One of the Most Memorable Summer Camp Activities

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Most traditional  summer camps are in the thick of one of the biggest parts of their summer program.  In fact, the event itself is nearly as big of a tradition in and of itself as the concept of summer camp.  It’s what everyone sees on movies or television shows about sleepaway camp and wants to be a part of—the color war.  For several days, campers and staff members parade around camp in their team colors.  Body paint, capes, mismatched socks, colored hair spray, pom-poms, and tutus are the en vogue accessories, and enthusiastic demonstrations of team pride via spirited cheers are infectious.

Although an emphasis on friendly competition geared toward giving campers an opportunity to put their camp skills to the test while exhibiting exemplary sportsmanship has prompted many camps to change the name to such things as Challenges, Tribals, College Days, and Olympics, the concept remains the same: Campers are placed onto teams and, for several days, engage in a host of activities designed to re-cap the summer—a sort of “best of” replay.

Whatever the name, the competition is often full of traditions regarded as sacred by campers and staff alike.  The beginning of the games is invariably a surprise to campers and much of the staff with the reveal being is a closely guarded secret about which there is quite a bit of discussion and speculation in the days leading up to it.  The breakout is unquestionably, one of the biggest events of the summer and always on everyone’s list of favorite moments from the summer.  Counselors are included in the action as team leaders and coaches.

The end of the competition often involves some sort of bonding activity designed to bring the teams back together as one camp family to finish out the summer because, in the end, the emphasis of a color on color contest is not whether one is on a winning team when all is said and done, but that each and every camper has had the opportunity to demonstrate what he or she has learned over the summer and, thus, gain an understanding of how each person brings something different and valuable to the camp family.  Such a focus makes these types of camp activities a valuable lesson in diversity and teamwork.  Everyone has a unique role on the team that directly affects the team’s overall performance.  For anyone—camper or staff—who has ever been a part of camps, it’s the part of the summer that is undoubtedly one of the most memorable.

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Catching up with America’s Finest Summer Camps

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How about a guest blog?  Rather than picking just one blog, we’ve decided to peek in on all of America’s Finest Summer Camps for a glimpse of what has been happening this summer…

Camp Laurel:

What a week!! Tuesday was the annual Big Show as Baxter, Sequoia, Bec and Bago joined forces to WOW us all with two fantastic showings of FAME the Musical. We were so proud of the incredibly talented cast and crew and can’t wait for THE JUNGLE BOOK in 10 days. Wednesday was an S-Day and we started the day with the Bec/Bago Laurel Idol Semi-Finals and a dodgeball tournament and spent the afternoon heading out all over the state. We had trips to Aquaboggan, Rummels, Old Port, and Funtown/Splashtown. Last night was Group Sing as each group in camp sang a popular song with the lyrics customized to a camp theme. If you surveyed our campers, most would tell you it’s one of their favorite night of camp!! And the weather this week has been Maine-Picture-Perfect!

*Originally published on www.camplaurel.com on 7/20/2012

Camp Laurel South:

We have been at camp for just a few days, but the action is already in full swing! Tennis, Skiing, Riding, Ceramics, baseball, Theatre, Lacrosse, Fishing and More!! After our annual Moosestomp Day, programming began and it’s been non-stop ever since.We had our first rotation of “A” and “B” Days, and we can’t wait for our first in camp “S” Day! Our 8th Graders are heading out to Acadia National Park for their camping experience. Our CIT’s are getting ready for their amazing White Water Rafting Trip…and Intercamps and Tournaments begin tomorrow. The weather has been absolutely fantastic…it’s always a beautiful day in the state of Maine! We are so happy to be on the shores of Crescent Lake!

*Originally posted to www.camplaurelsouth.com on 7/20/2012

Camp Weequahic:

The aspiring chefs of Camp Weequahic’s first session put together an amazing cookbook full of some super yummy recipes from our cooking studio.  The link is below.  Enjoy!

Weequahic Cookbook

*Originally posted to www.weequahic.com on 7/11/2012

MTV Night 2012 was a close competition with thirteen divisional winners battling it out for overall champion.  From remixes to movie soundtracks, the music was about as varied as the costumes.  Everyone fabulously demonstrated why they’d won their divisional titles with excellent lip syncing, dancing, and choreography.   The judges had a really tough decision, but in the end Junior Girls bunk 6 edged out the Senior Boys of the Lodge to take the title with a number called Waka Waka.  Congratulations to girls bunk 6 for their victory and to all of the competitors for putting together some extremely entertaining acts!

