It Starts with People

Everyone likes taking pictures, but at a place like Rockbrook where there is something wondrous or beautiful at every turn, it’s exciting to try and capture the experience in photography. The photography activity, or what we call “Photo Phun” around here, gives the girls a chance to explore and take— no make pictures all over camp. Jane, the lead instructor, starts them out by explaining how to use the digital cameras and when to select certain settings given what they’re shooting. She teaches them the basic notion of adjusting shutter speed and aperture relative to the amount of available light, for example, and how changing these settings affects the depth of field and motion effects. With this background, the girls will often head out to explore, looking for “cool photos.” To focus that sometimes, Jane will challenge them with a scavenger hunt where each photo has to have a different main color, or a represent a different letter in the alphabet. She’s taught them about stop motion photography and light painting as well. See why we call it “Photo Phun?”

You probably can also see why having a skilled, energetic and enthusiastic activity instructor is so important to the success of something like this. For Photo Phun to really be fun for the campers, Jane has to be both a skilled technician who really knows her stuff about photography, but also a creative teacher who enjoys working with kids. Rockbrook is full of great activity instructors like this. They instinctively know how to take something maybe a little technical, like archery, tennis, horseback riding, or rock climbing for example, and present it to the campers in a way that’s safe and informative, but also inherently fun. There are a few tricks to this that we present during our staff training week, but we also work hard to hire counselors who “get it” instinctively. Pull together a bunch of people like this, young women who love what they do, creatively and imaginatively, and who sincerely love being with kids, and you’ve got a sense of what makes the Rockbrook staff special.

Beyond the scheduled activities offered each day, it’s often the simplest things that mean the most to a girl when she’s here at Rockbrook. Playing tetherball on the hill at twilight, sitting in the sun on a huge rock by the lake, or racing your flip-flop down the creek— these can be the best memories of camp. Of course, the most important ingredient in everything at Rockbrook is the people, the incredible community of spirited folks who share camp together. They form the core of these memories. Certainly Rockbrook is a beautiful place and the activities are excellent, but it’s your cabin mates, your counselors and all the other support staff (Rick, Alison, Clyde, Elaine, Richie, Katie, Will, the many Directors and so many others) that truly make these little moments that add up to be “camp.” The magic of camp starts with people.

Tonight after dinner we sent word for everyone to dress up and come down to the gym for a surprise evening event. The girls must have been saving up costume elements because we saw amazing wacky wigs, goofy glasses, colorful dresses, boots and hats in any combination (There are some great photos of this in the gallery). When they arrived, they found the gym transformed into a game show, with our friend Bill Grimsley ready to host a trivia question and answer game using his podiums and scoring system. He randomly selected contestants from the audience, pitting girls from the same line against each other. Some of the questions were about Rockbrook, and others about pop music, TV and movies. Occasionally he would announce a “challenge round” where for extra points the contestants performed a task like hula hooping, or for the counselors, eating something “not so appetizing” like canned pig brains in gravy. Ugh! Of course, the audience thought this was hilarious. Prizes, like a giant cookie cake, went to cabin groups, and at times when the contestants were stumped and the audience knew an answer, the whole crowd won a little treat. Silly and oh so good!

To Ride, Shoot and Climb

Stopping by the Rockbrook equestrian center is a treat these days. All day long, it’s humming with activity, with horses being tacked up, girls in the stable club brushing and washing different ponies, and of course others taking mounted riding lessons in the rings. Sitting on the porch of the equestrian office, you get a good view of this. The girls arrive there first after making the trip down from camp and through the tunnel under the highway, and it’s there that they will put on riding boots and pick a helmet if they need one. For the lessons, this is also where they find out which horse they’ll be riding that day. Audrey sometimes will switch horses based on how a camper did in her last lesson, or if there’s a special request to ride a particular horse. At this point in the session, it’s taking less time to get ready for the lessons because the campers know what they need to do and how to help, for example by leading the horses to the ring.  Also, we’re seeing excellent riding from these girls.  Lots are posting perfectly, cantering confidently, and jumping joyfully.  And it’s spectacular to watch.

Our longtime archery instructor Chelsea (this is her 3rd summer in that role) is reporting something similar. She’s seeing plenty of girls really take to the sport, improving their shot and hitting plenty of bullseyes. We’ve all noticed that almost everyday Chelsea is announcing during dinner the names of campers “inducted” into the “Bullseye Club” for archery (there’s a similar club for riflery too, as you might expect). Archery is one of those sports that really grows on the campers. They try it, and they’re hooked, probably because with just a little practice, they can see themselves improving. When one arrow is a great shot and the next is not, it makes you want to try again. In no time, they are true archers.

