Meet Kalani
Kalani is an undergrad student at New York University. The acceptance rate for NYU’s class of 2023 was an astonishing sixteen percent, so we say well done Kalani! Since his admission into NYU, Kalani has maintained an exceptional GPA and completed his first semester with a 4.0, placing him at the top of his class. As part of his NYU undergrad program, Kalani has been able to enjoy the experience of studying abroad at the University of York in England. Currently, he’s continuing his studies in York and cherishing his time in the UK, but is also excited to continue learning and growing stateside on NYU’s campus next fall.

Considering what’s important to Kalani, we can clearly see that he values his education and personal growth. Along with that Kalani deeply cherishes his friendships. He draws inspiration and motivation from those with whom he chooses to spend his time.

Prior to Attending SuperCamp
Kalani was curious to discover what kind of experience he would have at SuperCamp. Thinking about his thoughts before attending Junior Forum, Kalani remembered that “as a middle schooler, the appeal was really just being away from home with other people that I can talk to.” Like many of us attending summer camp for the first time, Kalani’s initial interest was gaining some independence away from home and creating new friendships.

From his first session in 2012 and the three summers that followed, Kalani has gained and maintained a community built from SuperCamp friendships and shared experiences.

The Shift
When asked to share more about the impactful moments from his time at camp, Kalani made a special note of the connections he made. He went on to say that participating in SuperCamp “introduced me to other like-minded people who are really focused on improving themselves and on their educational growth. I still keep in touch with a lot of them because we’ve made this journey together.” Having the support of others is truly priceless, especially when their support not only allows you to feel validated, but also encourages you to be your best self.

Along with gaining lifelong friendships and a community of support, Kalani was also impacted by his new-found confidence and still remembers the positive culture surrounding this. When introduced to Kalani, you wouldn’t guess that he ever struggled with goal setting or self-doubt. While thinking about his time at SuperCamp, Kalani remembered initially having trouble with feeling confident about his choices and goals, but that quickly changed because he was “surrounded by people who have that confidence for you. Even if it was wavering at first, you’re surrounded by all of this positivity, and you start to believe it yourself.” The people surrounding us often make the biggest impact.

Kalani always had personal goals in mind, but struggled with believing in his ability to achieve those goals. While learning in an environment enriched with positivity and team collaboration, Kalani felt empowered to work toward his goals . . . and he had big ones, some of which he’s already achieved!

The Impact
The friendships made at SuperCamp enable us to bring the fun, positivity, and momentum gained from camp into our lives at home, promoting positivity that spreads into all areas of our lives. Kalani believes that keeping in touch with friends from camp has added value to his life . . . “Quite frankly, this tight-knit community that SuperCamp gave me as a camper has really helped me today.”  His relationships from SuperCamp have created a much-needed support system and accountability check, empowering him to accomplish the goals he has set for himself.

One friend in particular is Faith. Kalani and Faith spent three summer sessions together at SuperCamp. They were brought together simply because they were both attending the same session and soon found out that they shared many beliefs and values. Both value friendship, collaboration, and striving toward academic excellence. Even when summers came and went, the two kept in touch virtually, sharing in each other’s successes and helping one another through difficult choices concerning school and relationships. Kalani is able to make responsible choices on his own, but having the support of a close friend, who has shared life-changing experiences with you, makes those choices that much easier.

Kalani’s Story and the Key of Ownership
Kalani’s story in relation to the 8 Keys of Excellence exemplifies the Key of Ownership. Ownership relates to being responsible for our thoughts, feelings, words, and actions, and owning the choices we make and the results that follow. Kalani consistently works toward being his best self and achieving his goals. In doing that, he expresses confidence and owns every choice along the way. He’s acquired high levels of confidence in his own abilities and in the people and community with whom he surrounds himself.

Kalani’s Future is Bright
Kalani’s short-term goals are very much driven by his academics. Ultimately, he would really “like to graduate college with a good GPA.”  As we already know, Kalani is definitely off to a successful start. For long-term goals, Kalani is envisioning his future “as an environmental policy analyst.” He hopes to devote his work to finding solutions and making a positive change in the world of environmental policy, thus making the world a better place for all. We are confident he’ll succeed!

The post SuperCamp Student Spotlight – Kalani’s Story appeared first on SuperCamp.

Prior to Attending SuperCamp
Initially, Nia’s interest in SuperCamp was sparked because her older sister had attended years earlier. Although she was excited for the opportunity, she wasn’t expecting the experience to be as impactful as it was.

