Author: Kim Aycock

Now that campers and staff are returning home (or going to their next adventure after camp) and the summer of 2013 is becoming a collection of well-cherished memories, I would like to help make the transition back into the “real world” a little easier if possible.  As I made my way down the Woodland Road on my final run before I headed back to Georgia, I happened to catch a glimpse of a message chalked on the backstop at the tennis courts.  This made me think of the MANY times I heard counselors and campers remind each other of the mantra that “there are no I cant’s at Camp Woodland”.  While there are people and things from camp that cannot physically be taken home with you, there are numerous lessons learned in the “Be All We Can Be in 1-3” summer that will keep you going throughout the upcoming school year until you drive down County D again to begin the exciting summer of “Dare to Explore in 1-4”.

1) The Health Center (can’t take this with you): Memories of the TLC you received there (what you CAN bring home!).

2) The Rec Hall: The fun of dressing up, trying a new character on for size, and a little (or a lot) of zaniness!

3) The Cabins: The bonds of friendships and your summer “family” (families stay close to one another, even when they are apart – we will be in touch often throughout the upcoming months to keep you connected to the Woodland Family!)

4) The Campfire: Fun songs, skits, and challenges – please share them with others you know!  (“Mmhhmm, and come September, Mmhhmm, I will remember, Mmhhmm my camping days and friendships true.”)

5) The Lodge:  The feeling of belonging to a larger group/community in which you are a special part.  Each person cares about the well-being of the other members of the community (“Good job everybody, good job!”).

6) The Office: The letters you received from your “other family” and reminders of home.

7) Vesper/Inspiration Hill: The lessons we learned there about friendship and other timely themes.

8) Arts and Crafts Room: All of the cool projects you made and an appreciation for the ideas and creativity of others.

9) The Bell: The special feeling you had when you were selected to be Camper of the Day for the specific reasons shared by the “Happy Hostess”.

10) Tennis Courts, Riflery Range, Archery Targets, and Gymnastics Equipment: Individual accomplishments made, the ability to compete with yourself, and the determination to be better than you were the time before.

11) Woodland Sunday’s: “Woodland wear” (don’t forget to take a picture for the “Where in the World” contest!) and cabin/camp spirit. (We all got spirit!)

12) Sailboats: A love for being on the water and being part of a team.

13) Horses: The ability to overcome fears, accept challenges, and work towards self-improvement.

14) Farm Zoo Animals: A love for taking care of and respecting animals and the fun of getting dirty and learning about nature and the beauty it has to offer.

15) Dan’s Cooking: Thoughts of warm blueberry muffins, lasagna, taco bar, and homemade cookies.

16) Counselors: Knowing that you have other people in the world (in addition to your parents!) who celebrate your achievements and understand your disappointments.

17) Cabin mates: Friends for life because of the common experiences you have shared with each other this summer.

18) Sun and Moon: Even though we have spread across the miles, we all see the same sun and moon.  Remember the goodnight song: “I see the moon, and the moon sees me.  The moon sees somebody I want to see.  So, God bless the moon and God bless me, and God bless the somebody I want to see.”

19) Trees: The strength and stability they represent.

20) Sand Lake: We remember the lake as a place to escape the heat, a place to play with friends, and a place to reflect.  Water has a certain sense of calmness and serenity.  May you find a place at home that offers you this same feeling when you need your own personal quiet time.

21) Eagles: The power and beauty they exhibit as they soar across the sky.  We all have the ability to be leaders in a positive way and to share our inner beauty and talents with others.

22) “I Can’t”: It is only “I can. I will. And I’m going to do it right away.”

23) Camp Woodland, the place:  Camp Woodland, the memories.  Camp Woodland, the smiles.  Camp Woodland, the many dreams you began to live here.

Continue living your dreams, practicing your “I Can’s”, and always keep a special place in your heart for the summer of 2013.  See you next year!

Kim Wenzl Aycock, revised from Closing Vespers in 1995

So often, we hear about the learning loss that occurs during the summer from having too much time away from school.  As a teacher who has spent 25+ summers at camp, I would like to propose that children who go to summer camp, actually experience just the opposite.  Kids who spend their summer at camp have a learning surplus.  While I do not have any specific data to back this claim, I can share with you my observations from enjoying more than a quarter of a century with kids in the camp environment (including 3 weeks at Camp Woodland this summer!).

