Camp Woodland Blog

It’s not too difficult to see that the girls at Woodland this summer are having a great time. If you visit camp, all the action is what you first notice: the horseback riding at the barn, tennis on the courts, forward rolls in gymnastics, arrows and bullets hitting the target, the dipping of paddles and hoisting of sails, and busy hands in arts and crafts. Likewise, your first glance at the photo gallery leaves the same impression. The girls are engaged in so many ways, happily active, smiling and chatting with each other.That’s all good stuff, but on another level, there’s something remarkable also going on. It’s the culture of Woodland. It’s the way the girls treat each other, the assumptions and values that subtly guide them. It’s how it feels to be at Woodland, living and playing together in this tight-knit community.

It’s tricky describing this culture because it’s certainly multifaceted and complicated, but one aspect worth noting is the sense of belonging girls enjoy at Woodland. Almost immediately after they arrive, girls are comfortably in groups around camp, paying attention to each other, including each other no matter what’s going on. Cabin groups provide the backbone of this feeling, but it’s present everywhere and is on steroids now that the awareness of how little time is left is beginning to sink in.

Free from the competitive social and academic pressures of school, this all-girls environment is devoted foremost to the quality relationships we have with each other. Simply put, the culture of Woodland, and by extension what it means to be a “Woodland Girl,” begins with being “kind” to each other.

The culture here at Woodland is one of optimism, respect, love, and altruism. The amount of kindness is astounding; people are always seeking out ways to brighten someone else’s day in any manner. Girls are encouraged to stand up for what is right, to be their best selves no matter who is watching (or not watching), and to aim towards making the camp community even better than it already is. It allows us to feel a sense of support unlike anything else. Campers are more than willing to take opportunities to “do a little good” by writing a friend a sweet note, picking up a piece of litter on the ground, or walking a younger camper to her activity. Everyday at camp is filled with these small, powerful moments.

Woodland is a place where girls feel they belong, where who they really are (and not who they think they’re supposed to be) matters. At camp, there’s mutual caring. It’s a place where we all value and rely on each other without any reference to our age, our intellect, or our looks. Nobody has to say it, but for these girls, Woodland is “a place of their own” where they feel safe and happy.  And that feeling becomes the foundation for all of our relationships at camp, the root of the friendships, and the spark for personal growth.

More than ever these days, young people need certain experiences to overcome the forces of abstraction and isolation they face. Just think, for example, how all that screen time impacts their ability to communicate face-to-face, to engage the inevitable imperfections of the real world (compared to the edited and filtered online version of things), and to be actively creative and confidently engaged. They need a place of belonging where they can practice being more connected to those around them, where they can play, encounter new challenging experiences, and grow.

Thankfully, Woodland is such a place.

Inspired by RBC of North Carolina.