Nia had always valued personal growth, lifelong learning, kindness, and authenticity. Her expectation was that she would experience learning moments that aligned with those values. Being the learner that she is, she did experience that—and so much more.

The Shift
Midway through camp, Nia sat on the carpeted floor surrounded by people whom she’d just met a few days earlier. The air was cool. The lights were soft and dim. Her eyes were closed and she was listening intently. The exercise was to think about negative things in our life that we’re holding on to. As we focus on our thoughts, our fists tighten. Tightening our grasp, we hold it for as long we can. Then eventually we release and let go of whatever is holding us back.

Nia referred to this as the standout moment of her SuperCamp experience. Even after she was able to release, she admits that it was really hard. She kept her fists clenched. Nia explained that she had been holding on to these negative thoughts and emotions for so long, years in fact. Allowing herself to let go wasn’t a simple task. Moment after moment passed and Nia kept holding on for what she said felt like an eternity. Then she was finally able to let go.

Nia reflected, “When I finally let go, I just burst into tears. They were just flowing and I am not the type of person to cry in public . . . I cried in front of all of those kids and I didn’t even care. It was such a moment for me.” Many of us, like Nia, find that taking a moment like this for ourselves is rare and not always easy. However, when we choose to take the opportunity to experience these moments, they are impactful and unforgettable.

The Impact
Remembering her experience, Nia shared that “The biggest thing about SuperCamp was that it was a space where you could just let yourself dive into the little crevices of who you are and just keep going . . . I unpeeled layers that I probably wouldn’t have [unpeeled] for years. I was able to release certain experiences from my life because nothing was stopping my flow. I wasn’t interrupted by stress from school. I wasn’t interrupted by family matters. I was able to go through that process and complete it.”

Taking a glimpse into Nia’s experience, we instantly admired how present and inspired she is. She recognized that there was something holding her back from being her best self. Even though the choice wasn’t easy and pushed her out of her comfort zone, she chose to let go. Letting go of the things she’d been holding onto freed up more space and opportunity for positivity, which is what she truly values. Nia is someone who lives in the moment, and in those moments she is always looking for the positive outcome.

The 8 Keys of Excellence
Nia’s story in relation to the 8 Keys of Excellence truly embodies the Key of “This Is It!” This Key is all about making the most of every moment, focusing our attention on the present, and keeping a positive attitude.

Where is she now?
Since summer 2019, Nia has continued to make the most of every moment. She is taking four AP courses, acting as an officer of her school’s Black Student Union, and is working toward creating a student-led learning community, where students can connect online to provide tutoring and other academic resources. Nia was also invited to speak at an event for entrepreneurs within her community. During her speaking engagement, she shared valuable insight on what motivates her and pushes her to keep going under any circumstance.

Future Goals
Nia’s long-term goals are inspired by one meaningful focus—to create “a positive impact.” Nia will be participating in SuperCamp’s Mastermind with Mentors in October to gain new learning experiences, connect with others, and to continue receiving support from her SuperCamp community. Her intention and drive to make a positive impact will no doubt be at the forefront of her experience.

The post Nia’s Story appeared first on SuperCamp.

 “When my parents told me about SuperCamp and how my Granduncle Bob was such a huge supporter of it, I wasn’t sure what to think,” said Samantha Hochmuth. “They said he sent his grandchildren and other people in his life because he believed it helped them so much, but I didn’t know what it was and honestly wasn’t excited to go,” she said. “I was only excited to go because my family was making a vacation out of it.”

Sammy, as she is called, traveled to California from Wisconsin, and even though she was reluctant to go, she decided to change her attitude and go with an open mind—and she is so glad she did. After attending Quantum U, SuperCamp’s college-age program, she recalls not only feeling more prepared to attend college and succeed in that kind of academic setting, she also felt more confident and stronger within herself. One of the activities that stood out for her was “board breaking,” where students break through a board that represents a barrier to their goal that is written on the other side of the board. “There is no feeling like breaking through that “barrier” with your hand, and how empowered you feel afterward,” she said as she recalled the activity.

Sammy remembers leaving SuperCamp with a heightened self-confidence, new friends, and much more . . . “I felt like I got my life back.” She also noted that her brother, Hunter, who went to SuperCamp the week after Sammy thanks to Bob and Mary Wadsworth, grew in confidence. Sammy attended his closing celebration and recalled being brought to tears because she could see how much more confident and empowered he had become as well. “It was amazing to see his transformation,” Sammy said. “I’ve never felt closer to my brother and our relationship changed at that point.” Sammy and Hunter’s mother, Nancy, believes one of the biggest things for both of them was that that after SuperCamp they felt safe to be themselves.

