H.R. No. 737 R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, With the arrival of another summer camping season, 1-2 more than 600,000 young Texans will experience the outdoor fun and 1-3 adventure offered by 538 organized Texas youth camps, and the 1-4 lessons and values they learn during this time will shape their 1-5 lives long after summer ends; and 1-6 WHEREAS, The summer youth camp is an American tradition that 1-7 originated nearly a century ago, when the Boy Scouts founded a 1-8 wilderness survival camp in New England; throughout the 1920s, 1-9 other youth organizations, community groups, and churches also 1-10 established camps all over the country in order to give urban 1-11 children a chance to enjoy nature; and 1-12 WHEREAS, After World War II, this concept spread to Europe 1-13 and Japan, and summer camp is now an essential part of childhood 1-14 for millions of young people worldwide; a former president of Yale 1-15 University once summed up this remarkable innovation by referring 1-16 to youth camp programs as "America's greatest educational 1-17 contribution to the world"; and 1-18 WHEREAS, Summer youth camps give children the opportunity to 1-19 enjoy the beauty and tranquility of nature, and because of the vast 1-20 scope and diversity of the landscape, Texas camps offer a wide 1-21 variety of scenic environments for young people to enjoy; four of 1-22 the 50 most highly regarded camps in the nation are located in the 1-23 Lone Star State, and their programs rival those of the more 1-24 established and acclaimed camps in New England; and 2-1 WHEREAS, Furthermore, youth camp programs instill a sense of 2-2 adventure and independence in young people by challenging them 2-3 physically, mentally, and emotionally, and camp counselors serve an 2-4 important function in this regard by acting as role models for 2-5 youngsters, encouraging them in their personal growth, and helping 2-6 them to develop confidence, self-respect, responsibility, moral and 2-7 spiritual values, and a strong sense of personal identity; and 2-8 WHEREAS, These lessons, once learned, provide the framework 2-9 for a happy and fulfilling life, and the impact of a positive 2-10 summer camp experience can influence an individual well into 2-11 adulthood; and 2-12 WHEREAS, By offering children the challenge and excitement of 2-13 the great outdoors in a warm and nurturing atmosphere, the 2-14 administrators and counselors of summer youth camps are ensuring 2-15 that young Texans will grow up physically healthy and emotionally 2-16 secure, and their outstanding work in this area is truly deserving 2-17 of special praise and recognition; now, therefore, be it 2-18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas 2-19 Legislature hereby commend Texas summer youth camps for their 2-20 contributions to child and youth development and extend to camp 2-21 administrators, staff, and counselors warmest best wishes for many 2-22 more years of continued success; and, be it further 2-23 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 2-24 prepared for the Camping Association for Mutual Progress as an 2-25 expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. 2-26 expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. 2-27 Hilderbran 3-1 H.R. No. 737 3-2 _______________________________ 3-3 Speaker of the House 3-4 I certify that H.R. No. 737 was adopted by the House on May 3-5 28, 1993, by a non-record vote. 3-6 _______________________________ 3-7 Chief Clerk of the House