Camp teaches kids about teamwork, leadership

HURON TWP. — The first Erie County Prevention Partnership Summer Day Camp ended Thursday at Osborn MetroPark in the Huron area. The three-day camp, inviting local kids between 8 and 13, taught them about teamwork, leadership, outdoor challenges and the kinds of community-building you can't fake. It was an open invitation for anyone in Erie County who could benefit from the support opportunity. It was advertised at the schools, and counselors shared the fliers with kids that they thought would benefit from the day camp. A total of 17 kids showed up each day. I was lucky enough to volunteer as the official photographer. That meant a camera in my hands for all three days and a front-row seat to the whole thing. I'll tell you what I saw: The kids were amazing. And you could watch every one of them growing into more confidence as the week went on: shoulders a little straighter, voices a little louder, each of them a little braver than the morning before. The inaugural event drew a strong turnout and real enthusiasm from families, volunteers and partners across Erie County. Organizers expected a good first year. They got better than that. The camp came together through a deep bench of partners: Firelands Health, Project Noelle, BrightView, the Erie County Health Department, the Ohio Counterdrug Program, Bayshore Counseling and Recovery Center and the Erie County Prevention Partnership. Different organizations, but one goal. The design was simple and smart: pair recreation with prevention-focused life skills while giving kids a safe, positive place to have fun while they build confidence, make friends, learn to communicate and practice healthy decisions through hands-on play. "This week was about giving kids a safe, positive environment where they could have fun while also learning important life skills," organizers said. "The response from campers and families has been incredible." Each day carried its own theme. Each theme had a point: • Tuesday opened with Pirate Adventure Day, consisting of treasure hunts, obstacle courses, parachute games, giant Jenga, football toss and team-building across the park. • Wednesday brought community heroes and Carnival Day, introducing campers to local first responders and public safety professionals alongside carnival games, team competitions and activities built to grow trust and safety awareness. • Thursday closed with Survivor Challenge Day, featuring relay races, shelter-building, problem-solving, obstacle challenges and teamwork aimed squarely at leadership and adaptability The prevention message was always there, but never heavy-handed. Camp leaders worked it into the activities in ways that felt natural to the kids, building the protective factors that help young people make healthy choices for life: emotional awareness, communication, confidence, teamwork and a real sense of belonging to their community. Watching it happen, the best part wasn't the games: It was the kids encouraging each other. Children from different schools and different backgrounds found each other fast and pulled each other along. By the final day, the friendships, the confidence, and the leadership weren't something organizers talked about. They were something you could photograph. The week also made the larger picture clear: prevention, youth wellness, mentorship and family support work better when local organizations stop working alone. After a first year like this, the conversation has already turned to what comes next, expanded programming and a real shot at making the camp an annual tradition. "This camp showed what can happen when community organizations come together around one goal — helping kids feel supported, empowered and connected," organizers said. The final day ended the way it should have: celebration, awards, recognition. The hope is that the kids leave with more than a good summer memory. They leave with skills that outlast the week. The message stayed simple the whole way through: Come for the fun. Leave with something valuable. From where I was standing, behind the camera, they did exactly that. People can lean more about Project Noelle and future camp opportunities by emailing stephen_terrell@icloud.com or visiting projectnoelle.com.