Sammy had wanted to return to SuperCamp, however at that point she was too old for the program. She particularly wanted to go back and pay more attention to the teaching methods as she planned to become a teacher. Sammy has now graduated from college and is currently studying for her MBA at McKendree University where she is also a certified athletic trainer and graduate assistant.

To this day Sammy still reads the journal that she kept during her week at SuperCamp and refers to it often when she needs a reminder of that empowerment she felt. “I never really got to tell my Uncle Bob how I feel this camp saved my life,” Sammy said. “I truly believe anyone could go to SuperCamp and benefit from it. I am so lucky I had Uncle Bob in my life.”

The post A Wadsworth Legacy: Samantha Hochmuth appeared first on SuperCamp.

Hunter Hochmuth was one of the many children the Wadsworth family sent to SuperCamp, including his sister Samantha. Hunter benefitted so much the first time he attended SuperCamp, Senior Forum at Stanford University in 2013, that he attended two more times—Loyola U in Chicago in 2015 and the Leadership course at California State University in San Marcos in 2016.

It all began when Bob Wadsworth reconnected with Hunter’s family when he was in eighth grade. Hunter’s father met Bob at a family function and Bob was so excited about the results of SuperCamp that he offered to send both Hunter and his sister Samantha that following summer.

The first camp Hunter attended was the summer before his freshman year of high school. He remembers feeling younger than the other campers, but it didn’t bother him too much. It didn’t take long for him to start feeling more comfortable, as he recalls how easy it was for him to become close to his team members in a very short time.

When Hunter reflected on his experience during that first SuperCamp session, he recalled how much he learned academically, and attributed his success in school to the techniques he learned at SuperCamp.

The second session he attended was particularly special for him personally. Since he was returning as an experienced camper who had already attended once, he felt a sense of leadership in his team. He describes how he easily sensed what the other campers felt and wanted to facilitate their learning. He felt compelled to help them gain the most from their experience and stepped in to help them feel more at home.

It was the lifestyle skills that really benefited Hunter the most from his second SuperCamp experience. The 8 Keys of Excellence were especially meaningful to him and he still has them on his bedroom wall. He even wore the key students receive at graduation on a chain necklace during his freshman year of high school as a reminder.

Hunter talked about his experience of going on stage in front of all the other students and staff during the third night of camp and how that helped him become more confident about speaking in front of others. After that night one of the facilitators asked him to speak at the closing celebration from a second-year participant’s perspective, and he agreed. His Uncle Bob and several other family members and friends attended that closing celebration so that made it extra special. “I felt so happy and confident in that moment,” Hunter said. “I know how strongly my Uncle Bob felt about SuperCamp, so having him there seeing me speak made it amazing.”

A particularly strong memory from Hunter’s SuperCamp experience was the personal insights he gained during an evening toward the end of the session during the “mask” activity. During this activity, students go through a process where they look inside at the “masks” they wear in various situations. Students ask themselves Do I act one way for the purpose of belonging to a particular group? Is it the best version of me?

Students have an experience during the event of what it’s like to be their most authentic self, and the reactions from others when they are. For Hunter, this experience was a defining moment of his teenage years and in his life. He said he thinks about that night often and the impact it had on him, as well as the close connections he made with his team as a result.

During his third SuperCamp session, Hunter recalls that there were a lot of participants in the same place in their lives. He recalls that there wasn’t any apprehension among the students about being around strangers at the opening session. “Every single student was accepting and open,” he said. “It was a great way to finish out my years at SuperCamp.”

After graduating from high school, Hunter went on to attend the University of Madison, Wisconsin, School of Business where he is currently studying and plans to build a career in accounting.

“I’ll always be thankful that Uncle Bob introduced me to SuperCamp and gave me the opportunity to experience the spectacular things that I did,” Hunter said. “It completely changed me for the better. Imagining my life without SuperCamp is impossible.”

The post A Wadsworth Legacy: Hunter Hochmuth appeared first on SuperCamp.

“I never knew you could be ‘like a father’ to so many people.”

“He was incredibly generous with his time, love, and finding ways to create interesting experiences. He was always there if you needed support or advice. In short, he was my hero.”

Bob (Robert) Wadsworth

These are just a few sentiments expressed when Bob (Robert) Wadsworth, a long-standing supporter of SuperCamp, passed away earlier this year. Bob and Mary, his wife of 59 years, first became supporters and advocates of SuperCamp after sending their daughter Whitney when she was a teenager in high school. Whitney had such a positive experience that they ended up sending more than 16 children, including extended family members, children of employees, and friends of their children and grandchildren.

