Campus Kids New Jersey @campuskidsnj - Tumblr Blog

Golf, Sword-fighting and Cartwheels...

It may seem strange, but right now is the perfect time to be thinking about camp activities. We’ve already had great in-office discussions based on your feedback about the activities you loved, which ones you wanted to do more often, and your ideas to improve others. By working on our activity program now, we have lots of time to research new ideas and plan ahead. Katie has already been working away improving our already vast library of activity resources for staff. We’ve talked about plays and special programs. I’ve been working on reviewing schedules and strategizing improvements to things like MDOs, sport-specialties, and non-traditional activities like Dungeons & Dragons.

I think we already have a very strong program of activities and I get goosebumps thinking about how it will be even stronger next summer. We have so many great activities, some of which I have never tried! When I think that there are camp activities that I’ve never done, it really bothers me. Last summer, during one of my many conversations with Gabriella D, she told me about how she had never really done golf and decided that she going to seize the opportunity and try it at camp. She started out by signing up for golf skills a bunch of times until she was ready to sign up for advanced golf on our 9-hole golf course. Gabriella had a great time and Dri (one of our very talented golf counselors) told me that she did really well. Thinking about all of this has inspired this list of activities I really want to try next summer:

1. Fencing: I’ve never really gone to fencing and gotten a lesson. Despite my love of swashbuckling and sword and sorcery movies, I’ve only ever watched the activity a couple of times. This summer you will see me suit up and learned the art of sword-fighting! I bet it’s just like the Princess Bride.

2. Gymnastics: While I’m pretty sure I might be able to do a forward roll, I know nothing about gymnastics. It’s time to change that. I don’t think I’ll be doing back hand springs anytime soon, it would be neat to learn the basics and try out the mini-tramp.

3. Lacrosse: I have never in my life ever played a game of lacrosse. I think the only time I’ve ever even picked up a lacrosse stick was when we’ve packed and unpacked camp for the season.

4. Golf: Mini-golf is about the extent of my golf experience. I’ve never been out on a golf course or even a driving range. I’m feeling like I am going to have a lot to learn on this one and it’s probably going to take several visits to golf skills before I am ready to tackle the golf course.

5. Dance: I’ve never participated in dance at camp. I’m a pretty terrible dancer. Time to change that! Put on the music and sign me up!

Well, hopefully I will be able to get out of the office enough to try all these activities this summer. Until then, please keep sending us your feedback and suggestions. It may seem like camp is ages from now but it will be here sooner than you think. The earlier we start working on the camp program the better it will be. Also, some people have been asking about Weekend Adventures. We have been working on planning those as well. By the end of the month, we will be ready to announce the dates and trip itineraries.

As always, thanks for reading! I hope to see all of you at the reunion on November 15th!

Jeremy

REUNION! And all the rest.

Even die-hard camp fans have to admit now that summer is truly over. Blairstown just had a couple of nights of hard frost. The school year doesn't feel new any longer (hope you got some good teachers because they're yours 'til June!). And playing outside in daylight until 9PM is a distant memory. So summer IS over. But, wait! CAMP itself isn't over because we're going to gather soon for our 2015 CK-NJ Reunion! Invitations have been sent to our campers from last summer and we're hoping the staff who live close enough will be joining us. The reunion is always fun and we look forward to seeing you on November 15. We'll have a special CK-NJ reunion gift for you and you'll learn what the new bunk group theme will be for 2016. In the meantime, we are also getting excited about Summer 2016. Thinking about summer all the time is something that camp directors do. It takes a lot of time, planning and work to bring together all of the people and ideas that make summer camp the experience we are all so excited about. What are we doing these days? Over my left shoulder Katie is working on putting together new program activity resources and ideas for all our camp activities and MDO's and specialties and special events. We use our own online resource library to equip our staff with the information they need to carry out our awesome activities all summer. Katie has also been increasing the number of places we sponsor "community support ads", mostly in playbills for middle school and high school productions where our campers live. Peeking over my monitor, I see Jeremy working on our website and all of its functions. Since the dawn of our web domain we've been very hands on with our website. It's an important way that we talk to the world and spread the word about camp, so there's a lot that goes into its content and function. I guess you could say that Jeremy is our in-house IT department. He's also sending out camp information to folks who want to learn more about our camp and he is managing the successful functioning of our online staff applications and camper enrollment forms. Which leads to another big part of camp work in the fall: signing up campers and hiring staff. It's never too early, as they say, and we've been busy with both of these aspects of creating the camp community for our 26th summer. I've already been reading applications and references and interviewing staff applicants. I've also been talking with parents on the phone and meeting families at camp for private tours. I really love the tours because each one is different and I never know the type of questions that I'll be asked. This week we also start our formal brainstorming about making next summer the best it can be. We've been reading all of the feedback we get from campers, parents and staff and organizing it into categories so we can make good decisions. And, of course, we've got lots of our own opinions and ideas to throw into the mix. At the other end of the brainstorm, we'll have lists of things to do before next summer and I'm looking forward to seeing how it all works out. Each summer is unique. So, even though we're wearing long pants and sweaters, we're still very much in summer camp mode here. And we couldn't be more excited about next summer, even though it feels like a long time coming. Tom

