Posts Tagged ‘summer camps’

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Shout Out from Schumer

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

Camp Starlight Boy’s Athletic Director, Adam Schumer, recently checked in to let us know what he has been up to and gave us a couple of exercises to help us train for the 2011 Slope for Lope.

After Camp; Adam returned to his job as an elementary physical education teacher at Forest Hill Elementary School in Palm Beach County, Florida. Adam is extremely busy as the coach of the John I. Leonard High School Wrestling team. His team recently won the Palm Beach Gardens duals, and they have seen remarkable improvement across all weight classes. Adam and his team look forward to the regional, district, and state tournaments.

To keep active during the off-camp season, Adam participates in a number of athletic events. He ran in the Palm Beaches Marathon Festival, where he finished near the top of his age group this past December. Adam also participates in various Adventure Races across Florida.  These races include canoeing, biking, and running. Participants are given a map and are required to check in at various points as they make their way through the course. Adam plans to bring this Adventure Race concept to Starlight this summer.

Adam says the winter season is the perfect time to move your exercise routine indoors, and he suggested a couple of fun winter activities for campers. Younger campers should start practicing some of your favorite circus tricks, such as hula hooping, juggling, or jumping rope (if you have high ceilings). Just make sure you’ve got enough space and don’t damage any of your parents’ favorite furniture! Older campers, keep up the yoga and pilates. They are great for strengthening muscles, improving flexibility,and lowering stress from homework and exams. They’re also easy and inexpensive activities that you can do just about anywhere in your house.

Hopefully these drills help out, and he can’t wait to see you at Camp in June!

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A Summer Full of Adventure

Friday, February 25th, 2011

Few people think of finding a summer job while bundled in scarves, coats, and gloves as they attempt to maneuver roadways and college campuses after the latest snowfall.  However, whether 2011 is the first time you’re considering a summer camp position or you’re a seasoned veteran, February is exactly the time to start the process of securing summer employment, if you haven’t already done so.  Many camps attend campus recruiting fairs in order to assemble the perfect staff.  So why should you attend one of these fairs or complete an online application now?  To begin with, a camp job is definitely fun, but also a lot of work…so be prepared! Where else can you get paid to play all day while building valuable job skills? Whether you work in a specific area and focus on a sport, activity or hobby you love or you work as a counselor who travels from activity to activity with campers, your day is full of exciting challenges and a probably even a few surprises, both of which will develop your problem-solving, critical thinking, and negotiation skills.

If you like working with children and aspire to a career in a field such as education, sports training, psychology or sociology, then you already have another reason to work at a camp.  Camp is an excellent place to gain valuable experience and is impressive on a resume.  Although camp seems lighthearted–and it is in many ways–working at camp requires a lot of responsibility, flexibility, and adaptability, all of which are very valuable characteristics sought by employers.   Each day guarantees new challenges, many of them unexpected.  Summer camp is often organized chaos.  Yes, there is always a plan in place, but the unexpected is also inevitable.  While this may seem scary the first couple days, it also brings an excitement and satisfaction that delivering pizzas or serving food (or even working at an investment bank)  never could.  Working at camp also requires a lot of communication and interpersonal interaction, two more transferrable skills that are highly valued by employers.  At camp, you must effectively co-exist with your campers, co-counselors, and other staff members to be successful.   You will also be able to tell future employers that you worked with people from all over the world and from many different socio-economic backgrounds.  That you’ve overcome cultural, language, and social obstacles with others tells recruiters that diversity is not something you fear, but rather embrace.

Working at summer camp can also be very healthy for your bank account.  You won’t become Donald Trump spending your summers at camp. However; camps provide housing and food in addition to a salary. It’s possible to live virtually expense-free for a couple of months.  Many summer camp counselors take home all or most of their salaries at the end of the summer.

Finally, you will form lifelong friendships at camp.  You may arrive alone and nervous in June, but you will leave in August with literally hundreds of friends from all over the world.  Two months may not seem like a long time, but when one lives and works in close proximity with co-workers, it’s more than sufficient to form bonds that ordinarily would take years.  There are always  tears on the last day of camp, not only when saying goodbye to your campers, who will have secured a special place in your heart forever, but to co-workers—the ones you know you will see again as well as the ones you know you will not.  Regardless, the world will seem like a much smaller place to you.

