We’re lucky again to have another video produced by Robbie Francis of FrancisFilmworks! Robbie visited camp again late this week and spent the day filming, then carefully edited this wonderful glimpse into camp life. The video does a delightful job depicting the mood at camp these days… so much action and so many happy girls!
Click below to watch the video…. and let us know what you think.
You may have noticed that there a many crafts activities at Rockbrook. One parent made that remark to me yesterday by saying, “There are so many photos of girls doing crafts!” That’s certainly true. It’s partly explained by how easy it is for the photographers to stop by all the craft areas in camp, but I’d also say it’s because the girls really enjoy working with the crafting materials, making intricate colorful things, and exploring their creative spirits. Being crafty like this is simply popular at camp. Just about every minute at camp is charged with creativity.
One explanation for this lies in the enticing nature of the crafts themselves. With great instructors eager to share their expertise, and with example projects to model, it’s easy to get excited about digging into the various craft options available.
Take woodworking, for instance. All around in the wood shop the girls can see finished cutting boards, picture frames, secret boxes, carved pendants, and other carefully shaped and smoothed wooden creations. Marie Brown, of Handhouse Studio in North Hampton, MA (and Rockbrook Alumna and Camp Mom!), is currently our lead woodworking instructor. She’s back again this summer demonstrating techniques, helping campers articulate their project ideas, and keeping the wood shop fun and lively with encouragement. Just being in the wood shop is inspiring!
Tie-dying is another craft that holds an inherent magic. The simple twisting and folding of plain white t-shirts, and then the application of rich vibrant dyes, soaking in here and there, ends up blooming into a surprise colorful design. Weaving on the loom has a similar surprise as the different color fibers cross in patterns to reveal a textured design. Likewise for knitting and crocheting, it’s fun to see what interesting combination emerges. “That’s so cool” is the common refrain.
The craft activities are popular at Rockbrook also because the process of being creative here is so positive. We really encourage it in almost everything we do, from our love of costumes, to making up skits, to performing impromptu songs and dancing “flash mobs” in the dining hall. Around here, we’re not looking for perfection, but rather the exploration of what might be possible with some imagination. That same ethos permeates our craft activities too. At camp, there’s no failure in creativity, only a celebration of bold combination. The girls love this open and free approach and find it both rewarding and fun to jump into all the camp craft options.
Also, like everything we do at camp, the craft activities are popular because they offer a relaxed context to be with friends. Crafting together, surrounded by the sort of people who know you really well (your true self!) and who care about you so genuinely, enhances the joy of creating. Picture a group of girls knitting on the back porch of Curosty, laughing and chatting, making suggestions and encouraging each other with each stitch. This community spirit built into our daily experience at Rockbrook— “together it’s better” —is inspiring in this way as well.
Understood in these ways, the real rewards of the craft activities at camp arise not from the finished products— the cutting boards, weavings or pottery, for example —but from the process of making them. Yes, the girls are proud of their craft projects, and you might be lucky enough to receive one as a gift. But I think it’s worth remembering that the camp art you’re admiring represents a joyful process of creativity, the inherent rewards of creating itself, and the friendships formed along the way.
Adventure is something that’s easy to find every day at camp. Many of the outdoor activities, of course, offer the sort of challenge and require the sort of nerve we know are required of something adventurous. Each of these comes with a little bit of risk, plenty of safety gear and protocols, and a big thrill as a payoff for giving it a try. What at first looks a little scary, intimidating and maybe even wildly impossible, turns out to be exciting and rewarding.
Take for example the zipline course at Rockbrook. This is a unique course we designed to be scenic, a progression of challenges, and a unique thrill. It’s a series of three different zips and three challenge bridges. Woven into the forest, each zip goes between huge boulders, among the trees, and even a waterfall above the main part of camp. The first zip is slower, and the last is an eye-popping, you-can’t-help-but-scream, blast. The last zip glides right in front of the office in camp giving everyone on the hill a great view of the action. The girls wear a helmet and climbing harness tethered to a dual-wheel pulley with a steel backup clip. Launching on a zip, trusting this equipment, takes courage, but the exciting payoff comes right away as the girls zoom through the air waving their arms.
