Our Philosophy
CONNECTION
We believe that nature plays an integral role in our physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual development, yet our society is becoming more and more estranged from the outdoors. Outdoor Education is a great way to foster an interest in the outdoors and nurture our relationship with it, ourselves, and each other. |
STEWARDSHIP
Every facet of our daily lives has an influence upon our surroundings. Every job and career path is affected and can effect the natural world we have been given. Whatever our gift, talent, or interest, we can and should use it to better the world for all. From simple actions to giant initiatives, we can all do our part to leave the world a little better than we found it. |
INSPIRATION
How are we to love something we don't know? How are we to care for something we don't understand? We believe in providing opportunities that spark our interest and encourage us to do more. An Outdoor Ed Trip may be the first step in this process or maybe it is a chance to remind us of why we fell in love with the outdoors in the first place. Either way, we trust you will leave inspired. |
Mission
Our mission is to encourage ourselves to be in awe of the natural world, to reconnect us to our place in its grandeur, to emphasize good stewardship of its resources, and to inspire that sense of adventure, curiosity, and confidence that will help future generations have a positive impact upon the world around us.
At Camp of the Hills, we thrive in finding creative, inclusive, proactive ways to love people well. Our Outdoor Ed program allows us to interact with students from Pre-K to High School during the school year, rather than just during summer camp seasons. While there are many outdoor education programs in Texas, many schools don't have the financial resources to attend. Our goal is to be a quality resource for those coming from low-income and/or vulnerable communities so that teachers have the chance to get their students out of the classroom and experience the content in authentic ways.
"The greatest commandment is this: love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. And the second is this: love your neighbor as yourself. There are no other commandments greater than these."
Public Schools & Separation of Church and State
While Camp of the Hills is a Christian organization and is registered as a religious 501(c)(3) non-profit, we respect and honor the codes of conduct and the ideals of separation of church and state as upheld in our national constitution. With non-religiously based groups, our staff is to abide by all the ethical codes of conduct same as a teacher in a public school setting. We love and respect people from all walks of life and value the opportunity to positively interact with our community in whatever way we can.
Academic Content
We have worked with various groups in the past to align activities and content with the standards found in the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards), and Project AERO. Should you have a specific set of academic standards with which you wish to align, please let us know during your activity planning meeting.
Faith Based Content
Should you choose, faith-based ideals can be integrated into our curriculum. There are many ways that our activities and content can be framed with love, leadership, and Christ-like values in mind. During our planning meeting, we will discuss the concepts and content that your group would like to integrate. Your staff should also choose whether or not to lead any specific devos or classes throughout the day that would need to be included in the schedule.