Though it may seem early to begin planning such a special adventure with so many possibilities, building a successful camp staff not only requires individuals who possess all of the qualities previously mentioned, it requires finding the right mix of personalities and talents.  Such an endeavor, of course, takes time.  Camp recruiters review literally thousands of applications each year and speak with hundreds of candidates to find those who are the best fit for their camp’s atmosphere, philosophy and program.  Starting your job search while the ground is still white and the tree branches still bare provides you with the advantage of a larger pool of positions from which to choose.  By April, most camps have nearly completed their hiring and only difficult to fill or highly specialized roles remain.

So, after a winter of wading through piles of snow, are you ready for a summer full of adventure?

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Swirl Some Color into Your Winter by Tie-Dying at Home

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

One of the most popular arts and crafts activities at Camp Starlight is tie-dying. There is no better way to liven-up a t-shirt, tank top, pillow case, or pair of socks than a fun tie- dying activity! Rain or shine Camp Starlight loves to tie- dye!  Even though it may seem better at Starlight… you don’t need to be in the Carriage House, surrounded by Leslie Schwartz and her talented team of Arts and Crafts Specialists to make something fantastic. You can follow these simple steps at home with your parents, siblings, grandparents, and friends to create something awesome to bring to camp in 2011!

#1.) Preparing the Shirt for Tying and Dying

•          First, the shirt must be 100% cotton or it will not hold the dye.

•          Always prewash the shirt.  It contains a fabric finish when it is new and this prevents all the dye from being absorbed into the fibers.  Washing will remove the finish.

•          Pre-soak the shirt in 1 cup of soda ash to 1 gallon of water. If you mix this with your hands, wear rubber gloves. Soak for 15 minutes to 1 hour.  The soda ash solution losses its effectiveness after 1 hour. You can no longer use it.  Dispose of the soda ash solution.

•          Squeeze out the soaked shirt. Wear rubber gloves when doing this. You are now ready to tie your shirt.

#2.) HOW TO TIE THE ITEM

These are the directions for creating a swirl design. Make sure to place a large sheet of plastic down to protect the table.

•          Place the shirt out flat with the front side down. The side that is down always has the better appearance.

•          Place a clothes pin where you wish the center of the swirl to be.  Remember, that the center of the shirt may come down low on the person wearing it.  You may want to have the center of the swirl off center, near the top, or near the bottom.

•          Holding the clothes pin, swirl the shirt.  Gather up loose edges as you go.  The shirt should not go up in a point, but rather gather up only a few inches above the work surface.  When you are finished, it will be similar in size and shape to a round layer of cake.

•          Gently lift the twisted shirt and place a rubber band across the shirt, crossing the center point.  Add two more rubber bands, creating six “pie” sections.  These do not have to be equal in size.

•          Turn the shirt over and make sure that the rubber bands cross or X across the center of the swirl.

•          You are now ready to dye.

#3.) Dying the Tied Shirt

•          Cover the tables with plastic sheeting to prevent the dye from staining the surface.

•          If you are dying outside, you can work on the grass.

•          Place an entire newspaper under the tied t-shirt.  Have the newspaper in 2 large sections. The newspaper will absorb the dyes that overflow the shirt.

•          Remember the color scheme that you will be using.

•          Put on the rubber gloves.

•          Using the squirt bottles containing the mixed dye, start with your first color. Carefully tip the bottle over and point it at the triangular “pie section” of the tied shirt.  Start near the edge and squeeze the dye out gently.  Move toward the center as you dye that section.

•          Change colors as you go around the shirt.  For three colors you will repeat the colors twice on each side.

•           When you turn over the shirt, flip the newspaper to a clean section.

•          You will be able to see the colors used on the sections of the dyed side.  Repeat the same colors on the second side.

•          When the shirt is dyed on both sides, place the shirt inside a plastic bag.  Twist tie this closed. You will leave the shirt inside the bag for 24

#4.) Washing and Drying the Tie-Dyed Shirt

•          Again, leave the dyed shirt inside a sealed plastic bag for at least 24 hours.

•          There are two ways to rinse and wash a dyed shirt (multiple or single shirts).

•          The first way is to rinse the shirt out in a sink or with a hose until most of the dye is gone and the water runs clear. Remove the rubber bands and continue to rinse, if necessary.

•          Place rinsed shirt in a washer and wash with detergent.  ((Warm water is okay.)

•          You may place the shirt in the dryer or line dry, if you choose.

•          The 2nd way works well with a single dyed shirt. You may skip the rinsing and instead place the shirt in the washer and wash it alone in a complete load of water.  No pre-rinsing is necessary. Dry.

