Summer 2017, Edition #1: June 24 -28

Hello, Elizaville!

The day is finally here. After waiting a long 10 months, campers put back on their green and white, experience the sights, smells and sounds of Scatico, and spend the next two months with their best friends (whether new, old, or both!). New campers are quick to inherit and embrace the traditions, spirit and relationships that make Scatico the camp we return to year after year. 

Sophomore boys stop and pose on the road path! 

Opening Campfires

The summer kicked off with one of Scatico’s oldest traditions: the opening campfire. Both boys and girls gathered around their respective campfire sites for a night filled with stories, games and music.

On girls side the oldest division, the Soopers, led the campers in a series of classic camp songs including “The Circle Game” and "The Year Song", creating a link between the oldest and newest Scaticonians. The Soopers also shared their favorite and funniest memories from their previous summers, generating plenty of excitement for younger campers as them imagined all the memories to come.

Soopers get ready to lead one of camp's biggest traditions, the Opening Campfire

The boys side opening campfire began with an introduction from Dave, making an official commencement of the summer. The campfire included classic Scatico games such as pillow-fights and fool-ball (pictured below) and also featured performances from music counselors Jamie Hamburg and Matt Heineman, concluding the night on a good note (no pun intended). 

Boys Side circled around an intense game of Upper Hill Foolball

Campers of all ages light a candle during the campfire to make a wish.

The Beginnings of Scatico Traditions

While the summer has just begun, the first few days have already been filled with plenty of traditions, activities and FUN! On girls side, the inaugural evening activity is always "Songs", where Soopers teach each division a different camp favorite. Every division then goes on to perform their song in a "genre", ranging from robotic to hip/hop, and even opera style! The night ends with the teaching of the Alma Mater, which is sung every night at the end of evening activity.

On boys side, Twilight Leagues (T-Leagues), a competitive softball tournament played under the stars throughout the summer, began on Monday night. The Lower Hill also kicked off their own athletic competition: Soccer Leagues! (also played throughout the summer). Plus the Juniors and Inters participated in the first official Human Stratego game of the Summer 2017 season. The winner of multiple "What's Your Favorite Activity at Camp" surveys tabulated during the off-season, Human Stratego is a true boys side favorite. 

Both boys and girls side also held Meet the Counselors night, where each division's and activity area's staff introduced themselves to the rest of the camp through some form of performance.

Divisional Snapshots: The Results Are IN! 

We asked each division what they're most excited for this summer and their goals as a division. Their surprising (and not-so surprising) responses: 

GIRLS SIDE

Sub girls play 9 square in the air, a new favorite activity on the Girls  hill

The Jinters are excited... for camp sisters, learning about camp, and making friends. Their goal is to... get along as a division and overcome their fears of the lake! 
The Inters are excited...to spend time with their division, for Tribes andColor War, and camp sisters! Their goal is... to write as many letters as possible that are at least 5 sentences (family and friends should be happy about this one!) 
The Centers are excited... for Divisional Sing, Color War, and their Big Trip. Their goal is to... be kind to each other, encourage one another, and become closer as a division.
The Debs are excited... for Color War/Tribes, more flashlight time and Canteen nights (always beloved Upper Hill privileges), and exploring new activities and trying new things. Their goal is... to work together as a team.
The Subs are excited... for the Nat, Divisional sing, their Big Trip, and T-Leagues (a tradition added to Girls Side just last summer!). Their goal is... to win Divisional Sing (dream big!) and to become good role models for younger campers now that they are on upper hill.
The Seniors are excited... to be in 1 bunk, for their blind hike, and spending the summer with their best friends! Their goal is...to win Divisional Sing (competition is on!) and to become closer than ever.
The Soopers are excited...to lead camp in Tribes and Color War, go to Lake Placid, and (hopefully) win Divisional Sing. Their goal is...e to be great leaders, to leave a lasting impact on camp, and to cherish every day as campers.

BOYS SIDE

The Subs and Inters play basketball on the A Court

The Sophs are excited... to get to know each and every member of their division, for the big events of the summer (Boys & Girls NAT, DJ Pure, 4th of July, and Color War), and to "give it their best" in lots of activities that are new to them. Their goal is to... become an inclusive, kind and caring division that has the instinct and ability to look out for one another on a daily basis.
The Sub Juniors are excited... for Color War, Tournaments, College Bowl! Their goal is to...have the most fun that they can have this summer.
The Juniors are excited...for College Bowl (a recurring theme), capture the flag, Divisional Sing, Color War, Slamma Jamma, Hockey, and Slapball. Their goal is to... win Divisional Sing, have fun, hang with friends, and come out of the summer closer as a division.
The Inters are excited... for Color War, Slamma Jamma, their Big Trip, and Divisional Sing. Their goal is to... become even closer and to have the best summer yet.
The Sub-Seniors are excited...for Color War, Upper Hill socials, and Upper Hill T-league. Their goal is to... become tighter as a division and develop as a group all while celebrating the interests and ideas of every division member.
The Seniors are excited... for Color War, Rope Burn, and being one of the oldest divisions in camp. Their goal is... for everyone to feel comfortable in their own skin.
The Upper Seniors are excited for...  Color War, T-League, and Lake Placid! Their goal is to...make the most of their last summer as campers and to make every day count.
 

