Bringing Camp Back to School

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As we reach the end of summer,  many campers are now on the slow march towards back to school season. School is supposed the spot for learning and camp for fun, right? Well….

There are certainly differences between camp and school. The one that is most striking to me rests in the fact that camp reminds us – how to live as a community, stay in the present, be grateful, kind, and courageous. On the other side, school teaches us that which we do not already know – geometry, history, foreign language, biology, etc.

We built a lot of wonderful memories at camp this summer. Amazing traditions, new friends from lots of different places, great daily activities and hilarious evening events. We laughed and played and learned together.

So, if we think of summer camp as a place that reminds us, then what memories will be important to take into school? I’ve got a few ideas.

There are LOTS of people who accept you for who you are.

You’ve also remembered life is a lot easier, more fun, more interesting when you can live as… well, you! That’s an easy lesson to forget when you are plugged back into school and into your phone.Just be yourself… everyone is taken anyway!

Practicing gratitude, choosing your attitude, building courage, and acting with kindness really does make the world around you better.

Easier at camp, yes, because we are all doing it together every day. But that didn’t just happen. We made a conscious effort to act that way. Those actions influenced everyone else at camp. You can have that effect in your home and school, too!

You can do a lot more than you often think you can.

We call it ‘independence’ in the grown-up world but the message is the same – you can act and think more on your own than you often think you can. You just spent three or six weeks away from your parents where you made a whole bunch of friends, decided on which activities to try, made your bed, chose your food, handled your laundry (and lost and found….) You can do so much – take pride in that!

Being afraid isn’t that scary.

All of our new and many of our returning campers had moments of fear: will I make new friends? Will my old friends still like me? I’m away from home for this long for the first time…. And you still had a blast! You’ve remembered that having those moments of trepidation just prepares you to do something brave – reaching out, trying something new, letting your guard down and just being you.

Camp has certainly reminded us about more than this small list. To me, though, these memories will help us in lots of ways as we head into the school year. So, for the week ahead, whether you are going to be hitting the books or hitting the road for a fun last few moments of summer, take some time to remember so that you can learn all the better.

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What Senior Campers Will Miss Most about Summer Camp

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When you spend eight summers of your life at the same summer camp, you get to reflect on all the magic you’ve experienced and memories you have made at a place that is so special and unlike anywhere else. At America’s Finest Summer Camps, senior campers truly get to experience every single aspect of summer camp, transitioning from summer to summer with more responsibility and more fun. Older campers get to see every angle of camp and experience every special activity, they really do it all. However, when the last night of the last summer comes, it always arrives too quickly for these senior campers. Reflecting back on every summer spent at summer camp, here are the things that senior campers will miss most about camp when they have to say their final goodbye.

The Traditions: They will miss all the iconic traditions that define America’s Finest Summer Camps because that is what makes a summer experience so special. The all-camp games, color wars and campfires all make for a picture perfect summer and these traditions are what transforms a normal summer into a magical one to remember.

The Staff: Coaches and counselors really help define a camper’s summer because they are the mentors in their life guiding them to achieve their goals and overcome their obstacles for that summer. The constant support and belief is what helps a camper become the better athlete, the better artist and the better individual.

The Adventure: Campers are able to explore and feel an adrenaline rush practically every day on or off campus, traveling to different places and cities for special trips when they aren’t whizzing on the zipline or jumping great heights at outdoor adventure. The sense of adventure and opportunity to discover the unknown is an element of Camp Starlight that campers will yearn for the most.

The Memories: Summer camp is unique in the fact that practically every moment can be transformed into a memory. Every evening activity, special event or moment that made a camper smile creates a summer for campers to always look back fondly on, the memories these campers make with each other are unique and often the ones they never forget for the rest of their lives.

The Friendships: Since most campers don’t all come from the same place, summers spent at America’s Finest Summer Camps are so special since this is the only time campers are able to connect and bond with their camp friends. Camp helps form friendships that are so strong and unlike any friendship back home. The friendships are a vital element of what campers look forward to seeing every summer and will regret saying goodbye to the most.

The Best Ways to Enjoy the Waterfront at Camp

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America’s Finest Summer Camps would not be complete without the picturesque waterfronts. These sparkling lakes are one of the main reasons that many campers call their summer home “the most beautiful place on Earth”. There are countless ways to explore the waterfront and each different experience is special in its own way. Here are our top picks this summer!

Tubing

Whizzing around the lake behind the speedboat is undoubtedly one of the best ways to enjoy the waterfront. Riding the sombrero with four of your best friends is a blast and the twists & turns form nothing short of a thrilling experience.

