Which is Right for You? Session Camp or Full Season

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You’re looking through camp literature, checking out camp Facebook pages and camp websites and find yourself debating whether to send your child to a shorter session camp next summer or a full season seven week camp.  What’s really the difference?  Will my children feel like they had less of an experience of they attend a three or four week session camp?  Is seven weeks too long for my eight year old?  These are questions that prospective camp parents find themselves asking every fall.  Here a few clarifications of the differences to help answer your questions:

What is really the difference between a session camp and a full summer camp?  The long and short of this answer is time.  Session camps are basically shorter versions of traditional full summer camps.  They offer the same activities and programs as full summer camps, albeit abbreviated.  This means that your children will experience the same things at a session camp as they would a full summer camp, only in shorter durations.  This is not to say, however, that there are not differences between full season and session camps:

Traditional Full Season Summer Camps

Traditional seven week programs offer a great solution for keeping children active during their entire summer break.  Because they have more time, full summer camps are able to emphasize tradition and sense of community.  Children also have more time to make friends, get to know their counselors, and enjoy an environment that allows them to be themselves 24/7.  If your children need time to adjust to a new setting, a full summer session may be the best fit.  It’s typical for young campers, particularly those new to camping, to take some time to adjust to their summer camp surroundings.  However, some require more time than others.  These children may feel rushed to enjoy themselves if sent to a shorter session camp.  At a full summer camp, they will have plenty of time to acclimate themselves to their new surroundings, settle in, and enjoy themselves. If you want your children to be grounded in tradition and able to maximize their summer camp experience, then a traditional full season camp is likely the best fit.

Session Camps

Session camps, like their full summer counterparts, are also steeped in tradition and community.  If you choose to send your children to a shorter session camp, they will not miss out on these vital elements of summer camp.  However, when considering what you want your children to bring away from their summer camp experience, it’s important to understand and accept that three weeks are shorter than seven.  Session camps are shorter to provide those children who, for whatever reason, might not otherwise get to experience summer camp. Session camps are ideal for families who still want to take a vacation over the summer or have other commitments, such as sports leagues or other extracurricular activities.  By attending session camp, they still get to be campers.  Another advantage of session camps is that they often attract a slightly more diverse group of campers than their full season counterparts.  Many international families opt for session camps simply because their school schedules do not permit them to attend traditional full season summer camps.  Because of their abbreviated lengths and more global camper communities, many session camps take a somewhat progressive approach to camping.

Whether you choose a full season camp or a session camp, your children will have a rewarding, international experience that emphasizes tradition, community, friends, and fun.

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Where is Your Ideal Summer Camp?

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You’ve begun to think about summer camp, hope to have your prospects narrowed to a handful by the first of the year, but are struggling with how far you should expand your search area for potential camps.  How far is too far?

The “right” answer to this question is very different for many families and depends a great deal on what type of experience they want their children to have.  Of course, when choosing a summer camp, one must consider obvious points, such as transportation to and from camp.  Most summer camps also have visiting days for parents, typically in the middle of the summer for full season camps and at the closing of a session for session camps, making it necessary for parents to take into account their own prospective travel plans.  Will you attend Visiting Day?  How much time do you have to travel to and from Visiting Day?  How long do you want to spend visiting the area around your child’s camp?  These answers are different for many families.

Many parents opt to send their children to summer camp within a few hours of home.  This makes it convenient for them make Visiting Day plans (an easy day trip) and gives them the peace of mind of knowing that their children are within reach, should an emergency arise.  Many camps also provide transportation for campers to and from camp from pick up spots within a few hour radius of camp, which virtually relieves parents of having to plan how their children will travel to and from camp.

Traditional American summer camps, though, are increasingly receiving the attention of international parents who want to introduce their children to a global culture and give them the opportunity to gain some hands on English speaking experience.  Says the mother of Nicholas, a Camp Weequahic international camper, regarding the decision to send a child overseas to summer camp, ““Each kid is different…each mum is different …” For these parents, finding the right summer camp is less about distance and more about how they feel a camp’s atmosphere will enhance their children’s lives.  Their priority is to look for a summer camp that will give their children a good dose of American culture and the provide them to make friends from other nations and backgrounds.  Nicholas’s mother emphasized that she, “did not want to send Nicolas to the United States just to meet other French guys!!!”

For these families, finding the right American summer camp “fit” is paramount to travel.  They want their children to experience the iconic traditional American summer camp.  Nicholas spent a summer gaining independence and confidence in his English skills and acquired a host of new friends in his summer camp family.

