Category: Soaring Free in 2-3

I think it is safe to say that our campers have made their “back to school” debut for the 2023-24 year. Backpacks filled with a beach towel, sweatshirt, tennis raquet and riding boots from the summer have been traded in for one that carries lunch, completed homework, a calculator, and a binder or two. It is exciting to dive into the topics that each grade will explore for the new school year. Let the learning begin!

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 35+ 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 scientific data to back this claim, I can share with you what your campers reported learning during the recent summer. Based on the wording of the question that was asked, their responses are (mostly) activity based; however, there are a few campers who recognized other kinds of learning that occurred in the Soaring Free in ’23 summer. Campers also shared the camp activities they wish they could do at home – it is interesting to see the differences in the “favorites” from cabin to cabin.

Tamarack

Audrey: the point system and how to shoot in archery; Amelia: how to capsize and new strokes in canoeing; Evie: a lot about bugs and insects; Jaclyn: how to hold the reins and control your horse in riding; Eleanor: how to trot; JoJo: how to post when trotting; Luci: to make cool stuff in arts & crafts like fairy houses; Georgia: parts of the boat in sailing; Fiona: how to trot in riding; Oli: doing a split front walkover and aerial in gymnastics

Activities we wish we could do at home: Drama, Archery (3), Riding (4), Farm Zoo (2), Sailing, Rec Swim

Silver Birch

Alice: how to shoot a bow and arrow; Elyse: riding a horse; Clara: trotting in riding; Masyn: a front hand spring and aerial in gymnastics; Lia: how to set up a boat for sailing; Mojo: a back bend in gymnastics and emergency dismount in riding; Roberta: playing rollout in tennis; Ana Roberta: painting; Maya (CIT): passing my expert!

Activities we wish we could do at home: Farm Zoo, Riding, Riflery (2), Sailing (2), All of them!, Gymnastics,

Starshine

Eloise: tie a slip on figure 8 knot; Maggie: a handstand into a bridge in gymnastics; Olivia H: trot and do my own stirrups in riding; Casilda: the parts of an X-boat and how to tack in sailing; I love my counselors and cabin; I love tennis and sailing; Renata: new strokes in swimming; Camila: shooting a gun in riflery; Dani (CIT): patience, parts of the boat, hard terminology, theories, committee rules, how to use a spinnaker in sailing

Activities we wish we could do at home: Riding, Rec Swim (2), Riflery (3), Tennis, Sailing,

Driftwood

Hannah: making flowers in Arts & Crafts; Orla: how to dive!; Maddie H: make a basket; Amelia: literaly everything in sailing!; Maddie B: the rhythm of posting in riding; Nat (CIT): how to shoot from a sitting position and score targets in riflery

Activities we wish we could do at home: Tennis, Riflery, Archery (3), Swim lessons, Canoeing,

Hilltop

Julia: rules of doubles matches in tennis; Regi: improving my strokes in swimming; Natalia: perfecting the details of my strokes in swimming; Olive: how to sail and capsize; Sophia: parts of boat, points of wind, how to heel and race in sailing; Casi: a handstand to a bridge in gymnastics; Taylor: I didn’t know how to sail before; Tess (CIT): how to handle horses that are acting out and train new horses

Activities we wish we could do at home: Arts & Crafts, Riflery, Riding (5), Sailing, Water-skiing/All of them!

Sunnyside

Zoe: tips to stay steady when shooting in riflery; Alix: squeeze legs in riding; Stella: caring for the animals in Farm Zoo and how to shoot a gun; Amelia: how to serve in tennis; Phoebe: how to do the “gooseneck”, and set up and take down the main sail and jib in sailing; Clara: to just enjoy where you are at the moment!; Olivia: how to shoot in riflery; Sydney: passing levels in tennis; Isabella (CIT): working on sail boats and directing a drama show

Activities we wish we could do at home: Riflery (6), Farm Zoo, Water-skiing, Archery (2), Sailing

Treetops

Vale: how to do a proper start in sail race; Marion: making fudgy cherry pies in canoeing; Lizzie: how to do strokes accurately in swimming; Bella: serving in tennis and points of sail; Izzy: how to canter in riding; Elizabeth: where my sail should be based on various conditions/points of sail; Katherine: how to handle a misbehaving horse and parts of a horse

Activities we wish we could do at home: Riflery, Tennis, Sailing (3), Water-skiing, Archery

Aquarius

Sofia: how to ride properly; Delia: I learned A LOT in sailing; Lou: planning/strategizing a race in sailing before I actually do it; Lizzy: the rules of tennis; Lizzie: making flowers in Arts & Crafts; Kaitlyn: to keep the string on the bow pulled back by my ear in archery; Lilah: don’t fall off a horse!

