“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more,
you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
CAMP Gator is an innovative leadership mentoring program that pairs collegiate student leaders from the University of Florida with K-12 students from around the state. This success of C.A.M.P. Gator has allowed this program to expand to seven schools in three states helping to develop the leadership skills of over 500 students. Thanks to support from Cisco, United Health Care and Franklin Covey, we have also been able to infuse anti-bullying and anti-obesity curriculum, a global leadership framework and virtual mentoring into our program.
Student leaders selected to participate in our program are given the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills, mentor a child in these same leadership skills, make a difference in their community and understand the influence one can have in the field of education and educational leadership.
We are proud of the fact that our program to date has been very successful and effective. Program data shows a 13% increase in GPA, 22% increase in attendance, and a remarkable 72% decrease in suspensions for mentees, as well as increased public speaking abilities, goal setting and leadership skills for our mentors. Our program mentors have included students from the Minority Student Education Guild, Olympians, NFL standouts, and the National ESPN Academic All-American for 2009. We have also been recognized by the Daily Point of Light Foundation, Learn and Serve America, National Alliance of Mentoring, and received the 2009 City of Gainesville “Work of Heart” Collegiate Service Award.
CAMP Gator Headlines
Camp Gator Mentors Support the Boys and Girls Club.
Camp Gator mentors show their support for the Boys and Girls Club.
Updated 4-22-13
Collegiate Scavenger Hunt
This spring, mentors from the CAMP Gator program hosted their 5th annual campus outing with mentees from the Gainesville community participating in a "Collegiate Scavenger Hunt" where children learned about the UF campus. The mentors and mentees were then able to watch the Gator softball team take on the Vols of Tennessee.
Updated 3-25-13
Fall 2012 Campus Outing
Campus outings each semester allow mentees to join their collegiate mentors on campus to illustrate the importance of academic achievement and personal leadership development when pursuing dreams of higher education.
From one mentor, "I enjoyed spending time with my mentee at the Camp Gator field trip. She was happy to experience the college life and see a women's basketball game. She took a lot of pictures and talked with other college students. I know this experience will stay with her forever and hopefully it motivates her to attend a university in the future. Throughout the field trip, she was happy and her smile made my day. This week's mentor session was a happy experience for the both of us."
Updated 11-24-12
CAMP Wolfpack
C.A.M.P - Collegiate Achievement Mentoring Program has now expanded to NC State with the implementation of CAMP Wolfpack.
Updated 3-2-12
ESPN U Special: Stories of Success
The ESPN U Academic Special: Stories of Success featuring C.A.M.P Gator- Collegiate Achievement Mentoring Program at the University of Florida.
Updated 6-27-11
CAMP Gator Olympics on ESPN
CAMP Gator Olympics will be featured on the ESPNU Academic Special: SEC Stories of Success on 6/15 at 10AM.
Updated 6-9-11
Celebrating Global Youth Service Day
CAMP Gator Olympics: Celebrating Global Youth Service Day thanks to the generous support of of Youth Service America and their sponsors such as United Healthcare, the Sodexo Foundation, the Corporation for National & Community Service, Learn and Serve, Disney, the National Youth Leadership Council, and State Farm Insurance. The activities at PK Yonge and on the UF campus were designed by our students and collegiate mentors as part of this special 2-day event. Read article | View Gainesville Sun's Photos
CAMP Gator has partnered with Cisco/Tandberg to bring “Virtual Mentoring” to schools/districts nationwide. We will be using HD videoconferencing tools to connect mentors from the University of Florida with students in southwest Florida in the Leaders for Life Program and at A.B. Combs Elementary in Raleigh, NC. In this video are Sean and Eric from the National Championship Track and Field Team from UF discussing performance goals with students from the Helping Hands Program
Updated 2-4-11
CAMP Gator receives UnitdHealth HEROES Service Learning Grant
Camp Gator has received The UnitedHealth HEROES Service-Learning Grant! Amanda McDonald, Grants Manager for Youth Service America, stated that she received many wonderful applications, but said that ours stood out as one of the best.
Updated 12-20-10
CAMP Gator Mentor and Gator Football National Champion, Terron Sanders, shares his mentoring experience in the article: "Terron Sanders - Bleeding Orange and Blue".
Updated 11-6-10
Matthew Ohlson, PhD
Course Designer and Instructor
College of Education
Collegiate Achievement Mentoring Program
College of Education
University of Florida
Program Coordinator Dr. Russell Froman Course Instructor and Site Coordinator
P.K. Yonge DRS
College of Education, University of Florida
Advisory Board Dr. Bernard Oliver Professor and Director. School of Human Development & Organizational Studies in College of Education, University of Florida
Dr. Daniel Dennison Retired VP and Director, Coca Cola Company
Dr. Eileen Oliver Professor School of Teaching and Learning. College of Education, University of Florida
Tom Stephens Southwest Florida Workforce Development Board
Dr. Jeffrey Dow Senior Consultant, Lastinger Center for Learning
College of Education, University of Florida
Holly Moses Program Advisor, College of Health and Human Performance. University of Florida
College of Education, University of Florida
Dr. Meg Kamman Assistant Scholar. School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies. University of Florida
Dr. Tom Williams Leadership Coach and Faculty Emeritus. NC State University and Eastern Carolina University.
Site Coordinators
Dory Schofield Williams Elementary, Gainesville FL
Meg Kamman Littlewood Elementary, Gainesville FL
Fremon Williams Boys and Girls Club, Gainesville FL
Dr. Shane Rayburn Oakwood Elementary, Oakwood, GA
Muriel Summers AB Combs Leadership Magnet, Raleigh, NC
