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America’s Finest Summer Camps: More than 200 Combined Successful Summers

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

As part of iconic America, many American summer camps are steeped in rich histories.  America’s Finest Summer Camps are no exception.  We thought we would take a minute to share a brief history of each camp with you.

Camp Laurel
Camp Laurel was founded in 1949 and has been in continuous operation ever since. Its original site was on Lake Awosting, New York. During this period, the camp was under the co‑direction of Mel and Bette Archard and John and Alice Harrison. In the fall of 1965 the camp moved to its present site on Echo Lake in Mt. Vernon, Maine. Camp Laurel opened at its new site on July 1, 1966. In 1974 Ron Scott began working for Camp Laurel on a full‑time basis, and in 1978 Ron and Ann joined Mel and Bette as Directors. In 1979 Ron and Ann purchased Camp Laurel and assumed the roles of Owners and Directors. In 1994, after spending three summers as Co-Director, Keith Klein purchased Camp Laurel and has served as Owner and Director since that time. Jem Sollinger, a long-time camper and counselor, joined Keith as Co-Director in 2002. In 2007, Jem and his wife, Debbie, assumed the directorship of Laurel. Keith maintains an active role as Director and spends his summers on Echo Lake, Maine along with Jem and Debbie.

Camp Starlight
Founded in 1947 by the Schmierer family, 2011 marks Camp Starlight’s 65th year of making tradition, spirit, friendship, adventure, family, and fun.  These are the words used by campers, parents, and staff to define their experiences and memories of Camp Starlight.  Located in Starlight, Pennsylvania, just two and a half hours northwest of New York City, a drive up the mile long road brings you to the 285 acre brother/sister campus with its own private lakes and surrounded by the “endless mountains” of Pennsylvania.

A glimpse at the endless rows of bunk plaques inside the Dining Room will provide any visitor with an instant glimpse of what a special place Camp Starlight has been to campers and staff alike in its 65 years of existence.  David and Allison Miller purchased Camp Starlight in 1999 and are now in their 13th year of serving as its Owners/Directors.

Camp Laurel South
Laurel camping was founded in 1949 and Camp Laurel operated its first summer in 1950 under the direction of the Archard and Harrison families.  In 1974, Ron and Ann Scott joined Ann’s parents, Mel and Bette Archard, as Directors.  In 1979 Ron and Ann purchased Laurel and assumed the roles of Owners and Directors.  In 1994, Keith Klein purchased Camp Laurel from the Scotts.  Keith owns Laurel today along with his partners, Jem and Debbie Sollinger. The Scotts purchased the former Dr. Johnson’s Camps in 1992 at its site on Crescent Lake in Casco, Maine, and renamed it Laurel South.  Laurel South operated its first summer in 1993 under the leadership of Roger and Dagni Christian.  In the fall 0f 1998, Roger and Dagni, along with Keith, took ownership of Laurel South and continue their partnership to this day.

While Laurel South is known as a first-rate facility, Roger, Dagni and Keith have always maintained that it is the people who make Laurel South the special place it is today.  Every camper and counselor has left an impression on our camp and contributed to the rich tradition we enjoy.  As we speak with Laurel South alumni, we often hear stories of Spirit Days, Council Fires, Carnival, S- Day’s, Ohana, Socials…the list goes on and on.  The overriding theme that ties each of these stories together is memories. Memories of friendships and fun which last long after the summers spent at camp.

Camp Weequahic
Weequahic was founded in 1953 by Art and Mollie Lustig and operated under the directorship of the same family for more than five decades. The ideal with which camp was started – to provide the best in camping –still holds true today, almost 60 years after our first campers spent their summer with us in Lakewood, Pennsylvania.

Weequahic is far more than the facilities and scenic beauty of over 100 acres located in Wayne County, although these are certainly part of what has made Weequahic so special. It’s the people and their relationships that make Weequahic what it is. Our campers learn new activities every year, but what draws them back is our warm, caring environment… an environment in which friendships are encouraged and where self-sufficiency and tolerance in learning to live with others is taught.

