The summer is off and running, and we have our first highlights video to show you. Once again, we’re so glad to have Robbie Francis of FrancisFilmworks here with us— his eye seeming to find exactly the right moment, every time. Robbie has been a part of our summers since 2015, and by now he understands Rockbrook far beyond just knowing where to point his lens.
His videos are always special. Rockbrook is not easy to describe— there’s simply too much happening in too many corners of camp at once —but Robbie has a gift for distilling it into something you can actually feel. A glimpse of girls giggling, playing, and smiling. Sweet moments that make up our days.
We hope it brings you a little closer to what your daughter is living right now. Enjoy.
It happens predictably, and I’ve already seen it these first few days of camp. A camper or staff member arrives at Rockbrook not knowing anyone, and in a very short time, finds themselves making friends. What’s remarkable is how fast it happens. Ordinarily making a true friend is slow work, something that takes many weeks of testing the waters of a relationship, but at camp it often takes just a day. Especially for older campers and staff members, this is a pleasant surprise. There’s something special about camp that makes this possible and expected. I’ve seen some version of this “fast friends at camp” phenomenon so many times at Rockbrook, it’s worth wondering why.
After all, the wider world seems to be moving in the other direction entirely. Certainly, we’re more “connected,” digitally, to more people than ever before: hundreds, even thousands, of contacts saved in our phones. Multiple “social” media accounts feed us an unending stream of “updates” on the lives of the people and advertising corporations we might “follow.” Any time of day, a scroll of faces awaits. Yet in the middle of all this so-called connection, a great many of us feel more alone than ever. There’s lots of chatter, but how much real conversation are we having? And I think our children aren’t immune. Their days, too, are fast-paced, screen-lit, and only superficially textured by the real world. Camp runs against this current, and that’s why it feels so different here.
So why is making real friends easier at camp? I believe there’s a simple reason. True friendship requires authenticity. We are most able to make friends when we are most fully ourselves.
That sounds almost too tidy until you watch it happen, until you see a shy 12-year-old who arrived behind a careful shell decide that she doesn’t need that protection here. The culture of Rockbrook is what makes that decision easy. Experiencing genuine kindness, along with the smiles and caring that accompany it, lays the groundwork. No phones here means no audience to perform for. The regular dose of silliness, the shared experiences in the real world, the spirit of curiosity and adventure for trying new things, fuel the courage. In a place stripped of social judgment, girls can drop the assumptions they’ve been carrying about who they’re supposed to be and find the freedom to be, as the girls themselves put it, “the real me.” What they find, to their genuine surprise, is that the people around them still care about them, quirks and all. We’re all quirky in some way or another, and camp is one of the few places that treats this as good news.
That, I think, is why camp friendships are so strong. They form between people who have stopped performing. With no posing, no nervous angling, no strategy about which version of yourself to reveal, the real you can actually be known. And, because you aren’t busy managing your own image, it’s actually easier to take a real interest in someone else. Moving past constructed personas is the trick. What we find is a sturdier thing, a mutual affection that comes from genuinely understanding each other. It forms fast because there’s nothing in the way. It lasts because it was real from the start.
One lesson in all of this is that the trait of “being friendly” is not really about having a “sunny disposition,” or being attractive in some way. It’s not about charm; it’s about nerve. It’s being willing to let yourself be seen without the armor, and the kindness to make room for someone else doing the same. It’s two acts of courage meeting in the middle.
It can take a lifetime to figure this out. Fortunately, for the campers at Rockbrook, we practice this every day. Through countless real-world conversations and interactions, we discover how the “real me” matters, how everything is better in the company of genuine people, and the world is rich with possibility when we truly engage. Beyond all the action—the hiking, swimming, dining hall songs—camp is about the people, which is to say it’s about the friends.
We might call it a “regular” day around here, but for the girls who just arrived, today’s first full day of Rockbrook activities was anything but ordinary. Today was the first day to jump feet first into camp life and all that it offers. And compared with life at home, this meant jumping into all sorts of new experiences.
New places to wake up— in a rustic wooden cabin, cooled by mountain air, and filled with the sounds of forest birds and drowsy cabinmates stirring. New things to eat— the warm bowl of secret-recipe oatmeal with fresh berries, nuts, granola and brown sugar for breakfast, and the surprise mid-morning snack, a freshly baked cookies and cream muffin. New creatures to find on your walk down to the lake, like the tiny ring-neck snake dashing off to hide under some leaves. New smells— the earthy leather saddles on horses, the smoky campfire ready for marshmallows, and fresh mint growing in the garden. And so many points of natural beauty all around us— the bright granite face of Castle Rock high above camp, the sparkling creek tumbling behind the weaving cabin, the massive trees, delicate ferns, and blooming wildflowers popping up, just to name a few. Camp life is new and wonderful.
