College students are gaining experience working with children while traveling around the world through Camp Adventure.

A nonprofit, student-run business that started in 1985 at the University of Oregon, Camp Adventure selects qualified applicants to set up and run day camps on U.S. military bases worldwide. A participant’s living and travel expenses are paid by the program.

“Basically, Camp Adventure sells their programs to military bases, and the parents of the kids pay the military base for the service,” said Yasan Gooding, coordinator of minority recruitment and retention at ISU. Gooding is a past participant of Camp Adventure in Italy.

Seventy-six military bases participate in the program in 10 countries and one U.S. territory. Most participants live on base, but some stay in hotels or live with a family.

Michael Dodge, a senior in elementary education, has been a Camp Adventure director for two summers. “My first year I stayed in Bamberg, Germany, and lived in open bay barracks,” he said. “We were by no means roughing it. The next summer I was in Wichita Falls, Texas and lived in a nice hotel complete with maid service.”

Once applicants are accepted, they are required to attend a training course. The World Headquarters for the Camp Adventure program is at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, so ISU students must either attend sessions at UNI once a week for a semester, or attend a two-week intensive training session in the summer.

“We learned kiddie songs and kiddie games, and by the third day, I thought I was going crazy. But it was worth it, because when you are struggling to entertain those kids, one particular thing might work one week, but the next week you might have to try something different. It was frustrating at times,” said Andre Blanks, a junior in dietetics.

Blanks spent last summer at a base in Atlanta, Ga. Several of the participants keep in touch with the children and people they meet at the camps.

Gooding said many children of military parents lead a “tough” transitory life because they’ve never had the opportunity to make long-term friendships.

“A lot of the children tend to be neglected on the emotional side. It is a good feeling that you get from knowing that you helped these kids,” Dodge said.

Although Camp Adventure is geared toward college students, anyone can participate. “People from all walks of life are involved in Camp Adventure. I met everybody from school teachers and principals to sales people,” Gooding said.

Students who participate receive 12 college credits.

Applications for Camp Adventure can be picked up in 124 MacKay Hall, or through Gooding at 294-0532.