Peaks to Performance

Our Colorado teen summer camp includes the Peaks to Performance program consisting of SOLE, CORE, and the JC/Outbacker as the multi-year teen summer experience for 8th, 9th, and 10th grade campers.  The goal of this specialized experience is to encourage teens to take responsibility and make a positive difference at Sanborn, their school, environment and community, through:            
  • Individual development:  self confidence, virtue & courage, sense of self, leadership roles & styles, establishing trust
  • Team development: working with a team, encouraging & helping others, interdependency, membership and followership
  • Problem solving: managing others, creativity & innovation, environmental awareness  
The programs are as follows:  
SOLE (Sanborn Outdoor Leadership Experience)

SOLE is the first in our series of leadership trips.  Its intent is to create outstanding, successful, service-minded individuals.   SOLE gives teens the chance to challenge themselves physically, mentally, and personall in Colorado’s incredible wilderness. The objectives of the SOLE program are:                 

  • Practice of leadership roles and styles
  • Awareness of self and others
  • Relationship development                      
  • Self-confidence & courage             
  • Environmental awareness through community service   

SOLE trips are often coed experiences that focus on active leadership roles in backpacking or horsepacking environments.  Campers plan, prepare, and execute the logistics of each trip. They teach "classes", have group discussions on leadership, have daily debriefs, and finish with a comprehensive evaluation of their leadership growth.  They earn between 8 and 16 hours of community service.

CORE (Community OutReach Experience)

CORE builds on the personal leadership skills gained on SOLE.  By creating and working with a tight-knit team, CORE participants increase their technical skills in either rock climbing or horseback riding while tackling challenges as a group. CORE objectives include: 

  • The discovery and practice of values-based leadership
  • Innovation and group problem solving
  • Team membership and team effectiveness
  • Environmental awareness  

CORE trips are coed, and focus on communication, problem solving and interpersonal skills.  Participants increase their understanding of others through focused skill building, daily check-ins, guided conflict resolution, and support techniques.  The final day of the program culminates with participants from SOLE and CORE coming together for a challenging day of orienteering, rock climbing and initiatives, where they apply the interpersonal tools and skills to a new activity and group.   

JC/OUTBACKER

Campers always look forward to their summer as a Junior Counselor (at High Trails) or Outbacker (at Big Spring).  This is an incredible opportunity to become leaders within the camp community.  JCs and Outbackers are expected to take responsibility and play a significant role in creating a solid cabin, tent, and ridge community.  They are "assigned" to trips, much like staff, and are asked to be outstanding role models for campers and staff alike.

This summer camp program brings together the personal leadership skills of SOLE, plus the community focus of CORE and gives campers a taste of the responsibility, challenge, and incredibly rewarding fun that comes from being an empathetic leader and role model. Campers learn to put others before themselves--an integral part of becoming a successful adult. Objectives:

  • Awareness of self and others
  • Discovery and practice of values-based leadership
  • Innovation and group problem solving
  • Environmental awareness
  • Community Service/Stewardship  

Campers who participate in all three years of the Peaks to Performance program are given a comprehensive evaluation of their growth and are recognized for their accomplishments at the end of their JC/Outbacker summer, and are often welcomed back as staff in future years.