S.T.A.R.F.I.S.H.

Over the past three weeks, some of your campers may have already received a S.TA.R.F.I.S.H  award or name tag.

No, these campers did not win a starfish dress up contest or play with any at the Junior and Senior lakes. The S.TA.R.F.I.S.H program is much more than that — it is what makes Banner Day Camp so special.

A day after a terrible storm, a girl wandered onto the beach to see a devastating site of thousands of starfish washed up on the shore. She frantically tried to throw them back into the water while onlookers watched and laughed at her efforts. When a man approached the little girl and asked why she would waste her time when there was no way she could make a difference, the girl bent down and threw another starfish into the ocean and said, “well, I made a difference to that one!”

The “Starfish Story,” reminds us all that it only takes one person to make a difference. As a way to pay homage to the story that guides us through all eight weeks of camp, the S.T.A.R.F.I.S.H. program inspires campers to make positive impacts throughout the summer. Each letter of S.T.A.R.F.I.S.H. stands for a specific value we try to instill in our campers: Sportsmanship, Teamwork, Appreciation, Respect, Friendship, “I believe in myself,” Sensitivity, and Honesty. Each week of camp, a different goal is assigned.

For this week, “RESPECT” is the value campers will be practicing and learning about with their group and counselors. There are many ways a camper can display respect. For example, a camper holds the door open for his group or another camper listens and sits quietly while her peer is sharing her feelings. When campers are caught by counselors, leadership, or other Banner staff being respectful, they receive a green S.T.A.R.F.I.S.H. award. At the end of the week, one camper who displays this value the most will receive a special S.TA.R.F.I.S.H name tag.

Although the S.T.A.R.F.I.S.H. program is practiced throughout the camp season, we hope these values are practiced all year around. We encourage our parents to talk to their campers about these values and remind them that it only takes one person to make a difference.

Happy S.T.A.R.F.I.S.H.-ing 🙂

-The Banner Team