Fall 2016, Foliage at Scatico

Hard to believe another summer has come to a close, and the leaves are already turning in Elizaville. Scatico's head of maintenance, Teddy, took the time to snap some shots of fall foliage in the 12523 with his drone. From the boys ball fields, to the girls back campus, and even the new camphitheatre, it's amazing to see Scatico from 100+ feet in the air. 

"Rethinking Service," Camp Business

By Nicki Fleischner

“One, two, three, GO!”

The whistle blew and the first round of campers was off. Half-walking, half-
running, they carefully balanced a Ping-Pong ball atop a paddle in their hands, eyes glued down in concentration. From the sidelines teammates cheered.

“Faster!” “Almost there!”

Members of the “Yellow Fish” jumped up and down. The “Green Snakes” crouched in nervous excitement. The Ping-Pong Relay was a familiar Color War event for the Camp Scatico Counselors in Training (CITs). Summer after summer, the group of boys and girls had participated in countless Color War relays and races, soccer matches, and softball games. Like campers throughout the United States, they shared the unique bond of growing up while spending seven weeks each summer at Scatico, a traditional sleep-away camp in upstate New York. Color War was a sacred tradition, an intense highlight at the end of each summer.

But this time, despite the familiar cheers and events, excitement, and competition, Color War was a little different. Instead of participating, the CITs were leading. And they weren’t at Camp Scatico in Elizaville, N.Y. They were at an elementary school in the Dominican Republic.

Shouts of Spanish were heard among the English cheers as one team took the lead.

“¡Corre! ¡Corre!” “¡Más rápido!”

The Dominican campers had never experienced a summer camp, let alone Color War or a Ping-Pong Relay, but their enthusiasm was palpable. Throughout the day, as the CITs introduced new games, the campers quickly caught on, adding their own strategies, cheers, and jokes.

There’s nothing more universal than the freedom and joy of playing, nothing more unifying than the magic of camp.

A Camp Connection

This past summer, I led 23 CITs, former campers who had just finished their sophomore year of high school, on a 10-day service trip to the Dominican Republic. It was a radical departure from Scatico’s traditional CIT summer experience, but one that enhanced it tremendously. While in the Dominican Republic, the CITs led a day camp for over 60 kids from an underserved community. From craft projects to sports, informal games in English and, of course, Color War, the CITs shared an abundance of camp spirit. Despite limited resources and a language barrier, they established a connection like only camp can, and in only one week converted a Dominican school into a spectacular summer camp.

Besides being a unique experience for the Dominican campers, the camp was an incredible learning and training opportunity for the CITs. The power and importance of volunteer experiences is only growing.

The world has progressed past the one-sided view that service is only about helping others, and has evolved to an understanding that volunteer work is also about personal development and growth. This is particularly true for young adults. From high schools requiring students to complete a certain number of community-service hours to the growing popularity of programs that incorporate international service, volunteer work has become an increasingly accessible and vital part of growing up. 

And it’s time summer camps got on board, especially considering that summer is when teens are most likely to seek out a service experience.

Camps are uniquely positioned to go beyond the typical soup kitchen or garbage pick-up approach and incorporate volunteer experiences in more meaningful ways. It’s what I call the “exporting camp” model, where, by bringing the traditions, spirit, and activities of camp to children who are unable to attend otherwise, it’s possible to make a tangible impact on both the CITs and the children they work with.

Whether your camp chooses to travel to another country, or to partner with a local day care, there are many creative ways for CITs to be involved in an “exporting camp” experience. 

Make It Work

Step 1: Finding the right match.

Scatico was able to help lead a Dominican day camp because the camp partnered with an organization on the ground: the DREAM Project (dominicandream.org). DREAM is a Dominican-based NGO that works with local communities year-round and is experienced in hosting American service groups.

This type of support is crucial when working with a new group of kids or in an unfamiliar environment.Whether your camp decides to stay local or travel will largely depend on the available budget and time frame, but in either scenario, finding a non-profit organization or school whose work you know, admire, and trust is key.

Reach out to members of your own camp community to see what connections to children-centered organizations already exist. It’s a great jumping-off point.

Step 2: Planning ahead.

As many camp insiders can attest, introducing new programming at a traditional camp is difficult. Here are some tips to prepare your camp community for its own service experience:

• Keep families in the loop. Scatico sent an email with a proposed itinerary in October, and organized an in-person meeting to discuss the trip in early winter. Try to strike a balance between the micrologistics and the big, impactful picture to get people both comfortable and pumped!
• Incorporate a summer orientation. Once the CITs were at camp, we held five pre-departure trip meetings. Some topics to consider:

1. Planning the day-camp schedule. Having as much of the programming developed by the CITs was important in having them feel invested and excited.

2. Managing expectations. Depending on where you choose to work, it’s important that CITs understand what the meals, bathrooms, weather, and general schedule are going to look like.

3. Emphasizing cultural sensitivity. You want CITs to be polite guests!

4. Getting them thinking about service in the right way. From Googling, you will find plenty of articles with a critical view of “voluntourism” (volunteer tourism), where young Americans sweep in to “save” the developing world, and take a lot of Facebook photos in the process. This is exactly what we wanted to avoid. 

Step 3: Bringing the camp magic. Though camp magic may seem to happen on its own, we found that these strategies enhanced the CITs’ performances.