The current Directors, Cole and Kate Kelly, work tirelessly to insure that the Weequahic motto, which has been maintained for almost 60 years, continues to be:
“Where Caring is a Tradition.”

So there you have it.  If you’ve been doing your math, then by now you’ve figured out that, combined, we have 200 years of experience in the camping!  For America’s Finest Summer Camps, history is our past, present, and future.

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Giving Back: The Spirit of Camp Community

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

American author Mitch Albom has noted, “The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.”  Community is a big part of camping and is a core value often emphasized through community service, peer mentoring within camp, and special programs created to help older campers maneuver through their teen years.   For many campers, the spirit of community that they learn to embrace at summer camp becomes a passion that remains with them throughout life.  A large percentage of professionals in the camping industry began their camping careers as campers whose passion for camp and community has lead them to lend their time and resources to organizations dedicated to providing opportunities for everyone to be able to attend camp.

SCOPE (Summer Camp Opportunities Provide and Edge) is one such organization.  Since 1991, SCOPE has sent more than 15,000 children from low income families to summer camp through the generous donations of individuals, corporations, and foundations that share a mutual belief in the long reaching effects of summer camp.

David Miller, Owner/Director of Camp Starlight in Northeastern Pennsylvania, is one such individual.  Miller will emcee the annual SCOPE benefit event, which raises money to send underprivileged children to camp, on April 6t.   Over 200 attendees are expected at this year’s event.  Miller says that he and his wife Allison have always believed that it’s very important to give back to the camp community.  Miller attended camp as a child.  It was there that his dream of someday owning a summer camp was formed.  It became a reality in 1999 with his purchase of Starlight, which is the summer home to 260 girls and 260 boys each summer, and has been featured in Forbes Magazine as one of the premiere summer camps in the nation.

He first became involved with SCOPE seven years ago as a member of the dinner committee.   He says that he believes, “that a summer camp experience is very important to children from all socio-economical households.  Giving underprivileged children the opportunity to leave the inner city for a portion of the summer helps in their social, physical and emotional development.”  Each year, SCOPE sends 1600+ children to summer camp through corporate sponsorship, blind donations, individual contributions, and fundraising events such such as the one Miller will host.

If you’re interested in providing summer camp opportunities for underprivileged children, would like to learn more about SCOPE, or would simply like to donate, please visit http://scope-ny.org/

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A Summer Full of Adventure

Monday, February 7th, 2011

Few people think of finding a summer job while bundled in scarves, coats, and gloves as they attempt to maneuver roadways and college campuses after the latest snowfall.  However, whether 2011 is the first time you’re considering a summer camp position or you’re a seasoned veteran, February is exactly the time to start the process of securing summer employment, if you haven’t already done so.  Many camps attend campus recruiting fairs in order to assemble the perfect staff.  So why should you attend one of these fairs or complete an online application now?  To begin with, a camp job is definitely fun, but also a lot of work…so be prepared! Where else can you get paid to play all day while building valuable job skills? Whether you work in a specific area and focus on a sport, activity or hobby you love or you work as a counselor who travels from activity to activity with campers, your day is full of exciting challenges and a probably even a few surprises, both of which will develop your problem-solving, critical thinking, and negotiation skills.

If you like working with children and aspire to a career in a field such as education, sports training, psychology or sociology, then you already have another reason to work at a camp.  Camp is an excellent place to gain valuable experience and is impressive on a resume.  Although camp seems lighthearted–and it is in many ways–working at camp requires a lot of responsibility, flexibility, and adaptability, all of which are very valuable characteristics sought by employers.   Each day guarantees new challenges, many of them unexpected.  Summer camp is often organized chaos.  Yes, there is always a plan in place, but the unexpected is also inevitable.  While this may seem scary the first couple days, it also brings an excitement and satisfaction that delivering pizzas or serving food (or even working at an investment bank)  never could.  Working at camp also requires a lot of communication and interpersonal interaction, two more transferrable skills that are highly valued by employers.  At camp, you must effectively co-exist with your campers, co-counselors, and other staff members to be successful.   You will also be able to tell future employers that you worked with people from all over the world and from many different socio-economic backgrounds.  That you’ve overcome cultural, language, and social obstacles with others tells recruiters that diversity is not something you fear, but rather embrace.

