SBS Juniors Attend Camp Enterprise

Approximately 100 high school juniors clumsily disembarked two charter buses at Camp Allen in Navasota, Texas. The students held out their hands, walking slowly toward an unknown destination. Silence quickly fell over the group as they navigated around trees and bushes, careful not to stray too far off the path. The trek up the small hill and into the dining hall would have seemed simple, but one hindrance complicated their journey: every teen was blindfolded.

Camp Enterprise, a business and leadership training camp sponsored by the Rotary Club of Houston for rising high school seniors, strives to develop character in students through team-building activities. The camp required various schools throughout Houston to nominate several high-achieving juniors for attendance. Nominated students then filled out an application, which was reviewed by a committee at the Rotary Club of Houston. After reviewing around 500 applications, the committee notified approximately 100 teens of their acceptance. Three students from SBS were among those selected.

Divided into six different teams, the students quickly bonded, determining team “chants” and “handshakes.” Activities such as a ropes course, trust fall, and ice cream social filled the three days, leaving just enough time for students to chat over chicken tenders at dinner. The students also competed against each other in the annual “Camp Enterprise Talent Show,” and worked together to navigate the infamous “Maze Game.”

However, team bonding was not the only goal of the weekend. The camp also sought to educate students on the principles of the free enterprise system through the use of the JA Titan business simulation game.

“The JA Titan game essentially required you to work with your team to run a business through six quarters. We had to decide product price, research and development price, market price, and much more. My team decided early on that the best strategy was to set a low product price and a high quantity, thereby raising demand for an inexpensive product. It worked initially, but as more teams began seeing the effects of their research, development, and marketing, my team had to find a quick solution to catch up,” Rhianna Bruegger, a rising senior at SBS, said.  

The Rotary Club of Houston provided each member of the winning team a $500 scholarship. Additionally, students nominated six of their peers were to win individual scholarship. Each nominee wrote and delivered a speech about the impact Camp Enterprise has had on them. Finally, the camp sponsors voted on three students to win the individual scholarships.

Overall, Camp Enterprise provided each student with an educating and enriching experience, complete with guest speakers from various businesses.

“We heard from the founder of the largest window commerce website. Even Amazon is competing with him! From these speakers, I learned about the importance of perspective and timing, and that quickly getting a product to market is paramount to success. It really impacted my future by giving me a more entrepreneurial point of view in the things I do,” Henry Zhang of the blue team said.

Bruegger also commented on the impact Camp Enterprise has had on her life.

“I was so surprised by what an amazing time I had at Camp Enterprise! Hearing from all of the guest speakers about their experiences in the business world has really opened my eyes to all the possibilities I have in my future. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many inspiring and forward-thinking teens in one place! I still talk to the members of the purple team because of how close we became in those three short days. I miss it so much but I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to attend,” Bruegger said.