A similar adventure, but one that requires more physical strength, is climbing our high-ropes Alpine Tower. This tower is 50-feet tall and offers dozens of routes to the top, each with a unique challenge requiring balance, strength and nerve. Climbers wear a special harness and then tie into a rope that will hold them if they lose their grip or footing while climbing. They climb by pulling up and balancing on small holds bolted to a complex log structure. After taking just a few steps up, it already feels high in the air, but by concentrating on the puzzle of what to hold and where to step, the girls make it the top where they have a tree-top view of the forest. Most adults I know would really struggle climbing the tower, but not these Rockbrook girls. They are strong!
Another great example of a regular adventure experience at Rockbrook is the waterslide at our lake. To ride the slide you first walk along a boardwalk and up a series of steps and platforms. At the top it’s almost 50 feet up! Water sprays down on the slide which is made from a vinyl tarp strung between two parallel cables that swoop down to just above the surface of the water. The ride is 150-feet of splashy, slick acceleration ending with a powerful crash into the water below. It feels a little daunting at the top, but also inviting in a strange sort of way— like all adventure. But once you take the leap and launch down the slide, the excitement of it all easily inspires campers to climb out at the dock and head around for another slide.
Here’s one last example. It’s the “Nest.” The Nest is another totally unique feature of camp hidden in the forest. Partway up the hike to Castle Rock, the big rockface above camp, there’s a cave-like area where the rock overhangs to create a large, dry area. We have drilled multiple rock hangers into the rock there, providing anchor points for up to 14 hammocks to be strung in different directions. Groups of girls, each with a hammock and a set of straps, can head up there to enjoy a comfortable, shady rest in that special environment. Along with a book, journal or friendship bracelet making supplies, a water bottle and a snack, this is a fun way to spend an afternoon with friends.
All of these examples of adventure at camp are moments when the campers find themselves leaning toward something that at first might cause them to hesitate. Despite those feelings, the campers here, even the youngest Juniors, embrace adventure. With the encouragement and support of the other kids around them, everyone is empowered to give things a try. Once again, that community spirit reaps collective rewards. At camp, we’re adventurous together, each and every day.
The daily Rockbrook photo gallery available to parents in their online account is always great fun to see. Long ago we realized that even though camp is inherently an experience for the campers, parents want to be a part of it too. They at least want to see what’s going on. In fact, many parents “live” for the photo gallery, they tell us, checking for newly uploaded photos throughout the day. Most days we upload a batch of photos just before lunch and another just before dinner. Some days, when a special event of some sort has happened, we’ll have other batches uploaded as well.
That’s great! We’re happy to provide all the photos, and while we can’t possibly show everything going on at camp, or take a photo of every camper every day, we try our best to cover things. On most days we have two photographers roaming about the camp trying to capture the action. We prefer two because there is so much going on at camp simultaneously. If we’re down at the barn taking pictures of riding, we’re missing the zipline kids, and so forth. So we need to divide and conquer! Still, we’re bound to miss a few things.
We use a 3rd-party photo display system that’s part of CampMinder, the camp registration service that handles our online registration, forms, and payment processing. This company creates the display grid and handles the photo prints and downloads, setting the prices for this service. Unfortunately, we can’t control all of that.
Sometimes, the photos can be confusing to parents. Not knowing the background of what’s happening at camp, you won’t know what’s going on in a particular shot. You might see a couple of girls running, but not know they are jogging by as part of a group, “The Rockbrook Runners,” that covers a 2-mile loop before lunch most days. You might see a girl standing next to a horse smiling, but not realize she is leading her horse from the barn to the riding ring to begin her mounted lesson. Likewise, you’ll see three girls wearing helmets and PFDs and not understand that they are listening to the safety talk just before going rafting on the Nantahala River. If every “picture is worth a thousand words,” there are some days on the photo gallery where almost a million words are there to be read!
