aster than a speeding bullet train” Since the resumption of public admis- test-preparation schools, in order for their might describe the growth of the sion to colleges and universities in the late children to be admitted to prestigious “Fconcept of camps in China. A 1970s, there has been a strong emphasis universities in China and abroad. During country of 1.3 billion with the second largest on academics, which was also heavily the 2012–2013 school year, there was a 21 economy in the world, China is undergoing regulated by the government. Recently, percent increase in the number of Chinese a drastic transition from a manufacturing- however, the government has taken steps students studying in the , based economy to a service-oriented to liberate students from rigid require- estimated at about 235,000 (Associated economy, which will drive a shift across ments, particularly in the younger grades. Press, 2013). many sectors of the country, including Children in grades one through three have In the past five years, there has been the education system. For more than half no homework, and there are no admissions considerable growth in the industry of a century, camps have been popular in exams to enter junior high school. Still, a summer study tours for the children of many other Asian countries, particularly test-oriented education culture is prevalent affluent families, which include visits to Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and Malaysia; in the upper grades. Although the total North American universities. Many of but camp, as Westerners know it, has only number of enrolled students has dropped, these tours refer to themselves as “camps.” in the past five years become recognized in the education system is expanding as It was reported by China Daily that one mainland China. The word, Yingdi, 营地, demand grows for a wider variety of organization in Beijing sent 10,000 students is a newly coined word representing camp services. The education industry shows on study tours in 2012. Typical tours last two programs for children, and many Chinese signs of transitioning to a quality-oriented to four weeks and include university visits, are seeking to make Yingdi an essential part growth sector. travel, language lessons, and study of local of the education of children. While still government regulated, culture, with some including home visits at more room for creativity in curriculum a cost of $5,000 or more. Chinese parents The Changing Landscape development is being encouraged, and with financial resources are now showing of Chinese Education private schools have proliferated. In 2011, increased interest in providing overseas During the early years of China’s Cultural there were 276 private, international travel experiences for younger children, a Revolution, which began in 1966, many schools serving 144,436 students, and trend that is impacting summer camps in Chinese schools were closed to allow by 2015, the private education sector is the U.S. and . The primary appeal to young people to join the Red Guard. projected to reach a market size of $102 parents of North American summer camps Although schools were later reopened, an billion (Deloitte Research, 2012). Parents seems to be opportunities for their children entire generation was largely educated in have demonstrated their willingness to learn and practice the English language, heavily regulated ideological curriculum. to pay for private education, including but they also recognize the value of Yingdi The Emerging Camp Industry in China

Linda Grier Pulliam and Aijun Nie, PhD recreational activities, cultural awareness, summer camps in China were academic American with a strong camp background, and the need for their children to develop programs, usually held at schools or has lived in China since 2008 and believes greater independence. Youth programs in universities. An organization called New that camp will be an important institution the United Kingdom, , and New Oriental pioneered this over ten years ago. in the future. He is one of the founders Zealand are also drawing interest from After the benefits of outdoor programs of Stateside Adventures in Beijing, which Chinese parents. were recognized, companies began to run represents a variety of traditional camps, The tragic Asiana 214 aircraft crash in small military-style camps, some with sports camps, and weight loss camps, the summer of 2013, in which two children an English instruction component. The primarily in the northeastern states. He died, may have brought increased scrutiny interest in developing camps is high, but has said that providing assurance of safety from the Chinese government. Although there are factors that may discourage all practices to parents is of great impor- the accident was not directly connected but the most determined. Real estate in tance, and he relies on his experience with camp operations, because many of China is among the most expensive in the with the standards of the American Camp the children aboard the flight were headed world, and government approval is limited Association (ACA) as well as recent ACA to a summer program in , to those Chinese with special connections. research. His organization has experienced the domestic media portrayed it as a On the other hand, there is also a growth in a 200 percent growth in camp placements failure of overseas educational programs, the concept of philanthropy, and thriving in the past year as more families learn of which prompted government actions. corporations may become the source of the availability of camps. One province immediately announced funding for the fledgling industry. Ivy Feng, founder of LeShine Cultural a moratorium of travel programs, and a