So many students, including one in this photo, attended SuperCamp
through the generosity of Bob and Mary Wadsworth.

Mary with grandson Jake and his
cousin at a SuperCamp graduation

In their time of sending children to SuperCamp, Mary and Bob attended nearly a dozen graduation ceremonies. They even brought extended family members and friends because they were such big advocates for SuperCamp and wanted to show others just how much the camps benefited the children. At one graduation, they had a group of ten people join them. “I loved attending the graduation ceremonies,” said Mary. “They were always so inspiring. You walked out of there with a smile on your face because you could clearly see just how excited the children were about their experiences,” said Mary.

SuperCamp helps children who are struggling with issues that a lot of children face, such as going to a new school or needing help to improve their scholastic abilities. “SuperCamp doesn’t use just one approach,” said Mary. “It teaches kids that there are more ways to be successful and many ways to solve problems.”

Mary explained that her daughter Whitney, who made some of her best friends at SuperCamp, didn’t initially believe she got a lot out of the program scholastically. She later reported that she was able to utilize a tool she learned at SuperCamp to ace a test while attending Purdue University. SuperCamp also broadens children’s horizons by exposing them to other children with different backgrounds and life experiences.

“The children get a sense of reality that they don’t get if they don’t have the opportunity to change their environment,” Mary continued. “Each child has their own strengths and weaknesses and what they must do is find their own strengths. It’s a message that gets implanted by SuperCamp, that they too can be successful,” Mary added.

All the children that Bob and Mary sent to SuperCamp have unique success stories. After Whitney attended, she excelled in dance and later went on to join the dance team at Purdue University. She’s now the mother of a nine-year-old and six-year-old and lives in Indiana with her husband Johnathan where they jointly run the family business that Bob and Mary started more than three decades ago. Their company, Innovation Energy, is a leader in delivering high-performance reflective insulation for energy conservation. Whitney has also worked as a personal trainer and life coach.

Bob and Mary’s niece Kinsey attended SuperCamp three times and is now working on a program to illustrate how Alzheimer’s can be delayed or lessened by learning multiple languages. Their grand-niece Alexandra Kissel is doing exceedingly well taking pre-med courses at Ole Miss. Their granddaughter Mallory Mellon graduated from the University of Wisconsin, and Cooper Lohr, a friend of their grandson, is now attending the University of America in Washington D.C. and is working as an intern.

The couple also sent their grandson Jake Castellanos to SuperCamp. In fact, Jake went four times! He went to Junior Forum, Senior Forum, and Senior Forum Leadership Team at Stanford in California, then to Leadership Forum in Colorado. Jake was taken in by Mary and Bob when he was a teenager. He had a challenging childhood growing up without much support and struggled with feeling accepted by others. Jake was initially reluctant to attend SuperCamp but ended up loving it. “I never wanted to NOT go back,” Jake said. “I went from having zero confidence to growing into a much more confident person. I wanted to go every year.”

Jake with some of his SuperCamp team

Jake said he remembers just about everything from each of the SuperCamps he attended including the look of the rooms, the environment, the people and playing a cup game in the cafeteria. He even remembered the names of his team leaders who meant so much to him, and is still in touch with many of the students he went to camp with. Although he wanted to become a team leader, he ended up joining the Navy and says his success in the Navy was a result of what he learned at SuperCamp.

Jake recalled the “This Is It! Key,” which teaches students how to make the most of every moment, and attributes his strong communication skills, integrity, ability to talk and listen to others, and talk to groups with ease, to what he gained from attending SuperCamp. He’s now out of the military after serving in 37 countries, including living in Japan, and is currently attending Strayer University and running a security company.

Sammy (second from left) with team members

Bob and Mary’s niece Samantha Hochmuth believes that SuperCamp helped her feel more prepared for college and gain confidence in herself. “I remember leaving the camp with new friends, and a new self-confidence,” Sammy said. Sammy’s brother Hunter also attended the week after Sammy and she remembers crying when she saw how much more confident and empowered her brother had become.

“Seeing how much Hunter benefited from SuperCamp showed me how this camp helps others,” Sammy said. She added, “I never really got to tell my uncle Bob how I feel this camp saved my life. I am lucky I had an uncle like him.”

