Welcome to Elizaville
The first days of camp are always a whirlwind of activity. Former campers who have been waiting 10 months for 2 rush through cabin doors, while first-time Scaticonians quickly dive into the spirit of camp, and in a blink of an eye we're back to the rhythms, sights and smells of summers at Scatico. Already this camp season has seen its first camp birthdays and turtle sightings, first dining hall cheers and nighttime milk and cookies, first games of Spike Ball (a new boys side favorite) and 9 square in the air (an exciting new addition to the girls athletic fields.... think 4 square meets volleyball). We're not even one week in, but already the pace, the energy, and the magic of Scatico are felt in full force, all the way from our Sophs and Juniors on up to our 31 CITs.
Inter girls warm up before the Opening Campfire.
Opening Campfires, T-Leagues and more!
The second night of camp is one of timeless Scatico traditions: boys and girls both congregate at their respective campfire sites for the opening campfire and a night of stories, games, and music under the stars. On boys side counselors ran a series of activities—pillow fights and fool ball are always fan favorites— asking for members of each division to participate. The night also included a classic campfire story led by media head John Hickey (currently enjoying his 33rd summer at Scatico!) As always the night ended with a jam session, headed by music counselors Jake Lisabeth and CJ Ditkoff accompanied by camper Manny Jacobson who performed a classic Bob Dylan number.
Sophomore boy pillow fights
Preparing for pillow fights
Lower hill fool ball
On girls side the Soopers, our eldest division, shared their favorite Scatico memories and led all of the campers in a series of songs, from classics like "The Circle Game" to Scatico originals like "The Year Song" (in which campers and counselors stand at the year they started camp, beginning with the 1980s and ending with 2016). The night ends with a ceremony where candles are distributed to all of girls camp and older campers light the candles of first-timers, signifying the bond and link between old and new.
Sooper girls get ready to light the opening campfire.
Senior girls light their candles at the end of the campfire to make a wish.
The first week of camp also sees the start of T-League on both boys and girls side. For decades the boys upper hill has known the familiar routine of heading up to the ball fields, mitts in hand, ready for the magic of simultaneous play on overlapping fields. On girls side the tradition is slightly newer (only enjoying its 2nd year) but no less beloved, as upper hill campers and counselors compete in either volleyball, softball, ultimate ball or basketball.
Other early camp highlights included the "Meet the Counselors" Talent Show (the boys' DLs performed a game of half court knock out aka "dugout," and the girls' DLs an "interpretive dance," for lack of better word) and the return of Scatico's radio station spearheaded by Arts Program head Ken Vallario. Now campers and counselors can tune in to 90.2 (available at about a 2 mile radius of camp) to hear bunk-created playlists and camper shout-outs all summer long.
Divisional Snapshots
GIRLS SIDE
Juniors- Enjoyed cooking for the first time, and made lemonade-flavored ring pops (Scatico's first-ever candy creation) and two separate kinds of cookies.
Jinters- Have discovered their new favorite activity...BBK! A Scatico-only fusion of basketball, baseball and kickball.
Inters- Embarked on the first hike of the season to Boulder Rock! Luckily the rain held off and they made it to the top, with time for a stop at ice cream from The General Store afterwards.
Centers- Are already busy preparing for the opening of the Scatico Playhouse with "Grease" (which they will perform with the Inters), and choreographed their own original dance to "Grease is the Word."
Debs- Started a new camp-wide crafts project... portrait painting! Campers paired off to draw one another and will have their work displayed at Scatico's second annual co-ed Art Show.
Subs- Learned how to use the wheel under the tutelage of new ceramics head Natalie. Prepare for new kitchenware come Visiting Day!
Seniors- Were cooking in style with Chef Ally and made "peaches three ways," including a peach and cheese crostini, peach panna cotta, and peach gazpacho. Scatico goes gourmet!
Soopers- Have jumped right in to their new leadership positions and led camp's first evening activity (song night) as well as the Opening Campfire (all while rocking their Sooper gear).
Junior girls at cooking.
Inter girls at swim instruction.
BOYS SIDE
Sophs and Sub Juniors enjoy an early trip down to the waterfront.
Sophomores- Have already embraced Scatico's more unique activities including Sardines (a divisionwide, outdoor hide and seek) and a mini olympics where campers rotated between a series of two-minute activities (broom balancing anyone?).
Sub Juniors- Won't stop for the rain! When cloudy skies had the Sub Juniors improvising they opted for a game of Pictionary. They also pulled off the season's first game of downhill tennis baseball on the driving range.
Juniors- Started both their hoops and soccer leagues after cooling things down with vanilla ice cream making at cooking (accompanied by two different kinds of cookies, of course)!
Inters- Brought back the old Scatico tradition of backyard baseball at "Yankee Stadium" (the area by the former stables, renamed due to the field's fence). The Ints also had a heated game of flag football in anticipation of their tournament at Pontiac later this week!
Sub Seniors- Were led by DL Ryan Kenny in a "Catalina Water Mixer," in which they dressed in their finest to sample all of the water fountains at Camp Scatico.
Seniors- Wanted to start off T-League on the right foot, and so they held a softball "spring training" on the ballfields and backyard baseball session out on campus.
Upper Seniors- Had a fierce game of European Handball in preparation for a tournament at Camp Kindering. All the hard work was rewarded with flatbread pizza making at cooking!
CITs- Participated in their first-ever counselor orientation and training sessions (with team building activities that involve everything from plate balancing to blindfolded rope puzzles). It's a brand new experience for the group as they get prepared to work with campers all summer long!