Category: Staff Corner

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 25+ 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 specific data to back this claim, I can share with you my observations from enjoying more than a quarter of a century with kids in the camp environment (including 3 weeks at Camp Woodland this summer!).

• Math: Friendships formed, skills learned, donuts consumed on Saturday mornings, mosquito bites, laughter and smiles…too many to count!

• Science: When the outdoors is the classroom, campers learn about the natural environment at every turn.  They take hikes in the forest and look for the “stinky” tree,  jump on a bed of moss at the Moss Garden, go fishing, visit the bog, search for Lost Lake or the Enchanted Forest, take care of the animals at Farm Zoo, plant flowers and a garden, participate in camp-wide recycling, watch an eagle soar overhead, catch a glimpse of a deer darting into the woods, hear the loons calling to one another across the lake, observe a mother duck and her ducklings swim near the water’s edge, cook over a fire and sleep in a tent while on a canoe trip, gaze at the stars without the interference of city lights, see a full moon blaze its trail across the lake…just to name a few!

• History: Camp traditions such as Opening Campfire, Gold Rush, Camp Birthday, Olympics, and Banquet are some of the lessons learned as they are passed on from generation to generation of Woodland campers.

• Government/Leadership: From the youngest to the oldest, all campers are given the opportunity to be leaders during their stay at camp.  Cabins take turns being charge of planning various all-camp events, including the Camper Council activity for Friday night and Inspiration Hour on Sunday morning.  When an event calls for a station rotation, the girls are responsible for explaining their “game” to each group.  The oldest campers are Counselors-in-Training (or CIT’s), and they  dedicate an hour each day to leadership training that helps them prepare for their future role as a counselor.  These girls also rotate being “Officer-of-the-Day” (OD) and learn about camp from the administrative perspective as well as assuming responsibilities in activities when counselors have a day off.

• Language: Writing letters home to family and friends is a favorite rest hour pastime.  Woodland girls learn about diversity and are exposed to different cultures as campers/staff come from various states and countries.

• Reading: Campers often read books from home during rest hour or at Rec Swim while sitting on the deck overlooking the beach.  Counselors also choose an age-appropriate book and read a story to the entire cabin as part of the nightly routine.

• Physical Fitness: Camp doesn’t happen sitting down!  Campers are playing tennis, doing gymnastics, swimming, sailing, water-skiing, windsurfing/paddle-boarding, canoeing, riding horses, sharpening skills at archery or riflery, dancing, walking to and from activities, running to get their mail, and skipping (just because they can)!

• Music: The “official” time and a favorite activity is to sing after every evening meal and at weekly campfires.  Campers sing “unofficially” while out on a sailboat, during a trail ride, at the start of various activities (“I’m Alive, Alert, Awake, Enthusiastic!”), and just about anywhere and anytime during the camp day.  Song Contest is the highlight at the end of the 3rd week; cabins work together and change the words to a popular song and choreograph moves to tell their story of the summer. 
• Performing Arts: Girls have the opportunity to be in dance, gymnastics, and/or drama performances that are put on for the entire camp every 2 weeks; they also act out skits each week at campfires.  The girls taking drama also design and build their own sets and utilize the drama closet resources to assemble their costume selections.  Put it all together, and the end product is one fabulous production!

• Creative Arts:  Imaginations run wild during arts and crafts classes at camp!  From individuals making a paper mache pig to small groups designing a “roller coaster” apparatus for a marble ride, campers are encouraged to be creative and think outside the box with every project.  Don’t be surprised if you happen to see a cabin group wearing mustaches to assembly or dressed in zebra footie pajamas – it is all part of the Woodland spirit that is celebrated at any given moment!  You may even run into a “unicorn” at horseback riding…

• Health: The Woodland camp community has the luxury of eating 3 well-balanced meals together each day, 7 days a week.  Not only is the food delicious, but being able to enjoy a leisurely dining experience in a family setting is a real treat!  The cabin bonding that occurs during meals is nourishment for the soul as many stories and accomplishments are shared through conversations within each cabin group.

• Computer: OK, you got me on this one!  This is the only area where there is a deficit (but in a good way)!  We are able to accomplish all of the above without one smartphone, laptop, e-reader, TV, or other electronic device.  Being “unplugged” for 6 weeks is heavenly, and I highly recommend it!

So, 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!!!

Kim Wenzl Aycock, MST

…The Riflery range that is!  It is my favorite place at Camp Woodland by a long shot J and was my #1 favorite activity for at least 6 summers as a camper.  The Riflery program is one of the most competitive and rewarding program at camp, which makes it an incredible fun learning experience – and only gets better with time! There are 14 levels to pass and a hard road to becoming an EXPERT. Yes, but as you work your way up to more points and different shooting positions the excitement and satisfactions becomes uncontrollable!

