The middle of the summer is always busy with tournaments, trips, socials, outings and playdates in addition to the regular schedule of camp activities. While we all enjoy the traditional all-camp events like Carnival and Spirit Week, this time of the camp season provides opportunities for the various age groups to enjoy special activities designed just for them. These age group-specific programs let campers get to know other girls in their age groups, develop peer leadership and communication skills, and explore new group dynamics outside the usual settings of cabin, dining hall and program area.
Here’s a look at some of the age group adventures campers have been enjoying over the past few days:
• Lower and Upper Juniors creative writing workshop: A chance for some of our oldest juniors to get in touch with their thoughtful sides and explore creative self-expression.
• Senior Camp age group overnight trips: With Lower Seniors off to Baltimore, Upper Seniors sailing around Mystic, Bunk Two exploring Boston and Bunk One venturing to Vermont and Montreal, this has been a big week for overnight trips!
• Upper Seniors Woodstock Museum trip: Three days of peace, love and music make one perfect day trip for the Upper Seniors! The girls got a firsthand look at the famous fields of Yasgur’s Farm, where one of the most famous events of the 1960s took place.
• LITs volunteer with Habitat for Humanity: Leadership doesn’t just mean taking charge — it also means giving back. That lesson was at the forefront of the LITs’ trip to Newburgh, New York, to work on a series of houses being built by the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
• Manor House/Lodge play: Our youngest campers took to the Apple O stage in “Say What You Want to Say,” an exclusive new show with an original script! Everyone in camp was impressed by their stage presence, their message and their energy.
• Bunk One/Two bowling with Camp Greylock: Our seniors love seeing their friends from other camps, including the young men of Camp Greylock, who are always kind enough to stop by Honesdale on their overnight trips. These visits are especially memorable when we get to do something off camp, like hit the lanes and show the boys a thing or two about bowling!
• Junior Camp special day: Each summer, there’s one special day on camp when all of the seniors are away — and on that day, the juniors play! For more than a decade, we’ve dedicated one day each summer to a special all-Junior-Camp theme day, when Upper Juniors get the chance to step into a leadership role and encourage their teammates to get into the fun and spirit of a unique competition.
From long bus rides and exploring new places to wacky competitions and onstage performances, age group activities give campers new ways to explore camp — and to celebrate all the age-appropriate and wonderful things about being exactly who they are today!