Activities we wish we could do at home: Archery (3), Riding, Sailing (2), Riflery (2), Canoeing

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!!!

ENROLL for SUMMER 2024

To continue the learning curve during the summer months, now is a GREAT time to enroll your camper/s for 2024 and reserve your spot/s. Sign up HERE: https://cwtp.campbrainregistration.com

A BIG thank you to our camp families for taking the time respond to our end-of-season survey and giving valuable feedback about the recent summer so that we can continue to improve as we make plans for 2024. Our theme this summer was “Soaring Free in ’23,” and from the comments we received from parents about the transformations being noticed at home after spending time with us, it obvious that your camper/s soared quite high!

PARENT PERSPECTIVE

Because our survey responses come together for both Woodland and Towering Pines, and many camp families have children at both, they are co-mingled here:

Our daughter has become more adventurous with her food choices which is great! They are both learning to be more independent and try new things.

As every summer, the kids have come home more independent and mature. This year, they also seem closer to each other since they were both in coed show and got to share that experience.

Our son seems a lot more mature; we can tell that he’s gained life perspective and is not as addicted to devices which is great. He’s been much more talkative with all of us and he’s gained significant skills in meeting new people on his own and talking with them.

**I see them more talkative and they both seem really happy with their experiences. **Maturing and willingness to work hard on goals. **More confident, social, self confident, mature. Growth. ** Both kids are more capable, independent, and embracing of challenges. Also, they seem to have a more mature attitude about life. ** Confident (!) and able to walk into situations with unknown kids/adults and not feel overwhelmed! **

** Independence in our daughter. Compassion and inclusion in our son. **Increased confidence, independence, and adventurousness. ** Increased confidence, trying new things. ** More confidence around tennis. ** She is now officially a camp kid! Loved it! **Self esteem, open to try new things. ** He’s become more active and is eating better. **

** Better sense of self. ** She is more of a leader and doing things outside her comfort level. ** He is more confident, has more independence, smiles more and more often. ** I can see that he is more open, he gained self confidence, and made new friends. ** Confident, healthy, happy, and I can’t wait for her to go back so she gets a break from her phone obsession (ha!). **

CAMPER PERSPECTIVE

Towards the end of camp, each girl had the opportunity to share her thoughts on what “soaring free in ’23” looked like (all campers whose form we received are included here):

Tamarack

Audrey: trying new things and making new friends, being a good friend; Amelia: making new friends that are different from me; Evie: meeting new friends, fun; Jaclyn: trying new things and being myself; Eleanor: trying really hard in all of my activities; JoJo: having a lot of fun with all of my friends at camp; Luci: trying new things; Georgia: trying new things and being kind and open to everybody; Fiona: having fun at camp with new activities; Oli: trying oatmeal and new activities

Silver Birch

Alice: first time going to a sleep away camp that I really liked and felt like I grew at; Elyse: trying new foods and activities, making new friends; Clara: being myself and having fun (and MUCH, MUCH MORE!); Masyn: in the breeze was an eagle so kind and he helped me find this place; Lia: having fun and being myself; Mojo: learning space; Roberta: nice, welcoming, happy; Ana Roberta: mi verano esta muy paque y escanlar; Maya (CIT): trying my best

Starshine

Eloise: a girl trying new things; Maggie: I tried kneeboarding; Olivia H: trying new things; Casilda: I tried riflery and archery, and I also really like dance; I love my counselors and cabin; I love tennis and sailing; Renata: fun and awesome; Camila: being at camp; Dani (CIT): amazing – I made a lot of good friends, and I want to keep in touch with them…it was a break from home

Driftwood

Hannah: great!; Orla: fun and free to be me; Maddie H: trying new things and achieving stuff in 2023; Amelia: passing up to my blue archer; Maddie B: trying new things; Nat (CIT): enjoyable, fun, new

Hilltop

Julia: fun, trying new things and being friends with new people; Regi: wonderful, new chances and a lot of fun!; Natalia: fun, unforgettable and joyful; Olive: meeting new people and doing things I would never do; Sophia: being yourself without being judged, being able to be who you are, brave, confident; Casi: a really fun summer that I loved a lot; Taylor: learning new things and starting new beginnings; Tess (CIT): enjoying my activities for the activity and not the level