Sign My Petition to Extend Summer!

Let’s not passively accept the end of summer! Like many of you out there, I believe that summer is just too darn short! Just because the leaves are changing colors and the calendar says so, doesn't mean we have to believe it's autumn. And what about spring - who needs it? We could easily skip it without too many people even noticing. Sign my petition for a shorter school year and a longer summer!

…If only it were that easy!

Hi Campus Kids! This is Jeremy and as you can see this is my first blog of the post 2015 season. I had a great summer at camp (and I’m sure all you campers did as well!) After we got the camped all packed up, I took some time off before returning to the camp office. During that time, my wife and I did a lot of cycling and mountain biking. We even went on a bicycle tour across Massachusetts. It was 240 miles from Hanover, MA into Boston. The tour ended with a 50 mile bike ride around the city. We camped out along the way and it reminded me a lot of Weekend Adventure. Vanessa only broke one tent pole so I think we did pretty well.

In other news, a stray cat wondered into our lives. After feeding it for a couple of weeks and many failed attempts to trap it, we finally got it inside the house. We got him to the vet to have him checked out and fixed. He’s fattened up quite a bit since he’s settled inside and he is a real sweetheart! We’ve been calling him Jackson. My other cats haven’t quite accepted him yet (they are all girl cats they don’t do well with any visiting pets, especially boy cats). Jackson is super friendly and loves to be pet. If you know anyone who doesn’t already have a cat and would like to give this little one a forever home, please let me know ([email protected]). He is best suited to a home where he is the only cat.

In more camp related news, since being back I’ve done a lot of work revising the website and developing our mobile site. I’ve added some pictures to the online tour and have begun sifting through all the video we took this summer. Keep an eye on our Youtube channel and subscribe for the latest video updates. We’ve all been going through the camper, parent and staff feedback for the summer and are getting ready for an office-wide (well that means Katie, Tom and me) meeting to discuss what people had to say about camp. We’ve spent some time debating next summer’s bunk group theme and making arrangements for the November 15 CK-NJ reunion. Katie and I have been working on getting the plays together for next summer. We’ve also been trying to plan ahead for some of the special events like CampStock, Apache Relay, and Rock of July. We’ll also be planning some new events too!

All in all, it’s great to be back in the CK-NJ office. There’s a feeling of excitement that comes from finishing a great summer, taking it all in, and thinking… “that was AWESOME! Now, how do we make it even better?” Right now, camp is 8 months away and we have lots of time to plan a really great summer. It’s a long time to wait, though. For some of you, it might seem unbearable. I’m sure by mid-winter I’ll be counting down the days until we can go play outside in the bowl but for right now I’m feeling pretty content. I’ve plenty to keep me busy with and hopefully all the time needed to get things done.

~Jeremy

Summer is for Camp, Not for Blogging!

