Category: Alumni News

Throughout the summer we will be posting incredible submissions by our Alumni.  It gives me goosebumps every time I get receive a submission like this one I am about to share.  Emily started at camp when she was just an infant and has only missed two summers of her entire life.  Emily and her older brother will not be at camp this summer, but we are so glad that their father, Chet, will be back maintaining Camp Woodland.  Emily is more than just a camper and counselor, she is family and will be missed this summer. Enjoy the read as much as I did:

It was the inevitable “get to know you” game that always made me realize how much Camp Woodland has become a big part of my life. Every camper and counselor remembers playing it on the first day; the one where we would line up in a circle based on how many years we have been at camp. I was always confident playing this game, because I knew exactly where to stand: right at the end, unless the Jordans were there of course. We made our way around the circle announcing years of attendance and when it was my turn I would proudly state 15 years, watching the astonished look come across the faces of all the new girls.
I actually spent 19 out of my 21 summers at Woodland, and when my school friends would call me “crazy” for spending an entire six weeks at an all girls camp, I considered myself pretty lucky. I can honestly say that I have tried every activity, have sang every camp song, played every circle game, heard all the infamous stories of the Hilltop stairs, and have ate my fair share of s’mores. But that’s the great thing about camp, you can spend nearly two decades there but it’s never something you get bored with. There are always levels to beat, goals to achieve, and new friendships to create. That is the magic of camp, even though it remains constant, it allows you to change and grow throughout the years.

With my older brother at Towering Pines, me at Woodland, and my dad part of the staff, we were able to each have our own camp experience, but also were all to able share something together. Not only were part of the Riehle family, but we were part of the camp family as well. It was nice seeing my dad around camp, and I think that he enjoyed being able to watch me from the sidelines making my way from day camper to counselor.

Now going into my senior year of college, and looking back at everything in my life, camp memories are the most prominent to me. I have met the most amazing people, learned how to sail, learned how to ride a horse, and I can write an entire co-ed show song in one Rest Hour. Although I haven’t been able to make it back to the Northwood’s in the past two years, I know that whenever summer rolls around, the view of Sand lake will come to my mind and I’ll always remember my second home.

Every summer we have a new theme. It gives us something special to focus on each year. Previous themes included:

• You Gotta Believe!
• It begins with you!
• Proud to be me!
• Spirits Soar!
• Dreams Come alive!
• Get in the Mix!
• A New View in 1-2!

The theme this year, All WE can be in 1-3, will mean something different for each person. For some it will mean teamwork and working together. For others it could mean trying your best at whatever you do. For me, this summer’s theme is about challenging yourself to be a better person, cabin mate, friend, and team member. It means that there is no limit to what we can do and what we can accomplish. If you can dream it you can achieve it. It means that even if we are limited as an individual, as a team, nothing is impossible.

“Being all you can be in 2013 means giving everything your all and not worrying about what others think. You need to be true to yourself and try your hardest. Do what you love and don’t be embarrassed about who you are.” -Lindsay

“The Summer theme means to me that you should always try to be the best you can and to just be yourself!” — Mera

“This summer’s theme opens your mind to the infinite (and we know that’s actually true) possibilities a summer at camp can mean. It is what has led several of us to spend a decade at Woodland. All that we can be also means, for me, that we can be out best selves even in adversity, and at camp, situations tend to go against us or challenge us. Even more, it is a constant challenge that pushes us to explore all that we can be and improve on it, on everything. All that we can be together, that’s what I would add to it.” – Natalia

“To me this theme means that we have endless possibilities to be what ever we want (ie. An amazing friend, a level up in activities) we just have to believe in each other and in ourselves.”- Grace

Can’t wait to see you at Camp!

Jaime

Hannah was one of our favorite Woodland Girls in the late 90’s and early 00’s. One of her favorite activities was drama! Read about Hannah’s years at Woodland and its impact. Hannah now teaches English in Korea!

Hannah eating ice cream in Korea

“I have to admit the summers I spent at Camp Woodland were the best of my life. The experiences from those summers has shaped me in ways some of which I cannot even describe. I am so thankful to the Jordan family for running this program. I sincerely miss my Woodland summers and hope to send my own children one day. If I could share one piece of advice to parents thinking about this program for their children: please do it. Your child will gain a sense of independence and maturity that can only be fostered in an environment away from their parents. Your child will grow and develop a sense of adventure that will unveil opportunities previously clouded from their view. I would not be half the person I am today if I had not experienced both the joys and heartbreaks afforded to me by this Camp. I grew up in Chicago and now live in South Korea, but my true home is in the North Woods at Camp Woodland.”

– Hannah

Hannah and her sister Margaret

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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