Ready for Camp!

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Camp Laurel

Ready for Camp!

Something changes in schools once everyone returns from spring break. Our minds switch to “summer is right around the corner!” In most states, the temperatures are rising, and we’re counting down the days until the summer truly begins.

Children coming to Camp Laurel for the first time have a different kind of excitement. They’re ready to try new things, gain independence and have the first best summer of their lives.

Campers returning to Laurel for a second, third or seventh summer already know the best summer of their lives is around the corner. They know that’s true no matter how many summers they’ve been at Laurel. Returners have already reached out to friends to rave about what’s to come, and make plans to meet as soon as they step off the bus.

We know the first day at camp will come, and once it does, time will be on overdrive for the summer. Days fly by in the blink of an eye, and before we know it, we’ve put on plays, competed in sports, laughed with friends and learned to sail and wakeboard and swim. It’s what keeps us coming back year after year.

While we’re still focused on ending the school year on a high note, half of our brains are already swimming, singing campfire songs, scoring homeruns and playing gaga. Summer is almost here, and for campers who get to spend it at Camp Laurel, it can’t get here soon enough.

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Working at Camp as a Resume Builder

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After working a summer at sleepaway camp, it is hard to summarize the vast amount of experience gained in just a few weeks. Over the course of one summer, you are presented with challenges, lessons, an increased set of skills, and numerous other benefits. When you think of a summer spent working at sleepaway camp, the first thing that comes to mind are the times spent on the field helping kids learn how to kick a soccer ball, in the bunk playing jacks with your campers, or at the evening campfires roasting S’mores. Because each of these moments are filled with lifelong memories, it can be challenging to recognize that these moments are extremely applicable in the professional world.

A summer working at camp teaches you how to be responsible, a valued leader, confident, a team player, and a problem solver. The ability to work with people from all different backgrounds and age levels is an opportunity that many people cannot say they have had. Fortunately, in your role as a counselor at sleepaway camp, you have attained skills that are attractive to employers and that are immensely useful in the professional sphere.

Recognizing Strengths and Weaknesses

At camp, you are exposed to a wide range of individuals from around the world. In the bunk, you can live with children from ages seven to sixteen from all parts of the United States. Counselors come from the U.S., the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia. This unique environment presents the opportunity to understand, connect with, and appreciate all individuals around you. With each relationship established, the ability to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of your peers increases tenfold.

In the professional world, it is of extreme importance to be able to work with people of all different backgrounds and cultures. With each background and culture comes different expectations that must be met if you want to be successful. Working at sleepaway camp gives you the experience necessary to meet these challenges and expectations. Having the ability to recognize what will both facilitate and hinder success is a skill that is invaluable in any profession.

Leadership

As a counselor, each day presents you with the opportunity to develop who you are as an individual and further increase your confidence. Higher confidence enables individuals to make decisions more effectively, have stronger performance capabilities, and deliver a higher quality of work. Both on the fields and in the bunk, you are a coach and a role model to all of the children at camp. Having this opportunity at all hours of the day at camp transforms counselors into empowered leaders with an unprecedented drive for success.

Confidence and leadership both go a long way in the professional world. From applying for a job and mastering the interview to giving a presentation to your boss, having a feeling of empowerment ensures a high success rate in the workplace. 

Communication

Camp is a fast-paced environment where anything could happen. Over the course of the summer, there could be inclement weather, changing preferences of campers, or changes to the daily/nightly schedule. These changes emphasize the importance of being a flexible employee and communicating effectively with those around you. This also leads to high innovative abilities that encourage counselors to excel at camp.

Along with the fast-paced nature of camp, conflicts between campers in the bunk and amongst counselors do arise. The ability to communicate powerfully during times of conflict allow for problem-solving and conflict resolution. Communication helps individuals to find a commonality that will end conflict and bring people together as a unified front.

