Camp Everytown - Social-Emotional Learning

Maritza Arreola was diagnosed with severe hearing loss when she was in the 5^th grade. She began wearing hearing aids, which led to her being bullied by her classmates and being called names like “retard.” She soon learned that it was best to hide her hearing aids under her hair.

Maritza was reluctant to ask teachers to repeat statements she couldn’t hear.  She avoided conversations with other students because she couldn’t always hear what they were saying. And, she began to feel that what she had to say was unimportant because she was disabled and also the daughter of non-citizen Mexican immigrants.

By the time Maritza entered Mountain View High School, she was depressed and at risk. She hid her hearing impairment, was ashamed to ask for help, and was afraid to speak in class for fear of stumbling or mispronouncing her words. Her grades began to sink. She was beginning to question her sexual orientation, as well. As she states it, “I felt very flawed.”

But then, in her junior year, Maritza attended Camp Everytown.

Camp Everytown is a four-day residential program for high school students, designed to combat stereotypes, prejudice, and bullying – and in the process, develop youth leaders.

“Before Camp, I didn’t think I could be a leader; I was a woman of color with a disability and from a poor background. At Camp, I found my voice.  I discovered that my perspective was valuable and that it mattered. I realized that I wanted to be a leader.”  

When she returned to school, Maritza started wearing her hair in a ponytail, no longer ashamed of her hearing aids. She advocated for herself and got the help she needed to succeed in school.  She also began to advocate for others and speak out against bullying; prior to Camp she always thought it was someone else’s responsibility.

After Camp, her grades improved as her confidence grew, and she started to share her views and experiences with her classmates and teachers. She became more active in theater and overcame her fear of projecting her voice. She even took a leadership role in the Camp Everytown club at her school.

Maritza now attends Mills College in Oakland where she is thriving academically. She mentors youth and is an active member of Mills’ Leadership Action for Tomorrow club.

“Because of Camp Everytown,” she says, “I have shattered expectations.”

Camp Everytown transformed a young woman who felt marginalized and silenced into a confident leader who will bring empowerment and an appreciation of diversity wherever she goes. Maritza is a happier person, a more effective leader and a visionary because of her experience at Camp Everytown. 

Links:

• San Jose Mercury News Article
• Camp Everytown Video