The HabForum

I went to camp back in 1999. But i dont think I remember a right stuff award or if there was one I forgot about it by now. What exactly is it and how do you get it? do you get it by being a exceptional leader or camper?
I am fixing to return to camp in little more than a week and was wondering about it. I would love to get it or try too.

The Right Stuff Award is given to an outstanding camper for the session that they are participating in. It's not just awarded for your skills in the tasks but, your attitude, your team spirit, etc.

yeah, it is decided by the adults. Being enthusiastic and helpful counts, as well as being outgoing.

Quoting an e-mail I got from Vincent a few years ago:

Vincent wrote:As you know, the Right Stuff Award is a pretty special thing at Space Camp and not something that is to be taken lightly.

I can't recall at the moment what the textbook definition of a "Right Stuff Kid" is, and it certainly means different things to different counselors. So given that, it's hard to say how the Right Stuff Award is given out every week. There's not a formal checklist or any such thing.

In the team books, there's a form for the counselors to nominate a "Right Stuff Kid."

One or both counselors can nominate, with more weight probably being given to forms where both counselors put their names on it.

On this form, we describe why it is we thing the given person is deserving of the award. It is turned into the managers, who will then look at all the submissions for a given program for the week, and make the final decision. Sometimes counselors will discuss the matter with each other to make sure only one nomination form will be turned in.

...because the number handed out varies from program to program, and even season-to-season and/or year-to-year. This past summer, it was one for each program per week.

Other years, I know they've given out one per team. I don't know how that is decided or who decides it.

As a former counsleor, I can say that nominating someone for this award is not a casual process. Counselors will discuss individuals with each other to determine who should be nominated. When possible, we would generally come to a consensus and then nominate that one person instead of having management try and decide.

It always seemed to me that the younger trainees (non-adults) were always very congratulatory to the person who received the award and agred with the choice. Unfortunately, this was not always the case with adults. Another counselor and I that had worked with an adult team had chosen someone from the team to receive the award that we felt exemplified team spirit and unity. This person was not the one who always finished something first or best, but they helped the team as a whole to succeed. A few days after that team left, we received an email from another adult on the team who wanted to know why he did not receive the award. He had discussed this with several others and they all felt he shold have gotten the award instead of the other person.

My advice is to go to camp and have fun and try to help everyone else on your team to have fun. Don't do things with the purpose of winning an award in mind. Just do them because it would be the right thing to do. That way, even if you did not receive the award, you will have made GOOD friends and GREAT memories!!

thanks for the answers everyone. I was just curious about the award. I am going to camp because I want to have fun and make friends not to win an award . I just read people mention it on the site and was wondering about it. I am more excited about the sim time in the simulators and just to be back at camp.

JasonG wrote:As a former counsleor, I can say that nominating someone for this award is not a casual process. Counselors will discuss individuals with each other to determine who should be nominated. When possible, we would generally come to a consensus and then nominate that one person instead of having management try and decide.

It always seemed to me that the younger trainees (non-adults) were always very congratulatory to the person who received the award and agred with the choice. Unfortunately, this was not always the case with adults. Another counselor and I that had worked with an adult team had chosen someone from the team to receive the award that we felt exemplified team spirit and unity. This person was not the one who always finished something first or best, but they helped the team as a whole to succeed. A few days after that team left, we received an email from another adult on the team who wanted to know why he did not receive the award. He had discussed this with several others and they all felt he shold have gotten the award instead of the other person.

My advice is to go to camp and have fun and try to help everyone else on your team to have fun. Don't do things with the purpose of winning an award in mind. Just do them because it would be the right thing to do. That way, even if you did not receive the award, you will have made GOOD friends and GREAT memories!!

It was nice to get written confirmation that you gave it to the right person.