On April 21 I, along with 39 other Sobrato students, rode up to
Camp Harmon in the Santa Cruz Mountains for a four-day leadership
camp called Camp Everytown.
On April 21 I, along with 39 other Sobrato students, rode up to Camp Harmon in the Santa Cruz Mountains for a four-day leadership camp called Camp Everytown.
Camp Everytown is described as, “an intensive … residential retreat for high school youth that reduces stereotypes, bias, and prejudice, and increases understanding and respect for differences in race, ethnicity, religion, culture, and other factors that divide us.” Upon reading the aforementioned description, my initial reaction was that this was not a leadership camp. This would be a place where we would rehash the topics we had discussed too many times in class already. But I, like many others, went because of Patty Healy’s diligent insistence.
Healy is a teacher and counselor at Ann Sobrato High School. A former employee of Live Oak High School, she experienced Camp Everytown with the Acorns and decided to introduce it to Sobrato. Along with the help of other Sobrato staff, she selected a number of students that exhibited leadership skills in hopes that they would attend the camp.
Healy strongly believes in the power of Camp Everytown, saying, “Camp Everytown allows students to express themselves in a safe environment in a way that they wouldn’t in their daily lives. I believe that the Camp causes a lot of personal change, but what the students choose to do with that change is up to them.”
No information besides the brief description provided above was given to us – no itinerary or general activities list was provided. When prodding Healy for clues, she would always reply with a terse, “Just trust me.” And on this trust we rode to Camp Everytown.
Upon arriving we had barely enough time to set down our suitcases and eat dinner before we started our first activity. Before us stood an easel with an empty white pad of paper sitting on it, which would become the victim of society’s many evils and prejudices over the course of the next few days.Â
This activity involved confrontation of deeply set societal prejudices and discrimination.
While one racial group, for example, Asians, left the room, the remaining students would write down every racial slur, discriminatory remark or stereotype about Asians that they could think of. Then the Asians would return to the room and read what the students had written, careful to consider if or how each slur or stereotype affected them personally. This was done with every major racial group, including Latinos, Whites and African Americans. Each student was encouraged to share his or her thoughts or personal experiences related to the matter.
Other activities included discussions about gender equality, violence, with a special concentration on domestic abuse, and disabilities.
Surprisingly, the camp managed to make each discussion intensely personal. Perhaps the seclusion of the retreat created a safe feeling environment, or the people exuded an empathetic vibe, but each and every activity led to shocking confessions, heartfelt stories and candid conversations. They also, more often than not, led to tears.
Many others had low expectations for the camp, seeing it solely as an excuse to miss a day of school. Freshman Betty Brown said, “I thought it would be one of those ‘let’s eat marshmallows’ camps,’ but I definitely learned a lot.”
However, Camp Everytown was about more than confronting racial, cultural and discrimination issues, it was also about making new friends. To achieve this end, the leaders of the camp devised a few rather annoying tactics. One was referred to as “Rainbow.” At the beginning of each activity or discussion, anyone was free to call out “Rainbow.” The moment the word was uttered, everyone was forced to switch positions and move next to someone new. It was bothersome at first, but it did lead to the creation of many new friendships and supported a favorite maxim of the camp, “strangers are only friends you haven’t met yet.”
But, Camp Everytown was truly a unique and eye-opening experience that left us all with new respect for each other and new incentive to combat violence and discrimination.
Though it may not sound convincing on paper, “Just trust us.”
Sabrina Werts is a junior at Ann Sobrato High School. In addition to writing, she enjoys piano and dance.