Today Clyde and Maddie took a group of Middlers out of camp for a rock climbing trip on Cedar Rock. This crag is located on the southern edge of the Pisgah Forest and requires a long, almost 2-mile, hike from the parking pull-off area just to reach the base of the rock. Consequently, the group packed a lunch with them (along with all the climbing gear— ropes, harnesses, helmets, shoes, carabiners, etc.) so they could spend all day out there. This was a great idea because they could all climb multiple pitches. They set up a climbing route called “Oh, Mr. Friction,” which is a nice medium difficulty crack, and the “Orangutan Flake,” a much more difficult face route. They even set a third rope up on a short climb that’s not named. This photo gives you a sense of the challenge these routes provide. The girls really had to be strong, concentrate and balance up some tough stuff. And these girls are really good! They have excellent climbing instincts and fine strength/weight ratios. Most of the time they handled every challenging part of these routes. Oh, and by the way, every girl who climbed wore a helmet and was “on belay,” meaning she was being held up by a rope with a tensile strength exceeding 3000 pounds. The girls climb high, but they are super safe doing it. With all that climbing and all that hiking, it was a very big, and tiring, day out. Be sure to check out the photo gallery to see more photos of this trip. They’re great!

Tournaments and Halloween Dinner

This morning our tennis, archery and riflery “teams” traveled to Camp Carolina to challenge the boys in a tournament. This is a long tradition for both camps. We select 3 girls from each age group (Juniors, Middlers and Seniors) for each of these sports, and get together for a friendly competition between the genders. It’s fun to see us load up the buses because we bring our own equipment— our sharp shooting riflery team with their guns, the strong, steady archers with their bows, and our tennis girls carrying their rackets. Many of the girls wore their matching Rockbrook t-shirts to build up a little team spirit as well. Most of the girls are a little shy at this event, with the possible exception of some of the seniors. We can report several excellent showings and high scores, with a couple of bullseyes and aces in our column, but overall the Carolina boys won the title this session. It was a fun morning to show our stuff, and next year, we’ll have even more to bring!

Back at camp, the day’s muffins caused quite a stir.  Liz created yet another original flavor she decided to call the “Rockbrook Double Whammy.”  They were chocolate chip and sprinkles!  Sweet, colorful little cakes, fresh-baked and oh so good!

Dinner was out of this world… for a couple of reasons.  First the food was absolutely delicious.  We had mounds of homemade fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli.  The potatoes were so creamy and the chicken seasoned just perfectly, the girls kept coming back for more and more.  In case you haven’t noticed Rockbrook girls like to get dressed up in costumes, but not just costumes you find on a shelf in a store.  They like to create costumes, and tonight was an excellent example of that as everyone came to dinner for “Halloween.”  This is really a lot of fun because the cabins work on their costumes together, mixing and matching different “elements” to achieve a certain effect.  That’s why you shouldn’t be surprised if you see something you sent with your daughter being worn by someone else.  Tonight we had zombie brides, cats, Egyptian princess, witches and so many other unfathomable characters.  You’ll have to check out the photo gallery to see how all this creativity turned out.  Awesome stuff!

Summer Living

Breakfast this morning made everyone happy. Rick served us his signature french toast, bacon, syrup, and cut fruit (cantaloupe, blueberries and blackberries). Like all the food he prepares for us at camp, this wasn’t something pre-made and frozen in a factory. He hand dipped each piece of bread, and grilled them all with a little sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon. No wonder everyone was so stuffed during morning assembly! But then after the first period of activities was done, there were plenty of girls interested in the chocolate chip muffins Liz baked for us. Not too surprising!

The rest of the morning was packed with our regular camp activities. With their new schedules, the girls were eager to climb the alpine tower, meet and ride a new horse, and learn the proper techniques of archery. Crafts are just about everywhere at camp, as well. Walk around and you are sure to spot all manner of media in the mix—fibers, string, clay, dyes, papers, paint, leather, fabrics, thread, yarns, markers, and all kinds of natural products. There’s creativity percolating in just about every corner.

While camp is definitely action packed, we also make sure to provide plenty of time when the girls can do what they want— time before lunch, right before dinner and right after dinner —freedom for swimming, hanging out in their cabin with friends, playing games on the hill, exploring the creek by “Curosty,” chatting with their counselor, preparing a skit for evening program, or just reading a book. It’s long been part of Rockbrook’s philosophy to make camp a welcome relief from the overly scheduled routine of life back at home and school. We believe kids need a special place, a haven, where they can set their own pace, follow their own interests and thereby allow their own sense of fun to flourish. It’s really what summer vacation was meant to be.

Lunch was an impromptu picnic on the hill with hot dogs, all the fixins’, chips, and watermelon. It was a wonderfully sunny afternoon, with a light breeze now and then. We sat in our crazy creek chairs, listened to music and just soaked up the scene on the grassy hill.