Working at summer camp can also be very healthy for your bank account.  You won’t become Donald Trump spending your summers at camp. However; camps provide housing and food in addition to a salary. It’s possible to live virtually expense-free for a couple of months.  Many summer camp counselors take home all or most of their salaries at the end of the summer.

Finally, you will form lifelong friendships at camp.  You may arrive alone and nervous in June, but you will leave in August with literally hundreds of friends from all over the world.  Two months may not seem like a long time, but when one lives and works in close proximity with co-workers, it’s more than sufficient to form bonds that ordinarily would take years.  There are always  tears on the last day of camp, not only when saying goodbye to your campers, who will have secured a special place in your heart forever, but to co-workers—the ones you know you will see again as well as the ones you know you will not.  Regardless, the world will seem like a much smaller place to you.

Though it may seem early to begin planning such a special adventure with so many possibilities, building a successful camp staff not only requires individuals who possess all of the qualities previously mentioned, it requires finding the right mix of personalities and talents.  Such an endeavor, of course, takes time.  Camp recruiters review literally thousands of applications each year and speak with hundreds of candidates to find those who are the best fit for their camp’s atmosphere, philosophy and program.  Starting your job search while the ground is still white and the tree branches still bare provides you with the advantage of a larger pool of positions from which to choose.  By April, most camps have nearly completed their hiring and only difficult to fill or highly specialized roles remain.

So, after a winter of wading through piles of snow, are you ready for a summer full of adventure?

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Camp Mom — Woman of Wonder and Grace

Monday, November 8th, 2010

The official end of summer has passed and kids all over the nation are back at school and I can easily imagine the hallways are still bursting over with stories of summer camp and all of its amazing experiences. Let me tell you about College Days! The fireworks over the lake on the last night! I so miss my camp friends…

Someone else campers might be missing as they return to school is their Camp Mom. Usually assigned to the youngest campers, the Camp Mom serves as the wonder woman of camp life. Ever wonder who keeps nails clipped, or makes sure kids eat a balanced meal? Camp Mom.

“I work really closely with them,” says Amy Blum, who served as Camp Mom for the youngest girls (7-11 year olds) at Camp Starlight this summer. Blum lived at camp the entire summer and saw her role as being an “extra set of eyes and ears to make sure the younger kids were having a great time.” Counselors are in their early twenties, Blum points out, and they haven’t had or raised children, so having a mom on hand was a source of comfort for everyone.

“The counselors would come to me for advice,” Blum says, and she would often think of things that young college students just wouldn’t. “We would always be there at lunch time, taking a look at everyone’s plate as they walked by. When kids came by just filled up with French fries, I’d send them back to get something else. That’s not something the counselors may notice,” she says, admitting that sometimes it’s the counselors themselves who may need a nudge toward the healthier lunch options.

Camp Moms are also just what their name implies, a mom away from home. If a camper is missing home, Amy is ready with a hug and a listening ear. When campers in the nurses office or the health center need a cold glass of ice water, Blum is there to deliver it and check in on them. Blum was always there to help apply sunscreen and Chapstick in the morning, help the girls get their bunks ready for inspection and check in after phone calls home or visiting day.

“I was very impressed with how independent the girls were,” Blum says. “I expected more adjustment issues but the girls were very well prepared for camp. The knew what was expected of them and they did it very well.”

There’s always the need for a helping hand, though. Blum was there to lead a circle game while girls waited their turn on the archery field- don’t like the idea of waiting maybe sing with them as they go to activities or something, for example, encourage the girls as they tackle the climbing wall, and make emergency bathroom runs. She would also hand out the “secret snacks” and be their constant cheerleader.

Blum herself has been involved with summer camp continuously since she was a camper herself in the late 70s. “I’ve missed only three summers since then, and I met my husband at summer camp.” The Blum family tradition is continuing; Amy’s daughter was a counselor in the youngest girls’ bunk at Starlight this summer. She hopes to continue the tradition next summer and would love to return to be Camp Mom again. “I loved what I did and we all enjoyed it and had a good time. It was a wonderful experience.”

