One of the greatest privileges of being on the staff at Nyoda is watching a camper transform right before our very eyes.  Growth isn’t often a big moment, or rarely follows a straight line. It is a series of small victories, small “I did it” moments, small self discoveries.

The one thing that is needed is time. Time to practice, time to decide if she likes this activity, time to actually do something. Time to prepare, time to redo, time to change her mind. Time permits struggle and then triumph, time builds friendships, time allows the discovery of strengths they never knew they had.

At Nyoda, we believe that three weeks is the optimum amount of time to do all the above.  It allows for learning, for re-doing, for stopping one thing you don’t like and trying something new.  It gives the gift of improving on a skill that felt so very hard on the first day. Resilience, confidence, and independence are but three of the transformative skills that develop after the initial few days have passed and a child can fully immerse herself in camp life and absorb its benefits.

  A camper takes three or four days to settle in to a new place, to get used to a new environment, new routines, and all the strangers surrounding her. Homesickness peaks in 2-3 days, and once it passes, the remaining days of three weeks allows a camper to be happy, relaxed, and fully open to all the new experiences at camp instead of going home right after she found she liked it. 

One week gives a camper a basic introduction to her fellow campers through shared experiences. Staying three weeks gives the time for inside jokes, deep friendships, and social success.  Group dynamics mature and peer interaction becomes both the learning and the teaching.  Campers feel at home, comfortable to move around and travel the property. They recognize they are welcome everywhere and belong rather than visit.

Independence comes with big things, like where to spend your time, who your friends will be, living away from family.  It also comes with the little things, like choosing your clothes, doing your inspection job, being on time. It is living unplugged for three weeks, navigating social interactions face to face, problem solving, relying on yourself for answers rather than a parent, teacher, or screens.

Confidence comes with finding the answers to:  What am I good at?  What do I like?  Should I try something different?  How can I make this work?  It grows with:  I did great at this!  I love that I can do this! I am proud of myself!  Girls need time to find the answers to the first questions, and then time to feel confident and accomplished.

Resilience becomes part of a girl’s character when she is frustrated learning a skill at an activity, has an argument, or the bungalow does poorly working together. She learns to come back for more practice, learns to apologize or accept an apology and keep her friend, and the bung becomes a team with counselor support.  These moments need more than a few days to grow.

“Where girls like who they are” is our motto and we work toward that every day. Three weeks gives every girl enough time to do just that.