Category: Campers say the darndest things!

Silver Birch 2017

As you can see, we had a FABULOUS turn out for the annual Chicago reunion the weekend before Thanksgiving!  In a series of blogs in the upcoming weeks, we will give you an update about the Woodland girls who joined us for the afternoon to watch the 2017 camp video, flip through the new scrapbook, relive camp memories, and of course, to eat yummy treats.  Thank you to our long distance travelers for joining us from Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Florida, and Mexico!  If we were not able to connect with you at this event, please feel free to share your news with us for a future post.

Favorite thing about school:

Delia: being the oldest in the school

Eleanor: reading a lot of books

Kaitlyn: chorus

Lou: I like having many teachers and classes

Molly: teachers and friends

Lucy: the administration is super nice

Lauren: learning new things

Lilli: they built a new school that is really nice and modern, and I like spending time with my friends

Rachel: spending time with my friends

Libby: socializing

Starshine 2017

Activities (when not in school):

Delia: I like to do tennis

Eleanor: I like to go outside and play

Kaitlyn: gymnastics and dance

Lou: I like to do gymnastics and hang out with my friends; I also love to play soccer

Molly: cross country and tennis

Lucy: I like to write

Lauren: softball and gymnastics

Lilli: volleyball and confirmation class

Rachel: I like to dance

Libby: horseback riding

What is something you learned at Woodland that has been helpful to you at home or school?

Delia: tennis, I’m better at serving

Eleanor: to go outside a lot and be more healthy

Kaitlyn: for gymnastics I could do a back hip circle and a handstand forward roll

Lou: I learned how to aim for my goals

Molly: I learned about better interaction and relationships and how to deal with different situations

Lucy: definitely social skills

Lauren: how to make new friends

Lilli: to be more tolerant of people

Rachel: learning how to play tennis and archery

Libby: how to be organized

Tamarack 2017

Stay tuned for more reunion news in future blog posts!

As families gather for the holiday season, our camp family will be coming together in Chicago for the annual camp reunion.  We are truly grateful for the campers, parents, staff, and alums who are part of the Woodland community!

Find out a little more about Starshine through their “best moments”:

What was the highlight of your summer?

Katie: There’s a lot, but I really enjoyed the Red, White, and BOOM campfire!  It was so much fun to see and perform skits and songs.  I also loved seeing my brother; that was important to me.

Ellie: Sailing for the first time was so cool, and I’m glad I tried it.

Lucy: I was able to stay 6 weeks!

Aubrie: Winning Lip Sync was really amazing – we did “Survivor”!

Katherine: Landing a good dive.

Annie: Sailing with Paige and doing fun activities with my cabin.

Katie (CIT): Getting to spend time with my cabin during our last year as campers.

What are some ways you were able to enjoy just being a kind and getting to play at camp?

Katie: I could dance, sing, laugh, cry, and be me without ever being judged.  It’s hard to find places like that in this world, so I treasure that.

Ellie: There was no stress of school or home; I felt left off a leash.

Lucy: You aren’t put under a lot of pressure.

Aubrie: By just being able to be myself.

Katherine: At camp I don’t care what anyone thinks about me; I just have FUN.

Annie: Singing songs and dressing up.

Katie (CIT): Getting to compete in canoeing relay races.

What is an achievement for which you are most proud?

Katie: I was really proud of myself when I made my first mooring in sailing and when I sailed by myself (still others in the boat).  That made me feel strong and independent.

Ellie: Passing 2 levels in riflery.

Lucy: I passed multiple levels in each of my activities.

Aubrie: I passed into level 5 in swimming.

Katherine: Passing to level 5 in swimming.

Annie: Getting really close to my aeriel in gymnastics class.

Katie (CIT): Passing my Blue Archer after not getting qualifiers for most of the summer.

What did you learn about yourself?

Katie: That I definitely have unique ways of thinking about things, but also that I shouldn’t worry one bit about those who judge of those beliefs.

Ellie: Sometimes the best thing to do is just sit back and chill with my camp friends.

Lucy: I love meeting new people.

Aubrie: That I am super energetic.

Katherine: Having fun is more important than winning.

Annie: I love to play in the lake.

Katie (CIT): I can be very competitive and get very excited about things with my cabin when I am being the example and role model.

Here is a little more about Tamarack:

What was the highlight of your summer?

Valentina: being with all of my friends and having lots of fun!!!

Lauren: spending time with my cabinmates and meeting new friends

Tory: getting to see all of my friends and doing all of the fun activities at camp

Ximena: being together as a group with my cabin because last summer we were in two separate cabins

Maitane: having so much fun and making new friends

Lilli: capsizing a mini-fish twice with Lauren while TP was visiting

Libby: trying a bunch of new activities this summer

Rachel: group cantering and passing my levels

What are some ways you were able to enjoy just being a kid and getting to play at camp?

Valentina: I liked that I could pass levels and I was able to play with all of my friends.

Lauren: doing my activities and being able to pick them

Tory: by trying new activities and having fun

Ximena: trying new things, being with my friends, doing games and activities

Maitane: that I am now more independent because my parents are not here

Lilli: I didn’t focus on passing levels, I just tried to have fun

Libby: having fun, living with my best friends, and going full out during camp activities and not caring what other people think

Rachel: getting to water-ski every day

What is an achievement for which you are most proud?

