Every day Camp Hayward is making the world a better place. We start with great female role models, who set out to help mold confident, creative girls. This is not an easy mission with the cultural norms and media facing young women. Every day we try to communicate a few important ideas to our campers.

1. It’s not about being perfect. No one is perfect and the pursuit of perfection is a dangerous one. There are far better ways to spend your time then worrying about how you look. We challenge our staff, CITs, and campers to be the best versions of who they are: more caring, more daring.

2. It’s a good thing when there are problems. Camp is a safe environment to learn how to push through difficult situations. It is gift to have to confront issues, to develop communication and empathy. Learning this at a young age is empowering, many adults are not there yet.

3. Never let anyone affect how you feel about yourself. To love yourself as you are is the greatest gift. The confidence and bravery of self-acceptance is our goal. Let negative comments, tweets, or looks wash away. This doesn’t end when you drive out of camp, it’s a lifelong lesson.

The following are two commercials that we share with our staff to talk about how our view of girls is changing. I share them to inspire more “Hayward girls.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVCC83cDch0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP3cyRRAfX0

Here’s to another great summer of girl power!

By Jessie Williams, Camp Hayward Director