Hunter (third from right) with team members

Hunter attended SuperCamp three times including Senior Forum at Stanford in California and Loyola in Chicago, and Leadership Forum at Cal State University in San Marcos, California. “I remember my family reconnected with Uncle Bob when I was in eighth grade and offered to send both Sammy and me to camp the next summer,” said Hunter. “Imagining my life without SuperCamp is impossible. I’ll always be thankful for Uncle Bob giving me the opportunity to experience the spectacular things that I did at SuperCamp,” Hunter continued. Both Sammy and Hunter are currently studying at the University of Wisconsin. Hunter is pursuing a career in public accounting and Sammy is a teacher.

Bob was a special man who meant a lot to many people. As a twin, Bob valued extended family relationships, and always loved bringing together family, friends and strangers to create lifelong bonds. Both he and Mary provided a sense of home to all who became part of their lives and felt a personal responsibility to help children excel in life.

Mary and Bob

Bob and Mary also felt strongly about creating a better world with a lifelong commitment to the environment through their green energy company. Perhaps it was these ideals that motivated them to improve the lives of so many children, and ultimately leave a legacy of productive, successful, contributing members of society.

After Bob passed away, Mary decided the best way to honor him was for people to make donations to the charity of their choice or to a special fund set up in Robert’s memory. The “Robert Wadsworth SuperCamp Scholarship Fund” was created so still more children can attend SuperCamp in Bob’s name, and Bob’s family will choose the children who will attend in the years to come. Because Bob believed in the benefits of SuperCamp and put so much of his time and resources into sending so many children, Mary knew this would be something he would be proud of.

“With SuperCamp now in its 38th year, Bob has been part of it for nearly half its time. He and the children he sponsored have become like family,” said Bobbi DePorter, co-founder and president of Quantum Learning Network. “It’s an honor to have had the opportunity to know Bob and Mary and help them change and improve the lives of so many children. Their contributions will not be forgotten.”

Written by Laura Stadler

The post A SuperCamp Champion Leaves a Legacy—In Memory of Bob Wadsworth appeared first on SuperCamp.

Patti Brucki connected to SuperCamp as a facilitator early on in her teaching career—and she brought the entire family along with her—her husband, Ken, and their three children! Now, 22 years later, see the results!

Patti is an English teacher, librarian, and Poetry Slam Coach in Chicago’s south suburbs. For the past 22 years Patti has been facilitating Quantum Learning/SuperCamp curriculum to students, parents, teachers, administrators and others on various college and public school campuses.

Another beneficiary of Patti’s knowledge and passion over the years has been her family. Ken and her three children are all SuperCamp graduates. Each one is a wonderful example of how SuperCamp’s learning and life skills and the 8 Keys of Excellence can be applied for personal success and the betterment of others.

To fully appreciate this family success story, we first must go back in time. These kids have SuperCamp in their blood. Patti remembers her younger son, Patrick, at age 2 months, in the arms of SuperCamp president Bobbi DePorter, while Patti experienced a SuperCamp facilitator training program. On occasion, Ken would serve as the Wellness Counselor or site administrator at SuperCamp while Patti facilitated.

SuperCamp truly was a family affair for the Brucki’s—both at camp and at home. For example, Patti created a game for the kids at home called “Above or Below the Line.” It was based on a life skills training at SuperCamp called Living Above the Line, which puts into practice one of the 8 Keys of Excellence— Ownership. Living above the line is about taking responsibility for our actions, everything from our education to our relationships and attitudes. Living below the line is about laying blame, justifying, denying and quitting. In Patti’s game, the kids would be given a number of scenarios and they would decide if each one represented living above or below the line. Brilliant!

Fast forward to today. Jesselyn, the Brucki’s daughter, is 25. She is the proud owner of a Masters of Social Work degree with a specialization in gerontology. While this achievement is outstanding in its own right, Jesselyn had to overcome significant challenges along the way. Growing up, she had learning challenges which Patti says were mitigated, in part, with the help of SuperCamp’s learning skills. By the way, Jesselyn attended SuperCamp three times, first in middle school, then twice in high school, the second time on the Leadership Team. After that, she spent a summer working at SuperCamp as a Team Leader.

Jesselyn also had medical issues, which led to her requiring visits to Mayo Clinic  at age 22. But she has managed to overcome all of her setbacks and, despite her personal challenges, always has put others first, according to her mother. This approach to life and her resiliency reflect how she has embraced the 8 Keys of Excellence, says Patti. In fact, when Jesselyn headed off to college, it was with a set of the 8 Keys in hand, which she promptly hung on her dorm room wall. While in college, Jesselyn was a cheerleader and was chosen to be captain of the squad. Not surprising, given her ability to lead by example and her caring for others.