Jeff took the Hi-Ups on a really cool waterfall hike in Dupont Forest after lunch. They went straight to High Falls so they could enjoy a little swimming in the pool at the bottom of the huge waterfall. There’s even a short sloping section of the falls that can be a “sliding rock” of sorts. We did spot a couple of northern watersnakes hiding amid the rocks, and while quick to get out the way, still got our hearts pumping a bit! One was very small, a baby snake, and did get at least one comment about being “cute.”

Dinner tonight was also a special event: Harry Pottery Restaurant Night! The girls were encouraged to dress up like their favorite Harry Potter character, adopt a European accent of some sort, or just come prepared to “add to the magic.” Ellen became Professor Trelawney, the divination professor. Several campers became students at Hogwarts, complete with capes and brooms, and even Sarah dressed up as Narcissa Malfoy. After dinner, keeping the theme, we had a wand making workshop for the girls. With ribbons, glitter, and colorful tape, they decorated wooden sticks to make really cool looking magic wands.

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Hide and Seek and Skits

Today for breakfast, Liz really hit a home run with her chocolate chip scones. Fresh from the oven, we gobbled them up along with the blueberries, yogurt, cereal and OJ Rick had out for us. This light breakfast made a nice change from the eggs bacon and grits we had yesterday. Since we’re talking about Liz’s baking, the muffins were again a unique combination— white chocolate, coconut muffins. They were sweet with just a hint of coconut in each bite. Of course, the girls had no trouble enjoying those either!

Saturday morning is like other mornings with the girls moving through their newest sets of activities. Down at archery, Mandy got a group of juniors all excited by adding balloons to the targets. There’s something about trying to shoot a smaller target like this; she two different girls get a bullseye. Whenever a camper shoots a bullseye at camp, she joins the “Bullseye Club” and is recognized at lunch when the archery counselor announces her name.

At the lake, in addition to the normal swimming classes, the paddlers were working on their kayaking and canoeing. They meet to gather their paddles and life jackets (PFDs) on the stone patio under the Middler Lodge and then select boats at the water’s edge.  Practicing strokes on the lake, maybe paddling a course set up by the counselors, is a great way to prepare for a river trip out of camp.  It’s also fun— maybe you’ve seen this in the photo gallery —to swamp your canoe intentionally, and then climb up on the turned up bottom of the boat.  It’s not easy to balance two, or even three, people like that!

The afternoon’s activity was a giant, all-camp game of hide and seek we call “Counselor Hunt.” All the campers assemble in the gym while all the counselors take 15 minutes to hide somewhere in camp. Some dress in camouflage and paint their faces to hide in the woods, while others just have really good hiding spots. Each counselor is worth 100 points for every year they have attended camp, so several are worth quite a lot, like Michelle who earned a cabin 1000 points. When it’s time to start searching, each cabin runs around camp together looking, and when they find a counselor, they bring her back to the dining hall to claim her points. Keeping the whole cabin together and literally combing the entire camp is a real workout, but the girls are so excited when they discover a hiding counselor.

For tonight’s evening program, the different age groups went to their lodges for various skits. The Seniors did “bag skits” where the whole cabin makes up a skit using 5 random items they receive in a bag. The Middlers did a spoof on a pageant (“Miss ——–” contest) and the Juniors did “Commercials” for silly products. This was a night of crazy, silly dressing up all over camp with each cabin joining creative forces. Good camp fun.

Second Session Final Day

The final full day of a camp session is always a mix of emotions, partly the business of packing and finishing projects, but also a chance for savoring time with friends and enjoying being at Rockbrook. The morning is filled with several special events for the girls. This is the day, for example, when the girls receive their pottery pieces after being fired. It’s the first time they get to see how the glazing has turned out, whether the colors worked as they expected, and as you can see, there was great success.

Also this morning, we took our riflery, archery and tennis “teams” over to Camp Carolina to challenge them in tournament. The activity instructors at Rockbrook selected several girls from each age group to go and compete. It’s a lighthearted affair that finishes up with a quick dip in the lake. This year the girls gave a good showing in tennis and riflery, and won the archery competition! The older girls put on a little combat face paint to add a little intimidation to the mix. Looks like it worked…

Meanwhile, down at the horseback riding center, Cara and her staff present the session’s “Horse Show.” This is a chance for our riders to perform for the rest of the camp. Everyone dresses up, horses and campers alike. We saw so many jumps, riding in formation, and complex patterns among several riders. It’s really a festive atmosphere, complete with popsicles for everyone toward the end.

Today is also the day when we present the camp musical, this year Annie. Weeks of work go into this performance— casting, rehearsals, practicing the songs, learning lines, building scenery, designing costumes and making it all come together. With more than 50 people involved, this is a real challenge! We invite parents of the main cast members to attend the performance and the entire camp packs the gym to see it as well. There’s so much talent, it’s really impressive. If you didn’t get to see it, don’t worry because we taped it so it can be included in the DVD yearbook.

