Tag: benefits of sleepaway camp

Camp Weequahic: Through the Years

July 10th, 2015

image1 (1)It is mind boggling yet incredible to think that Camp Weequahic has been around for more than 60 years. Although many aspects of camp have changed throughout the years, so much of Weequahic’s tradition has been preserved.

Our very own Camp Mom Judy (CMJ) began her journey here back in 1999 and has been with us ever since. I spoke with her to get a picture of what camp looked like 16 years ago. CW used to be an 8 week camp and today it is separated into two 3 week sessions or one Super Six session.

“Now that we have a shorter time period with most of our campers, every minute counts,” says CMJ.

Our Directors and Programming Heads really understand the importance of time and make sure that every minute of every day is jam packed with activities. Our Community Service program, for example, allows Senior campers to create environmental friendly projects such as Water Bottle Wednesday.

Since we now have a choice program, campers get to pick activities and create their own schedules. This ensures that everyone gets to participate in things they like and are comfortable doing.

The Weequahic program has evolved from a ‘bunk activity’ plan in which each camper was scheduled by camp without any choice to a structured choice format that allows kids to have a say in their activities but enjoy them with other children their same age and gender.

It is also important to get to know people outside of your bunk which is very easy to do when you have so many activities with different people every day. During evening activities, Tribals and Olympics every camper is encouraged to participate. This ensures that every camper tries an activity they may not normally think of doing.

“A variety of skills are acquired because camp is the only place you might ever get to learn how to canoe, build a bird house or start a fire,” says CMJ. With over 60 different activities and many incredible teachers, the skill learning abounds!

Special Event Days and division trips have been a part of CW for a long time, however, campers today get to go to new and exciting places such as amusement parks and baseball games. Our CIT program is also something that has been around for a long time and is unique to this community. Campers-In-Transition take trips to surrounding cities and get to see different universities and colleges, serve as apprentice counselors in specific areas, are provided training in group leadership and dynamics, and given many opportunities to lead at camp.

Even though Camp Weequahic has changed since its birth in 1953, many of its traditions and core values have stuck. Our mission to maintain happy and healthy campers and to create a unique environment where everyone is exposed to a variety of activities and experiences remains the same.

Showing Gratitude, Attitude and Courage the Weequahic Way

July 1st, 2015

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It has been such an exciting day here at Camp Weequahic. While the Inters, Seniors and CITs headed off to Dorney Park, the Juniors and Jinters each had their own special event on camp. The Juniors had Roy G Biv Day and spread color all across camp. The morning began with a giant game of Twister with over 50 colored spots! Even though this was an individual event, campers were still competing for their respective teams and were cheering on their players with so much excitement and energy! Next, the Juniors participated in a Rainbow Scavenger Hunt. However, this hunt was unlike any other scavenger hunt. Each counselor was given a different colored marker and campers were told to chase the counselors to try and collect all the colors. But wait! There’s a twist! Some counselors had wipes to clear the colors, so the Juniors had to be very careful not to get caught by any of the wipers. After lunch was the ever popular Color Run! It was very similar to the ones we’ve all seen or participated in at major cities where runners are covered in different colored powder as they make their way through the course. However, instead of simply running a race campers had to make their way through an obstacle course complete with hula hoops and pool noodles. The Juniors worked together so well during the obstacle course and helped each other along the course. The final activity to close out Roy G Biv day was a Slip n Slide which is always a crowd favorite! The Jinters also had a great time today. They participated in Renegades Day and everyone was split into six teams consisting of the zombies, ninjas, cowboys, aliens, robots, and pirates. There were eight different stations campers rotated through during the day as well as some talent competitions including a dance off, handstand/headstand competition and whistling competition. The Jinter boys absolutely loved Capture the Flag and Bombardment while the girls had a blast playing Steal the Bacon and Balloon Bonanza. The standout activity for all the Jinters, however, was the Ice Cream Trough. All the campers had the time of their lives stuffing their faces with ice cream and sprinkles. Both the Juniors and Jinters had a fantastic day and really showed good sportsmanship as well as team spirit. It was a joy watching everyone work so well together and embody gratitude, attitude and courage the Weequahic way.

The Subtle Pleasures of Camp

December 22nd, 2012

Have you noticed subtle pleasant but odd changes since your children returned from summer camp?  Have you peeked into your son’s room and noticed that he made his bed?  Were you tempted to take your daughter’s temperature the other night because she volunteered to clean up her room?  Maybe they just seem calmer or are better about sticking to routines about which you went hoarse more than once preaching to them before you put them on that bus or plane headed to their favorite summer zip code.  Perhaps they’re better about saying ‘thank you’ and ‘please’ or spend less time all out at war with each other over little things like the remote control and whether they’re going to watch The Voice or Modern Family.  Did they really mature that much at summer camp?

Not that you’re complaining.  It’s a nice, unexpected bonus.  When you initially enrolled them for camp, you were thinking it would be good for them to spend their summer working on arts and crafts projects, learning how to sail, going swimming, doing the silly things that kids do at camp, and playing sports instead of using up your entire cell phone data plan during twelve hour texting marathons or playing the Kinect so much that you can no longer tell whether you’re watching a video game or an actual television program.  You thought, ‘Maybe they’ll even make a few new friends.’  But, oddly, it’s the smaller things they seem to be bringing away from their summer camp experiences that you find yourself enjoying the most.

Sure, you read all about the benefits of sending children to summer camp before you decided to send them.  But you didn’t allow yourself to actually have expectations that your children would come home friendlier, more dutiful, more flexible, able to manage their time better, and generally happier–in short, more mature. Those are the special changes that you enjoy seeing and that make summer camp that much more valuable your eyes.