Archive for July, 2011

Words of advice for a first time camper – what to bring

Sunday, July 3rd, 2011

Many Starlight campers come back year after year so who better to ask for some words of advice on what to bring with you than these true experts?  

There’s an official packing list of things you absolutely must bring with you from clothes, bedding, footwear etc.  Be prepared for some of your clothes and sneakers to get muddy when you’re doing things like mountain biking.  You’ll have a blast but the great outdoors doesn’t know that your sneakers are your absolute favorites so if you love them, leave them at home.  

There are also loads of things that aren’t on the packing list which you may want to bring along.  Photos and special posters from home can be taped on the wall by your bed and don’t forget things like your teddy bear or favorite pillow.   A battery operated fan also comes in really handy on hot days and nights.   Things to include in your “bunk junk” are face paints, fake moustaches, costumes and dress up items (especially hats and wigs), bandanas, stickers and trading cards and glow sticks.  Duct tape is a “must have” item as you can use it to stick your photos to the wall in the bunk, use it to help create costumes, and you can also make bracelets out of it. 

Each day after dinner we have free play and there are heaps of activities going on like gaga, basketball, tennis and soccer, but there’s also time to do your own thing in your divisional circle if that’s what you prefer.  Some people like to write letters so bring heaps of paper and envelopes with stamps already on them.  Other people like to play with Frisbees, bouncy balls and bubbles – small things that are easy to pack and store but you can have heaps of fun with. 

You are going to be super busy at camp doing all your activities but these are just a few small things that you will DEFINITELY find come in useful at camp.

Sending a huge thank-you to all the participants of the 2nd July blogging classes for these awesome ideas.

What is ACA Accreditation?

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

The American Camp Association (ACA) is the parent organization of American Summer Camps.  The most reputable American summer camps voluntarily adhere to standards set by the ACA and, in search of accreditation, undergo a thorough evaluation process every three years during which their processes, facilities, emergency plans, staff training, and operations are very carefully scrutinized and then scored.  Based on their scores, summer camps either receive accreditation from the ACA or are told what they must improve in order to be accredited.

The ACA accreditation is no small feat and receiving it requires a tremendous amount of meticulous effort on behalf of summer camps.  However, it’s worth the reward.  ACA accreditation elevates a camp’s reputation and credibility to other camps.  However, more importantly, parents thinking of sending their children to camp should be concerned about ACA accreditation.  ACA accreditation provides that extra peace of mind that the summer camp you’ve chosen for your child goes that extra mile to insure that everything they do—and how they do it—is nothing short of top notch.

For Camp Starlight, merely meeting the minimum guidelines for accreditation is unacceptable.  We strive to meet and exceed all expectations of the parents who choose to send their children to one of our camps.  For us, “premier” isn’t merely a title given to a great camp, it’s a state of mind.  We are proud to be the best and offer the best.  As such, we never stop preparing for standards.  We do not simply breathe a sigh of relief and spend the next couple of years resting after the ACA pays its bi-annual visit.  We’re constantly updating policies, improving and maintaining our facilities, re-evaluating our current procedures for best practices, and working to be nothing short of excellent.

JayZ Blog #1 – WCCA Sports Results

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

Boys Results

Date Sport Grade H/A Opponent Starlight Opponent Result
06.30 Tennis 7 H Chenawanda 5 0 Win
07.01 Basketball 6 H Morasha 32 30 Win

 

Girls Results

Date Sport Grade H/A Opponent Starlight Opponent Result
06.30 Softball 8 H Tioga 8 1 Win
07.01 Lacrosse 10/11 A Blue Ridge 13 8 Win

 

30th June 2011 

Boys 7th Grade Tennis (H)

Starlight 5 – Chenawanda 0

The team were able to get an early lead in all of the sets and Chenawanda simply never had the chance to get back into the match.  Starlight kept the pressure on throughout and just did not let up.  The team played exceptionally well throughout and all team members should be congratulated on this superb result. 