• Rotate stations. Having campers and CITs rotate between stations helpsnavoid monotony and restlessness. We had crafts, sports, and English games, but practically anything could work.
• Divide CITs into groups. Dividing the group of CITs and giving them semi-defined roles allows the more introverted ones to shine. For each day of camp, we switched which CITS worked together and which group of campers they led.
• Stay organized. We reviewed a printed schedule of groups and planned activities each morning at breakfast. When CITs knew what was scheduled, they felt more empowered to lead.
• Allow time for feedback. Each day brought unique challenges—one kid didn’t want to participate, the camp ran out of beads for friendship bracelets, it was too hot for kickball—but that’s all part of camp. Give CITs time to voice what worked and what didn’t at the end of each day. There’s always a way to fine-tune.
• Let them do their thing. The bottom line is that camp people are great with kids, which is why using an “exporting camp” model makes sense, rather than building a school (how many average 16-year-olds are amazing at construction?). Our CITs may have been in an unfamiliar environment, but they were in their element, and it showed. Camp’s best moments will come when CITs are allowed to step up and do their thing.
• Share and reflect. We decided to keep a blog (citdream.wordpress.com) and posted every day of our trip. It allowed time for personal reflection, as well as a chance to share the experience with the Scatico family.

Spreading The Magic

Now, months after the first round of Color War victories, goodbye tears, first-time bachata dances, and games of SPUD, a new group of 32 Scatico CITs is already signed up. Come July, they will head to the same elementary school to work with a new set of first-time Dominican campers.

There’s no limit to how far the camp magic can spread. One CIT boy wrote on his blog last year: “Even across an ocean, camp brings people together.”

If your camp is interested in incorporating a service component and you need any further advice, please do not hesitate to reach out! 

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This article originally appeared in Camp Business in May 2016. 

"Turn on the Radio," Camping Magazine

By David Fleischner

The end of a summer day. We sit out on the front porch. The heat eases as the sky darkens and stars slowly emerge. The crackle of a radio broadcast punctuates the relative silence of the night, the play-by-play of a baseball game taking place hundreds of miles away. Someone adjusts the positioning of the antenna to pick up a clearer signal. Talk and laughter about the day’s events mingle with the action on a distant field.

United States circa 1950? Absolutely. But also Summer Camp 2015.

In recent summers, a tradition has emerged at Camp Scatico and become almost as much of a fixture in the day-to-day pace and life in our boys’ camp as morning flag raising and afternoon general swim. Baseball on the radio. Who could have predicted that the cutting-edge technology of the 1920s and ’30s, would help us achieve our 21st-century camp goals of unplugging and connecting more personally with friends?

Each night during the summer (except for the open dates around Major League Baseball’s All Star game), campers and staff come together to listen, talk, relax, and bond. Evening activity has ended and it’s that in-between time before younger campers head back to their cabins for the night. Our head counselor’s (HC) cabin in the boys’ camp is a long, narrow building strategically situated along one side of a main campus, ringed otherwise by camper bunks and a social hall. The HC cabin has an open porch about six feet deep running its entire length. There’s seating for close to 50 people and even more space for a lot of quality “leaning.” In the middle section, campers come at dusk to get milk and cookies before bed (just a bit Old School).

At one end of the building, the Yankee game is on the radio; at the other end the Mets game. Campers and staff flow in and out, tide-like, absorbing the action both on the radio and on the porch. A few key listeners for each radio, the serious fans, are stationed like soldiers on guard duty, ready to provide in-depth details and/or analysis when asked, “What’s the score?” or “Who’s pitching?”

Beyond providing a portal to a simpler, less-hectic time, the group radio-listening (GRL) creates a nightly haven for any camper to come and connect with other campers and staff. Some campers stop by and sit for ten minutes. Other younger campers, stay for the entire time between the end of evening activity and when they must report back to their cabins for the night (up to 45 minutes). A few older campers, with a later bedtime, ride out the action right until the game’s end, then recap highlights for morning lineup the following day.

For many younger campers, this becomes an important part of their nightly bedtime routine. Older campers and staff make them feel a vital part of the brotherhood. And while conversation does at times focus on the game on the radio, camp stories are also shared — funny and memorable moments from the day passed. Campers and staff marvel at the star-filled sky or even a prehistoric-looking insect that’s landed by a porch light. Everyone feels comfortable participating — or just listening.

Even the out-of-town fans are embraced: the campers from the DC area rooting for the Washington Nationals and the lone Bostonian camper who is a diehard Red Sox fan. There are lessons learned here too: how to root in a fun, competitive way, but always be gracious in victory or defeat.
A few cottage industries have sprung up around the GRL. We have a bulletin board mounted on the HC porch midway between the Yankee and Met sections. Box scores, game recaps, league leaders, and standings go up each morning. Walk by the HC during the day and you’re likely to see one or more campers analyzing yesterday’s games. Often it’s a group effort. The porch walls near the radios are also decorated annually in a jumbled collage of baseball cards, photos, and memorabilia. Each summer, campers arrive with donations for “The Wall.”

Like many great traditions that become ingrained in camp culture over time, the GRL lends its success to one part planning and three parts organic growth. About 15 summers ago, an assistant head counselor living in one end of the HC building (a lifelong Yankees fan) began putting a radio in his window so he could listen to games while outside on campus. He decorated the wall outside of his room with Yankee and camp photos and then moved a pair of authentic Yankee seats from inside the main building and placed them on the porch. (These seats were from the first Yankee Stadium renovation in 1973-74 and purchased in a Connecticut junkyard for $75 in 1978.)

Two summers ago, a new assistant head counselor living in the opposite end of the HC (and a lifelong Mets fan) thought it was time for equal billing. He decorated the outside of his side of the building, turned on a second radio, and even contributed a pair of Met seats (bought online and not at a junkyard, and not for $75). Game on!