I guess that's what we decided because we didn't end up writing any blogs during the summer. We're having too much fun to stop and write. So we're making this blog about "the rest of the year". Camp directors have a lot of jokes about that phrase: the rest of the year. That's because people outside of the camp world often think that we don't do anything from September through May. They imagine that either we have other jobs or that we just hang out playing foosball and making s'mores. So we -- Katie, Jeremy and I -- are going to start the blog up again and post here several times a month during the school year. As for summer, if you didn't discover this already, there are several ways to keep up with what's going on at our camp in Blairstown. Most popular are our daily website photo galleries: http://www.campuskidsnj.com/ http://www.campuskidsnj.com/ . You can also read our weekly newsletter, the "Sundial": http://www.campuskids.com/readthesundial.htm . And we maintain a pretty active Instragram (campuskidsnj) , as well as our official campFacebook Page (Campus Kids New Jersey). That should be enough to keep even the most fanatical CK-NJ fan happy. A common question for camp directors after the summer is "So, how was camp?" That's a fun one because the answers are always variations of "awesome". Why awesome? Well, sometimes it's the weather, which was the case in 2015. This year one of my favorite things about camp was our staff, who created a really happy and cohesive camp community and maintained enthusiasm and energy right through the last day. We also seemed to have a greater variety of backgrounds than usual represented among our campers, which always makes things more fun and interesting. I loved our new division structure, three each for the boys and the girls (instead of two each), which meant that each division was smaller and had a stronger bond among the campers and staff. There are lots more reasons I loved this summer, but I'll share just one more: instruction at the activities. Our staff worked hard to prepare the activities (and we have a lot of them) in a way that offered more skill instruction for the campers. Although we'll be refining and improving this, it worked out very well in most activities. In recent years we have had an increasing number of former campers who come back to be counselors and, in some cases, leadership staff. We had a great balance between these long-time CK-NJ folks and some very special first-time staff. Someone was smart enough to take a group potrait at Campstock of our staff who used to be campers (not including the staff assistants). [see below] There's a lot of history, experience and commitment in this photo. We appreciate their devotion to Campus Kids-New Jersey. 25 summers! Each one unique and inspiring. Now it's time to prepare a 26th summer that will be the best of all. We'll keep you posted how it's going. Tom

The Many Seasons of Camp Sign-Ups

Summer camp takes place in . . . the summer, of course! But, as you know, a few of us work all year getting ready for an awesome camp season. One part of that work is spreading the word about our camp, talking to interested families, giving tours, signing up campers, etc. It used to be (in the “good old days”) that most families signed their kids up for camp in the fall or early winter. That was the season of camp sign-ups. Well, things have changed and now the season of camp sign-ups is very long, practically the whole year! Along with this change, we have noticed that each family seems to have its preferred season to think about camp and make a decision for the summer. We still have those “super early birds”, the ones that are signing up for next year’s camp before they’ve even washed their camper’s clothes the day they step off the bus. Then we have the “autumn early birds” who want to have their summer plans -- vacation and camp -- finalized before Thanksgiving. They are followed by what we sometimes call the “school vacation panic birds”, who suddenly become energized about camp decisions right after the long school holiday. Our theory is that maybe there was a little too much holiday family time and everyone realizes, “We’ve got to have something for the kids to do next summer!” Our next season of camp families feature the “winter early birds”, those who go to camp fairs, who study advertisements, who talk a lot with friends about their plans and compare notes. We see both experienced camp families and a lot of new ones during this season. Despite winter weather, we probably give more weekend tours during this season than any other. Once the snows melt and the days start getting longer, we have a whole new flock “spring early birds”. We still call them early birds because the simply wouldn’t consider signing up for camp in the fall or the winter. For them, this is the start of the summer planning season. Things move a little faster during this season, as people start to worry that there won’t be a camp space in their child’s age group. Tours during this season take place as trees and flowers are blooming; it’s gorgeous. There’s still another season, which starts after Memorial Day, which is when the “summer birds” migrate into our camp world. The earlier birds probably wouldn’t understand the summer birds, but every family is different and this is the season that simply works best for many families to sign up for camp. So we are still talking to families and giving tours and seeing if we have places for kids in our bunk groups right through June and even into mid-July. So that leaves us with about a six week window when there are no camp sign-ups. But wait! We actually are giving a lot of tours during those weeks because we’re back to our “super early birds” who are already planning for next summer! They know that the best time to tour a camp is the summer before when you can see it in action. And so the seasons of camp sign-ups come full circle. We have learned that every family is different and there is a “right season” for each of them to decide about camp. We look forward to seeing you in Blairstown for a camp tour, whatever the season! Tom

What's Your Super Power?