The appeal of atmosphere over distance isn’t one strictly exhibited on the international scene, however.  Many American parents are drawn to the idyllic and scenic setting of New England and the Poconos of Northeast Pennsylvania…the mountains, the trees, the lakes, the streams, the rivers, the seasons.  Undoubtedly, the campuses of New England and Northeast Pennsylvania summer camps are among the most beautiful in the U.S.  Many camps in New England and Northeast Pennsylvania are also among the most reputable in the country as well, and, as the birthplace of the traditional full summer session, the majority of the country’s full summer residential camps are located there.  For those parents who want their children to experience a full summer of camping, New England and Northeast Pennsylvania are often the obvious choices, regardless of distance.  America’s Finest Summer Camps draw campers from as far away as California, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, and many other states.

For those parents who opt for camps more than a few hours from home, there is often little need to worry about the safety of their children while traveling.  Many camps in New England and Northeast Pennsylvania offer chaperoned flights from such popular destinations as Florida, California, Illinois, and Colorado and, at the very least, will personally meet your children at the airport, escort them to camp, and put them back on the plane at the end of the summer.  American summer camps understand that in 2011, they’re catering to a global environment, and are fully prepared to make accommodations to do so.

Make Your Camp Counselor Experience an Effective Tool in Your Job Search

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So you’ve spent a summer—or maybe the better part of your college career—working as a summer camp counselor.  You’re nearing graduation and you’re starting to pull together your resume for finding a job in the “real world”.  You’ve been wondering, ‘How do I adequately articulate my summer camp experience?’  You’re worried that it will sound trivial to hiring managers, but you know that what you gained from your camp experiences are some of the most valuable skills you’ve learned.  You’ve learned the art of communication, having worked with people all over the world and children ranging in age from seven to fifteen.  You’ve learned the importance of discretion; your campers didn’t need to know EVERYTHING about you.  You’ve learned how to negotiate, mediate, and maintain a positive morale, having coached your campers through swim tests, disagreements, activities, stage fright, and just about a million other things.  You’ve learned time management skills.  How many other job applicants can motivate twelve campers to move across campus from soccer to woodworking in five minutes or less, consistently coax them out of bed at 7am, and convince them that it’s time for lights out after an exciting evening of activities? You’ve learned how to use creativity to solve problems and are MacGyver with a few jars of paint, construction paper, a little bit of fabric, some scissors, and maybe a little glitter…add feathers and beads to that mix and you can practically re-invent the wheel.  In fact, you’ve learned so many things as a summer camp counselor that you’re not even sure how you’re going to fit it all onto one 8 ½” X 11” sheet of paper, nevermind about your other job experience. So how do you convey the importance your summer camp job experience has had on your life in a way that hiring managers will see the value in it, too?

First, as sentimental as those experiences were for you, a hiring manager isn’t looking for the screenplay to the next The Blind Side.  They’re looking for prospective employees who can efficiently yet effectively and specifically communicate their skills and abilities in a very concise manner.  This means keep it relevant and as action packed as most of those days at summer camp were.  Convey how active your summer camp job was through the verbs that you choose.
Second, without being too broad, make your resume sing of how well rounded your skill set is because of your summer camp counselor experience.  Employers love diversity.  A resume that sings of it will be sure to get a hiring manager’s attention.

Third, do your homework.  Job hunting is not a one size fits all endeavor.  You need to know and understand not only what you are looking for, but what the company to which you are applying is looking for as well.  If there is a particular quality you feel you possess because of your summer camp counselor experience that makes you a good fit for a position or a company, highlight that one quality in your cover letter.  Explain specifically how you feel your summer job experience and knowledge will translate into the new role.    Having experience is one thing.  Demonstrating that you understand how that experience can be integrated into others speaks volumes.

Fourth, don’t be afraid to remind prospective employers, either in your cover letter or at the interview, that being a camp counselor is a 24/7 job.  Employers are attracted to people who aren’t afraid to throw themselves heart and soul into their work.  What’s more heart and soul than being on duty 24/7?

Finally, be prepared.  Be prepared to tell a hiring manager at an interview EXACTLY why you feel your summer camp experience gives you the edge over other applicants.  When asked, don’t go into a lengthy mumble that basically amounts to a rehash of your summer(s).  Show the hiring manager that you’ve thought long and hard about how your summer camp work experience is relevant to your future and that you understand specifically how to extract your experiences and apply them to other areas of your life.  Most importantly, give examples, give examples, give examples!