Sunnyside

Zoe: it was great, and I progressed so much; Alix: learning a lot in riding; Stella: being my most authentic self and finding activities that make me happy!; Amelia: experiencing new things, making new friends and starting new beginnings; Phoebe: being myself and being brave; Clara: fun, loving, and super filled with friends; Olivia: learning how to shoot in riflery; Sydney: passing levels; Isabella (CIT): being myself and having fun

Treetops

Vale: a great year with all my friends while enjoying the activities that I love to do the most; Marion: fun, friendly, free, amazing; Lizzie: having soooooo much fun; Bella: getting to meet new people and trying new things; Izzy: doing the activities that I like and having a great cabin; Elizabeth: one of the best years ever!; Katherine: just living life with amazing friends and things to do without stress or anxiety

Aquarius

Sofia: a great opportunity to try something new; Delia: being on the water and enjoying sailing; Lou: learning a ton in sail race; Lizzy: having fun; Lizzie: being open to others sharing feelings and being free in spirit; Kaitlyn: hanging out with friends and learning how to be a good CIT; Lilah: having fun and slaying every day

ENROLL for SUMMER 2024

While feelings are at an all time high from the summer, now is a GREAT time to enroll your camper/s for 2024 and reserve your spot/s before we open registration for new campers. The early bird discount ($750 deposit, 5% off 2024 rate) for all returning campers has been extended through 9/8/23 when registering for 6 weeks: https://cwtp.campbrainregistration.com

When I think back to my early days working at camp in the mid 80’s and into the 90’s, I remember sending kids to the “infirmary” when they were sick or injured. At some point (I can’t recall the exact year), we realized that the name for the cabin tucked in between Treetops and Farm Zoo implies a place to care for the “ill” or “infirm” when it is far more than that! It is definitely a place to get back on your feet when not feeling well or to seek care after a mishap; however, it is more appropriately known as the “Health Center.”

Instead of focusing on the reactive side of being sick or hurt, the new name implies a more proactive approach to care with the idea of being on top of issues before they become problematic. Here meds are prepped for distribution at meals and before bed, campers come by cabin groups to get regular health checks throughout the season so that a baseline is established and monitored, and there is even a water bottle cleaning station outside for getting rid of any “funk” (bacteria) that may cause issues down the road! Band-aids can be found in an envelope that is tacked to the door so that campers and staff can take them as needed to care for their own minor bug bites, scratches and scrapes. Not an infirmary by a long shot!

I would even go further to say that after the past several years, the name for this building that welcomes every camper and staff member at some point throughout the summer (some more often than others!), would be better suited being called the “Wellness Center.” And, the staff who are in charge of the medical side of the camp community would be referred to as the “wellness team.” Mental health in today’s world is just as important (if not more so!) to overall wellness as physical health. Our health center staff in recent years have been well aware that mental health (stress, anxiety, panic, and more) is often manifested in physical ways (headache, stomach ache, lack of appetite, inability to sleep, etc).

Enter team Marie, a board certified family nurse practitioner, and RN Maddy. Maddy joined the Woodland community for the first time this summer (2023), while Marie has been with us a total of 3 summers with her start in 2021. Marie is the health care coordinator for both camps and a vital member of the CWTP leadership team that meets weekly from September-May. These two amazing people have a lot to do with me making an “unofficial” name change here for the health center.

This idea of thinking of health care as overall wellness is a much needed mindset switch and was intentionally prevalent this past summer. As soon as you walked in the door, the first thing that caught your attention was the lampshade that “smiled” at you with a pair of false eyelashes. For Marie and Maddy, humor was often the best “medicine” for those coming by for a visit. Nobody wants to be ill or injured, and there can be anxiety around both, so why not make it a less threatening place from the moment you enter the building?!

Next you would find a plethora of fun “fidget” toys that are great for engaging the senses by popping, stretching, twisting, turning, rubbing, etc. in order to keep the mind from going down the path of creating worst case scenarios. There were also well-stocked plastic bins that were the home to all kinds of coloring pages and markers, games, and other items to occupy time when not sleeping or wishing you were back in your cabin or participating in your normal slate of activities while on the road to recovery.

One of the great things about this Dynamic Duo is that they immersed themselves in the camp community and could be seen outside of their “office”. The first period of the day was typically dedicated to walking around from cabin to cabin with the CIT (counselor-in-training) who is OD (officer of the day) to do cabin inspections (as you may suspect, community health is greatly affected by cleanliness!). Meals were eaten in the lodge most days as this is a great time to catch up with campers and staff who may need a quick check-in as this is when everyone is in the same location for an extended period of time. Afternoons were often spent at the waterfront as a large portion of the camp is there for Rec Swim or sailing, another key time to “hang out” and connect with campers and staff. I also observed Marie and Maddy walk around to various activities and saw them participate in dance class and hit balls at tennis!

