Methodist Children’s Home residents are enjoying summer activities participating in Camp Rise Up, a day camp located on the Waco campus led by the MCH recreation department.
Camp Rise Up utilizes Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) principles to help youth learn life skills and important self-regulation techniques. Residents participate in intentional experiential recreation activities such as crash-and-bump games, life skills, and movement and art groups. Youth are also given the opportunity to hear from and engage with guest speakers.
Guest speakers for June include MCH employees Geoff Nelson, staff trainer, and Gary Freeman, director of security, as well as representatives from Crime Stoppers.
The recreation team has hosted Camp Rise Up for several years and this year implemented a buddy system for youth and staff to build stronger relationships.
The Camp Rise Up theme this summer is respect. Through group and team activities, participants engage daily with different MCH Life Skills that teach them how they can respect themselves and others.
MCH’s 10 Life Skills are: Use good words to communicate; be gentle and kind; show respect; listen and learn; understand who is in charge; accept decisions of authority; make good choices; focus and finish your work; negotiate and compromise; and build trusting relationships.
Rebekah Powell, program specialist for MCH, said she hopes the students take the opportunity to build trusting relationships with the staff and each other during camp and continue to embrace the principles learned through the summer program.
“When I see kids having fun and interacting in healthy ways with their peers and staff, I know we are accomplishing what we are here for,” she said.
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