No one told the campers to come and listen. To relax. To hang out. To bond. To laugh. To bring decorations to add to the porch wall.

Sitting on a porch and listening to the radio with fellow campers and staff has captured much of what we value in our summers at Scatico. Community, slowing down, and simplifying life. Feeling removed from the stress of the outside world and in the presence of the great outdoors. Who would have thought? Radio and camp — a nice double play.

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This article originally appeared in Camping Magazine in March 2016. 

"Opening Day Blues," Camping Magazine

By David Fleischner

The bus arrives. The campers race off to their cabins. Except Sam. The camp director had warned during orientation that his parents thought he might have a “few separation issues.” Standing just off to the side of the bus, he sobs — loudly — chest heaving convulsively. He refuses to budge. Gathering his breath between another body-wrenching gasp, he shouts, “I want to go home! I want to call my parents.”

You — the counselor — approach — fresh with the optimism and energy of staff orientation and opening day. You say all the right things — that you were once homesick, that there are a lot of first-year campers, that there are so many fun things you’ll do this afternoon. “Can I help with your stuff? What do you like to do?”

Then you are struck with an inspiration. You send a nearby counselor to get Brian, a second-year camper who was very homesick last summer. Brian was one of your success stories. He’ll be able to find just the right words to get Sam through this crisis and into the flow of camp life.

A few minutes later Brian approaches, dressed in the camp uniform and looking quite determined. He slowly and seriously appraises Sam, dressed in blue jeans and a Yankees’ T-shirt — clearly clothes of the outside world.

“Brian, I thought you might be able to help Sam out.”

“Whatever they tell you,” Brian turns to Sam and speaks slowly, “don’t let them get you to the bunk and into uniform. Then you’re here for the whole summer.”

Opening Day Blues

The first day of camp — an extreme emotional roller coaster ride at the very least — is a potential time of crisis for the homesick camper. If we can just get Sam through the first day, we know he can make the summer.

The veteran counselor at residential camp may understand that almost all homesick campers will have a successful summer, but just try telling that to the crying camper who refuses to meet his bunkmates — let alone go to the first activity. Worse, no amount of staff training ever seems to anticipate fully the range of challenges faced on opening day. What’s a counselor to do?

Getting Ready for the Moment of Truth

The director warned that Sam might have “a few separation issues,” so how did you prepare? The following tips may prove helpful:

• Assign a staff member to sit next to the potentially homesick camper on the bus. And, maybe bring along a deck of cards or some other game to keep busy. (Maintaining a sustained conversation with an anxious camper can prove a challenge.)
• Encourage precamp e-mails and phone calls to welcome first-year campers. Some camps assign big sisters/brothers prior to Opening Day.
• Contact the child during staff orientation and talk about the exciting things to come: how friendly the bunkmates will be and how you’ll be there to help him through the first few days.
• Acknowledge that it’s very normal for a first-year camper to be anxious. Empower the camper by asking what he thinks will be helpful at the very moment of arrival. Go shoot baskets? Swim? A tour?
• Make a contract: This is what we are going to do the second you get to camp. By empowering the camper and getting a verbal confirmation, you will find it easier to get them moving and into the flow of camp life.

Good luck, if these “negotiations” are left to the actual time of arrival, when the camper is in distress.

The Eagle Has Landed

The bus arrives or the parent drops the camper off . . . .

David, now a twelve-year-old and a veteran camper, recalls (with some humor) that catastrophic first hour three summers ago, when he screamed and cursed at his parents for leaving him at camp. Even counselors’ nerves were tested that afternoon, and other parents, each experiencing a measure of their own Opening Day stress, found anxiety levels edging up a notch or two (or three).

“One thing that helped me was bringing me to visit older campers in their bunks,” said David. The older campers welcomed David and shared personal memories of their first days many years ago. In their unpacking, they also showed a glimpse of a teenage world to which most ten-year-old boys aspire. When companies market products to children, they often will show children and teens several years older than the actual target audience. These older campers then recognized and said hello to David (at the waterfront, walking to meals, etc.) during the first crucial days of camp — building his self-confidence and feelings of importance.

Randi, a counselor and former homesick eight-year-old, engages her campers in decorating the bunk. She also has returning campers give tours to first-year campers.

Don’t Overanalyze

David remembers one counselor saying, “You’ll see your parents in just a few weeks.” Rather than reassuring him, the future seemed to stretch out even longer than before. Brett, another of David’s counselors and a key support during those first few hours, concurs: “Your natural instinct is to tell him that he’s going to have a great time and that he won’t miss his parents. Don’t even go there. I try to totally change the subject. Ask him what he’s into.”

“A long discussion right away on why they’re homesick,” says Randi, “is a bad idea.”

Connections

As a thirteen-year-old, Jennifer was very anxious about her first sleepaway camp experience (a first extended separation from home). “People who kept saying it would get better didn’t really help.” Neither did her older sister, a longtime camper, when she told Jennifer, “you can’t do this [be homesick], you’re thirteen!”

But on the bus ride to camp, Maria, a first-year counselor from Australia, connected with Jennifer. “She told me how she was new and wondered whether the kids would like her. She talked about all her plans for the nature program.”

Randi remembers when she was an overwhelmed homesick camper and her counselor, Sabrina, showed her several crystals she had brought to camp. “She told me one was a ‘healing crystal’ and she let me sleep with it under my pillow.”