Here’s another example, a photo taken one sunny afternoon at the tennis courts. The instructor is just out of view, but you can see girls with an empty ball basket after practicing forehand and backhand volleys. The court is nice and shaded, a definite plus on a warm afternoon, and you can see the clay playing surface that also helps keep things cool. The courts need to be brushed every so often and the taped lines hammered into the clay need to be cleared off as well. With a rock wall on one side and the trees lining the other side of the lower court, playing on these courts feels very old fashioned and campy.
The same can be said for all the weaving going on in the Curosty cabin just up the hill from tennis. This is one of the historic log cabins on the Rockbrook property. It’s full of all sorts of looms, full-sized floor looms, smaller tabletop looms, and even smaller frame looms. Any time of the day, you’ll find campers busy on these looms, running some sort of weft back and forth through some pattern of warp held tightly on the looms. In this photo, the camper is pressing the keys with her hand to change which strings in the warp move up and down allowing the weft to be passed through horizontally. It only takes a few passes to begin seeing the design in the woven cloth. In this photo, you can also see hanging on the wall some of the colorful woven projects created, and in the background, a cabinet of weaving supplies.
Well, we could go on and on like this, but I hope you can see how it will be fun to revisit the photo gallery with your camper after she returns home. Take some time to sit together and have her explain what’s going on in the photos. I think you’ll enjoy learning more about camp, and love hearing her enthusiasm and excitement for all the little details you probably missed on your own. You’ll be able to ask questions and hear even more stories about her experience at Rockbrook. Highly recommended!
There’s an article on the Rockbrook website where we identify the top reasons camp is important for children. If you haven’t seen it, it can be understood as a list of benefits of summer camp, as a summary of what kids gain from their experience at Rockbrook.
If camp is “fun that matters,” these are some of the ways it matters.
Some of the “reasons camp is great for kids,” in the article, spring just from living the life we have at Rockbrook. For example, “Reconnecting with Nature” is the simple consequence of being outside most of our day. We’re living in a forest, hearing and smelling it, even through the night in our open-air, screened cabins. We’re getting wet when it rains, and finding a bug of some sort almost anywhere. “Being physically active” is built into our day too. We’re walking up and down the hills just getting from one activity to another, not to mention the activities themselves— the hiking, swimming, tennis, gagaball, horseback riding, and so on. “Unplugging from technology” is likewise simply a part of camp. Quite intentionally and for many reasons, we don’t allow anyone to be “on their phone” at Rockbrook. Everything about that is antithetical to the attentive community we value at camp.
Other reasons camp is important, listed in the article, focus on how kids grow from the experience. Many of the particularities of camp life— being away from parents, making decisions like choosing your own activities or when to take a shower, experiencing all sorts of new things, overcoming challenges when something doesn’t turn out just right —are behind this growth in character. The article puts it this way; at camp, children “become more confident,” “gain resiliency,” and “grow more independent.” The examples are endless. Think of the confidence it takes to control a 1,200-pound horse, or to climb a 50-foot tower. Imagine the resilience, flexibility and persistence required to keep trying when you can’t figure out how to center a ball of clay on the wheel, but still try again, or when your first choice of activities is not available after all. Of course kids are practicing being independent at camp (no parents or teachers to guide every move) too, but it’s exactly that practice that proves, even on their own, they can do it.
Recently another idea came to mind that brings together these aspects of the camp experience. It’s the idea that camp life empowers the girls at Rockbrook. We might say, most of the “benefits” in the article can be understood as different ways camp girls are empowered by the experience. They’re made more physically powerful by being active most of the day, more socially powerful by joining this cooperative community, and more personally powerful by gaining confidence and resilience. They’re empowered by discovering they can be creative and attentive when away from electronic entertainment. They’re more powerful from the expanded awareness that comes from spending this extended time in Nature. And they’re certainly empowered knowing they can be friends with anyone who is open and kind in return, no matter where they’re from.
It was a quote by writer Wes Angelozzi that got me thinking about “camp as empowering kids.” He writes:
“Go and love someone exactly as they are. And then watch how quickly they transform into the greatest, truest version of themselves. When one feels seen and appreciated in their own essence, one is instantly empowered.”