In every workforce, no matter the department or field of profession, communication is the key to the success of a company. Without communication, deadlines cannot be met and progress will not be made. Learning how to communicate effectively at camp will allow you to enter into the working force with both ease and success.

Teaching 21st Century Principles in a Camp Setting

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America’s Finest Summer Camps knows that the weeks we get to spend with campers each summer is precious. It is an opportunity to do character building and confidence boosting. We have the opportunity to be the backdrop for millions of memories and connect people who can grow to be lifelong friends. The work we do here, although disguised as fun, is serious. We use the limited time we have with our campers and use it to instill 21st-century principles that promote strong character, morals, and ideals in every camper.

 

When campers are guided on how to solve their differences through careful and respectful mediation, they are learning how to disagree with others without being mean or hurtful. When they can identify their feelings and communicate it with others, they are learning conflict management skills and maturing in their emotional development. These tools are vital in navigating the “real world” whether it’s their school campus, their first job or their first relationship. At camp, kids learn to respect each other, listen without interrupting, compromise, communicate, and be patient and considerate and honest. These principles will make it easier for them to maintain healthy relationships as they grow.

 

Each camper has a responsibility to keep the campus as beautiful as it was when he or she arrived. Our zero tolerance policy for littering and our emphasis on taking care of the environment helps campers realize how they impact the environment and how important it is to keep the world around them clean. Campers spend most of their days outside, connecting with nature and learning to appreciate the beauty around them. Exploring and enjoying Mother Nature doesn’t come naturally to all campers, and spending time at camp helps develop an appreciation for the environment.

 

At camp, each camper has a story to tell. Each child arrives at camp with a history, a background, baggage (no pun intended) fears, strengths, and perceptions. As campers begin to integrate with each other, they quickly see how different they are all, but how those differences don’t need to divide them. They learn to help each other; to recognize a need in other campers and address it. There is no “us” and “them” at camp. America’s Finest Summer Camps is intentional about fostering a generation of helpers, includers, and givers. We know that if we want a world full of people who care about each other, who don’t judge each other and who seek out opportunities to make others feel good, we have to start with the kids.

 

Campers go home with more friends, better skills and a lot to talk about. But our goal is that each camper leaves a bit better than they came. And that we can instill basic morals and ideals into them that will help them become better students, siblings, friends, and eventually, adults. Camp is safe, camp is fun, and camp is designed to better the lives of campers and their families every year.

Forever Changing, Exactly the Same

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Camp Laurel

Forever Changing, Exactly the Same

 

Camp meets campers exactly where they are. It has a unique way of providing campers with exactly what they need, sometimes before the campers even know they need it. Camp Laurel has a way of being the perfect combination of excitement and relaxation and has been that way for over 60 years.

Over time, a lot has changed at camp, but more has stayed the same. Camp always transforms to meet the needs of the campers who come each year. The style of bathing suits may have changed, but the memories created in the lakes stay the same. The cabins may have been without porches then, but the stories and late night conversations inside of them were as special then as they are now. The feeling that Laurel gives campers throughout the summer never changes.

If campers from last summer were to sit down with campers from 20 years ago, they would have a lot in common. They could trade stories about competing in College Days and bust out lyrics to some of Laurel’s most popular songs. Campers from both eras would be able to reminisce about the delicious camp food, the campfires and all of the different sports and activities that filled their days. Even though a lot of time has passed, campers from 20 years ago would recognize camp as a place where they felt cared about, understood and accepted. Campers from last summer would be able to talk about new activities, updated cabins and facilities, but would be familiar with the feeling of acceptance and encouragement that is the foundation of Camp Laurel.

Camp must have a sense of flexibility and growth to cater to new campers while holding on to its foundational values and traditions.  Camp Laurel is constantly changing and improving, but will always be committed to being a place of friendships, fun and life-long learning.

Summer Camp Improves Self-Confidence

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Laurel South

Summer Camp Improves Self-Confidence

Nothing’s better than walking into your first day of school with confidence and a positive attitude.  Knowing you look good, feel good and have everything to make this an awesome year is a great way to start school.

