Category: New Parent Information

Dear Mom,

I know you have mixed feelings about me not bringing my cell phone to camp.  You are used to communicating with me multiple times a day and getting messages that I forgot my lunch, soccer practice is running late, or that I have a math test tomorrow.  I’m sure it will feel strange not texting or calling while I am away.

Here are a few reasons why it is good for me to “unplug” while I am camp even though I am in constant contact with you when I am home:

1)    It is hard to be 2 places at once!  If I am checking in with you all of the time, then I am not getting to fully enjoy camp.  I will miss out on making friends, settling into my cabin, and all of the exciting activities the counselors have planned for me!

2)    It is important for me to learn to trust other caring adults.  This emerging independence is one of the greatest benefits of camp!  There are great people whom I can reach out to, whether it is my cabin counselor, one of my activity instructors, the camp nurse, or the camp director.  They are good at what they do, and I trust that they will help me adjust to camp life!

3)   While I’m at camp I don’t want to be second guessing myself by having the ability to ask you to decide things for me.  I can do this!!!   It is important for me to grow and learn, little by little, to solve some of my own challenges.  This is how I will develop greater resilience.   I’m sure the counselors will remind me to put on my bug spray and sunscreen, brush my teeth and change my underwear ;-). Don’t worry, they will contact you should an emergency arise.

4)    I want to go all in!   I’m going to start the summer on the right foot by being honest with my counselors and myself.  Some campers wind up with a phone anyway even though they aren’t supposed to have one.  It is really embarrassing for them when the counselor finds out.  I heard some older campers bring two phones so they can turn one in; the “real” is hidden inside a stuffed animal, a book, or even a box of Kleenex. Can you believe it?!

So, when you get the packing list and cell phones are on the list of things NOT to bring to camp, please don’t pack mine.  It will be hard for both of us at first to disconnect in this way, but I will tell you all about my experience when I get home and meanwhile, you can count on camp to post photos to show you what we are doing.  I promise to write letters/Bunk Notes to keep you updated on all of the fun I am having at camp!

Thank you in advance for helping me “unplug” this summer!

Love,

A Very Excited Woodland Camper

Waterfront Director 1987-1997

Because I moved on from Woodland/Towering Pines after a 12-year stint as counselor, program director, waterfront director, and eventually assistant director, and then returned after a 14 year hiatus, I am often asked by fellow alumni why I chose to come back.  In the time I was away, I was the associate director at a much larger all-girls camp in the mountains of Western North Carolina full-time for 8 years. There are 60+ camps in three neighboring counties in that part of the US alone!

The Power of Play

The winter months are exciting as we prepare for the upcoming summer. Often we are asked, “so, what do you do in the off-season?” Believe it or not, this time of year can be just as busy as the summer months! We are meeting new and returning campers at camp fairs and open houses, putting together our staff team, checking out new program ideas and resources, and connecting with our camp family via various social media avenues. It is also a time of professional development as we take part in webinars and national and regional conferences so that we stay current with the latest trends in the industry.

One of the interesting themes we have noticed this year is talk around the power of play. Dr. Shimi Kang, a keynote speaker at the recent American Camp Association National Conference in Albuquerque and author of “The Self-Motivated Kid” talks about how play is directly linked to the development of the prefrontal cortex, which directs our highest levels of thinking and functioning. She goes on to say that play is so important to our survival that the impulse to play is just as fundamental as our impulse to sleep or eat. Play is also essential to the development of creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration, the skills needed for success in the 21^st century. (Kang, 2014)The quote, “Play is the work of children,” takes on various forms and is contributed to Piaget, Maria Montessori, Fred Rogers, and other youth development experts.  Play isn’t exactly a novel concept at Camp Woodland – Mr. Jordan was a huge proponent of the power of play at camp!  Here are some of the ways we foster play throughout the summer:

• Taking advantage of the outdoor playground all around us! There are sticks, leaves, rocks, etc. that can provide hours of creative thought and play.
• Opportunities for camper performances at weekly campfires, the annual Lip Sync Contest, and promotional skits at assembly are various “stages” for true colors to shine!
• Tetherball and other pick-up games are available for free time where campers often collaborate and make up their own rules.