David tells how that first afternoon, “Jon [a counselor] took me out to have a catch with him and another camper, but not right in the middle of campus.” This got David busy and built a first connection with a bunkmate — but not in a spot (the middle of campus) that would make him feel overly self-conscious.

Free Time — Public Enemy #1

Public Enemy #1 for the homesick camper on opening day is free time. Make certain that the camper is engaged during all those in-between moments — no matter how brief — before and after meals — walking to and from activities — just before bed. This can be exhausting for a single counselor, so make certain that as many staff as possible are on task and communicating with each other. During that first dinner, tell the campers, “Evening activity doesn’t start for thirty minutes so we’re going fishing.” At the end of evening activity, say, “We have forty-five minutes until bedtime — let’s play cards on the porch of the bunk.” Make specific suggestions of things to do, and try to include a few other campers and a second counselor.

The First Night

As a counselor — when envisioning the first night of camp — think college finals. This is not the time to be thinking about a night out. Your campers need you — maybe desperately. Think how you would want a counselor to be there for your child in some future time to come.

So far, you have been doing all the right things, but now it’s time to put away the deck of cards and turn out the bunk lights. Obviously, a great moment for a story (that’s not scary or about parents). Randi likes to tell funny stories about camp and to talk about exciting activities to come.

But now that you’ve finished and the group has settled down, there’s still one camper you hear sobbing in his bed. If it’s clear that this camper is not going to fall asleep soon, what’s a counselor to do?
Jennifer fell asleep the first night with her counselor Rachel reading to her. “I had brought all these books to camp for summer reading. I fell asleep on page three of one, and she told me in the morning she kept reading to page twenty-five because she thought I was still awake,” said Jennifer.

On a first night, sometimes a counselor needs a little creativity. A younger camper unable to sleep might prove a good “assistant” head O.D., helping make the rounds of the older campers’ cabins. Choose an activity that might push the camper to the point of sleep. Surprisingly, this may take less time than anticipated once they are active and doing something special — and not just lying in bed and thinking about home. Talk with a supervisory staff member about the parameters of rule bending at bedtime the first few nights of camp.

Calling the Cavalry

The longest day is almost over. You’re already feeling burned out and ready to scream at your homesick camper, “Come on and pull yourself together!” If not administering a kick in the pants, you’re prepared to give in to any and all requests ranging from phone calls to skipping activities to going home on visiting day. Now is a good time to seek advice and support. Supervisory staff respect and appreciate counselors who know when to get help. And don’t make promises that you might not keep or are not yours to make, but rather the director’s in discussion with the parents. It is okay to tell the camper, “I can’t make that promise to you.”

The Big Picture

There may come a moment in the first day, as you vainly attempt to comfort a sobbing, hysterical camper, when you think, “Why am I doing this? Maybe the camper doesn’t belong at camp?” Though there are campers who never overcome homesickness at a residential camp, the vast majority of campers do — and their achievement becomes a powerful and memorable success in their lives. You need to keep the faraway finish line as a vision in your mind as you struggle through the first few turns on what may prove either a sprint or a marathon. By working as a counselor, you need to understand and accept that there is value to what you are doing that goes beyond just playing and having fun.

“Whatever they tell you, don’t let them get you to the bunk and into uniform. Then you’re here for the whole summer.”

Brian’s warning to Sam did actually prove true — as Sam did change into his uniform and successfully finish the summer. The quote has also provided an anecdote for staff training in the following years. What was learned? Sometimes even the best-intentioned strategies can go astray.

So as the campers arrive, keep a sense of humor, feel good about the importance of what you are doing, remain flexible, and tap into the camp support system. There are children out there who will remember your devotion their entire lives.

David Fleischner is the director of Camp Scatico in Elizaville, New York. He is the past president of the New York State Camp Directors Association and a former board member of the New York Section of the American Camping Association. He has written articles on homesickness and first-year camp counselors for The New York Times.

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This article originally appeared in Camping Magazine in May 2003. 

Summer 2016, Edition #7: August 4 - August 10

HIGH STAKES COLOR WAR 

Color War is always an intense, all-out finish to an event-filled summer at Scatico. It's the last full-camp push; a series of games and competitions campers and counselors alike have been looking forward to since their very first day in Elizaville. For Soopers and Upper Seniors it's a bittersweet four days: both a time to lead, and a farewell song of sorts. From coaching younger campers' sporting events, to strategizing for All-Star games, leading cheers, and encouraging good sportsmanship, the Soopers and Upper Seniors truly set the bar for Color War, and the rest of camp follows suit. For younger and first-time campers, Color War is an exciting rush, and a time when truly every camper is given the opportunity to step up to the plate and shine for their team. The best Color War moments come when new and unexpected talents are brought into the spotlight. With activities as diverse as art projects, softball, chess, trivia, ping pong ball balances, and egg tosses, there is bound to be an activity for everyone. 

Inter/ Sub Junior soccer 

All smiles at jump roping 

BOYS SIDE 

Boys Color War is four days of non-stop action, from the first dodgeball match on the A-court to the final chicken fight in the Social Hall. On boys side three counselors are chosen to be Generals for each team, and help the Upper Seniors lead and coach the rest of camp. At some moments the teams were neck in neck, but ultimately Grey pulled ahead to win. The four days had many magical moments, but here are a few standout highlights. 

Gathering sticks for rope burn. 