Spending the summer at camp can really improve a camper’s self-confidence. Every day, they are surrounded by people who support and encourage them. Kids who come to school from a summer at Laurel South have something different about them. They’re eager, self-confident and ready to be the best they can be.

Camp teaches campers they are funny, worth listening to, and that they make good friends.  They learn that they have something to offer others around them.

It happens slowly, and most of the time kids don’t even realize it, but at camp they are constantly being exposed to new things, encouraged and supported.  They take the experiences and lessons they learned at camp and apply it to their everyday life back at school.  They feel capable, empowered and self-confident. With this attitude, they can conquer the school year and any other obstacle that is in their way.

Spending a summer at Laurel South is a great way to instill self-confidence in every camper, and provides them with a great foundation to start school every year.

The Unique Camp Perspective

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One thing parents love so much about camp is that it takes campers out of their comfort zones in many ways. Not only are campers eating and sleeping in a new place, but they’re also trying games and activities that are new to them, and working with people they’ve never met. This shake-up of their routine does wonders for their social, physical, and emotional health. Camp also has a unique way of shifting the mindset of campers. A summer at camp is a summer away from social media and texting and a time focused on nature, real relationships, character building, and good ‘ol fashioned fun.

America’s Finest Summer Camps immerse campers in a world unlike anything they are used to. It takes away a few modern comforts and conveniences and replaces them with things that are more low maintenance. Campers quickly learn the value of a one-on-one conversation with a trusted friend over having 50+ comments on their Instagram picture. They learn to appreciate the breezes, the vastness of the lakes, the sunsets and all of the natural beauty that surrounds them. They begin to see things differently, and this perspective stays with them even after they leave camp. Campers who used to find their joy in material things now look internally to find happiness, and this is a skill that will change their character and build their confidence.

Camp is a big place, full of big adventures and big fun. But in the midst of all of that, there are a million little things to be discovered, admired and appreciated. From quiet time on the lake before the camp gets crazy, to the beauty of a bonfire or the thrill of climbing the rock wall, campers learn to look for the little things that add up to make a big difference in their camp experience.

With social media playing such a huge role in the lives of kids and teens, many parents wonder if their child could survive without checking their Facebook or taking 20+ selfies on the way to school. Rest assured, parents, that without technology and social media to worry about, kids can focus on what they do best: being kids. They have the entire summer to focus on making friends and having fun and they learn that being in the moment is far more important than finding the perfect filter to capture the moment. Social media has its advantages of course, but at camp, camper’s learn a valuable lesson: their worth is not defined by how many followers they have or how many likes their pictures get.

Camp changes the way campers see the world. By spending their summers here, campers learn a little bit more about the world around them and how to appreciate the little things that make every day beautiful.

Taking Your Skills to the Next Level

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Camp Laurel

Taking Your Skills to the Next Level

 

During the school year, athletes, artists and dancers devote hours a day to their skill. Kids see significant improvements thanks to the time commitment they put toward their favorite activities. But imagine what they could do if they had seven weeks to devote to learning, practicing and improving the craft they’re so passionate about? Camp offers campers an extended period of time to focus on their interests in an encouraging and positive atmosphere.

Being trained and encouraged by the counselors at Camp Laurel is one way campers can improve their skills. Each activity is led by a counselor who is not only knowledgeable about what they teach, but passionate about it, too. At camp, the new environment can give the activity new life. Campers see their activity from a fresh perspective which helps keep their engagement level high.

 

Some campers come to camp to focus on one sport or skill, while others like to mix it up. Campers also don’t feel they have to commit to one sport or activity due to time restraints. Whether they choose to work on a specific activity or want to jump around and try a little bit of everything, a summer at Camp Laurel provides campers with plenty of time to take their skills to the next level.

