By Dr. Kristin Johnson
After more than 20 years in education, I've learned that one of the most important things we can teach young people isn't found in a textbook. It's how to become part of something bigger than themselves.
Community.
We often talk about leadership, resilience, independence, and personal growth. But I believe something needs to come before all of those things: a sense of belonging.
Being part of a group and feeling like you belong to a community are two very different things.
At Genesee Valley Outdoor Learning Center (GVOLC), I've had the opportunity to watch community develop through shared experiences, challenges, and sometimes the simplest interactions.
I've seen campers arrive on Monday morning hesitant, unsure of themselves, or struggling to connect with others. By Friday, those same campers are encouraging someone on the Big Zip N Dip, helping a friend through a challenge, or celebrating another person's success.
What changed?
It wasn't necessarily the activity. It was the relationships built along the way.
The Power of Shared Experiences
One of the things I love most about outdoor education is that it creates opportunities for people to connect in ways that traditional environments sometimes cannot.
Whether navigating a challenge course, paddling a canoe, or hiking a trail, participants quickly discover that everyone brings different strengths to the group.
Some are natural leaders. Others are problem-solvers, encouragers, or quiet observers who notice things the rest of us miss.
A strong community doesn't require everyone to be the same. It requires everyone to recognize that they have something valuable to contribute.
This idea is supported by Etienne Wenger's (1998) work on communities of practice, which explores how learning, meaning, and identity develop through participation in shared social experiences.
At GVOLC, learning doesn't happen only through instruction. It happens through collaboration, problem-solving, shared challenges, and the relationships formed along the way.
But simply bringing people together doesn't automatically create community. It takes intentional leadership, meaningful experiences, and an environment where people feel comfortable being themselves.
Belonging Creates the Foundation for Growth
Researchers Roy Baumeister and Mark Leary (1995) identified the need to belong as a fundamental human motivation. Their research emphasizes the importance of meaningful, positive interpersonal relationships.
This reinforces something I've witnessed throughout my career: people are more willing to challenge themselves when they feel connected and supported.
At GVOLC, 97% of respondents to our 2026 summer camp feedback reported feeling included.
That number represents more than a positive outcome. It reflects the meaningful relationships, shared experiences, and intentional efforts of staff to create an environment where campers feel welcomed, valued, and connected.
Community is built through small moments. A counselor remembering a camper's name, a group celebrating someone's accomplishment, or a participant discovering they have something important to contribute.
Inclusion is more than providing an opportunity to participate. It's creating an environment where people feel seen, heard, valued, and connected.
When people experience that sense of belonging, they're more willing to take risks, embrace challenges, and step outside their comfort zones.
And that's where growth happens.
Leadership Starts With Community
Leadership scholar John W. Gardner (1990) emphasized the relationship between leadership, shared purpose, and building strong communities. His work reminds us that community develops when people work toward something meaningful together.
Some of the most powerful examples of leadership I've witnessed haven't come from the person standing at the front of the group.
They've come from the camper who notices someone sitting alone, the teenager who slows down for a struggling hiker, or the counselor who adjusts an activity so everyone can participate.
These moments might seem small, but they represent something much bigger.
They demonstrate empathy, responsibility, awareness, and a willingness to put the needs of others alongside our own.
That's community-minded leadership.
As educators, camp professionals, and organizational leaders, we have a responsibility to create environments where these behaviors are modeled, encouraged, and celebrated.
Sometimes our greatest contribution as leaders isn't directing the experience. It's creating the conditions where others can discover their own ability to lead.
Building Something Bigger
When I reflect on my experiences at GVOLC, I keep coming back to one question:
What do we want people to carry with them when they leave?
Of course, I want campers to develop new skills, challenge themselves, and gain confidence. But I also want them to understand what it means to belong and how their actions can help someone else feel that same connection.
Because the lessons learned at camp shouldn't stay at camp.
They should follow us into our classrooms, workplaces, families, and communities.
Community isn't built through one activity, one conversation, or one shared experience. It's built through countless small moments of connection, trust, encouragement, and responsibility.
And perhaps that's one of the most important lessons we can teach.
References
Baumeister, R. F., & Leary, M. R. (1995). The need to belong: Desire for interpersonal attachments as a fundamental human motivation. Psychological Bulletin, 117(3), 497–529. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.117.3.497
Gardner, J. W. (1990). On leadership. Free Press.
Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.
