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Leadership Development at Camp Weequahic

September 16th, 2016

It’s Friday night and that means it’s time for a little camp-fire chat! I want to spend a moment on our Senior experience at CW. While there are a ton of fun things to talk about, I think it’s the leadership development that’s most important. Our Senior campers are amazing and how do I know? Because we help them become so!

The Weequahic community is the perfect place for building the emotional tools so important for leaders. This outcome does not come just from being a part of the magic of camp. At Weequahic, we create specific moments and experience for our oldest campers to develop these important skills.

Camp Families

Each Senior camper becomes the head of a camp family, a grouping of Junior, Jinter, Inter, and Senior campers. These groups come up with their own greeting, family name, and spend time together throughout their time at CW.

Apprenticeship

Our 10th and 11th graders learn how to teach and assist in program areas of their choosing while at camp. Under the direction of our program directors and specialty staff, these young leaders learn what it feels like to be a program area counselors.

Big Sister / Big Brother Program

Our CITs are matched individually with our youngest campers to spend time with throughout the summer, welcome into camp, and creating a lasting bond. Each summer, our newest CITs remember their ‘Big Sister’ or ‘Big Brother’ and cannot wait to give the same type of experience to the newest campers at CW.

Leadership Classes

Taught by experienced leaders, these moments give our oldest campers time to explore their beliefs and values, learn to actively listen and engage, and become acquainted with the questions that need to be asked in each leadership opportunity. Whether it’s leading themselves to a specific goal or an entire bunk of nine year olds in an Evening Activity, we help foster leadership learning in each of our young adults.

These are just a few of the specific leadership development opportunities Camp Weequahic develops for our young adults. And, while they are useful in guiding our young leaders forward, nothing is more important than the bonds they build between each other and with the younger campers.

The Main Point

Seeing our Junior, Jinter, and Inter campers look up to the Seniors is one of the most incredible aspects of being a part of the CW community. These young kids cannot wait to grow up and lead with joy, humility, excitement, and passion.

Our Senior campers shine and not just at Weequahic. What they learn at CW goes home with them to affect all those around them. Whether at home, in the classroom, on the fields or club room, our CW Seniors make their world better. We can’t wait to see what these great young women and men do with their lives.

Friendship Without Borders: A Day in the Life at International Camp

September 13th, 2016

Life at camp centers around the core values of friendship, family, and tradition — and the international camp experience is no exception.

Whether campers come from abroad to experience American culture or come from local areas to experience the international camp lifestyle, summer camp has something to offer to everyone when it comes to experiencing a new culture. (And having a blast playing sports, singing around the campfire, and playing around on the lake of course!)

Values in common

International campers may come from countries as diverse as England, France, Spain, Italy, China, Korea and many more, but they all come to camp for the same thing: a traditional American experience that they’ll never forget.

International camp counselors place an emphasis on learning to appreciate the things that are different about the various cultures that arrive at camp, but they also place an emphasis on the things we all have in common.

We all love family. We all love to laugh. And the first time singing around the campfire is magical for everybody — no matter whether they’ve seen a campfire, marshmallows, or fireflies before.

Fun: the universal language

While English is the common ground for international campers, it’s always fun when campers are able to experience a new language, or even find someone who shares their mother tongue to joke around with. “Oh, you speak Spanish too!”

American experiences

Something that draws many international campers all the way to North America is the promise of a traditional American experience… but of course once they’re here, the cultural exchange goes both ways!

When it comes to American traditions, it’s hard to find something more quintessential and unique than summer camp. From raising the flag in the morning to singing goofy songs around the dining hall at dinner, what seems normal and routine to returning American campers is exotic and fascinating to campers from Europe and Asia!

Thanks to the amazing community of counselors and decades of tradition, no international camper returns home without a few amazing stories to tell.

Campers with culture!

Friendship knows no borders. As connected as the modern world is, it’s surprisingly easy to remain out of touch with peers from other cultures.

International camp gives young people the chance to reach out and make contact with new friends from places they might not otherwise even think about — expanding the horizons of every single camper that participates in an international camp.

Passport to fun times

Whether you make new friends overseas, have a fun time guessing each other’s accents, or just learn a word or two in Spanish of Italian, international camp makes incredible memories for everyone that comes out to partake in the camp lifestyle.

…You may not need a passport to get here, but you’re guaranteed to have an international experience!

Friday Night Campfire – Friendship

September 9th, 2016

Well, it’s Friday and I’m wishing I could head down to the lake and spend time with some of my favorite people – our Camp Weequahic family! While we can’t be together by Sly Lake this evening, I still want to pass along a few ideas. Tonight, let’s talk about friendship.

There are SO MANY good things about having really good friends – they make you happier, help you feel more secure and self-confident, keep you honest, and help out should things get a little crazy in your life. (Sure, they may make you a little crazy at times but that’s also a part of being good friends!)

Sometimes, friends fall together quickly. Other friendships take time to develop and only come together by mutual decisions and work. Yes, being in a friendship does take a little work – it’s just normally really fun work!

The trick to having a good friend is pretty simple: be one. Here’s the thing, though – just because it’s simple doesn’t mean that it’s easy.

Now, you should be kind to everyone – it’s the best way to show that you understand we are all of equal value. However, you really can’t be friends with everyone. Why? Because being a ‘friends’ takes the same time and same effort from both people.

Think about it – who are some of the best friends you’ve ever had? Did you spend a lot of time together? I’m guessing you said ‘YES!’ which means that you didn’t do other things with that time. You had to make an effort to hang with your friend. You gave up other options. And, you showed courage by being who you really are. And, so did they!

A true friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be true yourself and celebrates (and commiserates) with you. This is not always easy and it’s not always possible. And that’s ok! If it were so easy, friendship wouldn’t be as valuable as it is.

So, for the week ahead, I remind you of three things. First, be kind. It doesn’t cost you anything but it’s priceless to those around you. Secondly, if you want to have a great friend, start by being one. Finally, if the person you want to be friends with doesn’t feel the same way, continue being friendly but seek another friend. You are worth the effort!

Have a great week,
Cole