Be warned: this skill improving and concentration level-improving activity creates an addiction.  The symptoms include:

• Obsessions over safety rules
• Improvement of eye-sight
• Strengthening of arm and back muscles and a general development of good and empowering attitude towards obstacles and life in general!

There are 14 steps to take up the ladder towards expertise and consists of 4 positions:

• Prone (lying down)
• Kneeling
• Sitting
• standing

We start with Prone (lying down) starting at 20pts (out of 50), going up to 25, 30, 35, and 40 points with each level.  From there you go up to sitting, kneeling, and finally standing – an achievement in itself even if you don’t make it all the way to the end.  That moment when you can get off the floor and be confident enough to hold your own rifle is nothing short of magical.  I think it is the measurable improvement of skill, which is quite evident here at the range that makes this one of the most popular and loved activities in Woodland.  That and the Towering Pines Camp exchange (a chance for the boys and girls to interact in spirit of sportsmanship!) Did I mention we beat them this year too? In the spirit of this summer’s theme – All We Can Be – is fun-loving, safe, and strong at the same time.

Ps. On a bit of a personal note, I am in love with this place, and wouldn’t dream of spending my summer’s anywhere but up here! The range is just the place to be in 1-3!

One of the things I have enjoyed about watching The Container Store maintain its position on the Fortune 100’s list of Best Places to Work is the philosophy by Kip Tindell, CEO, on employee appreciation. He believes that “if we take care of our employees better than anyone else, then they in turn will take better care of the customers better than anyone else.” If we adapt this way of thinking at camp, it translates to:

HAPPY STAFF = HAPPY CAMPERS!

 To show the Woodland counselors how much we value their efforts and the AMAZING job they are doing with the campers this summer, we decided to plan a few surprises this week as a way to say THANK YOU. On Monday, we sent the CIT’s with 15 minutes left during rest hour to the cabins with the instruction that they were to tell the counselors to come down to the picnic benches for a meeting.

By the look on some of their faces, many staff thought that they were “in trouble”, but in actuality, they were far from it! The golf cart, disguised as the Cathy’s Ice Cream Mobile, came down the Woodland road and stopped to offer each staff member a tasty ice cream treat. Cathy’s Ice Cream also donated bags of candy for each counselor. All were grateful for the sentiment and the small token of our appreciation for the MANY things they do.

But, wait – it doesn’t stop here! At assembly on Tuesday morning, the announcement was made that it was “Give Counselors a Hug” Day. All campers sang, “We love you counselors, oh, yes we do. We love you counselors, and we’ll be true. When you’re not with us, we’re blue. Oh, Counselors, WE LOVE YOU!” The counselors were asked to stand in front of their cabin group and close their eyes. Campers lightly touched their counselors to say thank you for: making them smile, making them laugh MORE (when they are already laughing), listening to them, teaching them how to do something they never thought they could do, being patient, knowing what is important to each girl, offering comfort when they are sad or homesick, and MUCH, MUCH, MORE!

We have a WONDERFUL group of counselors and staff this year, and we can’t THANK them enough for all they do!!! Woodland Counselors, WE LOVE YOU!

PS. Thanks Kim Aycock for writing this blog post!!

We were able to peak into  Sailing Counselor, Suzanne, Capatain’s Log and found this particularly interesting entry about the first sail race:

Second Period begins with the ringing of the bell.

July 4, 2013… the first Towering Pines- Woodland Sail Race of the summer

The five minutes to start whistle is blown. The wind dies. Course: 1, 3, 2, 3, 1. At the one minute mark the wind picks up.

The four boats cross the starting line. Similar tacks by all. At The buoy rounding is when the clear the division in ranks is made.  Boats are crossing courses to the next mark.

Rules being called out- “Buoy Room” “Leeward over Windward” “Starboard over Port” “Overtaken over Overtaking”

The race goes on… they head for the finish. Two boats are in front.  Chelsea skippering I Spy with crew of Mera and Daphne comes in first. In second and a long shot ahead of the third place: Boat was skipper Paige and crew Colette and Regina.  Eventually crossing the line was Mike’s boat with Jack, Santi, and Kate… This happened while the last boat finished rounding the last buoy. Matt, Diego and Jess were pinching their sails while heading downwind… could be the explanation for the fourth place finish.

Third Period ends with the bell.

Overall it was a beautiful day for a race. Woodland wins. Better luck next time TP.

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