*Originally posted to www.campstarlight.com on 7/25/2012

No doubt about it…It has been a busy and exciting summer at all of the camps!

Beating the Heat and the Sun’s Rays

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It’s summer, which means it’s hot outside.  Each summer, sleepaway camps field dozens of calls from parents regarding heat and sun care.  Parents appreciate learning that America’s Finest Summer Camps take a great deal of care in helping campers and staff alike be sun-safe.  Campers are encouraged to carry water bottles with them in order to stay properly hydrated.  Some camps also keep water at strategic places throughout camp so that campers and staff can have convenient access.

Sunscreen is also key to beating the summer sun.  In addition to making sunscreen available on campus, summer camps include sunscreen on packing lists.  Doctors recommend a minimum SPF level of 15, although anyone with fair or sensitive skin should use a minimum level of SPF 30.  Counselors and camp staff are charged with insuring that campers are regularly properly applying sunscreen.

Wearing sunglasses, hats, and light colored clothing are also recommended when children are outdoors, and, whenever possible, campers and staff members are encouraged to seek shaded areas.  By taking some standard precautions, summer camps are helping campers beat the heat.

Summer Camp Helps Children Maintain Routine

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Summer camp is a lot of fun.  One need only ask any camper on virtually any summer camp campus to confirm that notion.  Children love the activities and the relatively relaxed environment of sleepaway camp.  However, there is something else that summer camp children crave, although they might not know it:  structure.  Dr. Laura Markham asserts that routine helps children develop self-discipline, cooperation, change tolerance, and responsibility.

To an outsider, summer camps may seem like little more than organized chaos.  However, most summer camps operate around set daily schedules that move children from activity to activity at specific times throughout the day.  Although the daily activities may change, the times and length of the periods do not.  Meals are also held at set times.  The use of bugle calls, bells, music, or announcements assist campers in transitioning from one part of their day to another, which, according to Markham, helps eliminate power struggles by setting parameters and giving children a recognizable sign for knowing when it’s time to bring one activity to a close and move onto another without being told.

A daily routine also helps at night.  Research shows that children who have a structured schedule sleep better at night.  Routine also lessens anxiety and improves behavioral issues.  Children feel less anxiety when they understand what is expected of them and can confidently anticipate what will happen next.  Summer camp is built on traditions that happen from year-to-year.  Many camps are also divided into age groups that serve as steps through the camp experience from the first year of camp to the final.  From their first day at camp, there are certain rites and privileges related to sleepaway camp traditions specific to each age group to which campers can look forward as they get older.  That children can see from the beginning that summer camp is a progressive process also helps them to understand the concept of patience when working toward a goal.

Because of the benefits provided by the structure of summer camp, many parents are increasingly seeing the advantages of time spent at summer camp.  As a result, summer camp is experiencing a revival of sorts as a summer staple.  More than eleven million people attended camp last year, according to the American Camp Association.  If you’re trying to think of a way to add value to your children’s summer, consider sending them to summer camp.

What Summer Camp Means to Me

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Our guest blog for this week actually comes from a couple of campers at Camp Starlight, who shared their ideas about what summer camp means to them:

Today, campers Jodie K. and Marni C. gave us some insight about what camp means to them…

“Hi, my name is Jodie K and this is my 7th summer at camp Starlight.  I am now thirteen.  Since I was seven, I have been fortunate enough to call this camp my home.  Without using a cliché, this camp mean to me in one simple word: EVERYTHING!  I am given the appropriate amount of freedom while being taught lifelong lessons like communication, honesty, and respect.  What most thirteen year olds in today’s society don’t realize is that with today’s technology, kids don’t know how to communicate with others effectively.  Using texting and other forms of social media, kids avoid ever contacting each other directly.  Here at camp where no technology is allowed, it gives me the chance to get to know my favorite people in the whole world.  People I call my sisters, roles models, and friends for life have made this experience even better.  Everything this camp has done for me has made me a stronger person for the better.”—Jodie K.

“This is my sixth summer at Camp Starlight and I’m an Upper Deb.  What camp means to me is a home away from my home.  When I come to camp, I always feel safe and comfortable around staff and other campers.  When I think of Camp Starlight, I think of myself making memories that will last a lifetime.  For example, when I go home during the winter, I ways laugh with my home friends and share those memories.  Camp is a place that you go to for a majority of your summer and you never want to leave.  The day before I leae for camp, I have butterflies in my stomach, and the day I leave to go home from camp I have tears.  Camp Starlight is a special place that will be in my mind and heart forever.”—Marni C.

