Girls Sleepaway Camp in the Adirondack Mountains in Brant Lake, New York
Thank you, parents for giving your girls a great weekend. Everyone loved showing off bunks, skills, friends and fun. We had some spectacular weather to show off all we have learned, and we hope you all had as much fun as we did.
Today we continued our summer fun with a busy day of team competition at tennis and team sports. There were cheers, games and superb sportsmanship all over camp.
Thanks again for making visiting weekend such a great experience for all of us!
As parents, what we really want is a future where our kids are happy and can achieve their goals. We look for the very best schools, help the kids with their homework, and expose them to engaging cultural experiences. School builds a strong foundation of knowledge, but their bright future requires more.
Camp is not just for the fun of it, it is an experience that complements education in school. School excels, of course, with facts and traditional subject matter, while Camp excels at providing skills for life, learning and creativity. When kids get out of the classroom and into the bunk they are collaborating, communicating and solving problems. These are skills for the future that adults rely on every day in the office, and again when we get home. Camp activities and events are built around creativity, flexibility, initiative and leadership. All these learning experiences are firmly embedded in every day of fun with friends.
Every year we think of new fun for their summer, but we are also creating opportunities for growth in every corner of camp. There are just so many reasons we really love camp!
How great is an experience that kids love, and yet is a vital learning experience that prepares our children for a bright future. They win, we all win.
There have been big additions to this year’s Wilderness, Adventure and Discovery (WAD) line-up. We are so lucky to be able to experience our Adirondack Mountains. Along with hiking, challenge courses, and outdoor cooking at the POP Farm, campers have been learning rock climbing at RockSport, conquering the tree canopy ropes course at Adirondack Extreme, white water rafting the Sacandaga River, camping out on the shore of Pharaoh Lake in preparation for climbing Mount Marcy, and canoeing down Brant Lake for delicious ice cream at our local eatery, The Hub. With so many options to choose, campers who are interested have many more opportunities to get out for adventure. The girls have been very excited about their new excursions, and these expeditions continue all summer!
Every Sunday we gather together in the campfire circle for a few minutes to recognize some of the best in camp. While we certainly recognize campers with achievements at tennis or most improved in swimming, our most special recognition is saved for campers who are truly great human beings. We have made these recognitions of “Campers of the Week” in each age group for decades and they are all truly special. These girls represent the spirit of Point O’Pines.
We have decided that, while there is so much that we can recognize, this summer we will discuss and highlight several important attributes described below. I hope you are just as excited as we are to celebrate the great young people who we will honor this summer. We are always excited to see these Campers of the Week grow up to be amazing women and an inspiration to us all.
Week 1: Community Spirit
Camper of the Week for Community Spirit goes to a camper who builds up our community by bringing people together inside the age group and out. She embodies the idea of never leaving a camper behind. Her friendliness, thoughtfulness, and generosity contribute to our camp community and without her there would be a noticeable difference in the spirit of the age group.
Week 2: Kindness
Campers receiving this award are those who we all enjoy being around for their bright smiles, welcoming spirits, and inclusive attitudes. They reach out when others are sad, are considerate to all campers and staff, listen well, and work hard to develop a sense of belonging in the age group.
Week 3: Empathy
We recognize a camper who can put herself in someone else’s shoes and shows a great understanding of her fellow campers. She is a strong listener and fair mediator and is respectful of all sides of an argument even when she disagrees. She is compassionate with all of her fellow campers and staff, and does her best to learn the perspective of others during conflict.
Week 4: Commitment
We recognize a camper who offers 100% of her effort to whatever task is in front of her. When she makes plans, she sticks to them without complaint and her fellow campers and staff know that they can trust her for her reliability, consistency, and positive attitude. She is a hard worker and respects others when they demonstrate commitment by trying new things and following through on promises made.
Week 5: Authenticity
This award is given to a camper who is able to be her true, whole self in all contexts around camp. No matter the situation, she keeps her personal values in mind and behaves in ways consistent with those values. She respects other campers’ authenticity as well, and doesn’t try to change others into people they are not. This camper appreciates diverse perspectives but stands up for what she believes is right.
Week 6: Courage
This award is given to a camper who has the courage to do what is right, even when what is right does not match with what is popular. Her bravery is represented in social situations and at activity areas, where she has worked hard to try something new or outside of her comfort zone. She is fearless when it comes to reaching her goals and making camp a better place for all.
Week 7: Citizenship
In this final week we recognize the rare camper who embodies all of the qualities we have highlighted throughout the summer. These are great all-around campers who show us the ideals of what it is to make our community better by being a part of it.
After dinner this evening out of the jungle the Peakers came. It is Breakout! Blue and While leaders led their teams in a dance in front of an amazed audience of campers. The camp was divided into summer color teams and both teams showed their spirit, talent and sportsmanship. The teams each held their first meetings and each quickly became a cohesive team together. Team competition begins with the Scavenger Hunt this Sunday.