HIGHLIGHT REEL 

• An intense game of Inter/ Sub Senior soccer went beyond overtime and into penalties, where Isaac Malkin scored the winning penalty kick to take home a victory for Green.

Isaac Malkin's penalty kick

• A heated game of All Star Chess eventually ended in a draw, with Jake Vandercar and John Fischgrund as the final two standing. 
• Boys side resurrected an old event: the Flagpole Shootout. It used to be that a counselor sat in a chair and campers shot foam arrows at them from a distance, but this summer we switched it up and used real arrows to shoot at a life jacket draped over a chair. Simon Mandel scored a victory for Grey when he shot an arrow that pierced right through the lifejacket's "heart." 
• Novelties are fun, mini-competitions that break up the flow of larger sport events throughout the day. In the egg toss novelty, Aidan Rogers and General Alan O'Neill were the final partners with an intact egg, securing a win for Grey. 
• The always-heated A-game (played at the Pavilion) was a particularly close one this Color War, with Green winning by just two points. 

The A Game 

• The Swim Meet and Boating Reggata always bring new all-stars to the fore. War Canoe, which involves campers from all divisions rowing as fast as they can, was won by Grey by only three seconds. Shout outs to Grey coxswain Henry Lilienfeld and Green coxswain Max Rosh. 

Grey and Green go head-to-head in a canoe relay

• Green won All-Star Softball, in part thanks to a home-run hit by Captain Brian Schindler. 
• Both Senior Football and Upper Senior Soccer were intense matches ultimately won by Grey. Senior Jonny Leibowitz scored multiple touchdowns for his team, and Captain Ethan Edelson scored 4 goals! 

Upper Senior Ryan Ditkoff up to bat. 

• Green nabbed a victory in Soph-Sub Junior Hockey with Nick Mozga scoring numerous goals!
• Rope Burn is always a highly-anticipated Color War event, and involves each team building a fire high enough to burn through a rope hanging above the flames as quickly as possible. Each team is allowed to recruit one "fire-building" supervisor, to strategize how to maximize the height of the fire's flame. Evan Baitch designed Green's winning fire, a moment made extra sweet since his twin brother Ryan was General. 

"Go Green fire, burn a little higher!"

• Grey clinched their Color War victory in the final potato race (campers run back and forth along the Social Hall to place blocks at various distances), when Upper Senior Sage Blumenfeld won.  

GIRLS SIDE

On girls side Color War is structured slightly differently, and the Sooper girls really step it up to lead the rest of the camp. The competition kicks off with a Sing, where each team chooses a theme– this year's were Green Candy Land and Grey Rydell High– and perform a series of songs (an Alma Mater, Folk Song, and Entrance about how awesome their team is, are a few highlights). Soopers and Seniors work together to prep for sing for days straight, creating unbelievable sceneries to hang in the Social Hall. Following Sing it's three days of non-stop action, from Apache relays and All-Star Volleyball to Scavenger Hunts and the Bucket Brigade (teams need to fill a huge garbage can with water so that a ping pong ball inside of it raises to the top and spills out). It was a close competition, but in the end Green secured an overall victory. 

The team emblems, made by the Subs for each camper to wear everyday. During sporting events, campers opt to hang them from trees. 

HIGHLIGHT REEL

• The Sing included many standout moments, including a beautiful winning Alma by Grey to the song "All I Want" by Kodaline, and impressive winning scenery and Entrance (appropriately to the song "I Want Candy") by Green. 

Green Candy Land Scenery

Grey Rydell High Scenery 

Green Candy Lane Soopers and Seniors in costume for the Sing 

Green and Grey in an epic sing down 

• The jump rope novelty, where division by division girls run through a spinning jump rope, is always a highlight. The Junior girls surprised all of camp with their impressive skills, and in the end the Grey team had the final campers not eliminated, including the youngest of the trio Maya Pisetzner. 
• The Apache Relay involves everything from finding objects in a hay stack to rolling clay into a ball and accurately serving 3 tennis balls. Every camper participates in an event, there are over 70 in total, which spans all of girls campus and the lake! Although they started out behind, Green pulled ahead for a victory. 
• A little rain did nothing to stop the intensity, with everything from Junior/ Jinter Simon says to Sooper/Senior dodgeball. 
• The Upper Hill treasure hunt was particularly high stakes, ending with two Soopers rowing to the ice peak located in between boys and girls waterfronts to find the mafia's "weapon". It all came down to Sam Derasse and Lindsey Sherman from Grey, and Sophie Blumenfeld and Anna Rosenberg from Green. It was neck-in-neck but Green emerged victorious. 

Grey Soopers Sherman and Karlin are ready to lead. 

Carson Lava at hurdles! 

• Grey was able to nab victories in nearly all of the novelties, from hit the penny to water toting (teams fill a vessel with water using only their hands). 
• The Swim and Boat Meet were as intense as ever, with Green and Grey in a dead tie all the way up until the last event: the Sooper General/Lieutenant relay where one leader loads the other up with unlimited lifejackets and then the duo swim together (it looks something like a human orange marshmellow) to the dock and back. In the end Green Gn. Emily Mester and Lt. Anna Rosenfeld made it back first. 

Jane Greeley leads the Grey War canoe. 

Erica Smiley leads Green War Canoe. 