Child number two is Christian, who goes by “CJ.” CJ is a senior at Central Michigan University. He is captain of the wrestling team and is ranked 14^th nationally. He qualified a second time for the NCAA Championships in 2018. As a senior and the team captain, another of CJ’s priorities is to be a role model for the younger members of the team. Despite a busy sports schedule growing up, CJ attended SuperCamp twice. Patti recalls a time when she was leading a Parent Weekend for parents of students attending SuperCamp. She called upon CJ to come up to the front of the room and speak to the parents. A daunting task for any teenager, but CJ had the confidence to do it, and do it well.

The youngest of the three Brucki children is Patrick, who is a freshman at Princeton. Like CJ, Patrick is on the wrestling team and very accomplished in the sport. In fact, Patrick won the 2017 Illinois state championship last year as a high school senior. His high school record was an amazing 175-24. In high school, Patrick also found time to be a member of the Student School Improvement Committee and the Student Athletic Leadership Committee and was enrolled in the PEOPLE program for promoting athletics for special needs students. Along with his brother, he competed at the 2018 NCAA Championships in Cleveland recently.

We’re so proud of the Brucki kids … and their parents! As Patti says, SuperCamp and the 8 Keys of Excellence are a part of the family “at a cellular level.”

The post A SuperCamp Family Success Story appeared first on SuperCamp.

Tyler always wanted to become an architect and he followed his dream. He’s currently a student at NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego. NewSchool students and staff have been tasked with creating a vision and strategies for the development of a new, sustainable urban neighborhood in downtown National City.

As reported on Fox5 San Diego, “in an ambitious collaboration with National City, students and faculty at NewSchool are tasked with developing a sustainable urban neighborhood for 30 blocks in what is one of the poorest areas in San Diego County. They’re expected to come up with the plan—design everything from apartments to store fronts, parks and new sidewalks—in less than a year.”

Tyler is excited to be involved in this project, and shared some of his feelings about how he’s progressed, as well as SuperCamp’s role in his success. He said that although his presentation related to the design for the new project, it reflected more . . . “it was a reflection of who I am.”

He shared that he was “timid” before he attended SuperCamp, and that SuperCamp was “a big stepping stone” for him. “I didn’t really know who I was or how I was going to be what I wanted to be—an architect.” He said he did a lot of self-reflection at SuperCamp. He became less timid and learned how to express himself, even in front of big groups, something before he couldn’t imagine ever doing. Finally, he added, that after practicing what he’d learned at SuperCamp, and thinking about how he could use what he’d learned, he saw things from a new point of view, a more in-depth perspective.

Tyler’s presentation may be the most important project of his life so far. “I convinced them of what I want to change in National City—and the audience connected with me!”

We believe he’s going to succeed on this important project—and many more to come.
Congratulations—and best of luck, Tyler!

Learn more about this significant undertaking at
http://fox5sandiego.com/2017/11/20/college-students-try-to-solve-housing-crisis/

The post SuperCamp Grad News – Followed dream and now … working on a redesign for a city appeared first on SuperCamp.

A true 8 Keys success story is the McPherson School District in Kansas. The school district has embraced Quantum Learning and the 8 Keys of Excellence for more than 10 years.

Former McPherson district superintendent, Randy Watson was and remains a champion of the 8 Keys of Excellence. Mr. Watson saw the role the 8 Keys could play as the character component of the “C3 initiative” he was developing. This initiative, which stands for Citizenship, College, and Career Readiness, brought cohesion to the district, increased the partnerships with local businesses, amplified their RTI efforts, reshaped their approach to discipline, and gained the only broad-based waiver from NCLB (No Child Left Behind) under the then-Secretary of Education, Arnie Duncan.

Mr. Watson’s visionary approach and proven success at improving student achievement led to him being elevated to the role of Kansas state education commissioner in 2014. He had been the district’s superintendent since 1993, and prior to that, was a teacher and principal within the state for many years.

After the 8 Keys were well established in the district, dignitaries from the state of Kansas, from the Kansas Department of Education, and from the US Department of Education visited McPherson to see what was happening. When they were greeted by the principal at one of the middle schools he said,

Through our Quantum Learning Education division, we continue to work with school districts nationwide on integrating the 8 Keys of Excellence in schools’ character development curriculum, so we can create more 8 Keys success stories. As we do so, the 8 Keys will remain at the core of all of our SuperCamp programs in the U.S. and worldwide.

The post An 8 Keys of Excellence Success Story appeared first on SuperCamp.