• Math: Friendships formed, skills learned, donuts consumed on Saturday mornings, mosquito bites, laughter and smiles…too many to count!

• Science: When the outdoors is the classroom, campers learn about the natural environment at every turn.  They take hikes in the forest and look for the “stinky” tree,  jump on a bed of moss at the Moss Garden, go fishing, visit the bog, search for Lost Lake or the Enchanted Forest, take care of the animals at Farm Zoo, plant flowers and a garden, participate in camp-wide recycling, watch an eagle soar overhead, catch a glimpse of a deer darting into the woods, hear the loons calling to one another across the lake, observe a mother duck and her ducklings swim near the water’s edge, cook over a fire and sleep in a tent while on a canoe trip, gaze at the stars without the interference of city lights, see a full moon blaze its trail across the lake…just to name a few!

• History: Camp traditions such as Opening Campfire, Gold Rush, Camp Birthday, Olympics, and Banquet are some of the lessons learned as they are passed on from generation to generation of Woodland campers.

• Government/Leadership: From the youngest to the oldest, all campers are given the opportunity to be leaders during their stay at camp.  Cabins take turns being charge of planning various all-camp events, including the Camper Council activity for Friday night and Inspiration Hour on Sunday morning.  When an event calls for a station rotation, the girls are responsible for explaining their “game” to each group.  The oldest campers are Counselors-in-Training (or CIT’s), and they  dedicate an hour each day to leadership training that helps them prepare for their future role as a counselor.  These girls also rotate being “Officer-of-the-Day” (OD) and learn about camp from the administrative perspective as well as assuming responsibilities in activities when counselors have a day off.

• Language: Writing letters home to family and friends is a favorite rest hour pastime.  Woodland girls learn about diversity and are exposed to different cultures as campers/staff come from various states and countries.

• Reading: Campers often read books from home during rest hour or at Rec Swim while sitting on the deck overlooking the beach.  Counselors also choose an age-appropriate book and read a story to the entire cabin as part of the nightly routine.

• Physical Fitness: Camp doesn’t happen sitting down!  Campers are playing tennis, doing gymnastics, swimming, sailing, water-skiing, windsurfing/paddle-boarding, canoeing, riding horses, sharpening skills at archery or riflery, dancing, walking to and from activities, running to get their mail, and skipping (just because they can)!

• Music: The “official” time and a favorite activity is to sing after every evening meal and at weekly campfires.  Campers sing “unofficially” while out on a sailboat, during a trail ride, at the start of various activities (“I’m Alive, Alert, Awake, Enthusiastic!”), and just about anywhere and anytime during the camp day.  Song Contest is the highlight at the end of the 3rd week; cabins work together and change the words to a popular song and choreograph moves to tell their story of the summer. 
• Performing Arts: Girls have the opportunity to be in dance, gymnastics, and/or drama performances that are put on for the entire camp every 2 weeks; they also act out skits each week at campfires.  The girls taking drama also design and build their own sets and utilize the drama closet resources to assemble their costume selections.  Put it all together, and the end product is one fabulous production!

• Creative Arts:  Imaginations run wild during arts and crafts classes at camp!  From individuals making a paper mache pig to small groups designing a “roller coaster” apparatus for a marble ride, campers are encouraged to be creative and think outside the box with every project.  Don’t be surprised if you happen to see a cabin group wearing mustaches to assembly or dressed in zebra footie pajamas – it is all part of the Woodland spirit that is celebrated at any given moment!  You may even run into a “unicorn” at horseback riding…

• Health: The Woodland camp community has the luxury of eating 3 well-balanced meals together each day, 7 days a week.  Not only is the food delicious, but being able to enjoy a leisurely dining experience in a family setting is a real treat!  The cabin bonding that occurs during meals is nourishment for the soul as many stories and accomplishments are shared through conversations within each cabin group.

• Computer: OK, you got me on this one!  This is the only area where there is a deficit (but in a good way)!  We are able to accomplish all of the above without one smartphone, laptop, e-reader, TV, or other electronic device.  Being “unplugged” for 6 weeks is heavenly, and I highly recommend it!

So, as you can see, there is no such thing as learning loss while spending an amazing summer at camp!  The typical day at camp is packed with learning experiences that are EVEN BETTER than a typical day at school.  And that is coming straight from the keyboard of a math teacher!!!

