caught” demonstrating these behaviors.
Have we tugged hard enough yet at the heartstrings of your goals and ambitions for your child? The core values of Liberty Lake’s 5-Star-Points of Youth Development are:
• Point #1: Independence
• Point #2: Integrity
• Point #3: Aspiration
• Point #4: Teamwork
• Point #5: Friendship
(For more information regarding each point’s characteristics, please download our 5-Star-Points of Youth Development flyer.)
Bundled into this system is the concept of intentional camp: Everything at Liberty Lake is done with the intention and purpose of furthering our philosophy and mission.
This unique approach to the summer-camp experience provides children with a real-world, real-life experiential education that promotes mastery of our 5-Star Points of Youth Development. Outcome studies conducted by the American Camp Association (ACA) and other youth-development organizations confirm that intentional-camp programs like ours WORK!
In a landmark 2005 study by the ACA and Philliber Research Associates, a remarkable 96% of the campers surveyed reported that camp helped them make new friends. (Please see Directions: Youth Development Outcomes of the Camp Experience for more information.) In 2014, we began conducting outcome surveys with both campers and their parents. So far, the results have been equally impressive.
We receive hundreds of letters and e-mails each season from parents, campers, and team members expressing the positive impact Liberty Lake has had on their lives. Camper testimonials like this one fill us with tremendous pride and inspire us to continually improve our version of the summer-camp experience:
“My ten summers at Liberty Lake Day Camp have truly been a surreal experience. I couldn’t imagine anything else more fun and meaningful in my life.”
– C.C., Cherry Hill, NJ
After one summer at Liberty Lake, your son or daughter will realize that “fun” isn’t generated by riding an endless variety of roller coasters for 8-10 weeks. Fun is a natural byproduct of conquering fears, making friends, having real-life experiences, and becoming the person you’re meant to be. And prepare yourself for our old-school attitude—there is no Xbox or PlayStation at our camp. There are no computers, tablets, or mobile devices available for free play. Liberty Lake’s 5-Star-Points of Youth Development philosophy is a different approach to summer camp. It ignites a life-altering experience that will have your child begging for more the following summer.
Liberty Lake is committed to creating an environment that supports equal participation opportunities for campers and staff members regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, perceived or actual sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, marital status, national origin, or disability.