![Jack Williams, coordinator of the Summer Boys Camp — sponsored by the Louis Bryant Chapter of the National Black State Troopers Coalition — says teamwork and discipline are some of the values taught campers, who range in age from 10 to 15. “[There’s] a lot of individualism in this world right now, so we’re trying to … bring teamwork back into things,” Williams says. “We’re trying to teach them teamwork and to trust each other.”](https://wehco.media.clients.ellingtoncms.com/img/photos/2015/06/26/resized_99261-jack-williams-01_42-19769_t800.JPG?90232451fbcadccc64a17de7521d859a8f88077d)
Kaylon Powell, a loquacious 13-year-old student at Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle School in Little Rock, remembers his first Summer Boys Camp.
"I was just crying," he says. "I was like, 'I want to go home. I don't want to be at this camp, man.' I was just crying. They had me doing ... pushups. I was mad."
His disposition soon changed.
"This might sound kind of weird, but I really enjoyed the authority," Kaylon continues.
Without it, he says, camp would be for nothing. That is, there'd be no growth. "It really shows us how to be more responsible at a younger age ... once we learn that, when we get older, we can teach the next generation what to do."
This marks the 15th year for the camp, which is held at the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center and sponsored by the Louis Bryant Chapter, National Black State Troopers Coalition. It's the 10th year for Jack Williams, a Chicago transplant and volunteer who brought to the coalition -- and the camp -- his skills as a program development coordinator and Web designer.
Organizers have tried not to alter the format of the camp too much, but Williams did make one significant change to keep the boys from getting bored: more activities and fewer speakers. Activities include wall climbing, fishing, games, canoeing, archery, cookouts, team sports and field trips.
Discipline and teamwork are two of the qualities Kaylon has learned at the camp, which is geared toward boys 10-15 years old. "We chose boys because we felt that there was a need," Williams explains. "The majority of the people that we're stopping out there usually are males, so we felt [it] was important that we try to give back and give them another side of law enforcement besides stopping and arresting.
"A lot of the young men are looking for father figures, so we decided to take on that role."
Such a camp is especially significant in light of the publicity surrounding recent high-profile killings of black men at the hands of police, Williams adds.
"That's why we start at 10 years old ... to try to show them the brighter side of law enforcement, that we're human just like them and we're doing a job, and show them that there's nothing harmful about being in law enforcement, and to try to encourage them to get into law enforcement," Williams says. That's very important, because in order to keep things like that [the killings] from happening, the community needs to see people [who are] just like them."
POPULAR EVENT
The camp has grown so much through the years that at one time, there got to be too many campers -- almost 50, Williams says. This was a drain on the energy of the counselors, "so we kind of cut it down." They try to keep the number of campers around 30, and no more than 40.
The camp starts out bearing an atmosphere that is almost comparable to being in the military. Pushups are on the list of activities that first day. This is done to create a controlled environment. "It's very disciplinary and that's very good, because once you're disciplined, you know what's coming and you don't ... get into a situation that you don't want to be in," Kaylon says.
"You've got to do it [with] decency and in order," Williams adds. "When you do it [with] decency and in order, it's even much more fun. You eliminated the fights ... that you get in school now. You can have fun without all the distractions. ... It's just us and talking, like the good ol' days."
Needless to say, a lot of these boys aren't used to this: "Some of them haven't even been outside the city," Williams says. And at this camp there's no television, no cellphones, nothing like that, leading many newbies to want to call their folks to come get them. But these same boys who want to go home the first day are sorry to see the camp come to an end and are eager to return the next year.
It's not just troopers volunteering their free time with the boys. Individuals from other law enforcement agencies help out, including members of the Little Rock Police Department. Volunteers -- including women's groups such as Order of the Eastern Star as well as Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta sororities -- help during the day.
SUCCESS STORIES
The event draws a lot of repeat attendees, and organizers keep in contact with alumni. "We've had a lot of success stories" -- veterans have gone on to careers not just in law enforcement, but professional sports and law. Many veterans of the camp not only donate; they also come back and serve as counselors, Williams says.
There are some scholarships funded through the agency's foundation. Foundation money comes from online individual contributions and some corporations. Williams would like to see enough funding to take the boys on college tours out of the city or state.
Fifteenth annual Summer Boys Camp sponsored by the Louis Bryant Chapter, National Black State Troopers Coalition, July 19-24 at the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center near Little Rock. Camp tuition is $250; limited "camperships" are available. The deadline for applications is Tuesday. For more information, visit nbstcarkansas.org.
High Profile on 06/28/2015