'Hunger Games' Camp Teaches Teamwork: Florida Program Head Insists Children Misquoted About 'Deathmatch' Aspect, Praises Book's 'Many Redeeming Subplots'

Earlier in the week, news broke on the existence of a new "Hunger Games"-themed summer camp in Florida. If you know anything about the popular book series and film franchise starring Jennifer Lawrence, the subject matter is incredibly dark and violent. So when camp members were quoted about how simulated killing and death matches were involved in the camp, we were all pretty taken aback thinking of the children involved. But the head of the camp, Ted Gillette, has come out insisting that the children were misquoted and that the program helps build teamwork and self-esteem.

Gillette says that the camp uses the book as a structure for the campers, without the violent aspects.

Here is an excerpt from The Hollywood Reporter's article on Gillette's statements:

According to school head Ted Gillette, the camp contains a mix of theater, arts, academic competitions and outdoor physical challenges.

The camp re-creates the opening ceremony from the book with people dressed in costumes. The kids then become part of districts and are made tributes, following the vernacular of the book, Gillette explains, learning how to work from the land and build their own crossbows, to shoot at targets, not each other. They spend the week training and learning about their ancestors, he adds.

The camp also features "mud games" in which the kids play dodgeball, tug-of-war and do an Outward Bound-like course in the mud.

Gillette says the camp chose to use the book as a theme in part due to its popularity, noting there are "many redeeming subplots."

The camp's PR rep, Nina Zapala says it is trying to engage the kids by using the games to teach about team sports and interaction.

She also notes there's been a groundswell of support from the kids' parents.

 

Mstars recently reported on the "Hunger Games"-themed camp in Florida. Here is an excerpt:

Highlights:

"What are we going to do first?" shouted 14-year-old Sidney Martenfeld. "Are we going to kill each other first?"

"No! No violence this week," the camp's head counselor was busy telling the children. But keeping the kids from talk of murder would prove difficult. That was, after all, the driving plot point of The Hunger Games - and this was Hunger Games camp.

...

What's your specialty? Ours is primarily weapons," said Frances Pool-Crane, the youngest camper at 10 years old.

"Ours is, like, half weapons," said Briana Craig, 12. "Alliance?"

"Sure," Frances said. The girls were decorating posters for the Games. "LOSING MEANS CERTAIN DEATH," Frances wrote.

(God, that poster anecdote...)

A clinical psychologist weighs in claiming that allowing children to bring the distanced killing of a fictional world into the active parts of a child's thoughts is harmful and the counselors apparently agree because they switch from the term "killing" to "collecting lives."

 The girls ran off, first across the basketball court, then through the grass, between buildings, by the water fountain, past the body lying on the ground . . . 

The body lying on the ground. CJ Hatzilias, 11, face-down, in the grass. He was crying. "They stepped on me," he said.

Someone went for help. "CJ, what happened?" Gillette asked.

"They stepped on me," he said.

D'Alessio knelt down. "I'm sure it was an accident."

CJ shook his head. He said some boys had knocked him down and kicked him.

D'Alessio got him up, wrapped an arm around him, walked him over to the camp offices.

The boy wiped his nose. "I got stepped on," he said.