Communication Company in Shenzhen, likely response will be stronger licensing Camp Partnership Agencies has been on a fast track to acquire as requirements (USA Today, 2013). A number of China-based organizations much knowledge as possible about the have been established to recruit and place camp industry in order to develop an Development of Camps Chinese campers in North American independent camp in China. After in China camps. These organizations also perform developing relationships with several Travel to foreign countries for tours a public awareness function as they educate camp professionals during the 2013 ACA or camp experiences is not financially parents about this new concept of Yingdi National Conference, she traveled to several feasible for many middle-class Chinese (camp), particularly when adding an affix camps to establish partnerships. In the families, and domestic day camps, resident of “education” to the phrase Yingdi, to help summer of 2013, she accompanied a group camps, and new youth programs are being parents understand the educational value of twenty Chinese children for a one-week established to meet the demand. The first of the camp experience. Marco Reyes, an session at Camp Friendship in Virginia followed by a tour of Washington, , In addition to the international summer their interest in accepting internation- and . In the summer of 2014, she programs and traditional Chinese cultural al campers. plans to bring groups to at least four camps programs, there was also a Whole Person • Staff — Just as in the U.S., there are in the U.S. and Canada, with additional Camp that focused on perception of large numbers of Chinese college gradu- programs scheduled in Hong Kong and the world through six senses in a cross- ates who are not yet employed and seek- Australia. At home in Shenzhen, just over disciplinary program that included arts, ing ways of enhancing their resumes. the border from Hong Kong, LeShine has drama, robotics, and music. Campers A growing number of college students begun weekly programs for high school related these activities to society through and graduates in China are seeing the students. Motivated by her experiences, ethnographic projects in which they value of a season at an American camp she completed the International Camp explored various social issues first-hand and to practice English language skills and Directors Course, attended the Asia- brainstormed creative solutions. A fourth gain experience in a western culture. Oceania Camping Congress in Australia, program, LEAD Camp, was designed for Accompanying a group of Chinese chil- and is quickly establishing plans to purchase high school students and teachers. Through dren to a as a chaperone property for her own camp in China. various activities, such as experiential is an attractive opportunity, and U.S. learning and creative arts, students had staff placement agencies with the abili- A School without Walls, an opportunities to see themselves differently ty to arrange J-1 visas are receiving in- Education without Boundaries as they explored a new world. The teachers, quiries from China. The Initiate Development for Education under the guidance of professional • Sharing of resources — ACA CEO Peg and Service (IDEAS) Foundation, a educators, gained an understanding of the Smith has reaffirmed her commitment nongovernmental organization committed concept and practice of youth leadership for ACA to be a global resource partner to the overall development of young people, development through experiential learning for developing and emerging camps. is one of the first organizations to pioneer and observation of student activities. The ACA Professional Development an actual camp in China. Its predecessor Because Yingdi is a new concept in Center is experiencing interest from the was the Little Angels Action Fund, which China with new programs developing global community, with 230 interna- was founded in 2008. The mission of IDEAS each year, IDEAS hopes to position itself tional users of digital learning resourc- is to empower youth to better explore as an education and research center for the themselves and to reflect upon social fledgling camp industry. With the guidance While there is often discord and issues. Through educational innovation, and leadership of the IDEAS staff, it is hoped distrust between governments, camps, the IDEAS Center, the camp program of that eventually camp professionals will come the IDEAS Foundation, aims to cultivate together as an association of educators. for many years, have been venues for youth into global citizens equipped with greater global understanding. international perspective, team spirit, Implications for North leadership qualities, and awareness of civic American Camps es, webinars, and conferences in the past engagement. The IDEAS Gehua Camp, a There is evidence that camp exists in at least year from twenty-six countries, includ- multimillion-dollar, ultramodern facility, a quarter of the world’s countries, although ing China. Chinese who are seeking to opened in 2012 in the seashore resort city the label of “camp” may not be consistent. build and promote camps are anxious to of Qinhuangdao, about 280 kilometers The emergence of a camp industry in China avail themselves of current knowledge in (approximately 174 miles) from Beijing, will perhaps have a more profound effect the industry, and ACA’s online resourc- and has already served 8,000 campers. on American camps than developments in es will continue to be an attractive and During the summer of 2013, 200 youth most other countries. economical alternative to traveling to from mainland China, U.S., Canada, Russia, • Camper recruitment — With the re- another country for courses