Whatever you call the place where the medical staff live and set up shop, the wellness team is an integral part of the camp community, and we couldn’t do it without them! Thank you, Maddy & Marie, for a HEALTHY & SAFE summer!

A little bit about Marie…

Hometown: Wausau, WI 

What will Marie be doing this coming year? working on building a practice and cleaning house (hard to do when working 2 full-time jobs!)

Topic/s Marie could talk about for hours: dogs, nieces & nephews

Most valuable piece of advice she’s ever received: QTIP (quit taking it personally)

Fun Facts: Marie has 4 dogs, one of whom is a puppy that pushes every possible button of someone who is supposed to know how to train dogs(!); she also has a big barn full of all kinds of goodies (hence the reason the Health Center was so well stocked with interesting things – ask Marie for just about anything, and she will come up with it!)

A little bit about Maddy…

Hometown: Wausau, WI (two amazing people from the SAME town!)

What will Maddy be doing this coming year? going on a vacation to Alaska with her family (cruise and land tour) immediately after camp then figuring out what to do next being she is a recent college graduate

Topic/s Maddy could talk about for hours: fishing

Most valuable piece of advice she’s ever received: still thinking on this one!

Fun Facts: Maddy has a twin sister, she can make friendship bracelets with the best of them, and she LOVES eating green peas out of a can

The song, “Find Your People” by Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors caught my attention recently, so I decided to look up the lyrics. Now I know why it came across my radar. The song speaks to the camp community that is created every summer at Camp Woodland; 2023 being no exception. Now that your family has been reunited, this may give a peek into the window of what your camper/s experienced over the course of 6 weeks.

You gotta find your people

The ones that make you feel alright

The kind you want to stay up with all night

You got to find your people

The ones that make you feel whole

That won’t leave your side when you lose control

The ones that don’t lose your soul

You gotta find your people

The ones that get the joke

Who understand what you’re saying before a word is spoke

You gotta find your people

That put the needle in the groove

When you’re together, you got nothing to prove

When you’re together, you got nothing to lose

In a world of strangers, you don’t know who to trust

All you see is danger, trying to find what you lost

You can’t go in alone, everybody needs help

You gotta find your people, then you’ll find yourself

You gotta find your people

That’ll call your bluff

Who’ll ride along when the road is rough

You gotta find your people

The ones that you feel equal

They pick you up and don’t put you down

Help you find your way in the lost and found

In a world of strangers, you don’t know who to trust

All you see is danger, trying to find what you lost

You can’t go in alone, everybody needs help

You gotta find your people, then you’ll find yourself

The ones that understand you

The ones that lend a hand to you

The ones that don’t demand anything from you

You gotta find your people

The ones that make you feel alright

That tell you the truth then wish you well

You gotta find your people, then you’ll find yourself

You gotta find your people, then you’ll find yourself

After spending 6 weeks in the camp ecosystem, these girls have “found their people”. Now that your camper/s are back at home and making their way into the world again, our hope is that they are able to stay true to themselves and “find their people” at school, in sports and activities, at work, and with their friend groups. This song is a yardstick for measuring the true depth of friendships. Do those friends make her feel alright? Make her whole? Will they leave her side or ride along when the road is tough?

Will she falter? Absolutely. Will she make poor choices? Most likely. Will she need gentle reminders? Of course. That’s our job as adults. We guide and support them on the path to “finding their people”.

I think it is safe to say that each camper who spent the summer with us knows a little more about herself as a result of the people she spent time with. We hope this will last the next 9 months or so until she can be back in the Northwoods at Camp Woodland with “her people” and that you will reserve her spot for 2024 (early bird discount through 8/31/23 when registering for 6 weeks): https://cwtp.campbrainregistration.com

Thanks to a suggestion from a parent who is looking for advice about the upcoming Parents Weekend, I am offering some thoughts your campers shared with me (without mentioning any names) about the transition from camp to home that will be occurring in a few short days. As mentioned earlier this summer for drop-off on Opening Weekend, there are a lot of clashing emotions – some understandable and relatable, others not so much.

