With the second session of camp now closed for the summer, I want to thank everyone who helped make it so wonderful. After all, it’s the people of camp— the counselors and supporting staff, and of course our amazing enthusiastic campers —who create the special experience we all enjoy. It’s the people who are kind and caring, supportive and encouraging. It’s their friendly attitudes, their “happy relaxed” approach to just about everything, that colors our camp days. Together we found a spirit that propels this community to do more, experience more, and enjoy more.
At our closing campfire of the session, the “Spirit Fire,” we were reminded of how life at camp means this much. Campers talked about discovering new interests, making their very best friends, and feeling completely at home at Rockbrook. Staff members expressed their gratitude for being at camp, and for having the opportunity to know so many great people. One girl simply said, “I love everything about camp, and I love all of you even more.” It’s remarkable how close we’ve all become over these last few weeks.
Camp reminds us of the good stuff. It helps us see the magic in most things. It encourages us to explore and discover the incredible beauty of the real world, to trust each other, and be courageous even when something may be uncertain. Most clearly, we now know how incredible camp life feels.
Yes, it’s sad that something good is ending… for now. But I believe we carry camp with us. We can remember that being kind, and being a little silly, will help us. We can sing a favorite Rockbrook song anytime we want. We can stay in touch with camp friends. And we can look forward to returning next summer.
To all our Rockbrook girls: we miss you already. We’re thinking of you fondly, holding tight the memories of our great camp session together. Thank you!
Until next summer, be kind, stay curious, and remember: the Spirit of Rockbrook is with you always.
One of the most anticipated culminating events each session at Rockbrook is the Banquet. This is the themed party the CA (9th grade) campers plan and present for the whole camp. It’s a huge celebration with decorations, costumes, specialty foods, music, dancing and skits, all focused on a particular theme the CAs select in secret. They completely transform the interior of the dining hall, covering every inch of wall space with hand-painted posters, adding lighting, streamers and other decorations. They rearrange the dining hall tables to create a dance floor and performance space.
Arriving at the Banquet and finding out the secret theme is part of the fun. For this second session 2025, the surprise was related to professional football. The theme? “Touchdown at RBC.”
The decorations featured football fields and NFL team logos, plus the logos of two “in-house” teams: the White Squirrels and Redbirds. Table decorations included inflated footballs, rings, trophies, Mardi Gras beads, mini foam fingers, football field tablecloths with lines. For food, we ate football game day foods like wings, tater tots, pigs in blankets, and veggies with ranch dip.
The CAs were dressed up in a variety of costumes. There were our two football teams: the White Squirrels and the Redbirds, complete with mascots and cheerleaders. The two teams ran down and had a dance battle, followed by a cheerleader routine. Then it was time for the halftime show featuring girls dressed as Rihanna doing “Umbrella,” Katy Perry with “California Girls,” Shakira performing “Hips Don’t Lie,” and Lady Gaga and “Poker Face.” The big moment was when Travis Kelce proposed to Taylor Swift (which as you know hasn’t happened in real life!).
There were commercial breaks too featuring the Gecko of Geico, Jake from State Farm, and the Aflac Duck. The counselors played referees and did a dance to “Hit the Quan.” In the final play, the Redbirds were down by six points but scored the winning touchdown thanks to Travis Kelce.
The show ended with “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled and everyone enjoying a dance party, jumping and singing with their friends.
Overall, it was a fantastic event… great energy, and loads of fun. Everyone had an amazing time. Thank you CAs!
The final Wednesday of every session has many traditions, most notably spirit dinner and spirit fire. But before we get there, Rockbrook thespians participate in the most exciting camp tradition of all, the play! Campers who elect to participate rehearse for only one hour a day, and by the end of the session have a full musical production ready to perform. It is a feat of scheduling and dedication, not only for the campers who spend fourth period rehearsing, but also for the counselors who direct, choreograph, and manage the show. It is a massive group effort to get everything ready for curtain!