It’s also packed with action, with nearly 30 different activity options. After making their selections, every corner of camp seemed to hum with the energy of girls flipping in gymnastics, climbing the alpine tower, and zipping through the trees on the zipline. They were smacking tennis balls, bouncing basketballs, and swinging tetherballs. They were swimming and paddling kayaks in the lake. They were weaving on looms and stringing colorful beads onto necklaces. They were shooting arrows and aiming rifles. They were painting, gluing, and collaging paper, exploring what they might make with simple materials. They were hugging horses and chickens, jumping off the diving board and gliding down the waterslide during the free swim period. At other times, they were simply relaxing and soaking it all in.
Most remarkable, and wonderful, is all the laughter of the day. Being surrounded by all these new experiences and activities, and being joined by so many easy friends, we can’t help but laugh and smile. We’re chatting all the time, telling stories, and whooping at every success (nice cartwheel!). We’re enthusiastic about wearing a costume whether it’s diamonds or denim. When kindness sets the tone— and it does at Rockbrook —it’s easy to be silly and find yourself having fun in the moment, laughing and singing, clapping along to whatever the group is doing. Meals in the dining hall are a daily example of this with hilarious cheers, dance numbers, and songs with hand motions. Yes, we’re eating, but it’s also a party, three times a day.
By the end of the day, camp life is already feeling good, less new and more familiar. The girls seem to understand better that this place is different. It’s beautiful and relaxing, thrilling and silly, playful and friendly, here for them to explore.
It’s very different from home. But that’s entirely the point.
It’s hard to think of something more exciting than the opening day of camp. Something everyone has been anticipating and planning for and dreaming about. This is true for everyone involved. The year-round team of directors have been working toward this day for months. The staff members have just finished more than a week of orientation and training. Of course, the campers are the most excited because this is their chance to finally enjoy camp life like they’ve imagined it. Whether arriving for the first time at Rockbrook or, as is true for some of the older campers, for their sixth or seventh year, this is a great day filled with cheers, smiles, hugs, a few butterflies, and the delight of anticipating something really fun.
If you were here, this excitement was obvious. From the mob of fired-up counselors jumping and cheering on the hill, to the jittery campers smiling and waving as they drove in, arriving at camp today was a celebration. Fresh name tags were hung, trunks and other luggage moved into cabins, and cabin groups came together for the first time. Overall, despite a little glitch here and there, the whole check-in process unfolded smoothly. With this many people involved, camp life can sometimes be an exercise in patience. Thank you for yours today.
Our assembly under the hill on the grass beneath the big walnut tree was a fun introduction to camp. The campers sat together in cabin groups and enjoyed the view of the mountains in the distance as Sarah introduced the line heads, some of the other directors, and described a few safety reminders to everyone. Lunch was Rick’s masterful Mac and Cheese, salad, and sweet, ripe watermelon. This has become a traditional first meal at camp for us, and it’s always a big hit.
Down to the Lake
Right after lunch, it was time for the middlers and seniors to head to the lake. With Sarah, the other directors and all of the lifeguards organizing, the campers took turns demonstrating their swimming ability. We ask them to swim out a ways, back using a backstroke, and to tread water for a minute. Doing all that confidently earns a blue wrist band and tag, and qualifies you to swim anywhere in the lake (the deep areas). Other levels have different colored tags and bands, and are more restricted to particular areas of the lake (more shallow areas), but everyone who wants to cool off at the lake can do so.
Rockbrook’s stream-fed lake is famously “refreshing,” so most everyone was happy to jump in to cool off on this warm afternoon. These “swim demos” are a true community event with other campers and staff members cheering as each person leaps from the dock into the water. The mood is upbeat, encouraging and celebratory. The Juniors will have their swim demos tomorrow.
While different groups were swimming at the lake, others were touring the camp, learning the locations of different activities. If new to Rockbrook, there are creeks to find, hidden cabins in the woods, and important hubs of activity. The Alpine tower, for example, is in the forest behind the gym, and the camp store is partway along the path down to Horseback Riding Center. Woodworking meets in the same building as the Lower Pottery studio, and Yoga sessions are held in the newly renovated hillside lodge. Rockbrook is not particularly spread out, but there are a lot of activity locations to learn.