Now is the Time to Start Choosing a Summer Camp

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The leaves are falling off the trees and the weather is starting to cool down, but it’s not too early to start thinking about sending your children to summer camp next summer.  There is certainly no shortage of American summer camps and finding the right one for your children is essential to their success there.  There’s a lot to think about, which makes now a great time to start thinking about what you want in a camp.

Traditional summer camps are a great way to introduce children to summer camp because they offer a broad and well-rounded experience.  Children still trying to find their niche in a sport or hobby find great success at these camps because they’re given opportunities throughout the summer to take part in many different types of activities.

The length of the summer camp you choose is also important.  Most overnight camps accept campers from the age of seven.  When considering camps, it’s key to consider your family’s lifestyle, your children’s other activities and commitments, and even your children themselves. Many embrace the traditional seven week experience because it removes the stress of trying to figure out how to keep children active and entertained during summer vacation.  Increasingly, however, session camps are gaining in popularity because families whose schedules or budgets don’t permit them to consider a full summer at camp can still take advantage of the benefits of the traditional summer camp experience.   America’s Finest Summer Camps offer sessions of varying lengths from three weeks to the full seven weeks.

Consider how far away from home you want your child to travel as well.  Some parents prefer to send their children to a summer camp within a few hours of home while others view summer camp as a way to introduce a global perspective to their children and send them abroad to attend summer camp.  This is particularly becoming a trend in Europe, where European parents are deciding that they’d like their children to experience traditional American summer camps.  However, increasingly, parents from all over the world are making this decision as well.  Many American parents find the amazing reputations, beautiful campuses, and the breathtaking scenery of New England and Northeast Pennsylvania idyllic and send their children from as far away as California, Florida, and many other states.

The structure of a camp’s program should be given careful consideration as well.  As they grow older, most campers like to make decisions about their daily activities at camp, and many American summer camps give them the opportunity to do so.  However, some younger campers, especially those new to summer camp, prefer a structured program with all or most of the decisions about their daily activities made for them.  For independent or experienced campers who know what they like, however, there are camps that permit campers of all ages to choose all or most of their activities each day.

Once you have decided what type of camp, length, location, and program are right for your child, you will likely find your search narrowed to a manageable number of camps.  At that point, it’s important to start learning about the camps that fit your criteria.  View their websites, read their blogs, check out their Facebook pages (if they have them), and sign up to follow their Twitter feeds.  By doing this now, you will give yourself plenty of time to watch, read, and listen.  If you are unfamiliar with camp, you will be pleasantly surprised at how active summer camp communities remain throughout the winter.  In fact, many camp families will tell you that camp never really ends for them—and that’s a good thing.  Over the next few months, you may find yourself feeling a certain affinity to a few of these communities.  One of those just may be your family’s perfect summer camp fit.

Being a Camp Counselor Builds Skills for Your Future

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The guest blog this week is from Alyson, Camp Starlight’s Assistant Director.

“Most of hype you hear about why you should be a summer camp counselor involves fun, friendship, and sunshine!  However, it may come as a surprise that one of the best reasons to become a camp counselor is the impact it will have on your future career.   There are few better ways to spend your summers than to have an experience that not only offers you the opportunity to enhance your teaching and coaching skills but to have fun while getting paid!  College students who are education, sports administration, and recreation majors can easily build their resumes while earning college credit too.  Some of the things you don’t realize you will get out of camp…social development, professionalism, working in a group setting, planning on the spot, supervision, conflict resolution, and problem solving.  On top of all of that getting to work with children is so gratifying and getting to work in the fun outdoors during the summer is desirable too.  And did we mention FUN?

There are so many benefits to working at camp if you are a college student majoring in any of the aforementioned areas.  You naturally start to build leadership skills that are natural to a classroom or a team setting.  In your daily life at camp, the activity periods, bunk responsibilities, and general camper caretaking are all opportunities for developing future classroom management roles as well as teaching and coaching tactics. The responsibility you have for children at summer camp is a common thread to teaching and coaching.  But at camp you’re given a fun environment where you’re developing in all these ways while you are also helping to build the kids’ self-confidence, skill base, and further childhood development!”

Create a Camp Atmosphere All Year Long

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Just because your children are no longer at camp doesn’t mean you can’t create a camp atmosphere in your home.  There are several things you can do to keep the camp spirit alive all year long.

