Five Foundations for Success

When the Junior High class visited Camp Tecumseh, we learned about the Five Foundations for Success. These foundations are trust, communication, self-confidence, leadership, and problem solving. The Camp Tecumseh staff taught us these foundations through a series of fun and exciting activities. Through the trip we were encouraged to utilize these foundations in a productive way. Below, some Junior High students shared their reflections on how they learned to use these foundations.

 Trust

            “Trust is the chief component in teams, marriage, and most friendships. Gaining the respect of others by treating them in a responsible way is the true meaning of trust. I learned that I could trust people to a certain extent and some more than others. This foundation was used at Mt. Wood, the climbing wall. We had to trust our belayer and the crowd below for foot and hand holds. We also had to trust our partners in the optimist’s challenge. The optimist challenge was an obstacle course that one blindfolded person had to maneuver by following their partner’s instructions. I improved my level of trust between my classmates and myself.”

-Joseph Kawauchi

Leadership

            “As far as my leadership skills go, the field trip to Camp Tecumseh really put them to the test. It was pretty hard for me to maintain a decent manner when trying to instruct other people in what to do, especially when my entire group of 8 people tried to stand and balance for two whole choruses of Row, Row, Row Your Boat standing on a very little box. It was hard because you can’t just shriek at them if they don’t do what you want them to. They aren’t your brother. You see, I have a bad habit of not thinking before I speak,, so whenever I feel like I have a great idea, I just say it out loud, not bothering to listen nor are for anyone else’s. When my idea turns out to be wrong or dumb, I just sit there like an idiot saying something like “oops”. But overall, I enjoyed working alongside my peers and listening to their ideas. I’ve learned that not everything has to be the Sydney way.”

-Sydney Anzelc

Problem Solving

“The rock wall was also a time when I needed problem-solving. Whenever I was stuck I had to find the best place to put my foot or hand so that I could get to the top. Not only did I have to help myself, I had to help the other people climbing so that they could get to the top. We had to help them and encourage them. This really helped improve my problem-solving skills and will help me later in life.”

-Ammaar Basher

 Communication

“Communication is very important when working with a team. The sharing of ideas from one to another in an understandable way is always key. I learned that I could share my idea for a situation that might help make progress. Communication of our ideas was very important in the team building course, the optimist challenge, Mt. Wood, and obviously in the communication station. I need to improve on this tremendously because I am very outspoken and when I do talk, I talk with a flare to it.”

-Joseph Kawauchi

Self-Confidence

“Self Confidence is a huge issue for a lot of teenagers. They often they don’t look right, or wear the right things, or listen to the right stuff. When I got to Camp Tecumseh, I wasn’t expecting to develop a new found self-confidence. A time at Camp that I really felt self-confident was when my group was doing the Survival Simulation. I was in charge of the making of the fire, I failed, but people were encouraging me, and believing in me, so I felt confident in my ability to light a fire. It felt good to know that people believed in me, even though I failed, they still gave me things like, ‘Good effort’ or ‘I wouldn’t have gotten near what you did’.  That boosts your confidence levels a lot.”

-Cameron Pierce