Phoenix Project Week 3: Curiosity, Leadership, and Service

Week 3 of The Phoenix Project was packed with learning, teamwork, and meaningful conversations as campers continued exploring character strengths through the Travis Manion Foundation’s Character Does Matter curriculum.

This week's lessons focused on Judgment, Humor, Zest, Curiosity, Social Intelligence, Appreciation of Beauty, and Self-Regulation. While much of the week was spent in the classroom, campers had plenty of opportunities to put these character strengths into action.

To explore Zest, campers participated in a series of fun competitions, including an energetic tug-of-war challenge that encouraged enthusiasm, determination, and teamwork.

For Curiosity, campers worked together to solve a "murder mystery" at Northview. Their teamwork and problem-solving skills were on full display, and program leaders may have discovered a few future detectives in the group.

As part of their lesson on Self-Regulation, campers participated in a guided meditation session led by a veteran mentor, learning techniques to stay calm, focused, and in control of their emotions.

Campers also learned about Appreciation of Beauty, helping prepare them for their upcoming Week 4 hike at Stone Mountain State Park.

Although Thursday was technically a day off, several campers returned to Northview Academy to help prepare for their upcoming community service project. While working, they received a special visit from retired Army veteran Harvey Mathis, who is also the grandfather of one of the campers.

Mathis shared stories from his military service, including his decision to join the Army, his deployment to Vietnam, his time as a drill instructor, assignments in Germany, and his career with the U.S. Postal Service. He also spoke about his published book and an upcoming release. Campers were captivated by his experiences and eager to show him the work they were doing on their service project. Two fellow veterans joined Mathis during the visit, creating a memorable experience for everyone involved.

We would like to thank Beulah Baptist Church for providing another delicious home-cooked meal for campers this week.

A special thank you goes to Snider Fleet Solutions for donating tires that have been used in workouts throughout the program and will also play a role in the campers’ upcoming community service project. Community support like this helps make hands-on learning experiences possible and reinforces the importance of service, teamwork, and giving back.

As Week 4 approaches, campers are preparing for both their community service project and their hike at Stone Mountain State Park, where they will continue building character, confidence, and leadership skills through new experiences and challenges.

Learn more about The Phoenix Program on our website here. To learn more about the Travis Manion Foundation's Character Does Matter program, visit the Travis Manion Foundation website here.