This doesn’t have to be a radical flip of the switch that completely eliminates conveniences and luxuries from your lives.  In fact, such an act is probably not very realistic for many families.  But taking small steps to reduce your children’s reliance on things such as television, video games, and cell phones is a great way to remind them that don’t need them as much as they think they do.  Designate a day or two each week in which you won’t turn on the television or play video games.  Have a family game night instead.  Board games and card games are a great, light-hearted way to bring the entire family together for a few hours.  Turn off cell phones during meal times, before a designated time in the morning, and after a designated time in the evening.  Yes, with the invention of smart phones, we’re becoming increasingly reliant on these convenient little gadgets, but you may be surprised at just how much you enjoy the peace and quiet of a few hours without them each day…and, your family will also likely remember just how much they appreciate having a conversation with someone who is not looking at their cell phone or texting the entire time.

Keep supplies for creative bursts.  Arts & Crafts, Eco Science, and Nature don’t have to be activities restricted to the camp setting.  In fact, many of the projects that your children do at camp can quite easily be done at home, and they’re a great way to fill an afternoon or evening on which you’ve decided to have a break from television and video games.  There are books readily available that walk you step-by-step through such popular camp projects as tie-dying, candle making, beading, shrinky dinks, Mentos geysers, goo, and many more.  YouTube also has a host of videos that demonstrate kid friendly home science and nature experiments.  Keeping a closet or a chest of standard supplies for these types of projects will prevent you from having to make a shopping trip every time the kids want to have some summer camp style fun.

Have a “campfire”.  You might not have a backyard big enough (and there may be some local ordinances against this, even if you do), but consider having a backyard fire.  A patio fire pit, if you have one, is actually ideal.  An operable indoor fireplace works, too.  Make s’mores, tell stories, share memories.  This makes for a great evening to invite friends over because, as every camper will tell you, the more the merrier at a campfire.  If you live in an area in which weather permits, actually taking a weekend camping trip is always fun, too.

Start a garden (if you have a yard) or cook with your children once a week.  Gardening and cooking programs are popular at camp.  Even if you don’t have the space in your yard, herb gardens are easy to maintain and can be grown indoors.  Besides being enjoyable and fun, cooking is a valuable life skill for children to learn.  Let your children look up healthy recipes, talk about nutrition with them, and, most importantly, let them do the work in the kitchen.

Have regular family “out of the house” trips.  At camp, children regularly take “out of camp” trips to places such as local sporting events, the movies, or bowling… They look forward to these trips as a special treat and time to create some very special memories with their camp friends.  Why not make special memories like these as a family?

By making just a few (fun) adjustments, your entire family can enjoy the spirit of camp throughout the year, and it just might make those ten months of waiting a little more bearable for the kids!

Camp is…Friends, Skill, and Fun

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The featured guest blog this week is from Camp Laurel South…

“The clothes have been washed (and washed again). The sleeping bag has been aired out. The stories have been told – many of them, anyway.

Right now, camp takes a back seat to the new school year. It’s a little early to think about next year. But now – with a little distance – is the perfect time to figure out how successful your son or daughter’s summer camp experience was and ask a lot of questions.

Does your child talk about friends and counselors? That’s a sure sign of a great summer. Peers and young adults have an enormous influence on a camp environment – and on each other.

What skills did your child gain, develop or improve? Is he hitting a tennis ball with a little more power than just a few months ago? Did she ask you to go swimming every day until school began? Has your son shown a new interest in drama?Does your daughter now want to write for the school newspaper?

Can you see new confidence in your child? Does she walk taller? Did he tackle tasks he once shied away from? One mother said, “I almost didn’t recognize my son after camp. It wasn’t that he grew – although he did. It was just the way he carried himself. The change in just a few weeks was incredible.”

Can you sense a spirit of independence? Whether spending a summer away from home for the first time, or having to figure things out without Mom and Dad’s help, youngsters enjoy a level of independence at camp that’s tough to attain at home. Kids still need their parents, of course – but the feel good knowing they can handle certain situations on their own.

Do they make better choices? The camp day is filled with decisions. If you detect a new (and improved) level of decision-making, camp may be part of the reason.

Does your child put things away on his own now? Nah. He did at camp – but old habits die hard.”