Kim Wenzl Aycock, MST

CAMP-to-GO!
by Kim Wenzl Aycock

I had the fortune to join the “Camp-to-Go” staff from Camp Twin Lakes at the Children’s Medical Center in Augusta, GA, this past week. “Camp-to-Go” will make about 20 visits to Children’s Hospitals across Georgia this year, and their goal is to bring the camp experience to kids who might not otherwise get to go to summer camp based on various health issues.

The “campers” did “archery” (tossing/blowing paint on q-tips to a target), “fishing” (magnetic fish inside an inflatable pool), “arts/crafts” (making a rainstick), and “sports” (Nerf basketball, miniature golf, and bowling)…just to name a FEW! For the first hour, Camp-to-Go set up in the hallway outside 2 different clinics so that kids could join in the fun while they were waiting to see the doctor. Then, Camp-to-Go went door-to-door and brought camp excitement to patients who were unable to leave their room.

After lunch, the open space on one of the floors in the hospital was turned into a life-sized Candy Land board game (with jumbo dice!).  A campfire program was the perfect way to end the day as kids sang along (and played various percussion instruments) while one of the volunteers played her guitar.

While playing along with the kids and “Camp-to-Go” volunteers, I realized once again how FORTUNATE we are to be able to spend SIX GLORIOUS WEEKS at Woodland/Towering Pines (and not just a few hours on one day) and thankfully we are a healthy bunch and can take part in so many GREAT activities (riding, sailing, riflery, gymnastics, etc.).
BEST WISHES for a HAPPY SPRING!(that means that S’MORE SUMMER FUN is just around the corner!)

100 DAYS UNTIL CAMP STARTS
WHOOO-HOOOO!!!!
(Kim Wenzl Aycock)

Summer 2013 officially begins on Saturday, June 22nd!!!

GET EXCITED!!!

WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU THERE!!!

JoAnne and I were recently in Dallas attending the American Camp Association’s annual national conference.  It is always a great time to network with other camp professionals, learn about trends and emerging topics in the industry from some amazing speakers, and to explore new ideas and resources for camp.

Best-selling author and psychologist Madeline Levine was one of the keynote speakers at the conference.  With nearly thirty years of experience as a clinician, consultant, and educator, Levine has shared insights on youth development and success on the national stage; she has appeared on television shows such as The Early Show and The Today Show as well as on local and national radio stations, including NPR’s The Diane Rhem Show and Forum. She is a former camper and the mother of three sons who all attended camp. Levine spoke about how camps can work with families, train staff, and build environments to support the success of all children.

In Teach Your Children Well, Levine writes about the seven essential coping skills (resourcefulness, enthusiasm, creativity, a good work ethic, self-control, self-esteem, and self-efficacy).  She thinks that camps help children master all the critical coping skills. This is another way of saying it fosters resilience, which allows us to deal with life’s inevitable changes and losses. We all develop coping skills by being in situations that push us out of our comfort zones. That’s what camp does for kids: Every day, it presents them with a whole new set of challenges, some of which are easily accomplished, others which take persistence, grit, and learning new skills.

Resourcefulness probably comes to mind first. You’re in a new situation, you’re meeting new people, you’re trying activities you’ve never tried before. Mom’s not there with you, and there’s nowhere to hide. You have to figure out how to meet social challenges, how to solve problems, how to pack your backpack or saddle your own horse. In the process, you stretch and grow in meaningful ways.

Enthusiasm gets bolstered as well. Camp is a place where, often, kids with specific interests that are not always rewarded during the academic year get a lot of recognition. At camp, for example, kids who are great with their hands may get to tie knots or build a cool fort. Instead of feeling bored or frustrated, they get to be excited and engaged. This may be a new feeling for many of them.

Camp supports self-esteem. There’s a constant line of new tasks to learn, which are fun and usually doable. I like to remind parents that self-esteem is not bestowed, it’s earned. Camp gives kids the opportunity to earn competence in something new — whether it’s in archery or lanyards or swimming — and that leads to confidence. It is competence and confidence that promote self-esteem in kids, not ribbons and trophies for incidentals or just showing up.

In general, camp provides a great opportunity for kids to test themselves outside the home and see that they are capable, they can connect with other kids, they can solve problems and collaborate.

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