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Dispatch from Camp

It is another beautiful day here on the shores of Lake James in northern Indiana, and Camp American is in full swing.  Dozens of campers, along with a number of adult counselors and staff are into the flow of camp life.  Many of the campers are returning for their second, third, fourth or more years of participating in Camp American.

A normal morning at camp consists of an early wake up call, flag raising and morning devotions, a hearty breakfast cooked by the volunteer kitchen staff, and then campers (and many of the staff and assistants) are given three class lecture periods on the Christian history of our nation and our founding documents, are familizarized with the Constitution and how it applies in American life, taught about existing and new issues in the culture that can impact them (and that they can impact), and given tools to be able to apply their learning “in the real world.”

The classes are being taught by some well-recognized names in their fields:  Tom DeWeese of the American Policy Center, Larry Pratt of Gun Owners of America, Dr. Michael Coffman of Environmental Perspectives, Pastor David Whitney of Institutes on the Constitution, Charles Michaelis with the Institute for Principled Policy, and Barry Sheets with Principled Policy Consulting.

Camp wouldn’t be complete without camp activities to keep the young ladies and gentlemen exercising their bodies as well as their brains, so Camp American provides many opportunities for recreation, including basketball, volleyball, skiing, tubing, rollerskating, go kart racing, and bowling to name a few, as well as organized “camp games” to allow for the competitive spirit to be nourished.  The week wraps up with the “Constitution Game” a three-hour exercise on how to take hypothetical (and often times real-world) situations and find the Constitutional warrant or prohibition on the situation.

Your correspondent had the opportunity to teach the campers on two subjects:  Biblical and Constitutional tools to analyze policy, and a workshop on how to read and analyze legislation.  These classes encouraged a great deal of participation from the campers, which helps them retain the information. 

Camp American is a wonderful opportunity to equip the next generation to engage in the fight for liberty under law.  Consider having your 12 and up child be a part of Camp American 2011!