Hey everybody!

This week we started to send out the introduction letters to the campers either coming back to camp this summer or coming for the first time! When a camper enrolls, one of the first things we send to him or her is a “welcome to” or a “welcome back” questionnaire to get to know him or her a little better, and to then have a brief introduction article in the Sundial about each camper! We’ve started getting our first ones back in the mail, which means we’re gearing up to meet the first round of campers in the next issue of The Sundial! One of these forms came in the most COLORFUL and CREATIVELY decorated envelope we’ve ever seen! This is a picture of the awesome surprise we found in the mail, and we were sure to be very careful when we opened it. After all, we couldn’t just rip it open like a plain white envelope!

Recently after telling someone what our bunk group theme was this summer (Super Heroes of Summer), I was asked that if I were to create a superhero character, what would it be like? Well, I went online and stumbled on a Super hero name generator! Here’s my bio…

Your name is Wolf Puma! You were abandoned in the woods as a baby and raised by a pack of hyper-intelligent wolves. Now, your unusual upbringing gives you uncanny powers, as well as a natural affinity with any canine! Your special powers are: Lycanthropy- you can transform yourself into a werewolf at will, and have all the speed and ferocious strength of your alter ego under your full control! Cat Communication- You have the ability to talk to any cat, and you can also see through their eyes and mentally link with them! Now, you protect the city of Lights from dangerous mime artist, while also battling the evil plans of the Faceless One! I wonder what my super suit would look like…I also think Jeremy would be pretty jealous of my cat communication abilities.

Here’s a link to the website I used. See what your very own super hero name would be and come up with your own superhero costume! http://superhero.namegeneratorfun.com/

Make sure to be thinking of any awesome bunk group names for this summer and click here to send in your ideas!

You never know, YOUR idea could be chosen!

-Katie

Can You Hear Me Now?

This past weekend, we held our first meeting of the entire CK-NJ 2015 Leadership Team. Because our team is spread out over the US and England, we met online using Skype and Google docs to take notes. We spent over two hours going over our new leadership structure and making plans for the summer.

We discussed many topics but the big one on everyone’s minds was the new leadership team model and our new “Middle Division” of campers entering 7th & 8th grades. Together, the head counselors talked about all the advantages of having divisions closer in age. We talked about how we will easily be able to implement more and better evening programs for our 7th and 8th graders. The same goes for the Youngers. Now the Younger Division head counselors will be able to focus completely on our 4th through 6th graders and make sure they sure they get lots of special camp activities. As many of you know, Campus Kids New Jersey is VERY popular with teenagers. Our older divisions are always so huge, so naturally, it make sense to have the 9th and 10th graders in their own division.

Each head counselor also has some responsibility for co-coordinating an activity area. We strategized how this would work out to improve our current management of activities. Everything we do in camp is based on co-working and sharing responsibilities. In the past, we’ve had singular activity coordinators managing the logistics and set-up of the major areas of camp: performing arts, fine arts, and athletics. Now they will be working in pairs and problems will be handled quicker. By co-working the activities, we believe that everyone will feel more supported in their role of activity coordinator and be better equipped to make them great.

We also discussed our all-star office administrative team. As most of you know James will be returning as Program Operations Director. Nicole will be returning as the main Office Manager handling communications and managing our database. Gemma will be the second office manager managing transportation, shopping, and doctor’s visits. If Darth Vader had a team this good, Luke Skywalker would still be trying to blow up the first death star! If Magneto had them on his side… the X-Men movie would not have had a single sequel (and certainly not 5 sequels and two Wolverine spin-offs! If Lord Business had them on his side, the entire Lego Universe would be stuck together with Krazy Glue and much less awesome. Anyway… you get the point.

And to top it all off, we are going to have two Camper Support Coordinators! Matt and Lucas will both work on making sure every camper’s individual needs are being met. Having two people in this role means that we can always have a CSC out in the field. Having two people this amazing means that activities will run smoother and better than they ever have before! When one of them has to make phone calls or do office work, the other will still be out at activities assisting counselors and campers! I think you can tell that I am really excited about this change.