• Grey nabbed a win in All-Star Softball, thanks in part to some stellar pitching from Eliana Pisetzner. 
• Green dribbled, passed and scored their way to a victory in All-Star Basketball. Shout outs to the "Emilys" (Holzer and Mester) for their impressive games. 
• To learn of the overall winner, the Chief Judges light the letters of a rope spelling out GREENY. They start with the G, R, and E and then depending on the third letter they light teams know if Green or Grey was victorious. With the lighting of the second E Green knew they had won for the first time since 2013! 

Green Centers on the soccer field 

Grey Inters on the soccer field 

Grey Juniors and Jinters throw their weight into Tug of War. 

PARTING WORDS

It's hard to believe it, but with Color War in the books it's nearly time to say goodbye to the 12523. The final night of camp is one filled with many time-honored traditions, from the boys and girls banquets, to a viewing of the Slide Show and closing campfires. After living 10 for 2, the 2 always seems to go by way too fast. Let the countdown to summer 2017 begin! 

1, 2, 3, 4 We Have (Boys) Color War

Scatico got political on Saturday night and hosted its very own 2016 Presidential Debate, featuring candidates Patterson, Nathin, Kenny, Rosen and Baitch.  Patterson, running on a farming platform, advocated for increased composting in the Dining Hall; Nathin and Kenny were our charismatic populists; Rosen (dressing-down in a white T) went for the more traditional stances; and Baitch was boy sides' independent. The five candidates went head-to-head while moderators John Gross and Chase Madorsky (both who work at their college radio stations in the off-season) threw some major curve balls (and even took questions from the audience). The final question, regarding a proposed destruction of the A-Court to accommodate more "housing," had the candidates thinking about all the major camp A-Court moments that would be missed (from the Boys NAT tournament, to "Meet the Counselor Night,") naming nearly everything except the obvious, which is.... splitting the teams for COLOR WAR! When the candidates finally all yelled it together, boys rushed to the A-Court for dodgeball and getting into green and grey.

From left to right: Candidates Patterson (Inter DL), Kenny (Sub Senior DL), Nathin (Junior DL), Rosen (Senior DL), and Baitch (Soph DL) 

Find the full team lists below, and prepare for our final blog update on the 11th for a full Color War Recap. 

Summer 2016, Edition #6: July 20 - August 3

ENDLESS SUMMER

It's been a busy two weeks at Camp Scatico, with Divisional Sings sung, Olympics played, Mini Camps enjoyed, Open Mic Night performed, and our Scaticonians in Training (SITs) and four-week campers departed. We try to cram in as much camp fun and action before Color War reigns supreme for the last week or so of summer (pretty hard to believe), and so there is lots to report on from the 12523. 

Scatico has seen lots of Co-ed events these past days, with Olympics kicking things off in honor of the Rio Summer Olympics (luckily the Scatico variation was less fraught with infrastructural disaster). Boys and girls of all ages were combined and divided into "countries"– such as (gold and silver medalists) Jupiter and Direwolves– to compete in a series of events from Pictionary, to a a basketball-shooting contest, to throwing tennis balls into giant rocket ship looking tubes. 

Can never go wrong with drawing a Chicken Patty. 

Pictionary gets heated! 

NIGHT OF THE ARTS

Welcome to the Scatico Gallery 

At Scatico we are always looking to incorporate new traditions to add to the old, and our Second Annual Night of the Arts is a perfect example of how quickly successful new ideas can catch on. Spearheaded last summer by Arts Program head Ken Vallario, the 2016 Night of the Arts grew to even greater heights. Incorporating both a Scatico Gallery– where counselors and campers alike featured works ranging from sculptures and pottery, to paintings and collage– and an Open Mic night, it was one of those special full-camp activities that displayed many Scaticonians' previously unknown hidden talents. Shout outs to Noah Lowenthal, Nathan Koehler, Dylan Freeman and Katie Corren for winning "Golden Brushes," for their dedication and perseverance in making their artwork. Some highlight acts from Open Mic included a hilarious stand-up comedy routine from Jacob Schumer, dead-on impersonations from co-music head CJ Ditkoff, a dance from the SIT girls to Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood," and Jordan Klein's trumpet solo. It was the second time since 4th of July that both boys and girls gathered in the campitheater, and a few more weeks in to the summer the strengthening of divisional bonds and general comfort of first-time campers was palpable. We know the campitheatre is just getting started!

SIT girls take the stage 

Campitheatre fills up for the Open Mic portion of the Art Show 

"Nothing You Can Sing That Can't Be Sung"

Upper Seniors--their final Divisional Sing

Divisional Sing marks another watershed moment of the summer, and a time when girls camp and boys camp get together (separately) to showcase weeks worth of prep and rehearsal, and share the highlights of their summer via song. Counselors start writing and choosing Divisional Sing songs (which feature both a "fun" song, where the lyrics are changed to a known pop/ rock song, and a "folk song," which is a slower number sung in full) very early in the summer (maybe too early), and divisions get amped about their performance weeks in advance. On girls side divisions pick a theme that incorporates their name and usually involves an array of costumes and puns, while on boys side the more straightforward uniform of jeans/khakis and a T-shirt usually prevails. From misadventures on divisional hikes to tournaments won and divisional inside jokes, Sing lyrics always encompass the full range of Scatico experiences, and solidify a bond that only divisions can share. 

The competition was tough this year, but on girls side the Soopers nabbed Upper Hill 1st place as the "Upper Soopers" (they adopted the clothes, and singing style of their male camper counterparts... to very hilarious results) and the Inters won 1st for Lower Hill (for their adorable and impressive performance as "The Interns"). On boys side the Sub Seniors walked away with 1st on Upper Hill (folk song--"Still Fighting It" by Ben Folds), and the Juniors for Lower (folk song--"The Climb" by Miley Cyrus). 