The Spirit Fire closes the day. Since Rockbrook’s very first year, this has been a very special time at camp everyone looks forward to. It’s when everyone dresses in their uniform and gather’s around the fire ring on Vesper Rock for a program of songs, tributes, memories, and recognitions. It’s a time for appreciating each other and the good times we’ve spent together these past few weeks. It’s an opportunity to reflect on what camp has meant to each person over the years, and perhaps to express those feelings to the whole group by coming to the front to speak. Without fail there are tears of joy as girls hug and talk about their love for each other and for Rockbrook. The Spirit Fire is a time when it’s so clear how important camp is to these girls, how they have grown here and learned to be their best selves, to realize they can do so much, and be so good. It’s absolutely remarkable.

The final day of camp provides so many concrete accomplishments. Throughout the weeks of camp, these Rockbrook girls create wonderful and amazing things… They acquire surprising skills and talents… They find some of their very best friends… And, more than ever before, feel proud and confident about who they are.

Adventure Sports and Storytelling

Things are really in full gear at camp these days. Everyone has learned most of the songs, making the dining hall a deafening place at times… there’s something about that “Austrian Went Yodeling” song that really gets the girls going. We’ve begun everyone’s second set of activities, so there’s new crafts being made (pottery bowls, sewn pillows, knitted hats, and tie dye t-shirts), new bullseyes in archery and riflery, and new tricks on the alpine tower. Up in the Junior lodge, the drama activity is spending time practicing for this session’s musical Annie. It’s so nice to wander by and hear the girls singing a song from the play. I’m sure it will be a wonderful performance. Down on the tennis courts, a class of seniors were having fun playing a game of rotating doubles (after each point, the winning pair stays to challenge a new pair, and so forth). At the lake, there were canoers out and 2 girls in whitewater kayaks learning how to roll. Lots of action!

In addition, there were several outdoor adventure trips out of camp. Clyde and Kelsey packed a lunch and took a group of girls kayaking on the lower Green River. Junior Line Head, and seasoned paddler Christine went along as well to help Tor our videographer capture some footage of the trip. We’re updating our camp DVD this summer, so you can look forward to seeing that footage. Heading off in another direction was Tara, Edith and Jackie leading eight other girls on a backpacking and camping trip in the Pisgah National Forest. With their tents, food, water and cooking equipment, they were loaded down, but with 11 people going, it was easy to distribute the weight. Jeff took the Hi-Ups out for a short waterfall hike, and Mallory ran several girls up to Castle Rock for a day of rock climbing too. Plenty of adventure to go around.

For tonight’s evening program we had a special guest come to camp, Gary Greene a local Brevard storyteller and musician. All the girls gathered in the Senior Lodge to enjoy several stories, songs and skits Gary brought to perform. He’s a very talented guy and is great at pulling in the audience to participate. He had the girls hooting with laughter and at other times perfectly silent as they listened. That’s not easy to do with more than 200 people! The counselors performed a few skits too with plenty of camper involvement. The whole evening was very nice, and while not as goofy or silly as other things at camp, the girls enjoyed it immensely.

Bedtime at camp is probably a lot like at home but with a few bits of added excitement. For example, each night the girls have milk and cookies (another fantastic treat from baker Liz!) before bed. This is one of those long Rockbrook traditions started before anyone can remember and continued today. It’s a nice social time among all the girls and counselors of each line. After dressing in pajamas and visiting the “Deducky” (RBC lingo for bathroom. Why? Again, nobody is quite sure, even some of the older alumnae we know!) to brush their teeth, the girls usually take a few minutes to talk about their day in the cabin. The counselors lead the group as everyone mentions their “Pows and Wows,” a high point and low point of what happened that day. It’s another way for the girls to get to know their cabin mates, learn from each other, and feel good about the day. A little bit of quiet time in their bunks and then it’s lights out for everyone. You might think it would be hard to sleep in a cabin with 9 or so other people, but when we stay this busy at camp all day long, sleeping comes easily. Next thing you know, you’re hearing the wake up bell and it’s time to hop up for more camp fun!

Camp Archery Program

Archery is another huge hit with the kids at Rockbrook this summer. Girls really enjoy learning about archery at summer camp. There’s something classic about it. Nocking an arrow, pulling the bow, taking a breath, holding still, and releasing the arrow toward the multi-colored target. Of course, we’re aiming for the center of the target, and when we hit it, we get a certificate proving we’re in the “Bullseye Club.” No matter how old you are, it’s not easy at first, but with practice it doesn’t take long to improve and hit the target more and more perfectly. Hey, there’s Griffin!