Teenagers Coming to Camp
Another important aspect of camp for teens is the many positive relationships they form with other girls, both younger and older than themselves. Take away competition and foster authentic communication instead. Remove self-doubt, and receive genuine encouragement instead. Step from being ignored to a place of listening, respect and care. This kind of summer camp program is just magical for teen girls. Perhaps this helps explain why you hear teenagers talk about “my camp.” It’s that place where they feel the best, feel most connected, and happily themselves.
Outdoor Programs for Girls
There’s something really special about spending most of your time outdoors. When you’re a girl who goes to school all day, rides around in a car between things, and maybe lives where the weather is a little “tough” most of the time, it’s a rare thing to be outside. Because it’s so rare, it feels so liberating to have regular outdoor experience, to romp through a stream, feel a warm breeze, hear the sharp clap of thunder, get muddy 
and just plain explore all the wonders of nature. There’s a lot to say about how this time outdoors is extraordinarily good for us, but it’s perfectly fun too. Summer camp, of course, is one of the best places to find all this. It’s a place where you can recharge and balance out what we’ve been missing most of the year. Just thinking about it, makes us smile with anticipation!
Teen Camp Adventure
“I remember the week of outdoor adventure that grew into the group we warmly called the Extreme Mountain Women and the slightly less well known Kraft Krew. We did everything from kayaking the upper Green River (water fall and all) bushwacking and hiking on several extensive hikes, climbing, mountian biking and other various mountain loving sports. It is without doubt I say that the friendships formed and the things I learned about myself during that week rest firm beneath my feet as one of the strongest stones in the foundation of who I am today. Thank you. I wish every child had the chance to blossom in a place like Rockbrook. To this day I find it hard to get through “Rockbrook Camp Forever” without my heart overflowing with love and gratitude for that magical place in the woods. So I thank you.”
— a Rockbrook alumna, 1989-1999.
Teen Programs for Girls
The teen programs for girls offered by Rockbrook bring together several unique aspects. First of all there are all the amazing things teen girls can do at camp… everythng from outdoor adventure trips like climbing and kayaking, to arts and crafts like pottery and weaving, to sports like soccer, basketball and volleyball. There’s plenty to keep your activity level way, way up. Then there are special leadership opportunities at camp, the chances to plan special events like the banquet and to help with activities for the younger kids. It’s very clear how teenagers are role models for the other girls at camp. Finally, the teen programs at Rockbrook provide a place were girls can relax and enjoy carefree summer living with some good friends who appreciate you for who you are instead of who you’re pretending to be. It’s welcoming and friendly, and that’s really great.
Leadership Summer Camp
October 17, 2007 by rbc
Filed under summer camp
Summer camp is one of the best places for children to learn about leadership, to explore what it means to be a good leader, and to practice the kinds of personal skills important to being a leader. Bring together kids of different ages (at Rockbrook that’s girls between 6 and 16 years old) and provide so many activities where they interact and play together, and you’ll have one event after another where leadership is central. Campers find themselves asking questions like, “How can we work together on this?” and saying things like “Let’s make a plan.” It might be for a cabin skit or preparing for a group hike, but being a good listener, cooperating, maybe compromising, being creative about individual contributions, and being confident about being part of a team are almost daily parts of camp. Particularly for our oldest campers, for example the CAs who plan the end-of-session banquet, overnight camp offers (even requires, at times) chances to develop leadership skills and serve as leaders for the younger campers.
Sure there’s lots of crazy fun going on, but we’re growing as well.
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!
It’s Finally Here!
Finally, the moment everyone has been waiting for was here…and then gone. Banquet was successful! The theme of the night was “Pixar”, which consists of a combination of four movies: “Finding Nemo”, “The Incredibles”, “A Bug’s Life”, and “Monsters, Inc.” The setup for the big night went very smoothly, and by 6:00, the CA’s were dancing around the dining hall in their various costumes waiting for the party to start. The only hang up was a mad dash for soda late in the day; apparently, “it’s not banquet without soda.” It’s a great feeling to see all of the campers’ hard work come together so successfully, and I can’t say enough how proud I was – the CA girls outdid themselves, to say the least. As a reward and camp tradition, Jerry took all of the CA girls out to Casey Jones after the banquet was over. All of the girls couldn’t stop talking about how fast it went by, how they couldn’t believe it was actually over, and how truly excited they were that banquet went so well.
Children and Teens at Camp
Residential overnight summer camps also provide a unique opportunity for children to interact with others both older and younger than they. At a girls camp like Rockbrook, younger girls benefit from seeing older girls interact and do so many challenging things (“Wow, she can do it!”), and our teenage campers learn important leadership skills helping the younger girls accomplish things at camp (“Here, let me help you get started with that.”). With girls of all ages living together and doing so much together, it’s neat to see how everyone can grow from the experience.
