Day Camp’s Deeply Held Values
Kara Painter was on summer staff from 2018 - 2020, and spend two of those summers leading Mountain T.O.P.’s Day Camp program. Originally from Germantown, TN, Kara now works as a School-Based Therapist with STARS Nashville. Kara serves on the Board of Directors as the Program Committee Chair. A fun fact about Kara is that her dad is an identical twin so her cousins are also her half-siblings!
I am a proud Mountain T.O.P. participant, former summer staffer, board member, and social worker. No other singular experience has been as impactful on my career choice as my time working with the Day Camp program on summer staff. The foundation of the social work profession is described in the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics. As a social worker, I am responsible for upholding the 6 core values of the profession. Long before I considered choosing social work as a career, Mountain T.O.P. was my introduction to an organization and community that exemplified its most deeply held values: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. In particular, I have seen firsthand the overlap between these values and Mountain T.O.P.’s Day Camp program.
Service: Day Camp offers staffers, volunteers, and local organizations the privilege of partnering with children and families in our community. Day Camp would not exist without those who give their time and resources to make the program a reality.
Social justice: In a world where “the least of these” are regularly neglected, oppressed, and marginalized, the Day Camp program is unwavering in its commitment to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all children. Day Camp reflects the belief that each child is deserving of opportunities to thrive.
Dignity and worth of the person: At Day Camp, the dignity and worth of each child is honored by all who are involved with the program. All children, regardless of ability or disability, are treasured and respected as individuals who uniquely bear God’s image in the world. Staff and volunteers pour themselves into helping Day Campers see themselves in the way God sees them: valued, delighted in, and deeply loved. Caregivers of Day Campers have told us that staff and volunteers meet the unique needs of their children with compassion, creating a powerful experience of acceptance and love.
Importance of human relationships: This value is at the heart of the Day Camp program. Feedback from our Day Campers and their families has shown us time and time again that the relationships built with volunteers and fellow campers are one of the most meaningful parts of their week. From fish school buddies to the bonding that occurs during van routes, the relationships that form during a week at Day Camp can create impacts that last a lifetime.
Integrity: Mountain T.O.P. is not in the business of cutting corners or profiting off of our neighbors or volunteers. The needs of Day Campers are prioritized in every decision made.
Competence: The Day Camp program is held to a standard of excellence by passionate staffers, volunteers, and community members. Feedback is regularly collected and applied to ensure that the program is operating at the highest possible level. Staffers and volunteers are thoroughly trained on carrying out the programming before the camp week even begins.
These values point to something far greater than any professional code— they reflect the very heart of Christ, whose love compels us to serve and empower children and families in our community. Day Camp upholds these values not out of duty or obligation to any professional code but in natural response to God’s calling to share His love in tangible ways. I know that I am not alone in the enduring impact this program has had on my life. I look forward with hopeful expectation to what God will do through the Day Camp program this summer!
“Day Camp upholds these values not out of duty or obligation to any professional code but in natural response to God’s calling to share His love in tangible ways.”
