Lessons of Kids Sleepaway Camp

Here is another article highlighting the benefits of attending a sleepaway summer camp like Rockbrook: “Summer Camps Offer Youngsters Fun, Friendships, and Life Lessons,” by Adam Phillips of The Voice of America News.  It spends a good deal of time talking about the social aspects of being at sleepaway camp, the kind of friendships formed, the importance of compromise when joining a close-knit community.  There are lots of good quotes from kids, giving an “on the gound” perspective of camp life.  After reading it, it makes Rockbrook’s kids camp philosophy seems right on.

Rock Climbing Summer Camp Trip

After breakfast we hike up the hill in camp to reach Castle Rock. Locking carabiners, harnesses, helmets, rock climbing shoes, and ropes… everything in place for a day on the rock. Put on the gear and tie into the rope with a follow-through figure eight knot. Wait for the belayer to get set and begin the commands. “On belay?” “Belay is on,” she says. “Climbing?” “Climb on,” you hear, and you’re ready to go. A left foot up and you’re off. Lean to the right. A foot switch. A little tricky spot, but you get it. This is real rock climbing! Amazing view at the top. A quick rappel and you’re down. Great job!

All the Staff of Camp

Another common question we hear is about the number of counselors at camp. At any girls residential camp like Rockbrook, it is important to consider the camper to counselor ratio. With 200 campers enrolled in each session, people are often surprised to hear that we have close to 100 employees during the summer, with about 50 of those being cabin counselors. The others are special activity staff members, maintenance, housekeeping and kitchen staff, and other support staff members. The typical cabin arrangement is 2 counselors and 8 campers per cabin— a 1:4 ratio. A couple of the cabins are larger, and in that case, we’ll have a CIT (counselor in training) stay in the cabin as well. 26 different camp activities, 200 campers, 200 acres of forest, and almost 100 employees… there’s a lot going on!

Popular Summer Camps

Occasionally we receive great emails and letters from Rockbrook alumni, short notes that remind us of some of the reasons RBC is such a popular summer camp. It’s always fun to hear what people remember, and with camp running every summer since 1921, you can imagine there are a lot of Rockbrook alumni!

Recently we received this wonderful example from a woman who attended in the late 1960′s and early 1970′s.

I remember the smell of camp and the mountains. Meeting and becoming friends. Learning to water ski on Cascade Lake. Climbing out on Castle Rock. Overnights on hiking and canoeing trips. Going into town to the Biltmore to get ice cream. Hiking the Appalachian trail with the Hi-Ups. Making up songs to sing at a meal after a trip out of camp. Getting a package at Good Will! Jerky’s flag lowering at the end of the day and looking out over the mountains.

So many memories!

One Week Sleepaway Camps

Rockbrook does offer a one-week session at the end of the summer, August 12th through the 18th. We added it because parents requested a shorter session to accommodate their busy summer schedules. It’s also a good session for those girls who want to just dip their toe into what a sleepaway camp experience is like.

Camps in North Carolina

Rockbrook is located in the western mountains of North Carolina near Brevard in Transylvania County. This area of North Carolina is well-known for its natural scenic beauty and now has been designated as the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. No wonder, in this part of the state, there are so many summer camps in North Carolina. With fantastic hiking, great whitewater rivers, beautiful mountains and rocks for climbing, and cooler summer temperatures at these altitudes, it’s really a perfect place.