• Cards and board games provide great fun for cabins during rest hour and at nighttime.
• The Woodland Drama class uses their creativity and imagination to design props, sets, and costumes for drama productions.
• Arts and Crafts classes provide starting materials for an idea; it is amazing how each camper develops them into a unique project.

• Campers use innovation and resourcefulness to plan theme events for evening activities and Sunday’s. Gymnastics mats become elaborate mazes for Camper Council Night, a giant painted rock is the infamous “Mother Lode” for Gold Rush Day, and soccer goals turn into the “jail” for Woodland Fair.  “Minute-To-Win-It” games were a big hit in 2016!
• Cabin night is another opportunity for campers and counselors to improvise fun things to do.  Jumping on the Aqua Tramp or getting involved in an game of tag always make for a good time!

COME PLAY WITH US THIS SUMMER!!!

“It’s happy talent to know how to play”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’m sure it goes without saying that you have seen your share of political ads over the past several weeks and months. More than likely, these ads are telling you something about the choices you should make on November 8^th.  So, instead of advising you who to vote for, we would like to give you a better choice this year. We want you to CHOOSE CAMP!

Here at Camp Woodland, we actually care about the thing that most politicians only pretend to pay attention to – your kids and your family. Our goal in what we to do is to help kids get outside and explore nature, to make new friends and connect with their peers face-to-face instead of through a screen, and to try new things and gain confidence. Regardless of who you vote for, make a great choice, CHOOSE CAMP! We hope to see you this summer!

We are Camp Woodland and we approve this message.

(inspired by Camp Ocean Pines’ video)

Grace cares for 4- and 2-legged friends

This person mentioned that Harvard was launching a project to “Make Caring Common”.  Through an article online, I discovered that intent of this project is to “help educators, parents, and communities raise children who are caring, responsible to their communities, and committed to justice.  Leading colleges and universities are joining together to reshape the college admissions process and promote concern for others and the common good.” (Click here to read more…)

Sam promotes respect for the outdoors and nature

The first thing that crossed my mind when I read this post-conference is that any student who has “camp counselor” on her resume, should automatically rocket to the top of the college application pile!  At Camp Woodland, we are all about caring and being responsible to our community.  Because caring for one another is so important, we build the foundation for this to happen starting on the very first day campers arrive.

Sara instills confidence at the Ropes Course

Counselors are key to helping cabins create a contract that encompasses ideals to live by such as respect, honesty, enthusiasm (and FUN!).  We honor this pact and the family (community) we will become through a special Cabin Unity Campfire.  We revisit this contract often throughout the summer to stay true to the promise we made to each other.  Caring for the common good of others is definitely a common practice at camp!

Once in college, there is a lot of pressure for students to pursue an internship as a stepping stone to get into graduate school or to land a job post-graduation.  Returning to camp summer after summer can be a challenging decision for staff to make because it doesn’t seem possible that such a “fun” job can prepare someone for the real world.

Sofia teaches teamwork in dance class

What is interesting to note; however, is that the skills that are at the top of the list for job success include creativity, flexibility/adaptability, initiative, teamwork, leadership, responsibility, critical thinking, and problem solving…just to name a FEW!  These are the skills that will help you to get a job, keep a job, and advance in your career.  While it may be compelling to consider an internship or other job preparation this summer, working at camp provides specific training and experience in these very same competencies!

 Katelyn guides campers to

Are there skills/experiences are you hoping to obtain through  internship opportunities that we could help you cultivate at camp?  There are many leadership roles at Camp Woodland…we would be happy to see if there is something that would help you on your path to your desired career goals!