Kayaking

One of the most relaxing ways to experience the lake is paddling around in a kayak. It’s the perfect way to appreciate the serenity of t lakes and enjoy your afternoon in the sunshine. Seated in the kayak you feel so close the water and it’s hard not to notice the calmness surrounding you.

Paddle Boarding

Gliding through the water on a paddle board is an incredible and relaxing way to enjoy the picturesque silhouette of the trees over the lake. Campers love to take the opportunity to paddle board as both a way to splash around and also to stop and take it all in while they’re on the water.

The Top of a Water Toy

Whether it’s on top of the slide, rocking on the rock-it, or making a splash on the avalanche and chaos, being on one of these inflatable contraptions feels like being on top of the world! Waving to friends on the dock as campers play and jump on the waterfront toys is a blast and definitely prime time for some of the funniest and best camp memories.

Hiking

Hiking around the lake is truly one of the best things our campuses at America’s Finest Summer Camps has to offer campers. Accomplishing a full hike around the lake is both an achievement and an incredible way to bond with your lifelong friends. Through paths and meadows, the scenery along the lake is often times just as beautiful as the water itself. Don’t miss it!

Sharing at Camp

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Sharing is a value heavily instilled in campers from the moment they arrive at camp. When you step off the bus you join a community of people who look out for one another as family. Not only is this important during the summer, sharing is a skill that campers carry with them beyond the conclusion of camp. Sharing makes others feel good and in return, you also feel valued and warm inside.

Sharing can be spotted around the corners of camp in many forms. Campers sharing tutus and stickers,  speakers and decks of cards. The list is varied and endless!

Additionally, our bunks are shared spaces for campers and counselors alike, and throughout the summer everyone learns the importance of working together within this area. The real demonstration of our campers’ fantastic sharing capabilities are proven during inspection when everyone shares the responsibility for taking care of their bunk.

Many physical items are shared at camp, although perhaps the most important things shared here can not be touched or held. Time, laughter, friendship, advice and fun are all shared between both campers and staff daily and these things when experienced together at America’s Finest Summer Camps are magical.

One of the Most Memorable Summer Camp Activities

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One of the biggest parts of the summer at most traditional summer camps and nearly as big of a tradition as the concept of summer camp is 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.

Journeys and Joy at Camp

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“Journeying is the act of traveling from one place to another—not a moment of arrival. You get ‘there’ by being committed to the journey.” – Bernadette Jiwa

We are all on a journey, we are all going ‘somewhere.’ The questions are, “Where do we want to go?  What will we choose to guide us? And, what would be important to bring along?”

Well…I’m sure there are lots of things that would be useful. Personal qualities like independence, curiosity, patience, and empathy would be great. So would a sense of being able to learn and adapt. And don’t forget friends! They can make any journey not only successful but fun as well.

Hm…. Sounds like we pretty much have everything we need here at America’s Finest Summer Camps to get where we want to go – a destination (creating awesome), values to guide us, a place to practice and experiment, and lots and lots of friends!

Friendships Growing Between New Campers As The Days Go By

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Many things inevitably grow over the course of the summer: the grass, your height, and of course, everyone’s love for camp skyrockets to new levels. As the days roll by, the most noticeable growth and developments are the prospering friendships between new campers.

First introductions are made by playing games where campers can discover and bond over their similarities. As you spend more time together you become comfortable sharing your story with your friends and bunkmates who become (like) family.

Whether you’ve spent the morning on the soccer field or paddling on the lake, you learn to work as a team and it’s clear that respect, appreciation and admiration are forming between friends.

Cheers and chants can be heard around every corner. Over the dinner table the events of the day are retold in perfect detail with the campers laughing all over again like it was really happening for the second time.

Back in the bunk over flashlight time, conversations jump from the serious to the silly within moments leading to the inevitable progression of camp friends becoming forever friends.

Arrival Day at America’s Finest Summer Camps

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Arrival day finally came and every camp was bubbling over with excitement. You could feel it in the air, you could see it in the smiles, you could hear it in the high-pitched voices that people get when they can’t contain this feeling and you could touch it in the warm embraces between friends old and new.

The staff had been preparing for this day for 10 incredibly LOOOONG months. They worked day in and day out as busy beavers to make sure everything was prepared for today. You knew their excitement levels were high by the way they talked so passionately about everything that had been and everything that was to come.

As the children tumbled out of the buses there was no stopping them. They ran in all directions in search of their best friends, arms wide open for the bear hug that they’ve been waiting 10 months to give their fellow campers again. As the music blared, the boys and girls rushed to their eagerly awaiting counselors and friends in their bunk for the summer. Cheers and laughter could be heard all around the campus as campers and counselors met for the very first time and also reunited after months of missing each other. This blanket of happiness was so electrifying and comforting and this was only the beginning of the adventures this summer!

