At the Kamp Kessa week long intensive challenge learning camps Horses and the Wilderness have been combined with a nationally acclaimed approach to teaching Social Skills. This combination creates opportunities for youth to increase their self esteem by learning new skills while having fun. One of our fundamental goals is to help youth develop, maintain, and enhance positive Virtues.   Since at Kamp Kessa all activities are aimed at building capacities and teaching virtues, we refer to our curriculum as 'Project Virtues'. At Kamp Kessa students are supported in their learning by being given the opportunity to process feelings and behaviors with equine, wilderness and mental health specialists before, after and during each activity. Horses with their different personalities, attitudes and moods and the wilderness with all the challenges of the elements are especially powerful in teaching the value of broad experience, grueling commitments, and substantial risk taking. The expertise of Kamp Kessa's staff and the low ratio of students to staff make it possible for almost any youth to safely participate, have fun and learn new skills. Youth who are appropriate for Kamp Kessa may include those who are: avid horse lovers of  any skill level youth with learning differences and/or challenges with attending youth with speech or language challenges youth who are deaf or hard of hearing youth experiencing school, family, or community difficulties youth recovering from loss           youth interested in helping themselves and others by working toward  mentor status or compensated Counselor in Training Status