Activity Skits
We rounded out the afternoon by gathering in the gym for activity skits. Using costumes and songs, these skits are silly presentations aiming to entice campers to try the different activities. We saw a climbing demonstration, a Bob Ross themed painting and drawing skit, a magical transformation of t-shirts into tie-dyes, a wild west dance battle, and a Mulan-themed riflery contest, just to name a few. The skits did a great job conveying the spirit of exploration and fun for everyone no matter their experience or skill level.
One of the best things about arriving at camp is meeting all the people, all of the enthusiastic, kind people each camper sees and talks to each day. Cabin mates, counselors, activity instructors, the camp moms, directors, nurses, kitchen and maintenance crews— this whole community coming together on the same day to introduce ourselves and begin enjoying each other’s company. It’s a marvelous moment. Everyone’s here, and we’re ready to roll!
Western North Carolina has always been a place of beauty, with its small-town communities, pleasant climate, and rolling Blue Ridge Mountains. By the 1920s, this area had become a genuine center of the youth camping movement, quickly becoming home to the largest concentration of summer camps in the southeastern United States. With so many camps, there’s an interesting story to be told, and now a new digital exhibit tells us that story, and a great deal more.
The Cashiers Historical Society has just published a wonderful, carefully curated online exhibit called “Campfires & the Embers of Youth.” It sets out to explain how summer camps in western North Carolina shaped young people in America, educational trends, and regional NC culture for more than a hundred years.
Gathering an incredible collection of documents, photographs, audio and video clips, and artifacts, it paints a detailed picture of why the mountains here became central to the growing summer camp movement in America. The exhibit traces the origin of organized youth camping to 19th-century social changes: urbanization, evolving ideas about childhood and development, a growing distrust of formal schooling, the rise of child psychology, and generally as a response to the anxieties of modern life.
Where Rockbrook Fits In
The exhibit moves from origins through evolutions, culture, and daily life. It’s very informative and fun to see how Rockbrook appears throughout all of it. For example, Rockbrook’s archive of original song recordings is one of the exhibit’s richest resources. On the Camp Culture and Camp Life pages, you’ll hear “Way Down in Brevard,” the “Rockbrook Pep Song,” “Hiking Song,” “Canoeing Song,” “Are You a Camel,” and others. There is also a 1960 camper’s quote about the Spirit Fire, photographs from the 1930s and 1950s, and a 1920s camping magazine describing horseback rides through Toxaway and Sapphire.
Rockbrook Camp founder Nancy Carrier
Rockbrook’s founder, Nancy Carrier, is featured. In the women’s movement section, a photograph shows her proudly gathered with a sign reading “Votes for Women,” and another from the 1930 edition of Camps and Camping Magazine shows her listed as Vice President of the national Camp Directors Association. In the WWII section, the exhibit notes that Nancy closed Rockbrook during the war to support the war effort, and opened her home to a Brevard community group sewing bandages for troops.
The exhibit is honest about camping’s complexities, too. It acknowledges that early camps mainly served middle- and upper-class white Protestant boys, and traces the long, uneven expansion toward girls, immigrants, religious and ethnic minorities. It describes camps as insular “small worlds” with their own rules and traditions, with both positive and challenging consequences.
The exhibit received a 2025 GDUSA American In-house Design Award, and the care in its production shows. The American Association of State and Local History (AASLH) has also recognized the exhibit with a Leadership in History Award of Excellence. The overall exhibit is organized around five main sections: Camp Origins, Camp Evolutions, Camp Culture, Camp Life, and a Museum Gallery. It’s beautifully rich, and you can spend a few minutes or easily an hour following threads or just listening to the songs.
I hope you’ll take some time and visit “Campfires & the Embers of Youth.” What you’ll find is the broader history of Rockbrook, and how it and other camps in western NC have made a difference in so many lives.
It can take some time after camp ends to reflect on the experience. Camp life is so completely absorbing, it helps to have a little distance from it to really understand what it meant. Back home, we can see our time at camp differently, perhaps see more clearly how it was special, how it was more than just fun.
My first thought is to be incredibly thankful for the summer, for the joy of being together at Rockbrook. It’s hard to imagine a more incredible community of friendly caring people, all contributing to the lovely spirit that defines Rockbrook. From the cabin counselors and activity instructors to the kitchen, nursing, and maintenance staff, I’m so grateful for everyone’s kind attention to making camp this summer great. I also want to celebrate our amazing campers, the bright enthusiastic kiddos that enliven everything we do. Every day, I was impressed by their love of camp, their full embrace of the many adventures to be found here. We always say it; it’s the people that make Rockbrook. Thank you everyone!
