GRADES
6-8
6-8
7-Days
Palo Alto, CA at TBA
Southern California at TBA
Villanova, PA at Villanova University
SuperCamp’s Junior Forum is a summer program for students entering grades 6 to 8. Junior Forum takes new and soon-to-be teens and helps them become independent, confident and self-motivated learners ready to succeed at the next level in school and life.
Every student who attends SuperCamp has a personal growth and learning plan available to them from the time they enter middle school up to and including their college years. Students who attend Junior Forum have the opportunity to return the next year on the Junior Forum Leadership Team, if they are still Junior Forum eligible. “L-Team” takes students deeper into the learning and life skills curriculum, while incorporating leadership skills that help them develop their personal leadership style.
Students gain specialized academic strategies applicable in any learning situation. Topics covered include effective reading and writing strategies, study skills, creative thinking, meaningful and memorable note-taking, and memorization tools. Our goal is to empower students to excel in all subjects.
Students experience many personal insights during their time at SuperCamp. We help them build self-confidence and motivation and teach them the value of strong relationships. Topics covered include positive communication, conflict resolution, time management, self-reflection, and goal-setting. We inspire students to value themselves and believe in their ability to excel in all areas of their lives.
The ability to lead is a fundamental part of academic confidence and personal success. Topics include creative thinking, goal-setting, problem-solving, team building, collaboration, and time management. Campers returning to Junior Forum can be a part of the Leadership Track, in which they discover what their strengths are as leaders, the role they play on a team, and how to bring out the best in other people.
Breaking through self-imposed personal fears and limitations is a vital learning and growth experience for students. Topics include risk-taking, trust, comfort zone vs. learning zone, and setting goals that reflect personal values and beliefs. Students participate in an outdoor challenge course that produces strong feelings that they are capable of doing anything they set their mind to.
Our 8 Keys of Excellence teach students to match their behavior with their values, learn from their mistakes, speak honestly and kindly, make the most of every moment, make their dreams happen, take responsibility for their actions, be flexible, and live their best life. When students embrace these principles, they are inspired to strive for personal excellence.
We believe that to be effective learning must be fun. At SuperCamp we utilize research-based educational practices to create a joyful and engaging learning environment. We include music, fun activities, entertaining skits, and energetic games. Students participate in their learning at SuperCamp—they don’t just observe! When learning is meaningful, memorable, and joyful, students excel.
7:00 Wake up
7:30 – 8:30 Breakfast
8:30 – 12:30 Morning session*
12:30 – 1:30 Lunch
1:30 – 3:30 Activity time
Activities chosen by students such as:
3:30 – 5:30 Afternoon session*
5:30 – 6:30 Dinner
6:30 – 8:30 Evening session*
8:30 – 9:30 Closing session including some or all of the following:
9:30 Lights out
* Music and fun learning activities permeate all sessions and breaks are regularly provided. Times and activities may vary.
Students are unique individuals with different needs and abilities who benefit from SuperCamp in a variety of areas. Although most students say SuperCamp was one of the best experiences of their life, what’s important is the long-lasting results. After attending SuperCamp, 73% of the students increase their grades (this includes straight-A students), 84% report higher self-esteem, 68% increase their motivation levels, and 98% say they continue to use skills they learned at SuperCamp long after attending. Even parents who attended SuperCamp themselves tell us SuperCamp changed their lives for the better and they continue to use the skills decades later.
At SuperCamp, we use Quantum Learning methods to create a safe, supportive, fun, and inspiring environment aligned with what we know from brain research. We build curiosity and a sense of belonging, we get inside our students’ world and build rapport, and we use strategies that reach all students and enhance their learning.
In a joyful interactive learning atmosphere, we teach students HOW to learn—skills and strategies that can be applied to any subject—building confidence and motivation. We help students understand the science behind how the brain processes information and identify how they learn best. We also guide students in building a positive sense of self and teach them the value of strong relationships. As we artfully orchestrate all of these elements, students experience mini-success moments that build confidence, create a shift in their attitude, and inspire and empower them to excel.
Students benefit in different ways at each age. Because of our focus on character development, all age groups learn more about themselves every year they attend SuperCamp. In addition, middle school students discover their preferred learning styles and develop skills for dealing with heavier academic schedules and increased social pressures. High school students learn strategies to enhance study skills, embrace leadership, and increase test scores. College-bound students learn how to responsibly manage their time and increased independence along with the academic and personal skills needed to thrive in a university setting. Each program builds on the program before, enabling students to continuously develop their personal and academic SuperCamp skills.
A broad range of students attend SuperCamp from straight-A students to those who are struggling academically, with the majority somewhere in between. Students with strong leadership and life skills attend, as well as those who are building their abilities in these areas.
SuperCamp is not a therapeutic program and is not appropriate for students who need this kind of support. Due to our unique approach to teaching, which involves a lot of music, high energy, and communication activities focused on team and personal interactions, we have found that children experiencing heightened sensitivity and difficulty with social interactions are not as successful in this environment. When there are questions about whether or not the program is appropriate for a particular student, we consult a third-party advisor to make recommendations based on the information provided by the parent. For more specific information please contact our consultants at 800-228-5327, ext. 2, or email us at [email protected].
SuperCamp has a 35-year track record of creating a safe, secure environment for participants. It is our #1 priority. Students remain on campus at all times, with the exception at some campuses that have a supervised off-site Outdoor Challenge Course. On the first day of SuperCamp, we assign them to teams of 16 to 20 students with two to three team leaders. The nature of our team-building exercises guarantees that your child will immediately feel supported by the team leaders and will quickly form close bonds with other campers. This cohesive unit allows your child to feel safe and supported by team members and staff as they participate in all program activities. In addition, we have a trained wellness person (many are registered nurses) and a site counselor at every program who support the emotional and physical wellbeing of all students.
The overall student-to-staff ratio is four-to-one. As mentioned, students are assigned to teams, headed by two to three team leaders. Among other responsibilities, team leaders supervise and support the students on their teams and live in the same residence halls. Male and female students and staff are housed on separate floors or wings.
Every afternoon, SuperCamp students have approximately two hours for supervised “free time” during which they can choose to participate in a variety of activities or sports, visit the campus bookstore, or simply enjoy some down time.
In addition, one of our core beliefs is that all students can excel when learning is fun. To achieve success for all our participants we focus on providing a joyful and engaging learning environment at SuperCamp. Participants often tell us that they never had so much fun while learning!