•          Now wear your shirt!

Just in case you need a few helpful tips… here are Leslie Schwartz’s Top Tips for creating an awesome masterpiece.

  1. Mix the soda ash and dye solutions ahead of time. Store mixed dyes in the refrigerator so they don’t lose strength.
  2. Make sure the rubber bands are on super tight; the tighter they are the better the shirt will come out.
  3. Make sure to wear rubber gloves.
  4. Pick colors that will look good together – like turquoise, navy blue, crimson, etc. If you want high contrast like yellow and purple, be sure to do the colors at separate times so the purple and yellow cannot mix! Maybe you can do the first (lighter) color one day and the second color the following morning.
  5. Rinse project after dyeing with warm water, followed by a cool water rinse.
  6. Have Fun!
  7. Have Fun!
  8. Have Fun!

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Camp Counselor=Great preparation for the future!

Thursday, January 6th, 2011

What do camp counselors learn at camp that helps them later in life? The specific answers to that question are varied, but one thing remains constant—camp has a big impact on individual lives long after campers grow out of their camping and counselor years. Recently ReadyMade magazine featured Kelly Stoetzel in its regular series about awesome jobs. Kelly works for TED, a nonprofit devoted to “ideas worth spreading” and spends her days interacting with fascinating people from around the world who work to make things better. What was her first job? Camp counselor! And what does she list as her “Best Job”? Camp counselor!

Kelly learned that “being a camp counselor is all about leading a group of people into enthusiasm,” and that continues to be important in her job today. Just as campers and staff still gather each summer—sometimes for the first time and sometimes after waiting all year just to come back—Kelly went to camp! There, learning, personal growth, fun and friendship blossomed during intense times and life-long skills and ideas were forged. Camp operates as a microcosm of experiences that mirror real-life situations as everyone negotiates friendships and different personalities, tries new things and finds their unique role in the group. If you’ve been a camper or a counselor, you know what I’m talking about. You also know that facilitating fun and teamwork takes creativity and enthusiasm. (If you’re thinking about being a counselor, camp is an incredible way to learn skills and prepare for future jobs!)

One counselor puts it this way, “Many aspects of camp allowed counselors to forget life outside of camp and just live in the present focusing on how to facilitate fun in the moment. I don’t think you get to do that as frequently in other life experiences, or at least you are not encouraged to do it as frequently.” She goes on to state that these skills are important in any profession and that camp administrators also served as references for her later jobs. For this counselor, camp led to asking questions about larger social structures at work in the world which led to going to graduate school and a career as a professor!

Another famous camper, Disney’s Michael Eisner, credits his many happy years at camp for teaching him to be honest, loyal and “willing to help the other fellow.” He’s quoted as saying, “Working in business can be another canoe trip!” You can read more about the impact camp had on Eisner’s life and career in his book Camp where he shares his memories and multiple lessons learned. If you’re a social and outgoing person and drawn to the opportunity to lead with enthusiasm, camp counselor could be the summer job for you–check out the AFSC website for more information.

Do you already have “camp counselor” on your resume? How has that experience contributed to your life or career?

Deborah-Eve

Thanks for the image kirvanvlandren.

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I can do it myself!

Monday, December 27th, 2010

While no actual human being develops in the precise sequence of a child development chart, new parents quickly learn that children do go through dramatic stages. Like other skills, becoming self-reliant takes time and can only develop through real time.

To begin with, parents often track all the “firsts” that a child achieves on a daily basis but as the list grows longer we come to expect changes. The way that most young children acquire language and skills is so rapid that later—even when parents are getting a little more sleep—it becomes difficult to remain excited about each previous new word or action! However, there is one stage that most parents don’t forget and that’s when a child starts declaring, “I can do it myself.” All of a sudden, totally dependent infants morph into adamant creatures with distinct needs and wants. This exasperating but essential stage is filled with cute moments when children seem to hover between babyhood and childhood. But it can also be a difficult time for some parents if they fear that their child may not need them any longer.

As children mature, they continue to develop and require more experiences where they can make independent choices without parents. If parents don’t allow children to make decisions and do things on their own, they won’t develop confidence or realize that they are not just extensions of their caregivers. It’s a tricky line that parents walk! Sometimes giving children room to spread their wings seems counter intuitive, but in order to grow into a self-reliant adult, children need to struggle without the offer of a quick fix. Even when parents can take care of things, the better choice is to support a child through the process of working through and solving problems. Long after a problem has been forgotten, a self-reliant child will remember hearing, “Wow! You amaze me! You really worked hard to figure that out.”