I hope it goes without saying that our first meeting was a complete success. The whole team is very excited and is completely committed to making the 25th summer of Campus Kids-New Jersey a truly unforgettable and amazing experience!

~ Jeremy

Moovin and Groovin

Last time I blogged I was coming back from an EPIC adventure in Fort Lee, where I learned a few new tips on what great customer service looks. Since then I’ve taken a few train rides into the city for some camp conferences, been working hard in the office finding new resources to give counselors new ideas for activities this summer, and also working on updating our “Meet the Leadership Team” page on our website. Speaking of the leadership team, make sure you’re keeping an eye out for the mailman because this issue reveals our star-studded superhero team who is ready to take on summer 2015! Right now we’ve been preparing for a virtual retreat with our leadership team, where we can catch up and begin brainstorming as a group without ever having to leave our own living rooms! So we’ve blocked off a chunk of time this Sunday to “meet” and I’m very excited to hear some familiar voices this weekend. Maybe they’ve even started brainstorming their Super division names?! In case you missed our post on Instagram, the other night Vanessa and Jeremy saw a familiar face in the trombone section at a local high school band concert…. It was Gabby! This concert combined 3 different school bands (and 3 different conductors) together for a great night with great music, with one song being Bohemian Rhapsody! P.S. if you haven’t checkout out the new Campus Kids video, here’s the link! We asked our campers why Campus Kids is the ideal first time sleep-away camp, and this is what they said! Watching these videos always makes me want to start packing for camp, but I know deep down Water World wouldn’t be too much fun in Februrary… Take care! Katie

25 Summers -- What Does It Mean?

2015 is our 25th summer! We started our camp in 1991 on our original Hackettstown campus, living all in one dorm, having about a dozen counselors and between 35 and 70 campers at a time. We introduced a new combination of features to the summer camp world: weekday sleep-away camp, daily individual choice of activities, low-key competitive philosophy, operating a traditional camp program on a school campus that was close to home. We countered conventional camp wisdom by allowing our kids to make a call home at night and letting parents visit when they wanted to (though very few did). We also attracted a more diverse group of kids than was typical for a private camp.

Why? Well, partly because nobody else was doing it. But mostly because we had a hunch that there were kids who wouldn’t give sleep-away camp a try unless they could start at a camp like ours. There were some kids who just had too much anxiety about leaving home and, at least as often, some parents who found it too hard to let their children go to camp. So we made it more possible for these families. Sometimes they stayed with us a year or two and then moved on to “traditional” camp. But lots and lots of them stayed with us for their camp “careers” because they liked our camp and the summer lifestyle it gave their family.

What does 25 Summers mean? Well, for those of us who like history it means we have a lot of amazing summers to look back on and tons of stories to tell. It also means that this Weekday Sleep-Away camp idea was pretty good. And it means that we’ve got a lot of experience backing us up. We’re confident that we offer kids a safe and fun place to spend the summer and that we can help meet each camper’s individual needs. And we’re very good problem solvers because we’ve (almost) seen it all.

What’s most important, though, is the approaching summer, and that we make it the best ever. Regardless of what has happened in the past, all that matters to us is that we hire and train the best staff and that we help kids have fun, learn, make new friends, grow in self-confidence and independence, and create a safe community, both physically and emotionally. Oh yes, and that we create more unforgettable moments that they will recount years from now.

Visit our blog throughout the year to read more about our history and to enjoy the happenings of our 25th summer! Tom

It's Winter and That Means We're Super Busy at Summer Camp!

Hey everyone! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year's Eve! We've been back to work for a couple of weeks now and we think things are back to normal. When we figure out what normal means, I'm sure we will write a very lengthy blog about it.

We've been getting ready to introduce the leadership team (watch out for the upcoming issue of the "Sundial"). This year we will be meeting with the team online for training and planning purposes. I'm really excited to hear all the ideas this new team will bring to camp.

January and February are big marketing times for us at camp!

We've been attending camp fairs

and taking new families on tours of the camp. I've also been creating lots of ads that go in various forms of print adverting like magazines, newspapers, school playbills, church and temple newsletters, and sports boosters. Show us some love this winter season by sharing one of these on your Facebook, Twitters or Tumblrs!

