Fo Guang Shan North Carolina Hosts “Three Acts of Goodness” Children’s Winter Camp, Guiding Young Participants in Positive Emotional Expression
- FGS NC media 北卡佛光山文宣組
- Jan 15
- 3 min read
[Reported by Yu Chuan, North Carolina, USA] Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple of North Carolina held the 2025 Three Acts of Goodness Children’s Winter Camp from December 29 to December 31,2025. Drawing inspiration from Disney Pixar’s film Inside Out, the camp focused on the themes of empathy and emotional awareness, attracting 16 children aged 7 to 11. Members of the BLIA-YAD North Carolina served as the primary volunteer team, guiding participants through a three-day journey of emotional exploration and holistic learning for both body and mind.
At the opening ceremony, Venerable Miao Jou, Superintendent of Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple, North Carolina, warmly welcomed the campers and introduced the youth volunteer team. She encouraged the children to learn with ease, grow with joy, and cultivate wholesome character through group interactions. To help the participants quickly feel at home, the camp began with a fun team-formation activity, dividing the children into two groups—“Joy” and “Hope.” Through a temple scavenger hunt, the campers became familiar with the functions and environment of various areas within the temple.
The camp curriculum skillfully combined cultural education and psychological learning. Venerable Miao Jou led a session on “Buddhist Etiquette,” introducing the Triple Gem—the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha—as well as basic Buddhist manners, laying a foundation for cultural understanding. Venerable Zhi San facilitated the emotional awareness lecture, using interactive teaching methods to help children recognize their own emotions and those of others, learn to be masters of their emotions, and respond with kindness. These activities enhanced the children’s empathy and emotional regulation skills.
Parents offered enthusiastic and positive feedback following the camp. Parent Zhuoli Huang shared that her child greatly enjoyed the camp’s activities and game design and felt that the three-day program passed by too quickly. She expressed hope that future camps could be extended to allow more time for interaction and learning with counselors and staff and gave the overall camp experience a perfect score.
Another parent, Tonghua Li, reflected that during the closing ceremony, she observed her son appearing noticeably calmer and more relaxed on stage, confidently participating in the dance segment—an openness and growth she had not seen before. She expressed heartfelt gratitude to Fo Guang Shan for guiding her child to learn naturally and grow positively within a group setting.
Jeremy Foust, whose three children all participated in the camp, shared that two of his children—members of BLIA-YAD —served as camp staff, while his youngest joined as a camper. He noted that the temple provided a warm and high-quality learning environment, allowing his children, who had previously lived in China, to feel a strong sense of belonging, as if returning home. He was especially grateful that the children were able to make friends, learn the value of giving, and put the principle of “Doing Good Deeds” into practice.
Over the three days, the winter camp featured a rich variety of dynamic and hands-on activities, including outdoor team-building games, viewing and guided discussions of Inside Out, Chan-inspired painting, cookie icing decoration, clay snowman crafting, and a light-offering prayer ceremony. The program design closely aligned with emotional education and teamwork, enabling participants to learn positive expression, develop compassion for others, and practice the spirit of the Three Acts of Goodness—Do Good Deeds, Speak Good Words, and Think Good Thoughts—within a joyful, learning-filled environment.
