| If we were to summarize in a word why people, | | | | carpet writhing and screaming. Nobody can look |
| especially teens, wear masks, it would be FIMAGE. | | | | cool doing these things - that's the point. They can |
| What's FIMAGE? It's short for Fear of Image. | | | | have the experience of looking uncool in front of |
| You don't have to look far into a group of young | | | | their peers and being totally okay with it. We |
| people to see examples of all the things they do | | | | facilitators do it with them, so it's all a big group |
| to create an image. It's in their clothing, music, | | | | experience. We take it to the extreme so they |
| language, attitude, hair, make-up, hobbies - even in | | | | know they can take it to the middle on their own. |
| their choice of friends. Why do people have an | | | | In the end they realize that not only did they not |
| image? To keep themselves looking good. Some | | | | get ridiculed or rejected, they actually had a lot of |
| people spend a lot of time creating and preserving | | | | fun. |
| their image. They avoid things that make them | | | | Teens speak with a lot of enthusiasm about life |
| look uncool; things that aren't good for their | | | | beyond FIMAGE. "Letting go of FIMAGE makes |
| image. They fear damage to their image. That's | | | | your life greater because you let go of the |
| FIMAGE. | | | | insecurities you have about what others think of |
| SuperCamp grad Sarah Samuel wrote, "If you | | | | you," camper Bre Steinbarth told us. "You open up |
| have FIMAGE, it means you aren't comfortable | | | | and let others see you without your mask. I |
| doing certain things because of fear of what | | | | created my own style, and I'm not afraid to act |
| other people will think of you. You don't have | | | | like myself and talk to other people." |
| self-confidence and you're always worrying. | | | | "It feels good letting go and being able to be a |
| As teens go deeper into their exploration of their | | | | 'weirdo' and have no one judge you," wrote |
| own FIMAGE, they come to a major realization - | | | | camper Joe Dugan. |
| by constantly fearing what will happen if they | | | | Camper James Ohnoki told us, "It's like taking a |
| don't maintain their image, life will pass them by. If | | | | 100-pound bag of rice off your shoulders, like |
| they want to branch out, try new things, and find | | | | finally being free after being chained to a tree." |
| out who they really are, they have to let go of | | | | Camper Jordan Walton said, "I was able to show |
| their image! | | | | who I truly was for the first time." |
| Camper Dominique DeRoche told us, "It was hard | | | | SuperCamp is held at eight beautiful colleges |
| at first to let go of FIMAGE, but it made me feel | | | | across the U.S. throughout the summer. Quantum |
| better after I let go, and now I'm not paranoid | | | | U takes place at Colorado College in Colorado |
| about how I appear to people." | | | | Springs. More information on our programs is |
| In our process, teens have the opportunity to do | | | | available at and . |
| some wacky things in front of their peers to | | | | We also offer a unique 3-day Parent Weekend at |
| practice letting go of their FIMAGE. In the context | | | | which parents of kids in SuperCamp gain an insight |
| of a bunch of fun high-energy games, they can | | | | into what their children are learning in their |
| make crazy faces, ridiculous sounds, or fall on the | | | | programs. |