Category: Where I Thrive in 1-5!

As I was traveling this past month working with various camps around the country and facilitating staff training, some good friends of mine asked me if I had seen the movie, “Inside Out.”  Since I had barely glimpsed the news in multiple weeks at that point, I had to admit that I really didn’t have a clue what it was about.  They both looked at me and said, “You HAVE to go see this movie – it speaks the language of camp!”

After seeing “Inside Out” this weekend, I couldn’t agree with my friends more!  Riley (an 11-year old girl) and her imaginary friend from year’s past (Bing-Bong) won my heart as Riley’s 5 emotions (Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Anger, and Fear) desperately fought to keep control of the stress of moving to a new town.  I had a front row seat into the complexity of the human mind of a child and how conflicting emotions make it challenging to navigate every day life.  This movie did a great job of depicting a young person from the “Inside Out.”

It was a good reminder of how each child comes to camp with lots of “stuff” that plays into their adjustment regardless of being a new or seasoned camper.  Experiences and relationships from home, school, and beyond help shape the core fabric of each camper.  Because we take the business of youth development seriously, we are interested in learning about each girl beyond the surface level.  The first two weeks are important in that way as the counselors and staff get to know your daughter(s) and begin to discover the uniqueness each camper brings to the cabin group and camp community.  We are working hard to know each girl from the “Inside Out”!

Happy Independence Day!  I remember my very first year as a counselor at Woodland in 1986 waking up to the sound of HORSES by my cabin instead of the usual wake-up bell.  I was a little startled to say the least, but I decided to roll with it and get into the spirit of the riders who were telling us that the “British were coming” and got my ten 13 and 14 year-old campers out of bed!

The lodge was decked out in “red-white-and-blue” decorations that I’m sure the CIT on duty the day before had put up to make our dining experience festive.  Campers and counselors alike wore various patriotic clothing combinations of their own to contribute to the holiday celebration.  Activities continued as normal throughout the day; however, the hype for the evening’s “Red, White, and BOOM” campfire at Towering Pines built as campers negotiated the shower schedule to be sure everyone was squeaky clean and had time for proper primping before donning their Woodland Wear to get on the shuttle to drive to the boys camp.

It is comforting to know that the 4th of July and all of the traditions that have become part of camp history are still in tact.  I am also reminded of the tie-in to the true reason we celebrate this July holiday in the first place.  We can be grateful to the many men and women who fought for the freedom we enjoy today, and you can sleep even better tonight knowing that your camper has an incredible opportunity this summer to exercise this right and explore her independence during her camp experience at Woodland.

Here are just a FEW of freedoms that come to mind when I think of a summer at Woodland:

• the choice to select activities according to interests and talents
• the ability to try something new if desired (the 2nd activity sign-up is next weekend!)
• the opportunity to get to know girls from a variety of  geographic locations, backgrounds, and age levels that may be different from their own
• the encouragement to be “real” and not some “fake” version of yourself
• the gift of being in an outdoor environment where the sky, lake, trees, animals, and flowers make up your living room
• the support of counselors and other caring adults
• the chance to be independent during this growing time away from family and friends from home
• the time to be away from stresses and worries and have more FUN than you ever imagine!

You can be thankful that your daughter has this AMAZING opportunity to experience Independence Day EVERY day…just by being at camp!

This past Saturday, I just happened to be passing through Chicago’s O’Hare Airport a few hours after the bus left with eager campers headed to the Northwoods of Wisconsin for the start of summer 2015.  Had my flight been a little earlier, I may have joined them for the ride to one of my favorite places on Earth! Lucky for me, travel plans will bring me to Rhinelander in about 10 days.

Having a little bit of time to kill before boarding my connecting flight to Houston, I wandered through the B Concourse looking for a tasty meal.  As I meandered past travelers hustling and bustling about, I passed by a family of four playing cards.  I did a double-take.  At some point in the not too distant past, this would NOT have struck me as being unusual; however, I was taken in by their sense of togetherness and enjoyment.

I actually got a huge smile on my face as I walked by because I did not see one technological device at this amazing scene of happiness.  No phone, e-Reader, laptop, iPod, Beats headphones…nada.  I saw four people truly enjoying each other’s company, and YES, they were LAUGHING!  I could only imagine that they were having a great time together – 2 parents and their 2 teenage children.  What a cool sight to see!  How sad, though, that this has become the exception and not the norm.

I continued to traverse the concourse to find my meal of choice and told myself that I would actually say something to this exceptional family should they still be at the same table upon my return.  After grabbing some healthy fast-food (ha!) and making my way to the gate area, this family was STILL playing cards and Mom was in the process of taking pictures of Dad and kids.