Nita Rao‎, June 8 at 4:03pm.  When I was 13 years old at SuperCamp, our counselor asked us what we wanted to “be” when we grew up. He gave us each a square plank of wood and asked us to write our goal on one side of the board and then the obstacle that stood in the way of achieving that goal on the other side.

Being a typical teenager, I thought this was silly and that being an adult was so far away in the future. After being encouraged to take this project seriously, I thought about what to write. At that time, my only “job experience” was volunteering at the local hospital as a candy striper, a small job, but nonetheless something I enjoyed. I then began to think about medicine and how I wanted to be a doctor. I knew this was a very hard goal to achieve but at the time, it was the only thing I could see myself doing. So on one side of the board I wrote the word “Doctor.”

Then I thought about what would prevent me from achieving this goal. I laughed and thought that there would surely be several obstacles on that path including getting into medical school, studying long hours, passing exams, and giving up some of the best years of my life. So to simplify this, I wrote the word “Grades” on the other side of the board.

Our counselor then told us the second part of this project. He told us that he would hold the board with the obstacle side out in front of us and we had to basically karate chop it and break it with our hands. Having no athletic ability and minimal strength, I knew this was going to be difficult. I was the last person in my group to go, and everyone else who went before me broke their board on their first try. Finally, when it was my turn, I nervously attempted punching the board. It … did … not … break.

Embarrassed and discouraged, I rapidly attempted it again, this time mustering up every ounce of strength I could. Again, nothing. The board stayed as intact as possible, almost mocking me. I could tell everyone was watching me and I felt humiliated. I wanted to run away. My counselor took me aside, and told me that sometimes in life you are not able to get what you want, that you have to work very hard, and if at first you don’t succeed, you have to try and try again. He suggested I try breaking the board in a different way. So I chose to use my foot. He lowered the board for me and I slammed my foot down as hard as possible. That darn board finally cracked!

My journey through medicine has been very similar to my experience breaking that wooden board that day at SuperCamp. I have had ups and downs. I have been discouraged to the point of wanting to give up. Medicine has pushed me, it has challenged me, but just like breaking that board, I have never given up. Every time medicine has tried to knock me down, I have kept fighting for my dream.

So today, after receiving my long-awaited board scores, I am happy to announce that I am now officially a Board Certified Family Medicine Physician.

And I will never stop trying to break that board.

#    #    #

And here’s a fun connection from Nita’s SuperCamp post on Facebook.  And, of course, there were many congratulations comments!

Nita Rao
Also, I don’t know how possible this is, but I was wondering if there was any way I could share my story with my old camp counselors from that time and Bobbi DePorter (who I met twice).  If this helps, I went to SuperCamp at Stanford University in California during the summer of 1999. My counselors’ names were Ian and Channel. I would love for them to know the impact they made on me. Thank you.

Ian Jackson
WOW!! This is incredible!! Nita, I will write more later, but I am so moved by this!! I’m so glad you believed in yourself all those years ago, and took that with you in the 18 years since! So inspiring! Thank you so much for sharing this here—you just made my day 🙂

Nita Rao
OMG!!! Yes!! Hi Ian!! That’s amazing!! I’m so glad I was able to connect with you! This just made MY day! 🙂

Ian Jackson
Nita, I just read this to my wife and kids at dinner (my wife, Angel, was a fellow Team Leader at SuperCamp Stanford in 1999). Brought tears to our eyes. Would you mind if I share your post on my FB wall?

Nita Rao
Of course!! I honestly cannot believe I was able to connect with you guys!! When I wrote this post I did not expect that to happen but I am so grateful that it did!

Bobbi DePorter
Love hearing these stories of the impact SuperCamp has made years later!

Nita, love your SuperCamp post and I’d love to talk to you!
(And later . . . so inspired by our conversation!)

The post SuperCamp Dream Comes True – Eighteen Years Later! appeared first on SuperCamp.

I first discovered SuperCamp from my mom, an elementary social studies teacher, who constantly found up-and-coming methods and approaches to learning more efficient ways to expand understanding and education within schooling.  ―Alan Domingo (my uncle)

Over the past thirteen years, my grandma Betty Domingo has sent ten teens to SuperCamp. All of us, my uncle, my cousins, my sister and I were initially reluctant to go, but we didn’t realize what a profound impact SuperCamp would have on us and how much the things we learned there would help us to become greater.

