Foundation Camp
What is Foundation Camp?
Foundation Camp is a two-week summer camp for young men ages 10-14 on the Rome campus of Georgia Highlands College, offered through a partnership between GHC and the 100 Black Men of Rome-Northwest Georgia.
Camp Activities
The camp includes academics, athletics, and enrichment activities.
Campers learn teamwork and leadership skills, while having a positive experience on a college campus.
Camp Details
- Transportation provided in the Rome, Georgia, city limits.
- Breakfast and lunch are provided.
- The camp is funded through donations. There is no charge for the campers.
- This year's camp is July 8-July 19.
How to Apply
For an application or more information, email us at foundationcamp@highlands.edu.
Learning To Spread Their Wings At Foundation Camp
Story Credit: Rachel Hartdegen, Rome News-Tribune. Photos by Georgia Highlands College
Local kids spend their days learning life skills, building friendships, and learning about aviation at this year’s Georgia Highlands College Foundation Camp.
Foundation Camp is an annual two-week camp for young men in the Rome area who would otherwise not have the opportunity to experience many of the activities. Every year the camp provides a unique experience for camp goers and this year one of those experiences was aviation-based lessons from the Tiger Flight Foundation.
This camp was established to allow these kids to experience something they wouldn’t have a chance to before.
— Maurice Wilson
Georgia Highlands College, in partnership with 100 Black Men of Rome-Northwest Georgia, hosts the camp every summer at the Floyd Campus.
At the free camp, boys aged 10 to 14 got to visit an aircraft hangar, sit in a cockpit and speak with pilots about their careers. Camp director Maurice Wilson explained that the aviation experience was a way to get these young men thinking about their futures and learning something new.
"This camp was established to allow these kids to experience something they wouldn’t have a chance to before," Wilson said.
Aviation was just one of the topics featured at the camp. The day camp started Monday this week and the schedule has been packed with invaluable lessons. The camp goers were involved in discussions on personal hygiene and anger management, and took part in fun activities like kayaking, swimming, and playing sports.
The kids at this camp are learning important things that will help them through their lives.
"Personally for me, it helped me better myself," 12-year-old Kaydence said. "My mom recommended it to me because she thought it would prepare me for life as an adult."
Around 90 kids are attending the camp and the kids are broken into groups by their ages. Each group has two or more camp counselors who are either college students or recent college graduates.
For me, it was definitely life-changing. I feel like the two weeks we were here wasn’t enough.
— Taqurius Glynn
One of the camp counselors, Taqurius Glynn went to Foundation Camp when he was 10. He said the camp showed him that he could go to college. He was the first person to graduate high school in his family and he’s the first one to attend college.
"For me, it was definitely life-changing," Glynn said. "I feel like the two weeks we were here wasn’t enough."
Wilson echoed the sentiment that two weeks of this camp isn’t enough. He shared that the work they’re doing with these kids is impactful, but it would be more so if it was ongoing.
The mentorship the camp provides is beneficial to these kids, but Wilson says they need constant mentorship in their lives.
"I really hope that this inspires those who are able in the city of Rome to actually go find a mentee that they can visit with in the school system," Wilson said. "We’re right now trying to build strong young men. It’s called a foundation camp, we want to lay a foundation that’s completely solid."
GHC Foundation Camp helps young men grow in Northwest Georgia
Local youth enjoyed fun in the sun for two weeks this July while experiencing life on a college campus and developing leadership skills during the annual Foundation Camp for boys age 10-14, held at Georgia Highlands College (GHC).
While the camp features traditional activities like flag football, soccer and basketball, campers this year also experienced a trip to Lake Arrowhead, swimming and even a little math and science – with a twist.
What sets Foundation Camp apart from other summer day camps is its focus on character development. For example, campers participate in sessions focused on topics like making a good first impression, tying a tie, anger management, leadership, critical thinking and more.
What sets Foundation Camp apart from other summer day camps is its focus on character development.
In addition to Foundation Camp serving as an opportunity for fun, character development and education, it can also be a young person’s first introduction to a college campus. This year, around a half dozen counselors at Foundation Camp were once campers themselves.
This year’s Camp Director and Associate Professor of Mathematics Maurice Wilson tells counselors they are trying to make a positive impact on the lives of campers one day at a time.
"Day-to-day we are doing everything we can to show campers where they are now will not be where they are for the rest of their lives," Wilson said. "They can grow through new experiences and opportunities if they keep an open mind."
For example, 10-year-old camper Levi said he learned some valuable tools he can use through adolescence and adulthood.
"We learned how to be a gentleman, how to show respect and how to get respect when we are older," Levi said.
Day-to-day we are doing everything we can to show campers where they are now will not be where they are for the rest of their lives.
— Maurice Wilson
Levi said he enjoyed all of the camp’s outdoor activities, but also appreciated taking part in the camp’s character-building scenarios.
"We learned to hold the door open for people and to congratulate them for an accomplishment," Levi said.
For 11-year-old camper Jilleal, it was the critical thinking session that stuck out to him the most.
"At first it was hard and kind of frustrating, but once you grasp the concepts it’s easy," Jilleal said of the session, which featured a game in which campers had to work together and apply critical thinking skills to navigate getting a group of frogs across a stream with a limited number of turns. "The facilities are nice, the people are nice and it’s just a really great place to be."
A cookout is held at the end of the second week of camp, during which campers are recognized for their achievements and personal growth.
The camp is a testament to the strong community support and collaboration between the 100 Black Men of Rome-Northwest Georgia and Georgia Highlands College. It is funded by generous donors and the GHC Foundation, free of charge, ensuring a safe and enriching experience for your child, including transportation, breakfast and lunch.
See more photos from this year’s camp here.
You can support the camp by donating to the GHC Foundation. Visit givetoday.highlands.edu and select your designation as Foundation Camp.
