The best part of my day has always been the morningings here in the mountains. High Rocks is so beautiful in th emroning! I usually take in a quick cup of coffee with my dog biscuit on the deck. It is SO quiet! Sometimes it’s a little too bright, but most days therre is enough morning clouds to make it lovely. It’s been a little harder to get around since my tendon surgery, so life has been a little different for me. I still enjoy the mornings, but I am not running up to the morning meetings yet and my time with the boys has been a little limited. I should be out and about soon after a little healing.
I love this picture above. I have lead this same mountain biking trip several times. The Joourney is just as fun as the destination. It’s typically a more beginner trip, at least on the beginner half of things AND we always have a snack at this waterfall location. After a short break, we get to ride all the way back! It’s a blast. This is exactly what summers at High Rocks are all about. Enjoying the journey! It’s a process and it is so much fun along the way. Once they get there, they don’t even know they made it. They just enjoyed the ride!
The rest of the day was just as fun! The boys had a blast in their activities. The four week guys are looking a little winded while the mini guys are just starting to head out on trips. I hope you enjoyed the Jersday Thursday. There were a lot of jerseys out there. We enjoyed a quick rain shower at the end of rest hour. It really cooled things off for the afternoon.
While we have had levels and progression going on in our activties for a long time, we have finally formalized it into a specific level system. Every camper knows what they need to do to complete a level as does the staff member. These boys work hard in their activities and they learn a lot while having a blast. We used the best level designs from many different activites to come up with one consistent sytem that will carry with them from year to year. When they come back next year, their achieved level will show up right next to their name on the activity role sheet.
This summer, your camper will likely receive one or more patches for their level progression in an activity at High Rocks. Completing the first level (Adventurer) is accompanied by the activity specific patch. these patches are the COOLEST looking things you can imagine. Upon completing the next four levels (Explorer, Pathfinder, Navigator, and Trailblazer), rockers will be earned to accompany the patch.
There are many ways to display your patches. We will have have staff at the tennis shed and the camp store showing off the Red Felt Frame and High Rocks Felt Pennant. Please stop by to see these items we have available and ask questions about our levels program!
Age Group 1 (Hillside, Connestee, and Lakeside): Connestee and Hillside are on their cabin overnight while Lakeside joined Flattop in the gym for some doedgeball!!!
Age Group II (Flattop and Foxhollow): Foxhollow headed out on their cabin overnight. Flattop did some dodgeball in the gym.
Age Group III (Chalet I and Windswept): Waterslide and Rope Swing!
Age Group IV (Chalet II and Overlook): Chill Night! Our traditional Sliding Rock and Dolly’s Ice Cream Night!
Age Group V (Pinnacle, Outpost and Sprucepine): Games on the Tennis Courts!
Age Group VI (Lookout and Halfway): Canoe Fill Ups! Grab four dudes, hand them some bailers and buckets, then go try to sink eveyone else’s boat. Complete Chaos!
It sure is fun having your boys here! I sure hope you find this time helpful, fun, and enlightening. Tune in tomorrow when we all get back on campus for the weekend!
Cheers!
Don
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