Summer Camp: Defining Routine and Ritual

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Routines.  Everyone has them.  For some, they encompass everything that takes place from the time we wake in the morning until we go to bed at night.  For others, they come in short bursts throughout the day, such as at mealtimes or bedtime.  However, establishing routines as daily parts of our lives is important, especially for children.  Childcare experts agree that establishing regular routines for children is essential for healthy development.  The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning reports that “Studies have documented that schedules and routines influence children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development.”

It’s no secret that summer camps provide loose routines that allow room for healthy creative development through structured daily programs and schedules that maintain consistent meal, activity, and bedtimes.  Maintaining a routine throughout the summer is also valuable in easing the transition from summer to fall and back into summer again.  However, one special aspect of summer camp that is often overlooked is that it helps children learn to understand the difference between routine and ritual—what makes one necessity and the other tradition.

Barbara H. Fiese, Ph.D., Syracuse University, defines routine as something that “involves a momentary time commitment so that once the act is completed, there is little, if any, afterthought.”  However, she defines ritual as “symbolic communication” that has “continuity in meaning across generations.”  Rituals take place within the home family setting.  However, for children, it’s not always clear how to tell the difference between what is done simply to be done and what is  done because it’s significant to their heritage.  This is where the summer camp ritual takes on a special significance.  Even executives such as Michael Eisner have publicly recalled the important role that summer camp rituals have played in their lives.

Summer camp often draws a distinct line between routine and ritual.  Campers understand, for instance, that cleaning their bunks or cabins everyday is part of a routine.  That following an activities schedule is part of routine.  That hearing TAPS in the evening to signal bedtime is a part of routine.  They, too, understand that campfires, however regular, are rituals.  They are more than just a fire that they gather around to eat s’mores.  Campfires have meaning that goes far beyond the fire itself.  The same can be said about opening night shows, closing, and fireworks.  Campers understand that these are not just routines done merely to achieve a goal.  They’re rituals that make their summer camp the place that it is and them a part of it.

By being able to tell the difference, children are able to accept routine as something that needs to be done and prevent rituals from simply becoming routine by understanding the value in them.  Dr. Fiese says that children will often revisit memories of rituals in order to “recapture some of the positive.” experience.”  This perhaps explains why so many camp rituals remain sacred to campers far passed their camping years.  Some of America’s Finest Summer Camps’ rituals hold special significance for campers and staff members: coves, campfires, flagpole nominations, opening night shows, banquets, competitions, and other activities that bring them together.  For a closer look at each camp’s rituals, visit the Camp Laurel, Camp Laurel South, Camp Weequahic, and Camp Starlight blogs.

Everything I Need to Know, I Learned at Summer Camp

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This week, we have a guest blog from Lindsay at Camp Starlight…

Back in 1988, the book Everything I Need to Know, I Learned in Kindergarten was written by Robert Fulghum. However true the points the author makes may be, it is arguable that those who go to summer camp would feel otherwise. Although summer camp is packed full of fun times, arts and crafts projects, and songs around a campfire, it is also an experience rich in life lessons that carry on far into adulthood. Children who are still of camping age probably think that a crazy concept.  To them summer is simply two months filled with sports, activities, and bonding time with their friends. But those who are past the age of those simple days of fun in the sun feel certain they have taken far more from their summers spent at camp.

The years a child spends away at summer camp are the years when development is at an all time high. It is the age when a children build the foundation of their personalities, life attitudes, and personal relationships with others. The most basic lesson hidden in the experience of going to summer camp is the independence found in leaving the familiarity of family and friends at home. Going off to a new place without mom or dad around to help manage time and personal space is a giant step in the right direction for learning personal responsibility. In joining a group of kids their own age as a unit, the children learn to accept compromise, share, and respect others in a fun environment. As they step into the bunk, they also learn the roles of new authority figures in their counselors, instructors, and camp administration.

The relationships founded between counselor and camper are bonds that are remembered for many years past the days spent in the bunks together. These friendships teach respect and acceptance of the new adult assuming the position of summer caretaker for the child. It is a gentle transition, as the role of a counselor is generally focused on the child having a great time but also ensuring the child is safe, fair, and well-taken care of. Children learn that authority figures are not to be seen solely as someone who tells them what to do, but as someone who genuinely cares about their welfare, progress, and interactions with those around them. Camps enact policies such as group clean-ups and team building exercises utilize the necessary time spent doing chores and outdoor activities to become educational experiences for each child. The concepts of personal responsibility and teamwork become second nature at camp, and they are indispensable as the child moves on to college and adulthood.

