Seeing How Kids Really are Special

G. completed a 4 week summer theater camp over the weekend. I had heard that the camp director was really terrific and this was a great experience. It was my decision, not G's to enroll. Everything I had heard about the director and the camp was true. All of the kids involved(including G.) loved it, and the shows, at the end of a mere 4 weeks, were really terrific. It's hard to describe what made it so great for the kids, but here are some of my observations

1. It was multi age, from 7-14, all doing things together. Older kids were not off and pouty by themselves.
   
2. The director made working really hard, really fun, by virtue of her positive energy.
3. The director hired staff who also loved the kids and the whole process, no cranky camp staff here.
4. Everybody's role was important, from the lead roles to the chorus, and the director made sure that everyone knew how their role contributed to the show.
5. Everyone got a tshirt, pizza lunch on Friday and a really fun cast party at the end.

At the cast party, you could see how the kids' creativity is rewarded. Apparently kids could put together skits during the quiet moments at camp, and they made sure they got their final installment at the cast party. There was a parody of the show using Star Wars, an installment of Mr. Bumble and Mrs. Peacock (hard to describe but hilarious), and cheers for another quick parody that went over my head. At the end, the director got all of the kids in a circle (there were two casts worth, up to 50 kids, probably 35 were there), and went around and told something about each kid. In detail, with energy to make them all feel special. It could be about hard work, stage presence, a singing voice, a cheery personality, leadership, or how she's seen them grow and develop over the years (many of the kids have been doing this camp for several years). But she found something in every child, and made sure that all of the children were quiet and listened, and respected the other kids.

When she got to G, she said that they changed the opening of the show, because of G's quiet and still presence on stage, and that they wanted that presence to open the show (she played a crying child after a big storm right at the opening narration). I asked G how she felt , and she said, "I didn't know they changed the play for me. I felt special." Now, a quiet and still presence is something I probably never would have found in G, and yet I could see how the director framed that in the show. I just about cried.

I was so impressed at the honesty the director brought to the process of talking to each kid. She didn't hesitate to say when someone was fabulous at the risk of hurting someone else's feelings. She was able to do this because she truly believes that every kid is special and that she will find something to say that will make each kid know that they stand out in her mind. I was really touched, and impressed. Needless to say, G. and A. have both said that they want to do this camp next summer. Needless to say, I will be signing them up.