I decided that this was my chance to approach them and offer to be the photographer so that Mom could also be in the picture.  I told them that they had just MADE MY DAY merely by their choice of spending REAL “FaceTime” together in the airport when most people barely even notice the person(s) sitting next to them.  Many travelers keep their thumbs busy while waiting for their flight to be called or they retreat to their “zone” while listening to music being piped in via headphones.  It was imperative that I take their family picture so that this rare occasion could be documented!  This family had actually decided to engage with each for the 2-3 hours while waiting for a delayed flight – how refreshing!

On my way back to wait for my own flight, I couldn’t help but reflect on how spending REAL “FaceTime” at camp is the NORM and not the EXCEPTION.  While it may seem unsettling at first for you and your daughter(s) to be physically and technologically separated while away at camp, it is crucial to the adjustment process.  Campers will become more fully immersed into the camp experience if they are completely “unplugged” and able to jump into the process of making new friends without the distractions from a myriad of screens.

With the help of the amazing Woodland counselors and staff, campers are forming relationships with the girls in their cabin and activities this week.  They are singing and dancing and laughing together (minus the milk coming out of their nose!).  The best thing you can do to connect with your daughter is to send an upbeat letter from home via “snail mail” or Bunknotes.  Don’t be surprised if you get a return reply saying how much fun she is having in her new summer home and community.  This is the NORM at Woodland, not the EXCEPTION!

The credit goes to Kid President for his inspiration on this blog post (taken from his You Tube video on a “A Letter To A Person On Their First Day Here”)!

Saturday, 70+ girls arrived at Camp Woodland.  Welcome! This is camp! It is a pretty cool place. There is lots to see, smell, and there are s’mores. There is so much to do: singing, dancing, and laughing. Laughing is the BEST. (Especially when milk comes out of your nose!).

Some days awesome things will happen. Some days you will get ice cream. Some days you won’t. Some days your kite will fly high. Some days it will get stuck in a tree. It’s just how it is.

There are plenty of reasons to dance – you just have to look for them. Don’t worry, though, you aren’t at camp alone. You are going to meet lots of cool people here.

Being a camper is hard sometimes. You should give each other high-5’s just for making it to breakfast. Just treat everyone like it is their birthday even if they don’t deserve it. We all mess-up sometimes. The biggest mess-up is not forgiving each other’s mess-ups. Maybe you will do sailing or horseback riding or arts and crafts . You might even get to pet one of the goats at the Zoo or try Log Rolling!

It’s so, so much. It’s a lot. Try this. Take a deep breath. It is AMAZING. You’re going to do it a lot this summer. Enjoy it. Pay attention. Take brain pictures because amazing things will happen every day. You are going to do so much, but it’s not about what you do. It’s about WHO YOU ARE and you are AWESOME!

WE’RE REALLY GLAD YOU ARE HERE!  We need to say that a lot. Camp gets busy and you are important and you are going to do a lot and you’re going to smell great. But, don’t get too busy. Remember to let everyone know that you are glad they are here. You don’t have to remember this all right now. You are going to need a pep talk sometimes (that is what your counselors are for). That’s OK. For now, you’re here, you’re awesome, and you’re going to have a GREAT summer!!

One of the best things about camp is seeing how campers grew over the year and witnessing their eagerness to learn something new. This comes in many different forms including learning something new about themselves, reconnecting with camp friends and making new ones, and even trying new activities. As a counselor, the most fulfilling part of the camp experience is learning something new from the campers. Whether it’s a new craft project, song, dance, or story we learn just as much as the campers! Their excitement to learn a new skill and master another drives us to try new ways of teaching. Each summer I learn so much from the campers and even about myself. Learning doesn’t end with the end of the school year and camp is the prime example of how anyone can learn to thrive in a variety of different activities. Throughout the summer whether campers are at camp for two, four, or six weeks, it is obvious how they become more independent and comfortable with themselves as well as working as a team!

My parents still say that going to camp was one of the best things for both my sister and I because we thrived! We are comfortable in our skin, are willing and eager to get to know new people and try something new, and camp provided opportunities for us to become leaders. Learn, Laugh, Lead is not just a slogan it is a fact of what camp provides each and everyone who attends.

I, for one, am so excited to see how experienced and novice campers take advantage of this summer. Camp is “Where I Thrive in 1-5” and has been for years! What about you?

Authored by: Sara F
2015 Masters degree in Public History, Wright State University
Camp Woodland Camper, Senior Counselor