This year, campers tell the story based on the real newspaper strikes of the early 1900s, but that many today would know better by the Disney film or Broadway musical. Led by a young Jack Kelly, the newsies of New York demand fair wages from Joseph Pulitzer. The intrepid young reporter, Katherine, shows them the power that media can have in swaying public opinion and forcing Pulitzer’s hand. The newsies learn that they don’t just sell news, they make it! Through this story, the campers have gotten in touch with their positive rebellious streak, learning songs like Seize The Day, Carrying the Banner, and King of New York.
Although the costumes, lighting, and scenic design are not exactly what you’d find on Broadway, we transform our own Rockbrook gym to the streets of NYC with the help of some signs, suspenders, and suspension of disbelief. Campers who do theatre at home may be shocked at how much they’re able to accomplish and fun they’re able to have, even with far less stage tech and rehearsal time than they’re used to. Since we perform without microphones, and rainy afternoons are commonplace in our tin-roofed gym, rule number 1 of the Rockbrook play is to be LOUD and proud! More important than hitting all the right notes, or even saying all the right words, is making sure you do it with confidence and project!
Singing, dancing, and skits are all hallmarks of camp life, so it only makes sense that we would have so many talented campers ready to step into the roles. The play is open to everyone, and there is no role too small. During intermission, campers who have taken dance throughout their time at RBC get to show what they’ve been working on in the dance show. Even the counselors get a chance to strut their stuff in the “counselor dance” – a camp play tradition where for one song, the counselors emerge from their seats in the audience to fill in as ensemble dancers, often to the delight of their campers.
This story of camaraderie, collective action, and finding your power has been a great connection point for our cast, and even those not in the play are often recruited to help run lines with cabin mates, or end up humming the catchy tunes they overhear. Bravo to the cast of Newsies, and be on the lookout for links to our video recordings!
Last year I wrote a post describing camp as the quintessential play-based environment, and therefore as the perfect contrast to what Jonathan Haidt sees as a modern affliction: the rise of a screen-based childhood. In his book The Anxious Generation he points his finger directly at smartphone use, a “safetyism” driving parenting trends, and the decline of community as the major factors contributing to the decline in the mental health we see among many young people in America. Quite rightly I think, he laments that our young people are spending too much of their time alone, indoors on their phones scrolling through social media, watching YouTube, and playing video games. And this is negatively affecting their wellbeing.
Now another recent (2024) book adds to the conversation; it’s The Extinction of Experience by Christine Rosen.
In this argument, it’s “mediating technologies” like smartphones, social media, and various apps that are diminishing who we are as human beings. Digital interactions are replacing face-to-face communication. Disembodied representations of reality have become substitutes for a sense of place. Idealized versions of things have become more common than direct experience, creating a “false realism.” Nowadays, we spend more time consuming the creations of others than having experiences of our own. She says, “more and more, we relate to our world through information about it rather than direct experience with it.” Certainly there are benefits to having more information, to using abstractions now and then, but there’s often a cost to completely losing touch with the details in things. Can you communicate well without seeing facial expressions? Can you understand the weather only from an app? Do you really know where you are if only by a GPS signal? Is a person really your friend if they’re only on Facebook?
The result is that many people, especially young people who have grown up tethered to these technologies, can begin to mistrust their own experience, seeing it as flawed, inadequate or disappointing. We seem to be raising a generation that struggles with in-person “awkward” conversations, with uncomfortable emotions like boredom, and with valuing the unpolished opportunities offered in the real world. Living through screens instead of directly engaging with the physical world reduces us to “users rather than experiencers.” Having everything filtered and sanitized in this way makes the real world, in all its complexities, something to be avoided, even feared.
Picture a teenager who won’t try a new restaurant because it seems “weird” or has mixed online reviews. Have you ever seen a group of friends sitting together but each so absorbed in their own device they’re essentially ignoring each other? Are the kids you know eager to go outside and do things, even to just “mess around?” How often do we enjoy downtime, have moments for reflection, rather than reach for our phones at every opportunity? How much are our kids learning from the people and world around them if they rarely lift their eyes from their personal screens?