Another indispensable quality learned through staff member relationships with campers is the characteristics of “coach-ability”; the acceptance of instruction and constructive criticism. Every summer, children are excited to spend time on the fields and courts during athletic activity periods. While they are learning the proper way to shoot a lay-up, they are also engaging in a fun, educational lesson in observing and learning from others. While they obviously enjoy one area more than others, they are expected to both try and improve in the all activities. They spend the day with others in their bunks or divisions who have different interests and strengths and, through those performances, are able to see that everyone has their own niche and range of capabilities. This builds the early cornerstone of mutual respect amongst others and the idea that they can learn something from another person, even if that subject matter does not necessarily spark their full interest. The camp implementing full participation expectations from every child also teaches them the idea that they should always play a part in the activity and do their best at the task at hand.

The final lesson most prevalent in a child’s growth in camping is the sense of pride that is found in being part of a group and engaging in its traditions. For years to come, former campers will reflect on campfires, evening activities, sing-alongs, and the everyday routines of their camp days as fond memories spent at a place where they found their summer home. There is a spirit of pride and camaraderie when they see a person from their camp get into a highly renowned university, publish their first book, or take the field as a collegiate or professional athlete. A shared sense of accomplishment for that person shows the strength of the bonds found in camp friendships and the acknowledgement of others’ personal victories. Those in their post-camping days find that through painting their faces, raising their voices in a round, and taking roles on as senior campers stick with them in later years as a sense of unity amongst a group of people. By taking part in something that stood before them and has continued on without them, they carry with them the role they played in a part of the history of that place. The good feelings and happiness found both in the moment and in years to come instills in a camper the value of relationships with others and taking pride in an establishment. This further develops loyalty and commitment in other organizations ranging from teams, sororities or fraternities, community service projects, and even in the professional corporations they find themselves in later in life.

In conclusion, it may seem that the issues at hand make a simple summer spent with friends too serious. However, those who look back on their experiences in camping with fond memories know the things they learned at camp are still with them. The relationships built often outlast those of neighborhood and schoolyard friends, and in them they find some of their greatest confidantes and oldest friends. The tools gained through taking part in summers at camp haven proven useful in the obstacles faced years later. Therefore, it is quite obvious to those who at some point called themselves a camper that they truly learned everything they needed to know at camp!

This blog was originally posted on the Camp Starlight blog on September 9, 2011.  To view the original blog, go here:

http://www.campstarlight.com/blog/uncategorized/everything-i-need-to-know-i-learned-at-summer-camp/

Camp Tools for School

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This week’s guest blog comes to us from Camp Weequahic Director Cole Kelly and features some helpful advice for campers about how to apply what they learned at camp in school.

“Well campers, it’s time for school. I know you’d rather be at camp – so would I! However, it’s time to leave your camp gear at home and head off to the classroom. But just because you are going to school doesn’t mean you’ll leave everything behind. Here are a few suggestions of tools you learned at camp that you should take to school every day.

Confidence! You just spent a lot of time away from home this summer. You made friends with campers and staff from around the country and world. You helped mold your own daily schedule into something you’d love. You swam in a lake, tackled a climbing tower, got up on stage, created pieces of art, and laughed until your belly hurt. Summer camp showed you that you have what it takes to be a success and revealed the path forward. This confidence will be huge in your day-to-day life at school. Use it!

Community! When you look back on your time at camp, I bet you’ll think mostly of what went on in the bunk. You, your bunk mates, and your counselors spent a whole lot of time building a fun, caring, and welcoming community. It took patience and commitment. Watching everyone hug (and even shed a tear) on the last day of camp, I know it was worth it. So, think of what you’ve experienced in building a bunk community and take it to your classroom. You can help be a leader in building a great community at school.

Character! At summer camp, counselors and staff stressed to you that it’s your daily actions that matter. The big and little things you do everyday show who you are. While others may listen to your words, you’ve learned that they’ll imitate your actions. So choose your actions wisely! Remember: little by little, character is built every day. Take what you’ve learned at camp and show everyone in your classroom and school what a person with great character can do.

You learned so much this summer – how to water ski, climb, create a radio broadcast, project your voice, cook, etc. More importantly, you gained independence, built character, created a community, and increased your confidence. These aspects of learning at camp will help you every day at school and beyond.

Rest assured that while you are in the classroom improving your knowledge of math, writing, history, science, and more, we’ll be hard at work preparing camp for another fantastic summer of laughter and learning. Have a great year at school. Study hard, do good, and stay excited for camp!”


Cole Kelly

Director