Reading that, I thought, “Yes, that is so true at Rockbrook.” We are helping our girls discover “the truest version of themselves” by creating a loving community of care and kindness. We strive for everyone here to feel accepted “as they are,” respected and appreciated, no matter their looks, smarts or talents. This extraordinary, friendly community proves, over and over, that everyone belongs. And yes, that feeling of “the people here love the true me” is instantly empowering. It’s freeing, empowering and joyful.
I think it’s a bit of secret sauce— the culture of Rockbrook. A community this friendly and accepting, one that opens girls up, inspiring them to learn about themselves and be genuine to themselves, is an added force making camp even more empowering. Now when you see Rockbrook girls being powerful and especially amazing, you’ll have a hunch why.
Sundays are different at camp. Our regular in-camp activities and out of camp trips pause so that we can focus on all-camp events. Instead of campers and staff moving in all directions, we come together. It’s a nice reset and an opportunity to celebrate our sense of community, usually dress up in some way, and enjoy a big afternoon event.
It begins with sleeping in an extra hour, a welcome change of pace right from the start. After a full week of big adventure and the go-go-go of activities, everyone seems to really enjoy the extra shut-eye. The wakeup bell then brings everyone to breakfast in their pajamas (and often a cozy sweatshirt) to enjoy our breakfast of eggs and sausage, cereal, fruit and yogurt with fresh Krispy Kreme donuts as an added treat.
After breakfast, everyone changes into their red and white camp uniforms for the main morning events— flag raising and chapel. The hi-ups lead the flag raising ceremony. The entire camp lines up around the flagpole, watches as the flag is raised, and then sings “The Streams and the Mountains,” one of the oldest Rockbrook songs. Single file, everyone then walks down to the end of the lower line and finds a seat in the Chapel area of camp.
What we call “chapel” at Rockbrook is not a religious ceremony. We want everyone at at camp, no matter what their family religious background, to feel comfortable at our “chapel,” so lately it has been understood as an acronym for “Celebration of Happiness, Adventure, Peace, Earth and Love.” The idea is that we benefit from the chance to slow down a bit and think about what’s important at Rockbrook, the positive aspects that we value. Each chapel has a theme, chosen by the campers, that focuses the short program of songs and camper reflections on what the theme means to them. Past themes have been happiness, honesty and friendship, for example.
Today’s theme was “Peace and Love” and was led by the Juniors. Girls took turns talking about peace (“You can find it anywhere and doing almost anything.”) and love (“Every one of you is loved by people here.”). The whole Junior line sang “Peace Like a River,” complete with hand motions. A group of campers played ukuleles and sang “This Little Light of Mine.” Sarah read the classic (1936) children’s book, The Story of Ferdinand. You probably recall it’s the story of a peace-loving bull who enjoyed smelling flowers, and who refused to fight when brought to the bullfighting ring. Being surrounded by the forest and sitting so closely with all of our camp friends, it wasn’t hard to feel that camp is a place of peace and love.
Our afternoon plans —two different all-camp events —had to be postponed because we were hit by an afternoon thunderstorm right when the events were to start. We held off for a bit, hoping the storm would pass quickly, but it was big enough that we decided to switch gears and move into the gym. Gathering this many excited, enthusiastic people (who were ready to burn some energy) is really all you need to create a fun event. Add some dance music, and a few small snacks, and you have an impromptu dance party. That’s what we did! While the rain tapered off outside, the girls jumped and sang, twirled and flicked all around the gym. Spontaneous and fun, it was a great way for all of us to spend the afternoon.
Sunday night is “Movie Night” at camp. After signing up for a new set of activities that will begin Monday morning, all of the campers come down to the gym to watch a movie projected on a big screen. The whole gym floor becomes covered with sleeping bags, pillows and blankets, crazy creek chairs, and a mob of girls eager to watch. The Hi-Ups and a director are there to assist while all of the counselors and other directors have an all-staff meeting in the dining hall or one of the lodges. We love showing musicals at movie night, especially ones where the girls know the songs, because that turns the movie into a singalong, making it even more fun and a real treat to hear.