Sometimes, I notice this when girls first arrive at camp. If left alone, they don’t seem to know what to do. Camp has a rhythm to prevent this, but otherwise they’d be “bored” without their phones. My hunch is they’ve grown so accustomed to constant electronic stimulation that the natural pace of real life, with its inherent pauses, quiet moments, and gradual build-up of engagement, feels uncomfortably foreign.
I think Rosen has identified an important warning. By mindlessly allowing our kids to define their world through these mediating technologies, we are robbing them of experiences critical to their successful development. We are shrinking what they know to what’s available on a screen, to what they can “post” on social media, and to what they find safe and convenient. We are stunting their ability to build mutually kind relationships. We are training them to distrust what’s unfamiliar and uncertain. We are turning them inward becoming more self-absorbed. We are making them fragile in the face of ordinary difficulties. We are isolating them from the beauty of the real world. We are shrinking their ability to live a rich life.
I may be overstating things, but Ugh! It’s pretty horrible if we put it like that! If you think of the young people you know, perhaps even your own kids, some of this is bound to resonate. It’s also easy to see how these effects caused by living a mostly mediated life are negative, and how we should do whatever we can to counter them.
Fortunately, there is camp. There is Rockbrook and its daily dose of unfiltered engagement with the real world. Here, we trade our digital technologies, all the clicks and swipes and “likes” it values, for a life lived in the arena of real experience. Rich with relationships of all kinds, camp life is more human in this way as it rests upon direct face-to-face communication, embodied interactions with the natural world, creativity and discovery. Camp life literally brings kids back to reality, providing essential human experiences through doing things. Rockbrook’s supportive and encouraging community is the foundation that empowers girls to explore, to face uncertainties, and to accept challenges. It’s designed to bring us together in the real world, forging friendships between our authentic selves.
Camp is a place to practice this humanity. It’s a place to meander through the natural world open to its beauty. It provides daily opportunities to listen, to talk and sing, and to connect face-to-face with others. At camp girls learn to find joy even in imperfect moments, in simply trying things, while not thinking about something polished to post on Instagram.
After time at camp, with no phones in hand, something remarkable begins to happen. Girls become more engaging, more excited to do things, and more interested in the world around them. They want to watch the sunset rather than take a selfie with it. They want to try the pottery wheel even though it’s bound to make them muddy. They want to hang out and chat in the rocking chairs on the porch. They find deep pleasure in singing. Girls who arrived a little shy and hesitant begin to speak up in group discussions. We all learn to navigate social conflicts through direct conversation rather than avoiding or filtering them through technology. We become at ease no matter what the weather, rain or shine.
Perhaps most importantly, they begin to trust their own judgment again. Without the constant ability to Google answers or check with their parents, they learn to make decisions based on their own observations and instincts. And through that, they begin to develop confidence in their ability to handle uncertainty and navigate challenges. They gain some grit simply by getting back to reality.
Back at home after camp, parents often tell us they notice their daughters seem more present, more confident in face-to-face interactions, and more willing to engage with things rather than retreat to their screens. Of course the lure of technology is powerful and your girls are bound to need encouragement to find the right balance, but now they’ve experienced first-hand what happens when we put down our phones. Camp has proven it; life is better! Let’s choose to make it so.
We have another short highlights video for you! Robbie Francis of FrancisFilmworks spent a day at camp earlier this week filming and now he’s put together a wonderful glimpse into life this session. Robbie has a real talent for capturing the special moments at camp— the girls happily doing their activities, bopping around camp, and just being with friends.
The video shows lots of laughter, moments of focus and accomplishment, and so many, many smiles.
Take a look! We think you’ll enjoy these 2 minutes immensely.