and con- Australia, Japan, Germany, Malaysia, Korea, cent announcement that Chinese regu- ferences. The number of international Taiwan, and Hong Kong participated in lations regarding family size were being attendees at the ACA national confer- a full-scholarship, international camp relaxed, the number of camp-aged chil- ence has also grown each year, and there program developed by IDEAS and instructed dren may reverse the trend of a declin- have been Chinese professionals in at- by talented program teams recruited from ing population of children, which still tendance for the past five years. Duke University, MIT, Cornell University, has a staggering number of about 150 the University of , and Oberlin million being camp eligible (ages eight International Camping College. Inspired by the latest, evidence- to sixteen). Cultural exchange oppor- Congress, 2014 based research on experiential learning, the tunities are plentiful as Chinese parents While there is often discord and distrust IDEAS center has four educational pillars: seek opportunities for their children to between governments, camps, for many character development, nature exploration, experience American life and to learn years, have been venues for greater global humanities and arts, and science and English. Agencies, youth organizations, understanding. The intrinsic benefits technology. The IDEAS summer camp also Chinese camps, and families are already of staff and camper exchanges in North featured popular activities with Chinese contacting North American camps American camps are understood, at least cultural themes such as , calligraphy, for placement of children. Interested anecdotally, and have served to bring chil- dance, ink making, music, stone carving, and camps should update their profiles on dren and staff together for the outcome traditional paper making. ACA’s Find a Camp database to indicate of cultural understanding. Global and

50 CAMPING magazine • March/April 2014 cultural networking through the camp Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the Linda Grier Pulliam is a retired executive of profession can extend to adults by partici- University of Minnesota. He also worked in ACA, Virginias, and was a camp director for pation in conferences and events around the Division of the Budget of New York State, twenty-seven years. She has served on the board the world. The 10th International Camping advising the state legislature and the governor’s of the International Camping Fellowship for Congress will be held October 23–27, 2014, office on education policy issues. In 2009, Dr. in Antalya, Turkey. Turkey sits astride two the past fifteen years and is the international Nie founded TopU International Education, continents, a position that has given rise coordinator for ACA. She and her husband which is dedicated to promoting liberal arts to a culture that reflects both East and are consultants for the European camps of the education in China. He joined the IDEAS West. Under the banner of “Let’s Camp for SeriousFun Children’s Network. She may be Foundation in 2012 as deputy secretary general Peace,” delegates from more than twenty contacted at [email protected]. and is concurrently serving as the president of countries will convene at the Maritim Pine the board of the IDEAS Center (the IDEAS Beach Resort on the Mediterranean Sea. Aijun Nie holds an MA from Cornell University Gehua Camp), also a nonprofit organization Program tracks will focus on research, and a PhD from the State University of New dedicated to researching and providing camp business management, operations, and York. Dr. Nie was a faculty member at the programs for children in China and the world . human resources, with keynote speakers of international renown, including ACA Reprinted by permission of CEO Peg Smith. The schedule is balanced American Camp Association; by small group educational sessions, a panel copyright 2014 American discussion, and social events for networking and relaxation. A first-time addition of an Camping Association, Inc. agents’ workshop on October 23, preceding the congress opening, will provide an opportunity for directors to meet with representatives from international schools and placement agencies to discuss camper recruitment in a “speed dating” format. Pre- and post-congress tours of Turkey will also be offered. Full information is found at: http://icc2014turkey.org Photos on pages 48–49 courtesy of LeShine Cultural Communication Company; Camp Friendship, Palmyra, Virginia; Gehua Camp, Qinhuangdao, China; Stateside Adventures, China; Camp Echo, Burlingham, New York; and Camp Wekeela, Buckfield, . References Associated Press. (2013 Nov. 13). Chinese students boost U.S. universities to all-time high foreign enrollment. Retrieved from www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/11/ chinese-students-boost-us-universities-to-all- time-high-foreign-enrollment.html Deloitte Research. (2012). Reflections on the development of the private education industry in China. Retrieved from www.deloitte.com/ assets/Dcom-China/Local%20Assets/ Documents/Industries/Technology,%20 media%20and%20telecommunications/cn_ tmt_RefDevePrivateEduIndChina_160412.pdf Marklein, M. (2013). U.S. summer camps increasingly popular overseas. USA TODAY. Retrieved from www.usatoday.com/story/ news/nation/2013/07/08/summer-camps- asiana-chinese-china-crash/2499655/ Pulliam, L.G. (2005). The Asian camp connection. Camping Magazine, 78(1). Retrieved from www.ACAcamps.org/campmag/0501asian Wangshu, Luo. (2012 Jan. 30). Flying the nest. China Daily. Retrieved from http:// usa.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2012-01/30/ content_14505989.htm

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