Camp Everytown - Social-Emotional Learning

Before senior high school student, Pablo, attended FACES' Common Ground and Camp Everytown, he was an eighth grader who witnessed the change that these programs had on his older brother. 

Common Ground, a 4-day summer program asks incoming high school freshmen to come together before they embark on their journey through the next four years of their high school career. During the program, students commit to respecting one another and dissecting the way they form opinions of themselves and their peers. They are challenged to break down barriers that often divide them into cliques. They embrace their commonalities as well as understand the struggles that they all may face.

As a freshman, Pablo's older brother was a Counselor-in-Training at Common Ground. Pablo says that he was amazed when he and his brother both answered a personal family question the same way. He was shocked that he and his brother felt identically about their family dynamics and that they had never discussed it.

Stories from his classmates about what they had endured outside of school astounded him. Because of the stories that he heard, he is much more conscious of the words that he chooses to use and recognizes their impact. He admits that he formerly used derogatory words of which he is now ashamed. He expressed that if he has a daughter he wants to be a great father and will teach her self-worth.

Pablo was so changed by his first year at Common Ground that he decided to go to Camp Everytown and return to both programs as a Counselor-in-Training. He has stepped in as co-president of the Camp-inspired "Be the Change" club at Fremont High. "My goal is to come back in 10 years and see this club thriving."

Next year, Pablo is off to college to study mechanical engineering. We are so excited for him and know that he will do incredible things!

Links:

• FACES website
• FACES FB page