Sarah made a comment today that seems to sum up the vibe of camp right now. She said, “Everybody here seems so ‘happy relaxed.'” It makes perfect sense if you just look around. You see plenty of smiles, girls laughing and playing, and appearing really at ease. The two are related of course. With camp being a place where girls can be themselves without the pressures and worries of school, where they know instinctively the people around them are genuinely kind and caring, it’s natural to relax into the experience. There’s no need to guard against anything or to maintain any kind of facade, so camp provides a release of sorts. That feeling alone is enough to lift a child’s spirits, but combine it with all of the fun activity at camp, along with all the enthusiastic energy of a zany community, and you have a beautiful recipe for happiness as well.
This feeling shows in many of the activities. For example, in the yoga class, which meets in the hillside lodge, the girls are definitely relaxing. Spread out on their yoga mats, they’re peacefully stretching, listening to soft music, and trying different poses. There’s also plenty of giggling now and then, especially when they try an awkward position. And anything that involves two people in the pose is bound to be a laugh out loud moment.
Swimming at the lake is another great example of being relaxed and happy at the same time. Often instead of swimming, floating is more popular. It’s a way to cool off in the refreshing water of the lake, while at the same time lounging comfortably in one of the many colorful floats available. Even more fun is when friends pile into the floats making them a little unsteady and easy to end up in a splash.
Sometimes, this feeling arises from concentrating on something, from being completely immersed in whatever we’re doing. For example, the girls have to really focus when riding a horse, being careful with the position of their legs, their posture in the saddle, and how they are controlling the reins. This gentle coordination between the horse and rider makes horseback riding rewarding and fun.
Most craft activities at camp offer a similar opportunity to lose yourself in the moment. Working with their hands, whether shaping a slab of cool clay or weaving colorful yarn through a “nifty knitter,” campers easily become deeply engaged. There’s a strange immersive quality to many craft activities at camp, each providing another way to relax and at the same time enjoy the satisfaction of making something. It’s amazing how easily the campers are happily immersed in weaving, painting, pottery, needlecraft, and so on.
Compared to the daily lives of most kids, living the “happy relaxed” life of camp is a great gift. It proves to them it’s fun and rewarding to be active, and to really dig into creative pursuits. Most importantly, it reveals the special happiness that follows from simply being yourself in a relaxed way. The beauty of camp, and surely a big reason why girls love it, is how quickly and easily the community here evokes these feelings.
Out on the porch of the Rockbrook dining hall is a row of mailboxes, one for every camper and staff member at camp. Every day after lunch, everyone takes time to peer into their box hoping there’s some mail to find. It could be a card or letter, or an email that the office printed and delivered to the box. This is a highlight of the day because it’s exciting to receive a surprise gift, no matter how small, and think, “I wonder who it’s from.” Receiving letters from home or other friends and family has always been a part of the summer camp experience.
Most parents know they should write to their kids when they’re away at summer camp. But do they know how to do it? Do they know what to say, and perhaps more importantly, what not to say? They may have questions like “How often should I write?” or “Should I tell them about world events, or shield them from troubling news?” In fact, there are good answers here, helpful guidelines to ensure parent letters encourage a camper’s independence while still maintaining a connection to loved ones at home. A great camp letter from home finds this balance between support and the self-confidence that grows while away. Here’s how to do it.
Your goal when writing to your child at camp should be to encourage and support her in this new experience. You want to provide some reassurance as she explores and at the same time be careful not to pull her back home. You want to be upbeat about her abilities to take full advantage of camp life, to try new activities, meet new people, and overcome any challenges that might pop up. It’s through your confidence in her that she will build her own confidence. Home serves as an anchor of love and support as she navigates camp life away. A phrase like “I know you’ll figure it out” goes a long way. Remind her of her strengths: “You’re always so kind and understanding” or “You know what being a good friend means,” for example. You are expressing your trust in her, and in her success at camp.
One trap to avoid is writing too often to your child at camp. Yes, more letters from home isn’t always better. Research has shown that too much communication from parents increases the likelihood of homesickness. After all, you really don’t want your camper thinking about you instead of immersing herself in camp life. It seems counter intuitive, but ideally your camper loves camp so much, they forget about life at home. Too many letters from home, especially the wrong kind of letters, will surely undermine this ideal.