As a teacher, she was constantly finding new methods and approaches to learning more efficient ways to expand understanding and education within schooling, and one of those was Quantum Learning. In 2004, she attended a QL teacher workshop to learn the techniques to implement in her classroom. When she applied all of her learning, she was happy to see how effective it was. Her classroom was different from others because of how she created a QL environment, which was something people usually didn’t take into consideration. That was where she first learned about SuperCamp and their implementation of the latest brain research that allowed for faster ways and techniques to learn and do things. She was impressed. So impressed that she signed up my uncle (who was going into his senior year) for the camp and missed the last day of the QL conference to drive him up to Stanford.

Just like any other parent, she always wanted the best for her kids even when they may think the opposite. Needless to say, my uncle went but he wasn’t too excited about it. She remembers it being really neat to see him coming out of SuperCamp with a much more open attitude about everything, and she’s proud to see that he still uses the things he learned there thirteen years ago.

Sometime after my uncle attended SuperCamp, my great grandmother passed away and my grandma and her siblings received their inheritance. While her siblings used theirs for other things, she thought “What could I do to share this money with the family?” The first thing that came to her mind was the kids. All of the grandchildren, nieces and nephews who came from all different living environments. Some were better off than others, and not all of them enjoyed the same opportunities. After seeing the impact that SuperCamp had on my uncle, she decided to send us all to SuperCamp―my uncle, my cousins, and my siblings and I―so we could have a common language and connection from our experiences.

Growing up as a second generation American my grandma always felt like she didn’t fit in. She didn’t know what she was supposed to be, what she was going to be, or how she was going to find that out. She wished she could have a list of life skills that would help her to get where she wanted to be. She wanted to provide that for us through SuperCamp and the 8 Keys of Excellence so that we would be able to make these principles part of our lives and become stronger and more resilient individuals. My grandma wanted all of us to experience everything and have an opportunity for success that we otherwise would not have had.

She hoped that we would take away the same things that she took away from Quantum Learning and be able to apply them in our everyday lives. She was able to connect all of the 8 Keys to her religion because she realized that all of the 8 Keys embodied the qualities of Jesus, and she is able to bring the 8 Keys and life skills with her everywhere she goes to teach. She wanted us to have the techniques and skills from SuperCamp so we would know what to do and how to react in certain situations, that we would know that we could succeed whatever life threw at us, and that we would all be able to remind each other of the 8 Keys and continue to share that connection. She wanted this to be the gift she gave to the family and everyone else she touches.

All of us who have attended SuperCamp have different experiences, but similar outcomes: all of us became better versions of ourselves. For my uncle Alan, he remembers that his experience at SuperCamp and the confidence he learned there helped him to make learning more of an enjoyable experience rather than a necessity, and he credits his SuperCamp skills in helping him get into college. Two of my cousins, Carisa and Marlena, both expressed that they became more driven and willing to put themselves out there to try new things that resulted in career opportunities and they credit SuperCamp in helping them develop their confidence. My sister Melia went into SuperCamp feeling like she wouldn’t learn anything and she would always be a loner, but she soon made the 8 Keys part of her life and became much more confident and  comfortable speaking with anyone she meets. Me? I didn’t have a direction in life. After my SuperCamp experience I found the drive and motivation to take opportunities that I normally would not have pursued to get where I wanted to be.

Although she wasn’t able to be with all of the groups after their experiences, my grandma noticed different changes in us as individuals. We were nicer, more mature, and we were thankful for what she had given to us. She saw that we were dealing with everything better because we knew the 8 Keys. She was very proud of all of us, everyone was elated and grateful and she was happy she could do that for us. She said “When I die, you and all your cousins will remember that I sent you to SuperCamp.”

My cousin Christian and I stood out for my grandma. Christian came out of a poor neighborhood with a single mom and his SuperCamp experience helped him further his life. Right after high school he went into the service and decided to get married, living the 8 Keys. He’s able to create and maintain a stable base for his family even though he’s out of the country. My grandma never thought that out of everyone, I would be the one to come and work at Quantum Learning. She was blown away with all of the things that happened to me after SuperCamp: I took extra classes, got a couple jobs, and landed an internship here at Quantum Learning all on my own, even though I struggle to do menial tasks around the house.

My grandma is confident that we will all find our way to personal success and fulfillment using the skills we learned at SuperCamp. She found what she was searching for after a roundabout path to “success,” with doors opening and closing to her at every turn: a list of skills and qualities that anyone could understand and follow to be the best we could be. She found this at Quantum Learning. It was the most impactful thing that she learned from teaching and it’s what has brought her and my family members the connection of common language and confidence that we can become greater.

“We can read the world better and other people at the same time if we have and know the 8 Keys.”

For information about Quantum Learning’s SuperCamp go to www.supercamp.com

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