A child who is self-reliant can think for themselves, trusts their own judgment and feels in control of their life. This leads to becoming more active, independent and competent adults and citizens. The child also develops skills to draw on inner resources and use coping mechanisms even when they feel things are not easy. Sending a child to camp is a perfect way for a child to further develop self-reliance in a nurturing, safe and supportive environment. The whole camp experience is designed to illustrate to the camper that becoming a successful person takes personal strength as well as playing a role in a larger group–with the emphasis always on FUN. I can’t think of a more wonderful childhood experience for facilitating such important life skills!

Of course, the process of becoming self-reliant is not easy, but that’s where camp staff and counselors are there to help your child adjust and learn. If you wonder how to help your child develop self-reliance, remember that each child comes to conclusions for themselves, so the only way to experience camp is to be a camper. They are building on early determination to “do it themselves,” and those first fierce moments of independence are precious. Camp offers a full range of fun, adventure, and opportunities to experience emotions with different adults and in new, safe situations. By the end of summer camp, campers bring a lot of stuff home. There’ll be great crafts, stories to tell and some inevitable laundry to wash—but every camper in the world—also brings home a new understanding of themselves.

How did you learn self-reliance at summer camp and what strategies helped you support your independence? Which experiences do you think especially helped kids develop inner strengths? We look forward to your stories too!

Deborah-Eve

Thanks for the image AmberStrocel.

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If I could go back to camp. . .

Tuesday, November 9th, 2010

Star light, star bright,

first star I see tonight.

Wish I may, wish I might,

have this wish I wish tonight.

If you’re a summer camp alum, and you had some extra wishes lying around, would you use one to go back to summer camp? If you could go back today, what would you do?

We asked and you answered, on Facebook and on Twitter.

Here’s some of what your fellow camp alums had to say. We challenged them to finish this sentence:

If I could go back to Camp Starlight, I would:

…watch the sunset over Perch Pond.

… sit at kiddie campus and watch the sunset.

… take a walk to Oz and relax for a little while

… listen to the wonderful sounds of camp. Kids laughter, wind in the trees, splashing in the lake…

… play bananagrams in the HC during shower hour!

… say something stupid over the PA

… play bunk ball at rest and shower hour

…take a kayak out on Perch Pond and just take it all in.

…sing songs by a campfire

…would also take a kayak to Perch Pond. All your problems are solved when you are on a kayak on Perch Pond.

…come out of retirement in the Starlight Hockey League.

…regain the SWF title!

What would you do if you could go back to camp today? Use the comments section to let us know!

Susan

Thanks for the image *PaysImaginaire*

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The Magic of Starlight

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

“We want our kids to leave here at the end of the summer never questioning what will happen next year – they know they will come back to Starlight,” says David Miller, the Pennsylvania camp’s director. “There is something special and magical about the Starlight world,” says Miller.

Camp Starlight is a full-season (7-week) camp located in Starlight, PA (about two-and-a-half hours from New York City) which has been in continuous operation since 1947. David and his wife Allison bought the camp from the original owners in 1999, but some things just don’t change. Just driving into the facility up a secluded one mile road to the top of a mountain gives campers a sense of separation from the real world. Starlight is revealed at the peak of the overlook. The 70-acre lake is private to the camp, which enhances Miller’s goal of wanting everyone to feel safe and secure in the Starlight world. “This is their summer home,” he says. “When campers walk into the dining hall there are hundreds of plaques – one from every bunk from every summer since 1947. Campers know that there is a long tradition of fun and family here.”

One thing that makes Camp Starlight unique is how it straddles the line between a co-ed camp and a same-sex camp. There are separate facilities and staff for boys and girls, and they participate in separate sports and activities during the day. “It’s the best of both worlds,” Miller says. Those families that are looking for a single sex camp experience get the separation and camaraderie they are looking for, but the boys and girls all come together for morning ceremonies, dinner and many of the evening activities. The Starlight set-up works especially well for families with sons and daughters who want to attend camp together and are looking for high-quality activities. Miller adds, “my favorite time of day is the flag raising ceremony in the morning. Girls line up on one side and boys line up on the other, but brothers and sisters always have time to check in with each other and see how their day was. I love seeing the kids reconnect with each other.”

