The Camp Augusta CIRCLE program combines months of pre-camp reflection and planning with an intense 3-week "on-the-ground" curriculum during July and August. This combination of intraspection and action illustrates our vision of what is important to leadership, and how to achieve that.
As the name change indicates, the CIRCLE program is not seeking to be a Counselor-in-Training program. Leadership and personal development are our main focuses. The skills that we aim to provide will allow a CIRCLE participant to be effective in any area of life that they are passionate about. Focused reflections, logistical planning, extensive communication training, success counseling, and intimate interaction with children are just a few ways that we develop compassionate leaders.
Once the application process has concluded in mid-December, accepted applicants can expect to kick off the pre-camp portion of CIRCLE around the New Year. Pre-camp includes 5 months (January – May) of weekly engagement with new material, which comes in the forms of readings, videos, group and individual chats, reflection essays and other projects. In this way, the pre-camp portion of CIRCLE is reminiscent of the 3 ½ week staff training program that we offer our staff prior to each summer season. Topics include communication tools, community living principles, reflections on media and society, and personal organization techniques that are applicable in situations far beyond the realm of Camp Augusta.
The final phase of the CIRCLE Program is a three-week intensive experience on the ground at Camp Augusta during the summer. This at-camp experience is designed to strengthen CIRCLErs’ understanding of the pre-camp materials through a combination of workshops and opportunities to practice co-leading various activities for and with campers. Increasingly, CIRCLErs will take on the responsibilities of an Augustan counselor with extensive support from the CIRCLE leaders and other members of the camp staff. Some CIRCLE-specific highlights of the at-camp program include: the creation of original CIRCLE programmatics for camp (playstations, an EP, or other), a wilderness backpacking trip, and ample opportunities to bond and connect with the other members of CIRCLE while learning to co-create magical moments for the younger campers at Augusta.