Inspiration is All Around Us

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Brant Lake Dance Camp

Inspiration is All Around Us

March is the biggest season for Dance in New York City. It’s exciting and inspiring. So, in spite of the “March in like a Lion and out like a lamb” weather, I love to go. Whether it’s the Paul Taylor Dance Company, AIley II, NYC Ballet, ABT, Dance Theater of Harlem, or, less famous companies like BalletNext, Sokolow Theater/Dance Ensemble or Pigeonwing Dance, there is something beautiful and inspiring for everyone.

 

Every company is featuring work of a new choreographer, a theme especially dear to our hearts at Brant Lake Dance Camp. We at BLDC know that inside every young dancer is a voice waiting to be heard. Our young choreographer course, Enchoreo, is a wonderful place for our young women to explore their creative voices. Some of their inspiration comes directly from their surroundings, a cool breeze through pine trees or a seed from a performance they saw back in March. It may have been a turn led by a shoulder at a Paul Taylor performance or an impeccable series of leaps at the NYC Ballet or a dip performed by Pigeonwing Dance or maybe it was the way that guy on the train took his seat. 

 

Inspiration is all around us. Especially, this month in the NYC dance scene. Go see some!

 

Camp Friends are Forever Friends

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Laurel South

Camp Friends are Forever Friends

Something camp friends will always appreciate about each other is the feeling that friendship is a two-way street. At camp, everything is about giving to the community; maximum enthusiasm, maximum caring, maximum friendliness. Everyone strives to give 100% at all times, because 95% isn’t enough to make the experience unforgettable. Camp taught us that community means everything.

The special spark that makes a person who they are will never really change. However, there is a noticeable maturing that happens for campers. The class clown becomes more thoughtful. The dreamer becomes more attentive. The quiet one learns to come out of their shell.

Ultimately, camp teaches how to care for others the way we wished to be cared for ourselves. It’s a value that sets “camp people” apart from the crowd. Campers become each other’s families. When a birthday comes around, campers get as many cards, calls and texts from camp friends as they do from family. We know camp friends can be just as dependable as family.

They say you can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends. And when you pick your friends at camp, you stay friends forever.

How Camp Makes Kids Better Eaters

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For some lucky families, dinnertime is an enjoyable and relaxing time to connect with family. For others, it’s like World War III. Whether kids are too busy chatting about their day to eat, or refuse to eat anything remotely healthy, keeping kids fed can be a challenge for many families.  Many parents are surprised to hear that when their kids go to camp, they’re more likely to try newer, healthier foods than they would at home.

Spending the summer at camp means kids are active and busy from morning ‘til night. They are running from activity to activity, and are burning calories without even thinking about it. They need to be constantly refueled, and camp makes sure they’re putting good stuff in their bodies. At America’s Finest Summer Camps, campers are sometimes more likely to try a new food because their friends are eating it, which opens their minds to trying new things. It’s a good kind of peer pressure.

 

Kids also become more responsible for their eating choices.  They don’t have parents choosing and prepping every single meal for them, so they are responsible for making balanced and healthy choices. They have access to homemade options throughout the day as snacks and are given multiple healthy options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Soups made from scratch and a colorful salad bar encourage campers to make balanced and healthy choices. They are also encouraged to stay hydrated with water throughout the day.

Kids aren’t deprived of a sweet treat here and there, but they learn about balance. They eat well throughout the day and stay active, and learn that indulging in a dessert is perfectly fine in moderation.

At home, it is easy to get into a weekly dinner routine consisting of the same meals that kids will like (Taco Tuesday, anyone?!) While this makes dinner time a little easier for parents, it doesn’t give children the opportunity to try new foods. At America’s Finest Summer Camps, campers are exposed to new foods on a daily basis and are encouraged to try them! They are usually pleasantly surprised that they like quite a few of the new foods that they try!

It’s important to teach children from a young age the importance of nutritional responsibility. Providing them with new foods to try and encouraging them to find a balance is what they eat, drink and do will create healthy adults who value good food and living a healthy lifestyle.