The beautiful scenery and facilities of America’s Finest Summer Camps pave the way for a new summer, new stories, new friends and new memories, but that same old camp feeling that we are once again HOME!

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The Joy of Unplugging for the Summer

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Today’s world has become inundated with technology. Whether it be checking the amount of likes you received on your latest Instagram, scrolling through Facebook, or trying to take the perfect selfie, our focus on technology has overpowered our daily lives. Without the ability to live in the moment and appreciate our surroundings, technology continues to have the upper-hand on blocking face to face communication between individuals. This is why getting the chance to unplug during the summer at camp is the perfect opportunity to take a step back from the outside pressures of life and enjoy the people that surround you.

For the summer, you can explore everything the world around you has to offer. You can start off your day by enjoying the view of the morning mist coming off the lake and the sounds of birds chirping. Meals are filled with lively conversations with your bunkmates, spirited cheers, and songs. As the day progresses, opportunities to grow your creativity and skills continue. From learning how to dive at the lake to conquering your fear of climbing the rock wall to then fly down the zipline, unplugging allows us to experience new adventures each day of the summer.

The friendships established surpass all other relationships that individuals will make in the outside world. Camp friends see the real you, not the version of yourself that you post for the world to see on social media. Without the barrier of a screen between individuals, concrete bonds can form and lifelong memories are made. Interactions at camp are both real and authentic.

The unplugged atmosphere at camp allows you to be yourself at all hours of the day. Whether it be going to different activities with your bunk or dressing up for a wacky event, your spirit and confidence shines. Everywhere you look, people are smiling, cheering, singing, and dancing. At summer camp, you can be yourself and achieve all your expectations, with the acceptance and support of everyone around you.

The act of unplugging is so much more than being without technology for a few weeks during the summer. It’s a chance to explore, create, and experience new adventures. Unplugging has allowed friendships to be established and lifelong memories to be made. Most importantly, unplugging at camp allows us all to embrace our individuality and learn to be our true selves.

The Health Benefits of Summer Camp – Emotional Happiness

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Hey parents! Listen up! If you’ve heard about America’s Finest Summer Camps and have been trying to figure out summer plans for your child, you’re in the right spot! If you’re thinking about providing your kids with the summer experience of a lifetime, we’ve got two secret words that will get you one step closer to the decision of providing your child with the coolest summer of their life: emotional happiness.

As parents, we all want to raise a well-rounded, happy, healthy and productive person. We want our children to be the best version of themselves that they can be, to be in tune with their emotions, and to experience happiness. Spending the summer at camp is perfectly aligned with the things we all want for our kids.

Being at camp allows kids to be with people who make you happy.

When you come to camp, you dive right into a support system of peers and counselors that only want the best for you. You quickly find friends who make you laugh, listen to you, encourage you and enjoy being around you. You look forward to each day because your fellow campers bring out the best in you.

You Find Purpose

Spending the summer at camp has a unique way of helping campers discover their gifts. It enables you to explore your interests and passions, and identify strengths that you never knew you had. Being at camp doesn’t mean you’ll find your life’s work, but it will give you an opportunity to do the things you love and will give you a sense of who you are, what you have to contribute, and will help you find your purpose.

You Become Open To Change

Part of being emotionally fulfilled is being able to not only handle change but embrace it. Being able to adjust to changing circumstances helps build confidence and prepares you for the real world.

You Learn To Love The Little Things

Campers arrive at camp with varying definitions of happiness. Some define happiness in terms of material things or success, while others feel happiest when they are giving to others or spending time in nature. Being at camp helps you appreciate the little things in life that mean the most. Instead of basing your happiness on how many likes your Instagram photo receives, you find joy in campfire songs, making friendship bracelets, swapping stories in your cabin, inside jokes with friends, nature hikes, and picnic lunches. Your parents want you to live a happy life and will be thrilled to know you will be stepping away from a more materialistic life and towards one of the simple pleasures.

Foster Independence

Summer camp provides an opportunity for campers to learn how to seek emotional fulfillment for themselves instead of relying on others to make them happy. Once you realize that you have the power over your mood and emotions, you can remain a strong and positive force even when surrounded by negativity. When you learn that you don’t need others to complete you or make you happy, you become a more confident and emotionally mature individual.

Your parents want you to be healthy in all areas of your life. They know that camp will be good for your physical health since you will be spending the summer running and playing and swimming. They know you’ll be drinking tons of water and keeping your energy up with fruits and veggies and home cooked meals. They know you will be relationally taken care of because of the daily interaction you will have with peers and counselors. And now, armed with this information, you can help them see that if they are really concerned about your emotional well-being, they would be signing you up for summer camp today!