The other day I overheard a young camper say to her friend, in all seriousness, “I’m never going to leave this place.” She was so taken by how good it was feeling to be at camp, she never wanted to leave. Now, she said that just after we handed out the popsicles before breakfast on the 4th of July, and that probably had something to do with it, but I’ve heard versions of this comment many other times as well. “I always can’t wait to get back to camp.” “Camp is my Happy Place.” “I look forward to camp all year long.” These are common refrains.
I don’t think you can explain these feelings of happiness at camp by pointing to the variety of activities, the great Rockbrook food (including the surprise morning popsicles), the beautiful wooded campus we enjoy, or any particular “perk” like that. If not these external trappings, then why do these Rockbrook girls love camp so intensely and often with such loyalty? I have one theory, but there’s bound to be other reasons. Today a group of senior campers (probably about 15 years old), a CIT and I ended up talking about another idea that can help us understand.
We started with a phrase we often hear at the closing Spirit Fire where campers and staff members talk about what camp means to them. The phrase is, “Camp is the place where I’ve learned the most about myself.” These teenagers all nodded in agreement that this was true for them too. They agreed that there is something special about Rockbrook that leads to self-awareness, to a better understanding of “who you really are.” “OK, that’s really great,” I said, “but what is it about camp that encourages this?” How is camp different from other places in ways that make it well suited for this kind of self-discovery? That question really got them going, and soon we had several examples.
First, they said the pace of camp life really helps. There’s simply more time for self-reflection, more opportunities to try new things and explore, more opportunities to relax and connect with the people around them. One girl said back at home she feels busy most of the time, “up at 7am and back home at 7pm,” she said. Everyone agreed that having large stretches of free time at camp was a wonderful thing. That freedom made a difference to them.
They also said at camp there are “fewer distractions” mostly because they do not have their phones. This was a big deal to them. They admitted that one reason they love camp, ironically, was because they had given up something they use everyday, all day, at home. This makes sense to me too. If every spare moment is consumed by retreating from the real world into the algorithmically curated virtual world of social media and the internet, then what’s left? If a smartphone is always with us, ready to provide instant gratification (distraction), won’t we skip over important details around us and fail to pay attention to what we might discover? These girls seemed to think so. With no phones at camp, I think they are relishing the expansion of awareness being techfree provides them. And part of what they’re noticing is their true selves.
I added one last point to the conversation. If you ask older campers why they keep coming back to camp, they’ll tell you, “It’s the people.” By that I think they mean, “the people at camp are friendly, kind people who make me feel good. They accept me, include me, and don’t judge me.” This sense of belonging, being a part of a community that cares about you no matter what, is a powerful force. It inspires a sort of personal confidence to let the real you shine, to drop those ideas of who you “should” be. It’s very common, after all, for most of us to fall victim to pressures of conformity, to create versions of ourselves that align with assumed ideals of personality, ability and beauty. But if that’s all we do, how will we discover what’s unique about each of us? If we’re just posing most of the time, doing our best to hide any hint of “imperfection,” (thinking this will help people “like” us), who are we really?
I think these campers understand this too. Maybe not explicitly, but they know that at Rockbrook they are safe to discard these social facades and explore other, deeper aspects of who they are. The people here at camp, the whole supportive community, makes this possible. When you realize that people at camp don’t really care what you look like, you can let you hair down, literally and figuratively. That’s the gift that can lead to greater self-awareness, much greater self-confidence, and greater contentment in the long run.
Taken together, these three characteristics of camp life— time for reflection, ditching phone-based distractions, and a community of supportive people —help explain why girls feel they learn about themselves at camp. It’s worth noting too, that these campers saw this as a very good thing. Since this kind of self-discovery is really difficult back at school, they yearn for these opportunities and so cherish their time at camp. They “can’t wait to get back,” and feel good like this again. Maybe we can say these girls love camp because it’s fun, but also because it helps them grow. Yes, let’s say that.
