Camp Sizanani

Fun is as essential to Camp Sizanani as it is to any other camp. But it is not sufficient. Equally vital is the program of life skills, where kids learn how to protect themselves from a deadly disease and how to defend themselves from addiction, exploitation, and abusive behavior.

In life skills classes, campers in the throes of adolescence learn facts about sexuality and have the chance to speak openly about it. Myths about HIV/AIDS are replaced with objective knowledge. Understanding helps mitigate social stigmas. Kids who are infected learn how to live longer and more productive lives. Boys learn to respect girls, girls to learn respect themselves.

​Youth Clubs hot dog line

Life skills learning flows into the larger camping experience through arts and crafts, storytelling, poetry, theater, and other activities that to the campers appear to be pure fun. As campers develop trust in their counselors, a variety of settings lend themselves to uncovering and healing scars of abuse. A typical schedule would include Sports and Adventure, Theatre, Nutrition, Arts & Crafts, Yoga, Swimming (season-dependent), and Life Skills (proper nutrition/hygiene, HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention, healthy sexuality, gender stereotypes, etc.). Life skills tools are part of the fabric woven into every activity every day.

 

Typical Daily Schedule at Camp

  • Breakfast

  • 1st Period: Arts and Crafts/Nutrition

  • 2nd Period: Life Skills

  • 3rd Period: Swimming

  • Lunch

  • 4th Period: Adventure

  • 5th Period: Sports

  • 6th Period: Dance, drama, drumming

  • Dinner

  • Evening Program: Campfires, skits, games, story theater, bunk nights