Valentina: shooting at 30 yards in archery passing to the next level on the 3rd day

Lauren: passing Black Yoeman in archery

Tory: passing my levels because it is a fun accomplishment

Ximena: doing all of the stuff for my levels

Maitane: being good at so many activities

Lilli: being selected for the riflery exchange with TP even if we didn’t win

Libby: remembering an entire dance routine for 2 sessions and passing two levels in tennis

Rachel: sitting on skis

What did you learn most about yourself?

Valentina: that if I have a goal, I try my best to accomplish it

Lauren: I’m not very good at sailing

Tory: camp helped me learn that I can do a lot more and still have fun

Ximena: I am really competitive, and if I want something, I will do everything possible to achieve it

Maitane: I can have a new experience without my parents

Lilli: to experience life in the moment and spend time with friends

Libby: I’m not afraid to try new things or look like a fool

Rachel: I am a very independent person

I think it is safe to say that by now everyone is “back to school”!  As much as we would like to stretch out summer as much as possible, somehow those lazy days quickly turn to carpools, backpacks, homework, extracurricular activities, and counting the days until camp begins once again!

Throughout the upcoming year, each month will have a blog that is “sponsored” by a different Woodland cabin from the Summer of 2017.  Each camper wrote her “best moments at camp”…here is a little more about Sunnyside!

What was the highlight of your summer?

Lauren: trotting on a horse again, passing my riflery level, Gold Rush, Lip Sync and Song Contest

Emily: meeting new people, learning how to shoot a gun in riflery, getting a bull’s eye in archery

Abbi: seeing and riding the horses

Molly: being with my cabin, making a million new inside jokes (pinecone, socadilly, oh-ma-goi, doggo, folding underwear…and many more!), passing levels, trying new activities and special events

Tori: passing level 4 in swimming, Olympics, seeing my friends, 1st place tie for Clown Contest, and passing lots of levels

Monica: getting into level 5 in swimming and getting to go in the deep end

Isa: getting to know everyone else better and making new friends

Viv: seeing friends again and meeting new friends

Jenna (CIT): being a Live-In CIT and Coed Show

What are some ways you were able to enjoy being a kid and getting to play at camp?

Lauren: Lip Sync and Song Contest

Emily: Lip Sync and Song Contest

Abbi: the fireworks for 4th of July and being “Camper of the Day”

Molly: just being in a casual environment and not worrying about what everyone thinks about me

Tori: swimming every day, not worrying about grades, being able to see my friends every day and doing activities every day

Monica: playing tennis and not thinking about passing levels or ladder or World Cup, the playak area and much more

Isa: enjoying my friends every single moment

Viv: just having fun and trying new things

Jenna (CIT): Olympics and playing “Queen of the Court” in tennis

What is an achievement for which you are most proud?

Lauren: passing levels in riflery

Emily: getting 2 bull’s eyes

Abbi: getting a qualifier in archery

Molly: getting to sitting in riflery (something I have been looking forward to for 3 summers!); I tried really hard, and I got it!

Tori: trying new things even when I failed; I kept going like doing the long shallow dive and wake-boarding

Monica: passing level 4 in swimming

Isa: passing out of swimming lessons

Viv: trying trick-skiing and knee-boarding for the first time ever

Jenna (CIT): passing my bar 9 in riflery and jumping in riding

What was something you learned about yourself this summer?

Lauren: my confidence

Emily: confidence to try new things

Abbi: that I am good at archery

Molly: Being more confident (not just this summer but at camp in general!).  I feel like I used to always be shy, quiet, and easily embarrassed.  At camp I learned to be comfortable around others.

Tori: I am able to do anything like diving off the Aqua Tramp, wake-boarding, and passing lots of levels

Monica: if you try your best, you always succeed

Isa: I don’t need someone to have fun, I just need someone to have fun with me

Viv: I don’t give up easily

Jenna (CIT): I am a hard worker, and I don’t give up

2017 was a summer where we CREATED OUR OWN SCENE! See what the campers from Hilltop & Sunrius had to say:

HILLTOP

Valeria: giving my best effort in all the activities I did

Natalia: by being myself, having fun, and looking at everything in a positive way

Izzi: I learned a lot of skills and found what I love

Irene: I didn’t follow what people did, instead I found a new way to do it

Adri: by trying my best in all of my activities and making the most out of my summer

Veronica: looking at everything in a positive way

Sofi (CIT): I did a big achievement and a lot of people were proud of me

SUNRIUS

Molly A: trying a lot of different activities; I tried canoeing and sailing.  I also made the most of my activities – I always skied during rec swim or shot as much as I could during archery.

Parker: I tried new things! I tried a group canter in riding and assisting swim lessons.

Vale: I didn’t change who I am to fit in

Cayley: I tried new things and stepped out of my comfort zone

Molly J: I branched out of my comfort zone and tried new activities; I also made new friends and became closer with some girls I wouldn’t have expected.

Kelly: I stepped out of my comfort zone during my activities (riding, tennis, riflery, etc.)

Jae: I tried something new, made new friends and hung out with new people

Josune: I made new friends and did everything I proposed to do and learned new things every day

Barbie: being different from the rest of the people, by letting others know me deeply and telling them that everything you want, you’ll get it if you work, work, enjoy, enjoy.  Everything is possible!

Sam: I stepped up to another role with more responsibility and the transition wasn’t bad, the hardest was knowing how much campers look up to us

Sofi: making friends

Paula: by taking new activities, like riding

Amelia: I tried a lot of new things, and I worked hard in all my activities

Estefi: always trying new things