Oh, and one more thing comes to mind. If you want to help your girls grow like this at home, let’s help them by carving out some time when they can slow down, be fully disengaged from their smartphones, and be with people who truly care about them. That’s certainly not easy, but not impossible either. How about a phone-free sleepover with friends, spent playing games instead of watching a movie? Family time one Saturday morning, spent outside? Those are just a couple of ideas that are also not necessarily easy, but I hope give you some encouragement to try. I believe our kids really do want these sorts of experiences but are hampered by forces beyond their control. They need our help. Fortunately, there is camp, but can’t we do more? I believe we can.
Robbie Francis of FrancisFilmworks has returned this summer to film and present a series of his excellent highlights videos for us.
For many years Robbie has been making these occasional videos at Rockbrook, much to everyone’s delight. It’s a real treat to see how he conveys the sweet interactions and overall feeling of camp life in just under two minutes.
Robbie filmed earlier this week and now we have his first video for the second session. Take a look and enjoy a glimpse into life at Rockbrook. It’s great fun to watch.
We’re always celebrating something at Rockbrook. It might be someone’s birthday or a camper’s first bullseye in archery, or just the simple fact that we’re having a yummy homemade dessert for dinner. But today was the 4th of July, so we were celebrating double time. And it started first thing this morning even before getting out of bed!
That’s because instead of our regular rising bell, the campers woke to the sounds of hoof beats and shouts of “The British are coming! The British are coming!” up and down the cabin lines. Following a long tradition at camp, the riding staff, dressed in their best red, white and blue, provided this alarm as they rode horses into camp. Somewhat sleepy-eyed, the girls came out to the hill and were surprised to find 4th of July Popsicles for them. The Hi-Ups raised the American and the Rockbrook flags, followed by everyone reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing “America the Beautiful.”
Before heading to breakfast, everyone went down to the lake to watch the international staff perform a silly skit that involved kayaks and several counselors jumping in the lake. A “proclamation” was read “sentencing” these friends to the “Rockbrook lake,” something extra “refreshing” this time of the day.
Today was also the day when we could make as many things as possible red, white and blue. There were posters in the dining hall, flag-patterned tablecloths, ribbons and lights strung. Of course, the campers and staff weren’t shy about dressing up for the occasion. Everything from full face paint to illuminated headbands and fairy wings popped out. It seemed like the international counselors were even more excited to dress up and celebrate the 4th.
For lunch, Rick served an all-american classic picnic with hotdogs and hamburgers, corn on the cob, baked beans and wavy potato chips. As an extra treat, we loaded the creek near Curosty with cans of Cheerwine soda for everyone. On this hot summer day, it was nice to eat outside and enjoy our lunch picnic.
Regular camp activities filled our day up to dinner, but it was hard to forget that it was the 4th of July. The colorful costumes and accessories seemed to multiply throughout the day. Hikers wore patriotic scarves, while goofy glasses, beads and more headbands could be seen in just about every activity. The temporary tattoos we handed out quickly became the most popular way to expand your look for the holiday. And “Happy 4th of July!” was the most common excited greeting.
The celebration kicked into a higher gear after dinner when we held our “firecracker relays” down at the lake. This was a fun event of different games and relays where teams or pairs of campers raced to accomplish different tasks. We had classic greased watermelon swimming races, an “egg and spoon” relay, as well as sack races across the nearby archery field. Another relay had girls put on a t-shirt, swim a lap and then transfer the t-shirt to a team member without letting go of each other’s hands. Challenging! Another game had the girls wade into the lake and collect only the red, white or blue pingpong balls floating in one section. The funniest was a game that involved throwing cheeseballs toward a team member who had a blob of shaving cream on their head. The goal was to stick as many balls on their head as possible. Silly! The “Bucket Trivia” challenge was also hilarious. If you answered a question wrong— like “What’s the largest state in the US?” —you got wet! Many buckets of water were dumped.
As dusk settled, the grand finale of the day arrived: our very own Rockbrook Camp fireworks show! Everyone received glow sticks, and with fun pop music blasting, the camp became a colorful dance party filled with cheers as the fireworks lit up the night sky. It was a perfect ending to our 4th of July celebration at camp.