What to Include in your letters
With all these goals in mind, what should parents write about in their letters to camp? What are some content ideas that work?
Describe boring home updates – Tell her how everything is normal at home, all routine sorts of things happening, with very little excitement. The idea is to make camp seem way more fun and exciting by comparison… Because it is! For example, “Dad fixed the sink,” or “We reorganized the garage,” or “I’ve been working in the garden.” But be careful not to make your letter a highlight reel of everything she’s missing while away.
Ask questions about camp – This is a great way to keep the focus on camp. Show your interest in all of the things going on at camp. Reference what you’ve seen in the photo gallery. For example, you can ask “Tried climbing yet?” or “What’s the best muffin flavor so far?” or “I saw a photo of you weaving. That’s so cool! What are you making?” Show your camper you are curious and excited about all of the new experiences she’s having at camp.
Tell her you’re proud – It’s a great accomplishment just being at camp, making so many decisions on her own, navigating the social aspects, taking care of everything without parents guiding every step. You should be proud of your camper! And she should be proud of herself! Tell her about it. “It’s cool you’re doing this on your own.” “I’m so happy you’re trying horseback riding.” “I saw a photo of you shooting archery. That’s amazing!”
Add a bit of fun – This is your chance to get creative. Toss in a new “dad joke,” tell a silly riddle, or compile a funny “top 5 list.” You are providing a little entertainment, or a chuckle she can share with cabin mates and friends. “Q: Where do pirates get their hooks? A: Second-hand stores!” “It really takes guts to be an organ donor.” “I ate a clock the other day. It was very time consuming.” “Here are my top 5 hidden talents.” Word games for older campers, brainteasers and other puzzles are always fun to receive.
What to Avoid in Your Letters
After these good ideas, there are also things to avoid. Some topics can stir up emotions in kids away from home. They might feel guilty about being away, or worried about how parents are doing, for example. What should parents NOT talk about in their letters to camp?
News of exciting events they’re missing – Nobody enjoys skipping something they like, especially kids who might already be missing the comforts of home. Try to avoid making your camper feel torn about what’s happening without her. Don’t say, for example, “We’re going to the beach this weekend” or “We ate dinner at your favorite restaurant.” Feeling left out is hard for everyone.
Emotional manipulation – The risk here is that your feelings of missing your camper will make her feel guilty. Yes you miss them, and you love them, but your job is to encourage their independence while they are away at camp. Don’t undermine that by suggesting people at home aren’t doing well. Avoid saying things like, “The house feels so empty without you,’ or “Your sister (or family pet) is sad and really misses you,” or “I don’t know what to do without you here.”
Vague concerns – Avoid discussing your own specific concerns, even in vague terms. The adult world can be a jumble of anxieties, but camp is designed to be a break from all that. Don’t bring up problems or issues campers can’t solve or control. Some campers are easily worried about life outside of camp, so don’t hint at anything concerning, even if you think they should know eventually. For example, don’t say, “There’s a lot going on, but we’ll tell you later,” or “Grandma was in the hospital, but she’s fine now.”
Pressure and expectations – Be careful not to pressure your camper with high expectations for her time at camp. You want camp to be her experience, something self-directed and enjoyed at her own pace. Let her choices be her own. Similarly, avoid nagging her about schoolwork, room cleaning, or other home responsibilities. For example, avoid asking, “Why are you taking so many crafts activities?” or “Why aren’t you writing me back?” or “There’s a big pile of summer reading books here for you.”
Big things happening at home or in the world – Generally, waiting for your camper to return home is the best time to discuss troubling news. Camp is a haven, a happy place immune from heavy things in the world like natural disasters, sad family events, and incidents of violence. It’s easy to understand why it’s best to avoid discussing anything that might be frightening for a child. Avoid speculative language that may feed anxiety. If you feel you must share some troubling news with your camper, please reach out to us beforehand to coordinate how we can support the process.
