CampHERO/Girl Scouts of WI-Badgerland
Girls not only practice skills but gain self-confidence.
Kaitey Fields had just a week to go before leaving for college when she told her mom that she’d had a change of heart. “When we asked her what her new plan was, she informed us that she wanted to be a paramedic,” says her mom, Tiwana.
Kaitey is now a nationally certified EMT set to graduate from paramedic school in May 2017. She attributes her career choice to a single experience — attending CampHERO.
The camp, which partners with Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Badgerland, was founded in 2012 by Jen Roman, a captain in the EMS division of the city’s fire department. With the help of professional instructors and volunteers, the camp encourages girls to discover their courage and confidence. “Working in the protective services, it’s no secret that there aren’t very many women,” says Roman. “So, when we would get together periodically, the topic of conversation always was, ‘How do we attract women to the fire service?’”
The camp has encouraged many participants to pursue careers in the protective services, which is good news for a field in which women are sometimes underrepresented .
The camp is open to girls from kindergarten through 12th grade. Joining Girl Scouts is required (for insurance reasons), though the camper does not need to continue in scouting or participate in a troop.
Activities are designed with the girls’ ages and abilities in mind, but focus on the three areas of protective services — medical, fire and police.
Marci Henderson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Badgerland, likes that everything at CampHERO is hands-on. “We have kindergarteners doing search-and-rescue for teddy bears in dark rooms. We have high-schoolers using the Jaws of Life and extractors to cut apart cars and rescue a ‘victim.’ They rappel off buildings and help land a helicopter.”
Henderson thinks that these activities help girls gain a crucial sense of self-confidence. “What girl doesn’t gain confidence in herself by knowing that she just took the roof off of a car or learned the correct way to enter a room with a squirt gun to arrest a ‘criminal’? The girls really come away with a feeling of, ‘Yes. I can do anything!’”
CampHERO/Girl Scouts of WI-Badgerland
The camp focuses on medical, police and fire careers.
Camp sessions are held at various locations, including Madison College and Camp Brandenburg (near Indian Lake County Park). The program for younger girls lasts one day, while campers in grades 4-12 get an overnight. A fundraiser for CampHero will be held Sat., April 9, at the East Side Club.
CampHERO is unique nationally in that “it’s all three protective services, and it’s offered to all school ages,” says Roman.
According to surveys completed by fourth- and fifth-grade girls at the end of last year’s camp, the camp is a success. “I learned how to be strong and brave,” said one. “I faced my fears,” said another.
And that’s good to hear no matter what career they ultimately choose.
CampHERO camphero4girls.org, 800-236-2710
Be the Hero! benefit Sat., April 9, 6-11 pm, East Side Club, 3735 Monona Drive
A family-friendly fundraiser for CampHERO with music by VO5, food, drink, kids games.