Susan

Thanks for the image sponselli and Glen Bowman.

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Building Community

Tuesday, October 12th, 2010

I don’t know about you, but a good number of my current communities are one step away from reality — they only exist online. I have a Facebook community, which includes a good number of friends-of-friends that I’ve never met in person. I visit a set list of blogs every day and have a great time interacting with the authors and the other readers. While our definition of community might be expanding, I don’t think any of us have lost sight of the importance of a good, old-fashioned in-person community though.

According to the American Camp Association, parents have identified the development of social skills/living in community (such as making new friends, getting along with others, becoming more responsible, and learning group-living skills) as one of the main reasons they send their children to camp. The owners, directors and staff at summer camp all understand the power of community and structure these skills into their programs in several areas.

1. Communal Living

I am an only child, and as such, I always had my own room when I was a child, so living in a camp bunk for the first time was a huge learning experience. For the first time, I had to be part of a community of people who were sharing space, delegating work and working, communally, to make things work. It didn’t take long for me to get into the routine of doing my part and see how even the most menial job — mine was taking out the trash – contributed to the health of the community.

Bunkmates must also learn how to navigate the waters of communal decisionmaking. They must work through the inevitable issues and conflicts that come up in bunk living — and they must learn to adapt and get along when things don’t go their way. They learn to live by the will of the majority, while at the same time respecting the needs of others who represent the minority. Again, according to the ACA, “small group living also provides the necessary intimacy for individuals to achieve a sense of belonging, explore a variety of group roles, cooperate and form relationships with others, and have input into the group’s activities”.

2. Eating and Singing Together

In the past few years there has been a large ad campaign promoting family dinners. Sitting around the dinner table sharing stories, concerns and the high and low points of your day with family members — or fellow campers — creates intimate bonds between all of the participants. Most camps have family-style meals and singing traditional camp songs together is often a ritual. Songs are always a founding piece of any culture and at camp, at the end of session when everyone knows the camp songs, they too become community bonds that live through the years.

3. Connections that Last

Although sometimes I am annoyed with how much of my life occurs online, there’s no arguing that modern social networking has helped nurture the lifelong friendships developed at camp. Now, instead of waiting days or week from a letter from a camp pen pal, you can send a text message, IM, or just nudge them on Facebook. Many camps have Facebook groups, some devoted exclusively to alumni from certain years, so the 50-somethings reminiscing about camp in the 70s can be a subgroup of a larger online camp community.

No matter how much time passes, the camp community lives on. Alumni have frequent get-togethers and are always welcome to spend a day visiting their old camp haunts. Many camps host reunions every year and invite alumni from different generations to come and visit together, creating yet another community, another branch of the family tree.

Want to get connected with the AFSC family camps? Check out their Facebook pages:

Starlight |  Weequahic |  Laurel |  Laurel South

How did you experience community at camp? How have you sustained it since? We’d love to hear your stories in the comments below!

Susan

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Bringing Tradition To Today: Making Summers Extraordinary

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Every day at summer camp is exciting and busy, but every camper looks forward to those special camp events and traditions that are unique to each camp. I still have vivid memories of our camp talent show and the wonderful skit our staff put together using a sheet, a bright flash light and their own shadows. It took place thirty years ago, but it still brings a smile to my face, and that one memory triggers a hundred others.

The AFSC family of camps each have their own special camp traditions that bring the entire camp together for friendly competition, unique bonding activities, wonderful gourmet treats, and a chance to show off talents and teamwork. Here’s a quick summary of each for you but be sure to check out the Camp web sites linked here!

Camp Laurel’s Quest is a tradition that goes back 60 years. During the first week of summer, campers are divided into 18 different teams and they compete in fun and zany activities all day long. The winners are treated to a gourmet Chinese dinner at the home of directors Jem and Debbie. We usually think of big all-camp activities happening at the end of the summer, but Quest brings campers together within days of their arrival, kicking off a summer of friendship and bonding, gathering force as the camp progresses.

