Upper Senior Dinner and Cabin Night
June 27, 2018 by Don Gentle
Today was our last full day of activities. Many of the boys took advantage of a camouflage game hosted by the shooting sports guys. They all dress up in long pants and camo paint, then try to get from point A to B without being found by the counselors. It is a great event for this fantastic place we call Rocky Top Pasture. I feel like it is one of the most beautiful places in camp.
This afternoon the boys cooled off by the waterfront while David and Kathleen treated the guys to root beer and Coke floats! The best part was the surprise visitor in the lake, a giant unicorn rainbow float. It was a super fun time!
I have enjoyed watching these boys learn and grow, enjoy each other company, appreciate the differences, and have a blast! Their three weeks at camp has allowed them to forget about their phone, t.v., game console, and even the news. A little isolation from the day to day chaos of school, grades, tests, competition, and peer pressure sure can be a fantastic moment, even if it is for just a few weeks. I’m not just saying it, I SEE it! Watching these boys actually look and talk to each other, discuss things, and appreciate 600 square feet with six other guys; it is vital to their growth. Studies show that engaging activities like camp prevent the summer slide. Even though they are not doing the math, they are still using their brains in an engaging fashion that keeps them on top. I sure am glad they are here! I was reminded of the importance of camp here at High Rocks. A friend of mine sent me an article yesterday from the Harvard School of Education entitled “Lessons from Camp.” I read the article couple years back, but it was just as good and valid yesterday as when I originally read it. It is a great reminder of the importance of summer camp like High Rocks. Check it out.
Most all of camp headed out after dinner with just their cabin mates and counselor. The annual cabin night of the session is a great way to wrap up the session. Every cabin picks a special place around camp to hang out and enjoy some time together. It could be the water slide, hanging out on top of the tower, or just marshmallows around the fire. Most of it is just some fun together with a little processing of the session at the end. It is always time well spent.
I was privileged enough to host the upper senior age group at the director’s house for the evening. The upper senior dinner has been a long tradition at High Rocs, but a fairly new one for the June Session. Zoob, Woody, and I put together a fine steak dinner with sides including corn, salad, and Texas toast. Woody did the bulk of the work grilling all the steaks. I will say, that we had so much meat that they didn’t finish it all. We wrapped up the meal with cheesecake for dessert. After the meal, we all enjoyed a little discussion in the living room about what their future at High Rocks might look like including opportunities for counselor trainee, assistant counselor, and future staff member.
Tomorrow we will start packing up after lunch. We wrap-up the afternoon with a camp-wide game of six-way color war. It has been a highly excitable event the last few years. We will shower up before dinner and then enjoy a sit-down meal that is served by our head staff. Finally, we will head up to campfire one last time to sing some songs, listen to a story, end then hand out our ten-year paddles. It is going to be quite a day.
While I’m thinking of Closing Day, I’d like to pass along a few logistical details.
We’re looking forward to seeing all of you Friday morning. You are welcome to bring family and friends – we make plenty of lunch to cover guests that aren’t in our original count. If you know of anyone that is interested in a camp session for their son, they are also welcome to join us & see what we are all about firsthand.
Remember, the guys will be ready to see you at 9:45 am. Please do not plan to arrive until after 9:15 am when we have staff in place to load trunks and show you where to park. The campers will be well-occupied singing all of their favorite songs in a final and most raucous assembly until about 9:40. After you stop by the gym and get your son’s trunk loaded you will park in campfire field. You can then meet up with your son by the dining hall on Mystic Hill after assembly ends. After that, he can show you around his activities and demonstrate the skills he learned throughout the session.
Lunch will be served for everyone beginning around 11:30 am but feel free to continue visiting with your son’s counselors and friends. Be sure to catch up with your son’s counselor and stop by the cabin to get any belongings that did not get into the trunk. During the morning or on your way out, don’t forget to check out at the office and pick up your son’s envelope with cabin pictures, store account refund (hopefully!), and other important items.
Don Gentle