Thanks for reading!

~Jeremy

Katie's Epic Journey

Today I’m back in the office after spending yesterday at an EPIC camp workshop in Fort Lee! I use the word epic not only because I thought it was a great experience and I learned a lot, but because it’s also an acronym in the camping world meaning Emerging Professionals in Camping. At the workshop, I found myself surrounded by people around my age who are also just starting out in the professional world of camping and who want to understand more about camp in general. These workshops and conferences that are organized by members of the ACA (American Camping Association), provide an invaluable opportunity to come together from all different camping backgrounds and learn about new strategies, to share ideas, and to collaborate with individuals who simply just “get camp.”

In typical camp fashion we started the day off with ice breakers, not only to get to know each other a little better and get moving but also to learn some new games we could bring back to our camp. I already know one I’ll definitely be breaking out and using this summer. After I warmed up from games like “long lost friend” and “choo choo train,” I went to a couple sessions focusing on customer service and ways to ensure the best customer experience for all. There was also a Directors panel with six directors from various camp backgrounds who answered questions around the topic of customer service at camp. Lunch was served (which was delicious) and I probably would have tackled the dessert table if the line wasn’t so long. I felt accomplished as I was leaving, knowing I was able to take away something from each talk and learning more about an important aspect in any business.

I hope you’re having a great start to the holiday season, and hopefully are a little farther along in the decorating department than I am…I’m running a little behind but plan on getting my Christmas tree tomorrow! Of course getting a tree brings up one of the most important holiday decorating questions… Do I use white or colored lights? Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah!

~Katie

Ready for the Reunion? We are!

The 2014 reunion weekend is finally here! We can't wait to see you all on Sunday! And by all of you, I mean the current campers and their families from the summer of 2014. Sorry, but we don't have enough pizza and soda for everyone from the past 25 summers. If you haven't submitted the RSVP, it's not too late! You can sign up anytime this weekend. We want everyone there so RSVP online! Reunion information can be found here.

Tom's reliable minivan is already packed with reunion gifts, the sound system, name tags and some other CK goodies. As many of you know, we have a tradition of announcing the bunk group theme for the next summer at the reunion. I thought it might be nice to reward you, our loyal blog readers, with a picture of Tom holding a sign announcing the theme in one hand and the reunion gift in the other. We hope you enjoy them both!

Just kidding... You'll have to wait until Sunday!

Jeremy

Camp Fellowship

Most campers and staff refer to the camp they attend as “my camp”, which is exactly as it should be. Camp belongs to every one of us. Camp is our second home where each person feels accepted and loved and where each is completely comfortable. For Campus Kids-NJ we are particularly aware of this as we begin celebrating our upcoming 25th summer. Campus and staff alumni from across the years still know that they have a place at camp, that they could come back and feel like they’ve never left. That’s “camp fellowship”.

Last night I got to experience another wonderful expression of camp fellowship at a retirement dinner held by the American Camp Association in Pennsylvania (called ACA-Keystone Regional Section). The career of our friend and 28-year executive director of ACA-KRS, Michael Chauveau, was celebrated at a very nice dinner that, of course, featured a ‘smores buffet for dessert (complete with little campfires for roasting the marshmallows). We at CK-NJ have been very active volunteers in ACA since before our first summer and have developed a network of camp friends around the country, but particularly in NJ, PA and NY where we have worked together on accreditation and professional education. So for me, last night was a really nice reunion and a strong reminder that camp fellowship extends beyond just our little camp’s community. There’s a connection that transcends the many different types of camps we call our camp homes. Some of us in attendance last night were from resident camps, others from day camps. There were folks from private camps, religious camps, Y and Scout camps, camps that focus on health issues, camps for kids whose families have very little money, special needs camps, sports-only camps, arts camps . . . and the list goes on (although there’s only ONE weekday sleep-away camp!). Despite the variety and differences among our camps, we share the “magic of camp”, that special thing that happens in a caring community designed to help kids have fun, to keep them safe, and to help them grow into happy adults. We share the knowledge that a child who gets to go to camp gains something not found elsewhere. This very short video - “Because of Camp” - shows you what I’m talking about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AzqybYCVKQ

Camp fellowship transcends any single camp, and it boosts our optimism about the world in general. We care, we share, we make our world a little bit better every day. Tom

The Kettle is Whistling!