Carrying Camp Into Ordinary Life
Next, I’d say it was remarkable how both the campers and counselors grew personally from their Rockbrook experience this summer. Camp provides exactly the kind of refuge (It’s a haven!) young people need to relax and be themselves, explore new experiences, and develop all kinds of real-world skills. We watched shy campers find their voices during evening programs, saw new friendships form through simple face-to-face conversations, and newfound confidence and independence blossom beautifully. Along with all the laughter, alongside all the muffins, and dressed in the silliest costumes, girls discovered their own resilience, creativity, and capacity for kindness. Camp life simply fosters our best selves each and every day.
Now back at home, as the rhythms of regular life return, my hope is that our best selves can still shine. Let’s be the sort of friend we were at camp— caring and curious. Let’s look past what’s obvious and find the magic in even the simplest things. Let’s remember that who we are is strengthened through our relationships with others. We all know that being at camp feels really good, and we can certainly look forward to returning next summer. But in the meantime, our camp experience can inspire and guide us to connect and enjoy life more.
Thank you again to everyone who made this summer such an unforgettable success. Every summer the Spirit of Rockbrook deepens. Thank you for being a part of that.
For some it was their first banquet, but most everyone else this was their favorite night of camp, the night when we celebrate with costumes, dancing and a surprise themed party for the whole camp. It’s the Banquet! All of the 9th grader CAs this session planned the party, choosing the theme on the first day, and then designing all aspects of the event from the costumes, to the food, to the skits and dances, and of course the many decorations. Their goal was to transform the dining hall into something completely unique, an unexpected surprise of colorful and festive painted panels, lighting and table decorations.
One Night of Fairies and Shared Creation
The theme for our third session banquet? “Enchanted Hollow,” and it was magical! Stepping through the doors of the dining hall felt like entering a secret woodland glade where fairies live, colors glow, and every leaf and flower sparkled. Twinkling lights, twisty garlands and vines, streamers, and so many fairies made it all come alive.
There were two clans of fairies, the “good fairies” and the “fallen fairies.” They were locked in a struggle over stolen “pixie dust” that could only be settled by a dance-off between the two clans. Along with a regal Queen Fairy and a Woodland Bunny all was resolved with the counselors, dressed as graceful butterflies and fluttering moths, adding charm to the scene. All of these costumes were colorful and unique.
Between the scenes of this tale of fairies in the enchanted hollow, all of the campers celebrated by dancing to high-energy pop songs, laughing and cheering.
Themed Food and Creative Details
In true banquet tradition, the meal was woven into the theme as well. We enjoyed “Tink’s Tots,” “Pixie Berries,” “Dragon Tails,” “Sunshine Salad,” and “Bunny (Rockbrookie) Cookies” for dessert. The silver sugar decorating the Rockbrookies really fit the enchanted theme.
This was another banquet where every painted panel, costume, and skit was a product of hard work and close collaboration by the CA campers and their counselors. It’s remarkable to see how much detail the girls can fit into every surface and moment during the party. Their shared focus and creativity really brought the banquet to life, making it a special experience.
Songs of Farewell
The night ended, as it always does, with the CAs singing to their counselors and receiving songs in return… a Rockbrook tradition that is both joyful and bittersweet. After all the dancing, the laughter, and the celebrating, this was an unforgettable enchanted night. Thank you CAs!
This past summer, teenage campers introduced me to “Internet Brain Rot,” a term for how excessive social media use fragments attention, reduces thinking to hashtags, and leaves them feeling mentally drained. But the real damage goes deeper than cognition. Online life erodes something fundamental: our capacity for authentic human connection.
Despite promising to connect us, digital environments separate us physically and emotionally. They fragment our shared reality into algorithm-driven feeds, promote zero-sum competition, and reduce relationships to transactions. Young people are losing practice in the face-to-face work of navigating differences and finding identity through community contribution— suffering from too much “me” and not enough “we.”
The African concept of Ubuntu— which recognizes that we become fully human only through relationships with others— helps us understand what’s being lost. Ubuntu places compassion, mutual care, and relational identity at the center of human flourishing. That interdependence is exactly what gets eroded when we live online.
What Camp Teaches That Screens Cannot
Summer camp offers an antidote. As a lived example of Ubuntu principles, camp provides essential practice in relational skills that digital environments can’t teach. This reframes camp as crucial developmental work, and suggests that youth development programs focused solely on individual achievement may be missing opportunities to cultivate the “Ubuntu consciousness” that helps communities, and individuals within them, truly thrive.
Robbie Francis of FrancisFilmworks spent another day this past week filming at Rockbrook, and now has one last highlights video for us. Once again it’s a lovely glimpse into life at camp. The video does a great job of depicting the mood of camp right now, the warm friendships, the joyful laughter, and the huge variety of fun.
Take a look, and see a little more of camp in action!
