Nature and Summer Campers’ Well-being
Dear Pono Community,
My name is Clara Abreu and I am a high school senior. This summer I participated as a junior camp counselor in Pono’s City to Sanctuary program. City to Sanctuary takes place at Pono’s partner sanctuary, Westmoreland Sanctuary, in Mount Kisco, New York. It strives to facilitate a lasting curiosity and lifelong love for the outdoors through hands-on nature exploration.
While with City to Sanctuary, I had the task of investigating the impact of nature on summer campers' well-being.
I focused my data collection on a small pool of incoming summer campers. I began by having a discussion with Maysaa, Pono’s director and my mentor at Pono. After deciding that I wanted to interview the summer campers, we agreed on how to best formulate my questions. I then conducted interviews on the bus, either on our way to the sanctuary or on our way home.
I decided when to interview campers based on their energy levels. For example, if a student was resting on the way home, I would know to interview them the next morning when they would be focused and prepared. I interviewed the campers over the course of three weeks during the month of August 2021. I interviewed only newly enrolled students in the City to Sanctuary program and each summer camper was interviewed once. I interviewed six students between the ages of five and 12 years old.
After interviewing all six summer campers from different age groups, it is clear that the majority of students of all ages felt at ease while in nature. While some expressed feelings of possible initial boredom or fear, once students were outdoors, they had positive interactions with nature. Additionally, it is clear that students ended the day physically tired and worn out from time playing with peers and discovering new things. Exercise benefited them mentally and physically, and left them with an increased appetite. Additionally, students reported feelings of fatigue and loneliness when spending prolonged periods of time online.
After interviewing the students, it became evident to me that time spent online must be supplemented with outdoor breaks and playtime in nature. I also realized that outdoor time and a nature-based curriculum enhanced the mental health and well-being of Pono summer campers. I believe that nature is the healthiest learning environment for children and adolescents.
Though Pono is Clara A’s first internship as an upcoming high school senior, it is not her first time spending time with kids or young adults. While growing up in the concrete jungle of New York City, Clara Abreu has had the privilege of attending a prep school upstate New York for the past three years. She is no stranger to the healing qualities of nature that are hidden behind the skyline. Some of her favorite things to do include: reading, writing, exploring the world of poetry, dancing, learning languages, traveling, cooking, creating ceramics, coloring, and, of course, spending hours a day playing with her dog Sofia.