The tea kettle has been whistling more times than not this month as the temperatures fall and snowflakes begin to form. Tom and I kicked off the staff assistant interviews last week, meaning we have a little over a month to go before any decisions are made on the final team. During these interviews, one question we’ve asked is “Who from camp do you consider to be a role model or has made a positive impact in your life?” Although the names of the individual counselors vary, the consistency in which they’re described is almost uncanny. Each counselor made them feel safe, made them laugh, and provided an environment that allowed campers to take risks, being taught that the success of the experience has different meanings for each person. They each also described this sense of mutual respect that the counselors dished out, making the campers feel more like peers rather than children that needed a babysitter. Camp itself provides an environment for kids to learn from someone other than an authority figure, but it’s the approach of the counselors to learning that makes all the difference. Children have a natural love to learn and explore new concepts through play, but can immediately become uninterested by the stern-adult-style of teaching (which usually means something boring from the perspective of a kid.) For kids, college age counselors are the catalyst for summer learning. They are the perfect combination that provides structure and safety like an adult, while still maintaining the fun and fascinating aspects that draws kids in. Speaking of mutual respect, which seems like a no-brainer but can be forgotten more often than it’s remembered by adults, there’s a great clip from a TED Talk given by Rita Pearson that highlights this aspect of what goes on at camp with our counselors. (http://youtu.be/SFnMTHhKdkw?t=13s .) At camp, kids are seeing counselors make an effort to create real, personal connections with them. They see counselors take the time to ask them how their day was, or what their opinions are on current events. They even see and hear counselors apologize and own up to their mistakes.

Camp creates an environment that simply doesn’t exist in the real world. And to kids, who are still learning who they are, what they like, and how to find success in this crazy place, to be able to find a safe space like camp can really make all the difference. Katie

The Camp Staff

The most important thing we do for our campers is staff recruitment, hiring, training and supervision. It’s a four-part process that takes place 12 months a year and determines, more than anything else, the quality of the camp experience for our children. It’s what makes camp work logistically and, more importantly, it’s what gives camp its heart and soul.

The cycle starts by defining the positions and revising/writing the job descriptions. This fall we’ve made some changes to several key positions in camp, which are very exciting. We also spend a lot of time in the fall talking to staff from last summer, including inviting back those who we know would be awesome returning staff members. Every returning staff members must be able to articulate why they want to come back, what they will contribute to camp as a returner, and how the campers will benefit by their presence. We help each returning staff member develop goals for next summer, believing that this is the best way to maintain motivation and focus on the needs of our campers. Staff recruitment, of course, depends these days on Internet advertising, but many of our best new staff members find us by referral from their friends who are already on the staff. Our recruitment materials try to convey how truly amazing this job is while also making clear that it is hard work and requires a selfless focus on the needs of our campers. Many staff are attracted to our camp because of its philosophy, our amazing facilities at Blair Academy, and the fact that their job includes being both a bunk counselor and an activity instructor. They have a lot of responsibility and variety in their work. (Having weekends off doesn't hurt the recruitment process!) The hiring process is also the start of staff training and orientation. While we review applications and references and move on to the interview, we are both finding out about the applicant and also conveying important information about our camp that helps them, if they are hired, get started on understanding their role and the expectations. Of course, we also conduct background checks. Once hired, the orientation process continues, again thanks to modern technology, with online training modules that help staff learn a lot about their jobs before they even get to camp. Once at camp, the counselors are in residence for a week during which we continue their orientation and build the supportive, nurturing community that we want to have for our campers. Orientation doesn’t end there because a great deal of learning takes place during the summer as counselors have questions and need to solve problems. That’s where supervision comes in. Our leadership team of experienced staff members provide support and supervision throughout every aspect of the camp day. They live with the campers and counselors and are easily able to provide suggestions and answer questions as they are needed. There isn’t a week of the year that we aren’t working on some aspect of The Camp Staff. It’s invigorating, challenging and very rewarding. The commitment of these young adults, their idealism and energy, are inspiring. Camp is special because of them. Tom

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Campus Kids New Jersey