Last night, while I was watching the wrap up of Beauty and the Geek (on the WB) and the latest episode of The Inside (on Fox), I recorded the new reality show Brat Camp on ABC. I just watched it today after work.
Now, let me start by pointing out that Brat Camp isn’t one of the normal “throw a bunch of people somewhere and offer them a prize” reality shows. This is a real reality show. No one gets voted off the island. There’s no cash prize at the end. Trivia challenges don’t come up at all.
It follows a group of nine troubled teens as they take part in a wilderness-based therapy program.
When I say “troubled teens” I mean it. There’s kids here that remind me a great deal of people I grew up with. Drinking and drugging starting at age 12, violent, lying, rude and out of control. The youngest is 14 (Nick, who decided he wasn’t going to take his ADHD medication any more and went from an A student to failing–perhaps the strangest reason any of the kids are at the camp) and the oldest are 17. These are kids with real problems, and they’re not ashamed of them at all.
SageWalk is the name of the program and it specializes in teaching kids like these about discipline, self-respect, honesty and hard work. All the work, therapy included, is done outside. Oh yeah, the camp is located in the “wilds of Oregon” and “class” starts in mid-November. Test your weather IQ and think about what that means for a program that lasts up to 90 days.
The first episode was a two-hour introduction to the kids, counselors and ideas behind the program. It basically runs like this: Counselors with very Hippy-sounding “Earth Names” (like Little Big Bear and Glacier Mountain Wolf?) head out into the scrub with the nine teens, most of whom were tricked into showing up at the program by fed up, scared parents. They have nothing of their old lives with them–all personal belongings are left back at the main SageWalk offices–and each has a 40-pound backpack that carries everything they need. The base camp consists of a fire ring, a tepee (where all the kids sleep) and not a whole heck of a lot else. To call it “Spartan” would make it sound too luxurious. Through the course of the program, the teens will hike, climb, learn about wilderness survival and face their inner demons. All with the help of the seasoned trail guides (who are out there with the kids 24/7) and professional counselors (who are brought out twice a week).
While the title of the show makes it sound a little crass and cutesy, the reality of this show is anything but. It is honest, showing both the fear and pain of the parents and of the kids, and it is real.
Personally, I’ve found it very interesting so far. But maybe that’s because of my own background and preferences.
I did a lot of learning in the woods. Not just growing up in a little, rural, tree-filled town, but in the actual woods. Camping, hiking–things not unlike what these kids are being put through. Biggest difference is, I did all of it willingly. But I think I can safely say a good reason I never ended up like these kids is because of the things I learned from nature.
Nothing will teach you more about yourself and other people than spending a few days in the wilderness. Real wilderness.
The fact that there are so many people around who’ve never spent a weekend in a tent and sleeping bag just boggles my mind. I can’t imagine a totally urban life-style. When I was in college, one of the programs my community service group did involved bringing a bunch of city kids out to a camp to learn about business with the local Rotary club. Some of those kids had trouble dealing the “cabin camping”, so I can’t imagine what they’d do if put in the situation the kids in Brat Camp are in.
It’s bound to be an interesting few weeks, watching these kids grow and conquer their problems. And I think a lot of people–kids and parents–can benefit from watching it.
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