*This blog was originally posted on the Camp Starlight website www.campstarlight.com on July 3, 2012.

The Benefits of Counselor in Training and Counselor Assistant Programs

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A recent article in the New York Times examined a father’s struggle with his daughter’s choice to fore go a summer internship to spend the summer working at her former summer camp.  Upon first hearing of his daughter’s choice, the father was concerned that the camp counselor experience would not ultimately prove substantial on a resume.  However, upon further consideration, he concluded that the internship experience was overrated. Based on statistical data, those who have intern experience do not secure jobs any faster than those who do not, and  the well-rounded experience his daughter would gain while working at camp added to the benefit of being able to delay the start of an “office job.”

Even before entering college, former campers who’ve become too old to attend camp decide to enter their camp’s counselor in training program.  As the college student who was the subject of the her father’s New York Times debate, many parents of former campers find themselves wondering about the benefits of counselor assistant programs versus a year off from camp, teen tours, or a more traditional summer job.  In addition to providing a very good transition from the role of camper to staff member, counselor in training programs are a great foundation for college.

College is a clean slate for students.  When students leave high school, they also leave behind their reputations and accomplishments.  Like college is a place at which students have the opportunity to demonstrate that they attained the skills to succeed in college through high school, counselor assistants or counselors in training have the opportunity to demonstrate that years of being a camper have given them the skills required to be a good staff member.  As part campers, part staff members, they have opportunity to take initiative and show responsibility by performing some of the duties of a camp counselor.  In doing so, they also gain entry level work experience.  They are accountable for performing up to the standards set by their camp leadership, they report to multiple supervisors at various levels, and by nature of working twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week with children, they must perform jobs responsibilities with immediacy.

A counselor in training or counselor assistant program is also a great way to help teenagers choose a college.  Since counselor assistant or counselor in training groups tend to be smaller than other camp age groups, the smaller setting can help students decide whether they prefer a larger college with more students, like those of their younger camping days, or a smaller, more intimate setting like that of their counselor in training or counselor assistant group.  Living at camp is also time away from home that helps those thinking of college determine whether living away from home in a dorm setting or living at home while attending a local college is more to their preference.

Ultimately, regardless of whether a former camper decides to do a traditional internship once he or she gets to college, a year or two spent as a counselor in training or a counselor assistant could help build some of the most helpful tools for making some very important, life impacting decisions regarding college and work.

Summer Reading at Camp

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The hour is upon us, the trunks and bags are already shipped, and the carry-on bags are stuffed so full that they almost don’t zip, but we encourage you to consider packing some summer reading.  Sure camp is action-packed, but there are also a lot of great opportunities throughout the summer for campers to read.  Most camps have a rest period during which campers are encouraged to take advantage of some quiet time.  Reading material is great for those days when a camper just wants some quiet time.  Many camps also allow campers to read in bed with a flashlight at night as well.  Having a book handy is a great way for campers to wind down so that they are able to fall asleep.  Reading also makes for great conversation.  If your child does not have assigned summer reading, slipping a book from a popular youth or young adult fiction series might lead to some new friends through a common interest.  So if you haven’t already tossed in a book or two, squeeze everything together a little more tightly and shove one in.  Neither you nor your camper will regret it.

Staff Orientation Week

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Some campers and parents may wonder what happens up at camp before they arrive.  When do the counselors get there and what do they do to prepare?  All of America’s Finest Summer Camp staff members attend a week long orientation session.  This is a week when counselors learn a lot about themselves, each other, the camp itself and, most importantly, our campers!  Quite literally, the goal of camp is to make sure campers have the most fun they possibly can while still being safe.  During Orientation week, every camp staff member learns how to make that happen.  They also have a little bit of fun while doing this.  They live as campers in cabins or bunks during Orientation.  They also learn all of the camp’s favorite songs (motions too!), play games, participate in evening activities, and learn dining and trip procedures.  Orientation is a fun and intense week, but it’s made even more so by the excitement for the campers’ arrival.  In the middle of Orientation week, everyone knows that camp is getting close. But even the activity of having all our staff members around for Orientation doesn’t compare to the atmosphere instantly created by a camp full of campers!  We’ll see you soon!