Girls 8th Grade Softball (H)

Starlight 8 – Tioga 1

This was a great game by the 8th grade girls.  Offense was on fire by all the girls and they secured 8 runs.  Defense held Tioga to just a single run and the team enjoyed their first Wayne County win of the season.

 

1st July 2011

Boys 6th Grade Basketball (H)

Starlight 32 – Morasha 30

It was a close game from start to finish and neither team led by more than four points the entire game.  Starlight started off slow but picked up the pace as Zach R began to dominate inside with 14 rebounds and Ethan E had 8 assists.  Noah R came out in full force with 11 points.  As the fourth quarter began to wind down the score was tied.  Morasha took and missed a shot.  Zach R got the rebound, passed it to Ethan E who dribbled up the court between two defenders for a step back jumper that put Starlight up by 2 points with 1.3 seconds left!  Starlight held on to win by 2.  Good one boys!

Girls 10th/11th Grade Lacrosse (A) 

Starlight 13 – Blue Ridge 8 

The girls showed real Starlight spirit and worked as a true team to win.  They pulled away from a one goal lead to a five goal win in the second half – the girls hustled and showed enormous enthusiasm.  Special mentions need to go to Hannah who stepped up to play goal and had a game full of saves.  Brooke R led the team with five goals, whilst Allie K scored three times.  Diana S and Sarah E each had three assists.  A superb effort by the girls!

Photo of the day – 07.01.11

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

Today’s photo of the day comes from our Senior Girls who were learning all about tricking the eye using perspective and point of view.

Starlight Stars

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

Anyone who has been lucky enough to spend the summer at Camp Starlight will know that on a clear night, away from the lights, the sky is simply breathtaking.  It’s like you can see every single star in the sky and if you look long enough you’ll almost certainly see a shooting star.  It surely must have been the inspiration when giving the camp a name.

Our website allows all our campers, staff, parents and alumni to see the camp sky whenever they want through our “Name a Star” page which can be found at http://www.campstarlight.com/#/view-stars  Not only can you dedicate a star in your name, but you can write about your favorite Starlight moment for everyone to see.  Jake Z’s best moment was winning Olympics in his first year as a Lower Junior, and for Sydney it’s about waking up on Krispy Kreme mornings.  Camp Starlight means so many different things to so many people.  On our 65th Anniversary, please take the time to leave your own message in the Starlight sky and leave a lasting memory for us all to share.

International Counselors

Friday, July 1st, 2011

Your child will invariably write to you at least once this summer about an international counselor they come across at Camp Starlight.  International staff give children an opportunity to learn more about different countries and cultures, as well as benefit from the high level skills they bring to camp.  So what makes people want to travel thousands of miles to spend their summers here?

Matt is from Australia and is teaching magic this summer.  Having taught magic at a primary school in his home country, he was desperate to teach children on a more regular basis.  Summer camps simply don’t exist in Australia and for Matt, working over here allows him to pass on his skills to some amazing young people but also to experience a new culture.  Travelling on a yellow school bus has been a real highlight and a reminder that he really is in the USA.

Caleb joins us from New Zealand where he coaches tennis to children with his father.  Working with kids comes naturally to Caleb and he is keen to combine the experience of working overseas with his love of coaching.  It’s a real opportunity to meet other nationalities and learn more about the USA.  He loves the patriotism shown by Americans but can’t quite get his head around the enormous food portions.

Kerrie from England first came to camp in 2009 and has been back every year since.  She’s always loved working with children, the great outdoors and travelling so coming to a US sleepaway camp was a natural choice when deciding how to spend her summers.  From that first year she has been hooked on camp life and she can’t really remember what a summer is like without Camp Starlight.

So next time you think about camp, say the Pledge of Allegiance or see a yellow school bus, take a moment to think about how people from other countries see these and be prepared to share your culture with us – we love it!