It is the connection between campers that is paramount at Starlight. When new kids arrive at camp, they are assigned to bunk with kids their age, but with different interests. “That’s what bunk bonding is all about,” Miller says, “learning about and loving people who aren’t carbon copies of yourself.” Some bunks stay together their entire eight years of summer camp, forming a real family of brothers or sisters. These children because they are given the opportunity of overnight camp usually adjust better to college and dorm life because they are used to living with others and being away from home.

Camp Starlight also works well for families with same sex siblings with different interests because the program is so well-rounded. Whether a child loves athletics, art, theater, adventure or water sports, or just loves to do it all, the quality of the Starlight program and facility make this a first-rate experience no matter what activities a child is drawn to. Camp Starlight also helps expand the horizons of campers by exposing them to all the different activities the camp has to offer. Campers have two choices in their daily program so they also have the time to develop their talents in their specific interest areas; especially as they get older. The two oldest bunks get to set their own daily schedules, for example.

Miller knows that some families have reservations about sending their children to a full-season, seven-week camp, especially when campers can start as young as third or fourth grade, but the benefits are tremendous. Rather than kids moving from camp to camp, week to week, there is truly time for kids to unwind, escape from the outside world and all its pressures and disconnect from technology. This type of summer program provides a real opportunity for kids to be themselves, get to know each other and make friendships that truly last a lifetime. There is no question that this is why such an extraordinarily high rate of campers return summer after summer. The summer is also long enough to do full season camp and still have family time to visit relatives or have a family vacation before school starts.

So if you’re thinking about full-season camp, you can learn more about Camp Starlight at www.campstarlight.com. As David says, “Most families who come to visit our camp end up enrolling their children,” Miller says. “There is something magical about this place.”

Come meet David and visit the Starlight world first-hand!

Susan

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Shining Star…

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

A dream, a wish I make each year,

Is to go to a place warm and dear.

A magical place where friendships stay,

A place where I can just get away.

A beautiful lake for swimming and fun,

A magical place where I’m in the sun.

Activities and events will be planned,

A true friend that will hold my hand,

A place where fun and laughter isn’t rare.

Smiles that just light up the place,

Coming back each year and seeing a familiar face.

A second home but no parents in sight,

Fifty days and forty nine nights.

Boating, swimming, arts and crafts,

Many more activities and laughs.

Olympics, competitions, Wayne county too,

A song to sing…can’t smile without you.

Good food and matzah ball soup,

A guy who sings about a fly that poops.

Meeting new friends and memories that won’t fade.

Projects and crafts that I made.

After my wish I went to bed that night,

But I realized it wasn’t a dram or a wish…

It was Camp Starlight…

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Good Ole’ College Days

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

There was plenty of school spirit abound after the brand new Camp Starlight College Days broke this morning. Campers were divided into teams representing Illinois, Northwestern, Michigan, and Wisconsin during a surprise field day event. Once everyone received their school colors (t-shirts), the teams engaged in an exciting morning of contests that included a cheer off, over and under competition, and relay races, among others. The enthusiasm was infectious and carried into the afternoon sports matches with plenty of team pride emanating from the fields and sidelines. But the competitions don’t end today! The Camp Starlight College Days playoffs will continue throughout the summer. So go orange, purple, blue, and red!

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Opening Day 2010

Tuesday, June 29th, 2010

After a full week of fun, bonding, and learning at orientation, the Starlight counselors and staff couldn’t wait to welcome campers from across the U.S.A. There was a high level of excitement and anticipation to see new and returning campers. Two o’clock rushed in and the first buses came. The music was playing and the kids quickly made their way off each bus, running toward the bunk number signs held by cheering counselors. As a new staff member, witnessing the campers’ excitement upon seeing the familiar faces of their old counselors and camp friends really generated an amazing atmosphere. New campers seemed to quickly settle in to their beloved summer home.

Before long, it was difficult to tell which campers had stepped off the buses for the first time that afternoon, and which had done it before. Ice breakers and team building games filled the remainder of the afternoon. After evening lineup, dinner rules were explained, songs were sung, and the kids were pumped for evening activity–The Camp Starlight Summer of 2010 Opening Night Show. The show was filled with traditional Starlight camp songs and key staff introductions through dancing and singing, as well as performances from new staff. A sense of unity pervaded as the show culminated with Friends. The ecstatic energy I experienced today was a fantastic start to Starlight’s 64th summer. Bring on the next seven weeks!

Dan

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