Cayce Police Department’s “Character Camp” teaches kids positive attributes

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Honesty, dependability, and motivation — those are just a few of the characteristics that children are learning about at the Cayce Police Department’s 2nd annual “Character Camp” at Cayce Elementary School.

Kids get a chance to interact with officers and local community members and learn a character trait each day that will help them succeed. On Thursday, members of the Army National Guard are teaching the kids about thoughtfulness.

Cayce Chief of Police Chris Cowan says the National Guard is a great example of being thoughtful.

“Being in the Army National Guard, being in any military service, being in the Coast Guard, being in the Navy, it’s about being thoughtful towards the community, and how you can serve, and how you can protect our communities,” says Cowan.

The camp’s goal is to instill these character traits into youth through education and fun — including field trips to a hospital, a wastewater treatment plant, and a local fire academy.

“So it just shows them so many different things going on in the world that they can be part of , that they can dream about, that they can think about what they want to do and what they want to be passionate about in life,” says Cowan.

“Thoughtful is caring, and being kind,” says future 6th grader Layla Castelan.

“Thoughtful is when you can help somebody, like this, for example, I help my mom cook dinner. That’s thoughtful,” says future 2nd grader Taylor Riley.

The kids also have a chance to just have fun by playing video games with members of the National Guard, basketball with Cayce Police Officers, and kickball.

Soon to be 1st grader Jace Clark says he is always thoughtful — especially when playing kickball.

Cowan says Character Camp provides the kids with positive role models as well.

“In the classroom, on the field, in the boardroom, wherever they choose to be in life, they have to have those character traits instilled in them. Our School Resource Officers are doing just that. They’re instilling in them the characters and the morals and the ethics they need to be successful in life,” says Cowan.

Character Camp will run through Thursday, July 27th.