Camp Confidence Ignites with Drums Alive Program
The Wolf School’s summer program, Camp Confidence, is the perfect blend of academics and summer fun! With learning mixed into the entire day through hands-on lessons and thematic projects, students get to experience the traditional fun of a summer camp while also working to prevent learning regression. With its highest enrollment to date, Camp Confidence continues to grow in both enrollment and programming.
This summer, The Wolf School was thrilled to receive a generous grant that allowed us to bring new programming opportunities to Camp Confidence, including Drums Alive®, an evidence-based multisensory fitness program that combines rhythm, movement, and music to enhance physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. “Once we were awarded the grant, we saw it as an opportunity to bring in a high-impact, engaging program that could benefit both students and staff across multiple settings,” shared Director of Auxiliary Programs, Meg Sutton. “Drums Alive stood out because it combines movement, rhythm, learning, and fun in a way that is accessible to all learners. We were especially excited by the potential for academic integration.”
Assistant Head of School Courtney Dubois further explained, “We see DrumsAlive as an additional tool that can be incorporated to further enhance already designed lessons and activities. From Morning Meeting and Advisory activities (e.g., call and response activities) to math (e.g., reciting math facts, patterns) and literacy (e.g., banging out syllables in words, rhyming), drumming can be used as a form of repetition, organization, and movement.”
To kick off this new program, the first step was to get Wolf staff fully trained in Drums Alive®. Seven staff members began the training with a 10-hour online course that covered basic moves, the how and why of Drums Alive®, and the benefits, followed by an 8-hour in-person training the participants took part in lessons, activities, and meditation. Courtney attended the training and shared, “I loved that we were given the space to do what we teach, Move to Learn! We spent 8 hours moving our bodies and learning something new. We had successes, we made mistakes, we laughed, and we created new bonds.”
Once the newly trained staff were back at Ferris Ave., they were ready to share their enthusiasm with the staff and students, but most importantly, ready to fully implement it during our Camp Confidence summer program. Meg shares that “We’ve been incorporating Drums Alive into Move to Learn and PE classes as part of our daily warm-ups, and have integrated it into our math and ELA lessons. It has also become a consistent part of our routine, with a weekly Drums Alive enrichment.”
And the results have been incredible! Along with benefits like improved coordination and strength, Drums Alive® also helps foster emotional expression, social skills, stimulate brain activity, enhance focus, and provide students with a safe and welcoming space to have fun! “We have been having a blast with it,” Meg adds. “And can’t wait to see Drums Alive continue to be a part of Wolf’s program.”