Writing to your camper doesn’t have to be complicated. Instead, just keep these tips in mind and rest assured that “getting it right” is mostly about expressing your optimism about the camp experience, and your firm belief in your child. By writing this kind of encouraging letter, by cheering them on from afar, you’re helping your camper get more out of camp. So go ahead, write her a letter. It will truly mean a lot to her.
We always say that camp teaches resilience, and today we had a clear example. About 4:30 this morning, a large red oak tree fell about a half mile down the road from Rockbrook and took down all the power lines with it. Normally, power outages around here are quickly repaired and we’re back to normal in a couple of hours, but sometimes it can take much longer. With this in mind, we installed a backup generator in 2019. It powers our kitchen, water system and health hut, but that’s it. During an outage, we’re still able to prepare and serve meals, use the bathrooms (though without hot water), and take care of basic health needs.
Right from the beginning campers used headlamps and flashlights as needed. For example, this morning in the dining hall, we ate our breakfast by battery-powered lanterns and the early morning light from the skylights. All of the regular camp activities carried on just fine without electricity since so much of what we do is outdoors. Our office, on the other hand, has been without power all day, so thank you for your patience if you’ve been trying to reach us by phone or email. Most of the campers postponed their showers today, waiting for the hot water heaters to come back online, which they did, by the way, at 4pm when the power came back on (thankfully!).
Overall, these inconveniences required us to be a little flexible and a little patient, but life at camp always requires some of that. Camp girls know how to pivot to a new activity, switch gears because of the weather, and always find something spontaneous to do with a friend. At camp, what at first seems like challenges easily become fresh opportunities.
Yesterday our July Mini 2 campers arrived, finally ending their waiting for camp. All that anticipation turned into visible excitement as they checked into camp one by one. Cabin groups came together, as counselors cheered with each arrival. The girls set up their cabins, had a quick tour of the camp, and visited the camp store to collect their pre-camp gear purchases… all before an all-camp assembly on the hill and lunch.
The big event of the day was a “Wizard of Oz” themed all-camp event that sent the girls scampering about to try different fun activities. Most of the fun happened up on the hill, with speakers playing songs from Wicked and The Wizard of Oz echoing across the camp. One activity station was the “Yellow Brick Skittle,” where participants had to pick out all the yellow Skittles from about 10 pounds of them.
Another station was Broom Making with the Wicked Witch, where they made mini brooms using dried lavender, thyme, and hay. We also had apple slice decorating as a food option, kind of like mini candy apples with various toppings. We organized a scavenger hunt where kids searched for items like ruby slippers, flying monkeys, the Grimmery (a big book), and Galinda the Good Witch. Some items were hidden around camp, while others were staff costumes.
At Friendship Rock, we held “Elphaba’s Cry Workshop” inspired by the movie Wicked. This was an opportunity for anyone to perform their cry in front of everyone. We heard several impressive renditions of “Defying Gravity.” We had an “I’m Melting Dunk Tank” where campers answered trivia questions for a chance to dunk someone. Another activity was guessing how many silver Hershey kisses were in a jar; it was 216 kisses, and a Middler camper guessed it exactly!
There was also a lollipop toss called the “Lollipop Guild” (similar to cornhole), “Scarecrow Hay Day” where kids searched for scarecrow brains inside straw bales, and a costume relay race dressing up as scarecrows. Other activities included apple bobbing with the Tin Man in the lake, hair bow making with Dorothy in the dining hall, and hot air balloon crafting with felted 3D balloons. As for costumes, we saw lots of Elphabas, Galindas, Totos, Yellow Brick Roads, Munchkins, Scarecrows, Tin Men, and even an Emerald City!
Overall, it was a fantastic afternoon that showed our campers’ amazing adaptability. As they bopped between activities spread across camp, making the most of every opportunity, they proved once again that the best part of camp is simply being together.
Robbie Francis of FrancisFilmworks spent another day this past week filming at Rockbrook, and now has edited this wonderful highlights video for us. Once again it’s a lovely glimpse into the upbeat action that fills our days at camp. The video does a great job of depicting the mood of camp right now, the friendships, the laughter, and the huge variety of fun.