Laurel also hosts College Days and Lobster and Steak Banquet. College Days (which lasts five days!) is Laurel’s answer to the camp color war and includes spirit, fun, games, tug ‘o war, swim meets, track meets, staff competitions, Apache relays, silent meals, treasure hunts, dance competitions and much more. Laurel then finishes camp with a flourish by hosting a meal with lobster direct from the sea. After all, who could come to camp in Maine and not love lobster? The campers finish their summer with speeches, traditional songs and a night sleeping under the stars.

Laurel South’s activities may have traditional names, but they go above and beyond the same old, same old. Every summer begins with an Opening Ceremony that includes a Keeper of the Flame, who delivers the first spark of fire to each summer. Mid-season, the entire camp breaks into two teams for Laurel South’s annual Spirit Days…an amazing two day event which is filled with relays, sports, songs, cheers and an all-camp Apache relay. After a full summer of fun and instruction, the Keeper of the Flame extinguishes the fire until the following season, when everyone joins together again for another incredible summer. During this very special ceremony, each cabin performs a song or skit highlighting memories of the summer gone by. Laurel South also ends each summer with a Lobster Banquet….

At Starlight, campers look forward to MTV Night, one of the biggest lip-synch competitions anywhere! Throughout the course of the summer, each bunk comes up with, practices and performs a live music video to compete within their division for a chance to make it to this big night. Twenty acts make it to the finals and the entire camp comes together to watch on the magical outdoor stage. At the end of the night, the winning bunk/act is presented with a trophy and a pizza party! Camp Starlight, which works on the brother/sister model of having separate boys’ and girls’ sides of camp, also hosts Spirit of Starlight, the best night on Girls side! Each division picks a theme to represent their age group and the feelings they have for camp. A song, dance, cheer, banner and cake are all created to show the spirit of the each age group. As each division performs, the others are cheering on their camp “sisters” in this friendly, energetic competition to show us what they are all about. Its fun, it’s loud and the spirit is out of this world. After we crown a winner, the entire girl’s side unites for cake, hugs and we sing our traditional camp song “Friends, Friends, Friends.”

As we said earlier, every camp has a take on the camp stand-by, the color war, and at Camp Weequahic, that event is Tribals, which takes place at the end of the first session. The campers are divided into four teams, each representing the four classic elements: earth, wind, fire and water. The previous summer’s winning team keeps the same name (i.e., Seneca) while the other three teams have new names. The events include everything from athletics to spirit events. Other events campers can look forward to are Ms. Weequahic – girls dress up male counselors who then put on a talent (or lack thereof) show; Ron Dagan has been performing at Weequahic for over 20 years; and enjoying different evening activities created over the years: Weequahic Goldrush, Panic, and others.

Such special events are the memory-makers of summer camp, and whichever camp you decide to send your children to, their staff, counselors and bunkmates will come together in friendships that will last a lifetime!

Susan

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The Magic of Starlight

Friday, May 28th, 2010

“We want our kids to leave here at the end of the summer never questioning what will happen next year – they know they will come back to Starlight,” says David Miller, the Pennsylvania camp’s director. “There is something special and magical about the Starlight world,” says Miller.

Camp Starlight is a full-season (7-week) camp located in Starlight, PA (about two-and-a-half hours from New York City) which has been in continuous operation since 1947. David and his wife Allison bought the camp from the original owners in 1999, but some things just don’t change. Just driving into the facility up a secluded one mile road to the top of a mountain gives campers a sense of separation from the real world. Starlight is revealed at the peak of the overlook. The 70-acre lake is private to the camp, which enhances Miller’s goal of wanting everyone to feel safe and secure in the Starlight world. “This is their summer home,” he says. “When campers walk into the dining hall there are hundreds of plaques – one from every bunk from every summer since 1947. Campers know that there is a long tradition of fun and family here.”

