The Collegiate Achievement Mentoring Program (CAMP) CAMP Osprey is an innovative leadership mentoring program that pairs collegiate leaders from the University of North Florida (UNF) with K-12 students to increase student leadership development and college/career readiness skills. CAMP Osprey is based on a framework that has been implemented at the University of Florida (CAMP Gator) and North Carolina State (CAMP Pack), which have impacted more than 500 student mentors and mentees. This replicable, mutually beneficial model has also been honored with awards from the United Way and the National Jefferson Service Foundation (Johnson, 2012).
CAMP is a highly visible model of collaboration between local, state and national public and private partners including Franklin Covey Education (curriculum resources), Cisco (videoconferencing technology) and the K-20 education partners. In its first year, CAMP Osprey has already reached children in six schools including a virtual partnership with Miami-Dade Schools, and has several schools eager to join the successful initiative. The program model incorporates leadership mentoring within a collegiate leadership course, requiring students to not only learn leadership best practices but teach those leadership skills to at-risk students through a comprehensive mentoring partnership. UNF collegiate mentors experience leadership development through hybrid courses offered through the UNF College of Education and the Taylor Leadership Institute. Throughout the term, students conduct weekly onsite and online mentoring sessions with elementary and middle-school students in area schools. Mentees experience leadership and college readiness skill development as well as an on-campus, college immersion event.
Student leaders enrolled in the 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 community-based service-learning. CAMP Osprey helps to enhance understanding of community-based, transformational learning by showing that there can be cost efficient, mutually beneficial learning experiences that can be implemented with fidelity. Previous data for this program model at the University of Florida demonstrated a remarkable 72% decrease in suspensions, 13% increase in GPA, and 22% increase in attendance for mentees, as well as increased public speaking abilities, goal setting and leadership skills for collegiate mentors. The program is a proven catalyst for personal and community growth and change, it often leads to significant transformations. For example, former mentors have joined Teach for America, the Peace Corps and completed a M.Ed. in Education because of their work. Former mentors have also been awarded United Way "Work of Heart Awards" and service scholarships and awards from the NCAA.
Articles: UNF students mentor; host Putnam County elementary school affected by Irma Read article
CAMP Osprey teaches Putnam County students leadership skills Read article
Women's Tennis Participating in C.A.M.P Osprey Read article
NEFEC is excited to highlight a significant partnership between the University of North Florida and Mellon Elementary in the Putnam County School District Read article
More than degrees and training preventing young people from finding, keeping jobs Read article
UNF's CAMP Osprey mentor Maurice Sapp works with his "men in the making" @ Tiger Academy to learn how to tie a tie Read article
Partners and Featured Leadership Speakers Darnell Smith of Florida Blue and the Chair of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce
Coach Matthew Driscoll University of North Florida Mens Basketball Team
Jonathan Catherman Bestselling author of The Manual to Manhood
Coach Confer and the UNF Women's Tennis Team have partnered with Tiger Academy (DCPS) and the CAMP Osprey Leadership Mentoring Program
Coach Confer and the UNF Women's Tennis Team have partnered with Tiger Academy (DCPS) and the CAMP Osprey Leadership Mentoring Program to create "Living Like Leaders" training sessions on campus where our soccer players teach these young ladies from Jacksonville best practices in academics, athletics, and leadership.
Special thanks to this amazing team of UNF student-athletes for serving as wonderful community ambassadors and representing our strong UNF brand
Updated 4-4-17
Students from Lake Shore Middle School partnered with the UNF Womens' Tennis Team
Students from Lake Shore Middle School partnered with the UNF Womens' Tennis Team to learn leadership and tennis skills during a recent on-campus event!
Updated 10-31-16
Spring 2017 Giving Forward
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Matthew Ohlson, PhD
Taylor Leadership Institute
Frederick H. Schultz Hall, Building 9, Room 1103, 1 UNF Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32224 leadership@unf.edu
Research Coordinator Amanda Pascale, Ph.D.
Community Engagement and Innovation Coordinators Angela Inciong
Advisory Board Heather Monroe-Ossi Florida Institute of Education