Mail Call

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If your children have ever attended camp, chances are you’ve walked out to your mailbox at some point in the summer to find a letter that goes something like this:

Hi Mom and Dad,

I passed my swim test.  Yay!  I almost made it all the way to the top of the climbing wall yesterday.  More yay!  I WILL zipline before the end of the summer!  I bounced the ball off the post and actually scored a goal in soccer earlier today.  FIRST GOAL EVER!  The most yay!  Went on a nature hike a few days ago.  We saw a squirrel and named him Sam.  At least we think it was a squirrel.  It could have been a bunny.  Emma said that maybe it was a chupacabra.  Duh!  Chupacabras aren’t real.  But we just said, “Maybe.”  Then we thought it would be funny if we actually told people we saw a chupacabra just to see how many people we could get to believe us.  So now like a lot more people than I ever thought would believe there is a chupacabra running around in the woods, which is kind of bad because now it’s IMPOSSIBLE to sign up for nature because everyone wants to go on hikes in the woods to see the chupacabra.  Long story short, if Max writes home about seeing a chupacabra, it was a squirrel (or a bunny).  And if he finds out it was a squirrel and writes home that I told him it was a chupacabra, it wasn’t a trick I was playing on him specifically—and it wasn’t just me.

So my friend Katie and I made up this new game to see who can make up the goofiest knock knock joke.  Wanna hear the (kinda) funny joke she made up while we were walking?  Knock knock.  Who’s there?  Katie.  Katie who?  Katiepillar.  I made up one at dinner but it’s not as funny.  Knock knock.  Who’s there?  Butter.  Butter who?  Butterfly.  I also learned a new card trick in magic the other day that I can’t wait to show you when I get home.  My favorite thing so far is cooking.  Yesterday, we made chocolate chip cookies.  Don’t be mad.  I ate two.  But they were small.  Speaking of food, can we have pancakes more often when I get home?  I never realized I like pancakes so much before.  Gotta go.  Time for guitar.  Love ya!

p.s. Can you add this list to the other list of things I asked you to bring on visiting day?  Doritos, M&M’s (not the peanut kind), gummi bears, and Sweet Tarts (the chewy kind).

Many summer camps make letter writing a regular part of campers’ schedule and deliver

letters from parents and relatives to campers each day.  For campers, there is something special about sprawling across their bed at camp and reading what Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters, and maybe even pets have been up to.
For parents, seeing a letter in their children’s handwriting makes the communication more personable.  It’s endearing to think one’s son or daughter took the time out of his or day to write home. Some parents even joke about how refreshing it is to receive a message that isn’t so full of abbreviated words that it requires an interpreter, like many text messages. It also lends added significance to those things about which children choose to write.  Parents have reported that it helps them more closely identify their children’s interests.  If a child dedicates two thirds of each letter home to how much fun she is having playing tennis, it’s a good indication that tennis is playing a particularly important role in the success of the camper’s summer.  Some parents  are so highly entertained by their children’s letters from camp that they make scrapbooks of their children’s letters from camp throughout the years as a memoir.  Author Diane Falanga was so inspired by children’s letters from camp that she published a compilation of them.

Sadly, email and text messaging have almost made the art of letter writing—taking pen to paper—extinct. But summer camp is a place where the tradition still survives.  Summer is a time when the joy of receiving an envelope with one’s name on it is rediscovered every summer by thousands of children and parents alike.

It’s a Small World after All

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The guest blog this week is courtesy of Alyson, Assistant Director of Camp Starlight

As we go about our everyday, it is easy to think that the world is made up of just our friends, family and the people we see on a regular basis. We associate and spend time with people from similar places, cultures and backgrounds and can sometimes even forget there is a big world outside our own.  Whether you are a camper or a staff member, going to camp makes you see the world differently! Camp gives you the benefit of coming into contact with people from different schools, communities, countries and cultures from around the world. We make it a point of hiring counselors from across the globe for this reason.

After traveling around the world to meet our counselors, we know that everyone loves to see that some of our soccer coaches are from England and it’s great to be out of the lake with our mates from Australia! They bring so much to the camp experience. Not only are they fun, and we love hearing their lovely accents (we love trying to repeat them too!) They share stories about growing up in places we may have never been. They also teach us new activities, create new interests and help us see the world differently. And what happens is that even though many of our international staff live far away, and talk funny, we realize we are not all that different. These relationships help us to grow and force us all to learn about getting along with others and not just the people we see as like ourselves. Camp teaches you that there is so much more out there, and campers and staff walk away with a greater understanding of themselves and others.

–Alyson

*This blog was originally published on the Camp Starlight website http://www.campstarlight.com/blog/uncategorized/its-a-small-world-after-all-2/ on April 28, 2012.