Pictures from June 12, 2011 (password required)

What a great opening day for our 2011 season!  The clear blue skies were interrupted briefly by some afternoon showers, but the activity level was uninterrupted.  There were lots of happy faces around camp today.  The only exception was my expression when we discovered there was a typo on the parent handout.  Closing day is on FRIDAY, July 1. 

Most of today’s pictures are from this afternoon.  We will normally post pictures by 9pm, but circumstances may occasionally delay us until later.  We try to post around 100 pictures each day, but may post more on some days, like today.

The campers have already visited each of the activity areas during the day and then picked their activities tonight.  Monday will be the first full day of activities. I will try to send your initial letter from camp on Monday or Tuesday. In the letter I will have your son’s schedule and will tell you a bit about his counselor. At this session we have 147 campers and 75 staff members. Most of our staff are returning counselors or former High Rocks campers (58 of the 75 staff members). If you haven’t had a chance to look over our wonderful staff yet, be sure to look over our 2011 summer staff page.

Please remember not to send packages of any sort. Packages will not be delivered to campers (if there is a birthday, call us for instructions). If you need to send a forgotten item of clothing, medication, etc, call our office first & then send the item to the attention of our office staff. Our office staff will open the package & deliver the item.

Enjoy the pictures- we will try to post by 9pm each day, but it can be much later, or even the next day. Sometimes the pictures are from the previous day, sometimes they are from earlier in the same day.

It was a pleasure seeing so many returnig faces as well all the new families today.  We’re looking forward to a great session. Be sure to visit often to check out pictures as the session progresses.

Take care,

Hank Birdsong
Camp Director

ps- Did I mention that closing day is on a Friday??

First Ropes Course group of 2010

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  The weather is amazing, staff are rolling in, and it feels like camp is just around the corner.  In a month almost exactly (June 6^th) the first campers will be rolling up the road and the summer of 2010 will officially kick off!  Knowing how busy this time of year can be for everyone, we wanted to post some preparation tips for camp with plenty of lead time.

Parent Pack – by now, every registered camper should have received a mailing to help you organize before arrival.  This includes health and medical information for your camper, a suggested packing list (perhaps taped on the underside of your child’s trunk lid for reference), a cabin placement survey, a travel form, and other information about arrival and camp policies during the session.  If you have not already returned the necessary forms please get those to us soon.  If you need replacements of any forms or are looking for more information, please refer to the Parent Guide section of our website: www.highrocks.com/camp/parent_guide.htm   

Trunks – encompass a camper’s dresser, shipping container, seat, card table, step ladder for top bunks, and even an expression of self.  With six in a cabin, please keep the trunk/footlocker size to no larger than 14 inches high and 36 inches wide.  There are many different options on the market, ranging from plastic containers that will be good for a summer to high quality trunks that will stay with a camper for years.  One company we recommend is C&N Footlocker (www.trunksandfootlockers.com).  For those campers with a brand new trunk this year consider some bumper stickers/favorite sports teams/decoration on the outside to add a little spice, it makes for a great first day conversation starter.

Labels – when in doubt, label it!  It is a fact of camp life that things will be misplaced or forgotten. We have a system of lost-n-found, but it relies heavily on having a camper’s name attached to the item. Whether it be iron-on, stick-on, sewn, or Sharpie, please take the time to put your camper’s name on everything.  Initials are ok, first initial and full last name even better.  Don’t forget the shoes, socks, towels and non-clothes items: tennis rackets and balls, fishing poles, Crazy Creeks, flashlights, water bottles, etc.  Anything you would like to get back!

Collateral Damage – basically, don’t bring anything that you absolutely cannot live without. Camp by nature is a rough and tumble environment where things can and do get broken, usually with the best of intentions and much remorse after the fact.  It is not the place for nice clothes (except for a set for square dance night!) or expensive, easily broken items. 

Accoutrement – regardless of the length of session, camp happens in the blink of an eye. However, it is a veteran camper move to bring those comforts of home that make life just cushy enough for his stay.  Downtime is minimal, but provides a great chance to read a book, play cards with friends, or listen to music on a video-free IPod.  Any travel-size game is perfect for the cabin, especially if it is designed for two or more players.  A Frisbee, hacky sack or lacrosse stick facilitates pickup games and making friends. A small personal fan, unusual pillow case, or poster for near the bed makes the camper’s bunk more personalized and comfortable.  And of course there are the classic pictures of family/friends/pets taped on the underside of a trunk lid.

Correspondence – never a guarantee, but you can increase your odds.  Encourage your camper to write home.  Provide them with pre-addressed (and pre-stamped) envelopes in a zip-loc to combat humidity.  Include an address list of any potential recipients, just in case.  For some younger guys, the ad-lib pre-written letters can sometimes have better results.  Any letter supplies can also be purchased in the camp store.  

As always, we are here for any and all questions in the weeks leading up to camp.  Please don’t hesitate to call about anything, from types of quick-dry clothes to feelings of nervousness.  Hope everyone is enjoying a successful end to the school year and we can’t wait to see you! 

Of course, all of us here at Camp High Rocks know how important camp is for young boys.  You cannot beat the opportunities for growth, independence, friends, new activities, connection with nature, and mostly FUN!

Camp High Rocks continues to foster its relationship with the American Camp Association, an organization that is trying to reach out to everyone about the importance of camp.  As members of the American Camp Association and the Association of Independent Camps, we all really enjoyed this new piece put out by the ACA with generous funding by the Legacy Fund sponsored by the AIC.  Enjoy the video and feel free to pass it on…

 This year Camp High Rocks will be participating in our first ACA Accreditation visit to be an ACA Accredited Camp.  So far the process has been wonderful and we have learned a lot.  We look forward to the event and the possibility of being an ACA Accredited Camp.  If you would like to pass a great link on to parents about the ACA and the joys of camp send them to www.CampParents.org.

 The Association for Experiential Education also accredits Camp High Rocks.  Actually, we were the first program ever to be accredited by AEE.  We will continue to enjoy the benefits and knowledge from this accreditation as well and feel that they complement each other very well.  To find out more about AEE and their accreditation program visit www.aee.org.

Last week Zoob, Townsend, Hank, and Don all spent some time in Orlando at the American Camp Association’s 2009 National Conference.  The first few days we spent time with a small group of independent camp directors at the Association of Independent Camps gathering.  There were many camps in attendance from all over the U.S.; some of the best camps in the country.  We enjoyed the time networking with other camps and listening to experts and other professionals in the field who shared important information as it pertains to independent camps.  Many of the camps in the area attended the event, including Keystone Camp, Camp Falling Creek, Camp Illahee, Rockbrook Camp and Gwynn Valley Camp, to name a few.

We all came home with ideas and insites to make our programs better, safer, and stronger.  A time well spent.  I can’t wait for the summer to begin!!!