During the 2006 and 2007 camp seasons, we engaged with outside consultants to survey participants in our program to measure positive impacts of Dragonfly Forest on campers. 

Helping our campers feel good about who they are is the goal of Dragonfly Forest. Increased self-esteem is an outcome of camp reached not by empty praise but rather from feeling competent, having successful experiences, and making genuine contributions. This year over 82% of our campers reported an improvement in their self confidence after camp. This number was up from 60% in 2006. 

The experience of achievement when away from home nurtures a child's independence. Our campers are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones to take healthy risks at Dragonfly Forest. In particular, we try to present the idea that their illnesses, if managed properly, do not prevent them from achieving their goals. After attending camp, 85% of our campers told us they don't worry about their illness since attending camp. 

Leadership, like self-esteem, is earned. Camp can play a critical role in fostering leadership by giving our campers responsibilities unavailable in other settings. 89% of the kids who came to camp told us that the camp experience enabled them to become a good role model for other children with an illness.

For most campers, camp is about the friends they make and not the facilities or fun activities they are involved with at camp. We measured Friendship based on a desire to introduce themselves, talk and play with new kids, including those different from themselves. At Dragonfly Forest, we believe the ability to interact with various types of people is a key life lesson that will help them well beyond their time at camp. Over 80% of our kids said after coming to camp they can be friends with people they never met before and feel more comfortable talking to kids they didn't know.

Trying new activities and taking healthy risks is a desired outcome at Dragonfly Forest. We want to challenge our campers to try new activities, learn new skills, and get caught up in the feeling of being more competent. Over 90% of our campers said that since going to camp they have found out they could do something on their own that they had not done on their own prior to camp.

Finally, given that Dragonfly Forest is designed for children with serious illnesses, we are glad to know that 87% of campers said that if they experienced an illness episode while at camp, the overall camp experience was still fun.

The results from camp measure up to our goals and objectives for camp. As we grow camp, our program team continues to find new ways to teach our kids valuable life lessons, even though they think they are just having a great summer at camp.