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Career Opportunities Contact Us Privacy Terms © Camp Fire USA 2005 |
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MESSAGE FROM CAMP FIRE USA LEADERSHIP As a member of the National Board of Trustees of Camp Fire USA, I came to the 2004 National Youth Leadership Forum to find answers to the question, "What makes Camp Fire different from other youth development organizations that serve teenagers?" I found my answers in the questions that were asked. Starting with Father Joe's question to us at Thursday's opening session: "What do you want to know?" Here are some of my favorites: What is community? How do you know that something works? You want me to do what with my shoe? How can YAC help you today? How does service learning differ from community services? It took you how long to drive to San Diego? Did you get lost? Is there any more room in this workshop? What can we do? What do I want to do? Do you have a question or are you just stretching? What works? What doesn't? What do we do next time? How did you get such a huge hole in your shoe? How big is your YAC and how do you keep your YAC up to date? Were those boys or were those girls who were swimmin' all around? The answers to these, and hundreds of other questions, were thought-provoking, unexpected, witty and challenging. Often as not, and as expected, the questions and responses came from Camp Fire USA youth. Responses that didn't ring true were challenged. Responses that were partial or incomplete were supplemented. Collectively, you reached for answers. That process is our hallmark. It is part of what sets Camp Fire apart. I hope you enjoyed being part of the process. Asking and answering the big question: "What can I do to help to alleviate hunger and homelessness?" Gwen Whitson Service
Learning Project
Some grabbed bags and started on the small trees, and others grabbed the orange pickers (poles with sharp edges that looked like modified lacrosse sticks) to pick the oranges at the tops of the trees. During the day, most everyone had a taste of the oranges. The event was set up by the Society of St. Andrew, and some members came to help our efforts. The youth also had a chance to meet the owners of the orange groves along the way. The oranges were donated to San Diego Food Bank, and we prepared them for their journey by loading the bags full of ripe juicy oranges into large plastic drums. The sun came out as our bags began to fill, and after three hours of working to feed the hungry, we boarded the buses, dirty and successful, to go back to campus ready to learn more about hunger and homelessness. Strategic
Planning The point of a strategic plan is to define what an organization wants to be one or more years in the future. Strategic plans also devise ways to assess progress and methods of evaluating if and how the goals have been met. The planning process begins by looking at the organization's mission statement and deciding to what degree it is being fulfilled. After some broad goals are determined, the committee will create a timeline to help guide members toward their goals. Although specific goals and deadlines will be set, strategic plans must be flexible to keep up with constantly changing circumstances. If you're interested in giving your input to Camp Fire USA's upcoming strategic plan, e-mail Evan at yac@campfireusa.org with any thoughts or questions you have.
"Speak Out! is a Camp Fire USA Orange County Council (Tustin, Calif.) program funded by the California Wellness Foundation. Speak Out! is dedicated to empowering youth to create a voice in public policy and contribute to social change in the area of teen pregnancy prevention. Many teens are aware of the message our society sends regarding their powerlessness to control their own environment. Speak Out! organizes and teaches teens how to speak to adults about issues directly affecting their lives. "Speak Out! started about three years ago when a group of teens became concerned with the high rate of teen pregnancy in their community. Believing that education plays an important role in the rate of teenage pregnancy, the teens decided to create a plan to promote and enhance sex education in the Santa Ana High Schools. Although the first proposal presented to the school board was not adopted, the teens have created a second curriculum and are waiting to hear the results of the school board's vote. Speak Out! focuses on comprehensive sex education to alleviate the naivety of teens in regards to safe sex. "The teens from Orange County have put in more that 2,000 hours of their time towards this project. In 2003, their efforts received the Youth Volunteer of the Year Award for the National Philanthropy Day: Orange County." Chhely Vy YAC-in-a-Box Another way that youth can create a powerful voice in their local councils is by creating a local Youth Advisory Cabinet (YAC). Local YACs can increase communication between youth, adults and program coordinators as well as provide extended youth involvement in inclusive programming. The National YAC, with the help of the Wilani Council and Minnesota Council, has created a packet of information that can help any council start a local YAC. "YAC-in-a-Box" is a valuable resource and gives guidance and ideas of things to think about while creating Local YACs. If you would like more information or a "YAC-in-a-Box" packet, e-mail yac@campfireusa.org. Know YOUR Camp Fire USA! 2) When and where was the first local Camp Fire USA council created?
Answers: 1) d 2) b Check back next month for the next issue of Camp Fire USA's Youth Connection. If you would like to receive subsequent issues by e-mail, please contact Youth Connection. |
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The
day dawned cool and cloudy as four busloads of youth and adults
drove off of the University of San Diego campus slathered in sunscreen
and ready to combat hunger. The buses were split between two sites
of orange groves that seemed to go on forever. 
Camp
Fire USA was created almost 100 years ago to give youth a chance
to work and play side by side with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
In the 1970s, Camp Fire made a commitment to include youth on its
national board of trustees, and, currently, all councils are asked
to include youth on their local boards of directors. Including youth
on the board of directors gives youth a constant voice in the decision-making
process of the organization.