Heartstrings will be pulled again as there are mixed feelings about the change that is about to happen. For those of you driving to camp, it will be noticeable when you join us for Parents Weekend. For others of you, it will take place when you pick up your camper/s from the bus at O’Hare or when you greet them at the airport in Mexico or other destinations. As one camper eloquently shared, think of it as the closing of camp and the opening of home.

Please know that as you read this, your daughter/s love you very much! They can’t wait to see you – 6 weeks is a long time to be separated. They are also a little nervous in anticipation of what this coming weekend means. It is hard to understand from your point of view, and it is hard to explain from their perspective. When I interviewed campers of varying ages, I framed it in a way that parents would like “advice” on how to “act” when they see you at Woodland or after the journey home. I am going to try to keep it as candid as possible so that it is genuinely their words and not mine.

For those of you who have campers on the young end of our age range or who are with us for the very first time, these girls don’t really know what to expect. Keeping this in mind, you may find some of their answers to be rather humorous. First of all they want you to know that all of the shows are going to be good. That is actually an understatement – they are going to be GREAT as I’ve been able sneak a few peeks in activities this week as they are rehearsing and practicing for all of the end-of-year shows. They are VERY excited for you to see what they have learned and accomplished in riding, swimming, drama, dance, gymnastics and arts & crafts (don’t worry – you can see other activities, too, on Saturday before the shows). They also suggest that you take lots of photos (for those of you not able to join us at camp, we will be posting these online and via social media). Oh, and if you are bringing the family dog, bring a leash!

They also wanted me to tell you that Woodland is the BEST. CAMP. IN. THE. WORLD. They want you to have fun while you are here. They want you to see the animals, the lake, and all the places they travel to and from during their day. Ask them questions about camp. What are the names of the horses? Which one did you like riding the most? Where do you eat meals? What is the favorite new food you tried? Where did you hang out during Rec Swim? What games did you play? Where did adventures take you in canoeing or sailing? Where was the Mother Lode hidden this year? Where did you find the CIT’s during “Alien Invasion”?

They want to tell you EVERYTHING! Listen to their stories about what they did and who was in their cabin. They also want to catch up on news from home. Did the dogs have fun? Was the extra room added? How is Grandma? There were a few requests like having their bed made, room clean, and favorite food waiting (LOL). And, they are looking forward to a BIG HUG.

The older campers are and the more years they have been with us, the more challenging the transition can be. These girls are looking for “space” to do their thing and be with the people here. They are very much aware of how hard it is going to be to say good-bye to their camp friends and summer “family”. They also don’t want to ignore you or make you feel bad. They understand it is hard for you too. These girls prefer not to talk about school, sports or activities, what’s next, SAT/ACT prep, etc. They want to stay in the moment of the here and now of camp for as long as possible. They need closure on this experience before opening the door of what awaits them at home or in the “real world”.

Veteran campers request that you take their sadness seriously. It is real. It is deep. It is unpredictable. You may see tears at odd times. Or laughing and crying simultaneously. Some campers may not say much on the ride home, others will be talking non-stop. You just never know. They will share when they are ready. Let it come in their own time. Show you are interested and engaged when the words start to flow. All they really need is for you to listen.

For those campers on the bus to Chicago, there will be multiple “good-byes”. They will be sad to leave camp and then once they settle in for the long ride to the airport, they are happy to be traveling with a bus full of people who were part of their summer experience. There will be another “good-bye” once they get off at O’Hare. For those members of our camper family from Mexico, one more farewell will take place once the plane lands in Mexico City. This is the final “adios” on the closing of camp and the opening of home. It is still hard to let go. Emotions are a tricky cast of characters. Your camper/s will appreciate your empathy as they make their re-entry. You may not understand it, and that is OK. Your child/ren will recognize the effort being made.

This weekend and the first few days home, campers just need a little time to process their experience. It will come in large waves at the beginning and wane as the days go by (but never completely go away). They will remember stories and snippets of the summer of 2022 indefinitely.

While some of what the campers said may be hard to take in, please don’t take it personally. Think of the wonderful gift you gave your daughter/s by sending them to camp. Often material gifts are novel for a short period of time and then they go unused or forgotten. You gave your child the VERY. BEST. GIFT. OF. ALL. TIME. You will see the effects of the Woodland experience all year long (and beyond!). We THANK YOU for sharing your most precious gift with us and hope you will consider having her return for 2024 (click HERE to register)!

p.s. The CIT’s are SUPER excited for you to see the Co-Ed Show on Saturday night at 7:30 pm at Towering Pines!

*This blog was originally posted on August 2, 2022 and has such an important message that I decided to pull it out again!