Exciting News: Campers will be Screen Free this Summer!
Let’s be honest: phones and screens are a crucial part of our society today, impacting our lives in positive and negative ways. You can’t find too many environments that can function screen free—until now!
At Camp Encore/Coda, we are happy to provide this revitalizing space for our campers this summer. All campers will turn in their devices with screens at the beginning of camp, and be able to focus all of their time and energy on music, sports, and friendships!
Screen Addiction is a Problem
Some of you may wonder why we feel so strongly about getting rid of screens over the summer. Screens create many camp-specific challenges: we have seen conflicts arise over video games, our staff have had to remind campers to put their phones away during music lessons, rehearsals, and other activities, and campers have been able to completely isolate themselves during times when they could be having meaningful social interactions. We have also noticed jealousy or embarrassment from campers who might not have the latest technology, and these inequities go against the environment we are trying to create at camp.
Enough about the negatives. The positive benefits of going screen free are more than enough to make this decision easy! Here are the top 3 reasons we are going screen-free:
Why We're Committed to Screen-Free Summers
1. Engaging with the present
We value giving campers an authentic camp experience. This means engaging their minds and hearts to be fully present in every activity. The screen-free music practice rooms will improve camper focus. As campers walk through the Pine Grove to a campfire looking at a sunset, screen-free campers will appreciate the beauty of nature in the present, instead of playing a game on their phone. Taking away screens invites campers to use all of their senses to explore their beautiful surroundings.
2. Developing social skills and deeper connections
There are numerous social benefits to a screen-free community, many of which we already enjoyed with our previous “no SIM card” policy. At Encore/Coda, every human interaction will be in person. Campers will strengthen their social skills and friendships as they bond with each other over shared hobbies, activities, and a passion for music. Campers will discover that they can relax and have fun by reading, playing games, or talking with friends without the need for screens.
3. Aligning with our Values: Promoting equity
Technology can be a status symbol, and might cause some of our campers to feel less than or unrelatable. Removing these status symbols will not take away from all forms of financial difference and inequity amongst our campers, but it will help foster the feeling of belonging that is at the heart of our Encore/Coda family.
GET READY TO Take the leap!
Spending most of the summer away from their devices might seem understandably daunting. We all rely on our phones so much in the real world. However, the great part about camp is that it doesn’t feel like the real world; it feels like an inspiring musical oasis, and believe it or not, by the end of the summer, your kids might even be glad that they had so much time away from screens.