One thing that makes Camp Starlight unique is how it straddles the line between a co-ed camp and a same-sex camp. There are separate facilities and staff for boys and girls, and they participate in separate sports and activities during the day. “It’s the best of both worlds,” Miller says. Those families that are looking for a single sex camp experience get the separation and camaraderie they are looking for, but the boys and girls all come together for morning ceremonies, dinner and many of the evening activities. The Starlight set-up works especially well for families with sons and daughters who want to attend camp together and are looking for high-quality activities. Miller adds, “my favorite time of day is the flag raising ceremony in the morning. Girls line up on one side and boys line up on the other, but brothers and sisters always have time to check in with each other and see how their day was. I love seeing the kids reconnect with each other.”

It is the connection between campers that is paramount at Starlight. When new kids arrive at camp, they are assigned to bunk with kids their age, but with different interests. “That’s what bunk bonding is all about,” Miller says, “learning about and loving people who aren’t carbon copies of yourself.” Some bunks stay together their entire eight years of summer camp, forming a real family of brothers or sisters. These children because they are given the opportunity of overnight camp usually adjust better to college and dorm life because they are used to living with others and being away from home.

Camp Starlight also works well for families with same sex siblings with different interests because the program is so well-rounded. Whether a child loves athletics, art, theater, adventure or water sports, or just loves to do it all, the quality of the Starlight program and facility make this a first-rate experience no matter what activities a child is drawn to. Camp Starlight also helps expand the horizons of campers by exposing them to all the different activities the camp has to offer. Campers have two choices in their daily program so they also have the time to develop their talents in their specific interest areas; especially as they get older. The two oldest bunks get to set their own daily schedules, for example.

Miller knows that some families have reservations about sending their children to a full-season, seven-week camp, especially when campers can start as young as third or fourth grade, but the benefits are tremendous. Rather than kids moving from camp to camp, week to week, there is truly time for kids to unwind, escape from the outside world and all its pressures and disconnect from technology. This type of summer program provides a real opportunity for kids to be themselves, get to know each other and make friendships that truly last a lifetime. There is no question that this is why such an extraordinarily high rate of campers return summer after summer. The summer is also long enough to do full season camp and still have family time to visit relatives or have a family vacation before school starts.

So if you’re thinking about full-season camp, you can learn more about Camp Starlight at www.campstarlight.com. As David says, “Most families who come to visit our camp end up enrolling their children,” Miller says. “There is something magical about this place.”

Come meet David and visit the Starlight world first-hand!

Susan

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The Full-Season Camp Experience

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Last week we started our discussion of choosing which length of camp is right for your child. Sometimes making that choice is downright easy, especially when it comes to the to the full-season camps. For those children who wish to be at camp for the seven weeks, a full-season camp experience can be an extraordinary time in their lives.

So, how do you know if a full season camp experience right for your child?

Remember our discussion of “Is Your Child Ready for Camp?” If you can answer a confident “yes” to all of the questions about readiness, then a full season camp may be perfect for your child.

As 7 week camps, Camp Laurel and Camp Starlight provide ideal opportunities for children to:

1) develop relationships and bonds with other campers and counselors with whom they are living,

2) explore new activities which they have never done,

3) refine and develop skills and focus so that by the end of camp they are, as an example, not just getting up on water skis…but skiing barefoot; not just hitting a baseball… but mastering the sport; not just participating in a one-act play for 20 minutes….but being part of the cast of a full length musical.

Children who go to Camp Starlight or Camp Laurel return to school refreshed and ready to tackle the new year ahead. They have achieved great success at camp – not only in making great friends – but also in developing and refining skills during the summer that can last a lifetime. Many children who wish to make their middle, JV or high school teams can practice and refine those skills all summer long. They also create beautiful and meaningful pieces of art and have greater outdoor educational experiences during their time at camp. All because they have time and opportunity.

PBS’s camp expert, Bob Ditter, M.Ed., puts it this way:

Camp is about making some of the best friends of your life. It’s an exercise in self-reliance and social learning. Kids not only make some of their best friends at camp, they learn what real friendship is. Since campers live in groups, it is also about learning the give-and-take of making decisions and getting along with all those “brothers” or “sisters” you suddenly inherit when you arrive. In a time when resilience–the ability to stick with something and recover from a setback–is a great quality to cultivate in our children, camp is an increasingly attractive option.

Susan

(Photos: Thanks to eyeliam and zappowbang for the great shots.)

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