The Sub boys wow at Sing 

Subvivors waiting in the wings 

The Interns sing out strong 

Upper Soopers get into character 

Bday Ball, Mini Camp, Tournaments and more! 

These two weeks of camp have seen some real tournament highlights, starting with the entering 10th girls softball tournament at Timber Lake Camp where Scatico came in 1st! Eliana Pisetzner pitched a no hitter in the finals, aided by Daphne Zuckerman with some very impressive plays at second base. It was the first time the host camp hadn't won in 10 years, and it was quite the proud moment for all our Scatico Softball-ers... The entering 7th girls basketball team (which the entire Debs division was on) also made it to the finals, losing by only 3 points in their last game... A handful of campers headed out to the Dinsmore Golf Course to enjoy 9 holes with golf head Alan... The entering 8th boys hockey team won 1st place at their Berkshire Hills tournament, with a special shout out to Cooper Gottfried for scoring the game winning goal in the semis (capping a comeback from a 2-0 deficit)!

Mini-Camp is another high point of summer, giving both boys and girls the opportunity to take a break from a regular program day and throw themselves into an activity they are particularly passionate about. From a trip to a rock climbing wall, to cupcake making, sweat lodge building, a spa day, to building a deck on the wood shop, and more, it never fails to be a day of fun. This summer, some new mini-camp activities we added to the fan-favorites included Spy School and a Hamilton-themed art project.

This past week also featured girls Birthday Ball, where all of girls side is divided into seasons based on when their birthday is. This year's themes were Winter the Pooh, Springer Spaniels, Summer Lovin', and Fall Is Life, each with their accompanying decor and costumes. Plus on boys side T-League play-offs in basketball, soccer, and softball play-offs are fast approaching.  

Senior girls at "Winter the Pooh" Bday ball prep 

Plus we can't forget about our SITs! The youngest of Scatico's campers, the SITs cram a summer's worth of activities into merely one week. From the athletic fields to arts and crafts, swimming, nature, and making s'mores too, the SITs sample a little bit of everything that Scatico has to offer (even a trip to Holy Cow!). Plus one night they joined the Juniors, Jinters, Inters, Sophs, and Sub-Juniors for a night of bowling at Rollin' Lanes! 

SITs go fishing 

DIVISIONAL SNAPSHOTS 

BOYS SIDE 

Lights, camera, action! Movie making with the media team. 

Tis' the season for Big Trips! The Sophs, Sub Juniors and Juniors all embarked on their Big Trips, which incorporate one special activity, followed by a trip to the mall for dinner and the movies...The Sophs headed to Howe Caverns, exploring the many stalactites and stalagmites (plus one rock formation that looks like a mouse)... The Sub Juniors went to nearby water park Zoom Flume... and the Juniors traveled to the Basketball Hall of Fame, which honors member and Scatico co-founder Nat Holman!... The Inters whipped up some Chinese food in cooking (it's Chef Justin's specialty) plus held an NFL combine complete with draft and formal interviews... The Subs (still basking in their Berkshire Hills hockey victory) held a game of "underground hockey," which is played in the Social Hall with garbage cans, and also a game of water balloon dodgeball... The Seniors participated in a full on mystery day, staring with a 6 am wakeup to enjoy a game of softball before reveille blew, a waterfront cookout for breakfast, a blind hike through campus, and a mystery ride to the Mills Mansion... The Upper Seniors bob sled, luged, and scarfed Ben & Jerry's all the way through Lake Placid for three days! They also competed with the Seniors in the "Senior Cup," which involved games of basketball, football, soccer and dodgeball. The US won it all, except a notable Senior victory in football.   

GIRLS SIDE

All smiles at the waterfront. 

The girls had their fair share of Big Trips and events as well! The Juniors headed to a lighthouse on Wednesday, followed by a viewing of "The Secret Life of Pets,"... The Jinters also made the journey to Howe Caverns, followed by much time picking out Big Sister's small gifts at Claire's... The Inters embarked on their trip to a rock climbing gym, and also held their theme day of "Cupcake Wars," which involved decorating their own aprons and splitting into teams to cupcake battle it out.... The Centers got brave and challenged themselves during their big trip to a zip-lining course... The Debs headed to Catamount for a day on the ropes courses and also enjoyed a "Debtective" theme day complete with a mysterious scavenger hunt... The Subbies went to a production of "Into the Woods" and many of them also went on a Volleyball tournament at Kindering. Those subs that stayed behind at camp were able to turn the tables and give their counselors a blind hike... The Seniors enjoyed the dynamic duo of a buffet lunch at the Mohonk Mountain House and then trip to the town of Woodstock (they now proudly rock their long-sleeved red shirts)... The Soopers joined the Upper Seniors for their three-day trip to Lake Placid complete with Olympic Sports and Whiteface Mountain hikes, but are now fully consumed by preparing for Color War Sing! 

Juniors just wanna have fun! 

With less than two-weeks left of camp there is still plenty to look forward to. Keep an eye out for our final blog post later next week for a taste of all things COLOR WAR! 

1, 2, 3, 4 We Have (Girls) Color War!

Girls side was in for a surprise this morning when they headed to breakfast: the campitheatre had been transformed! All along the back row of seating, cutout figures of the Sooper girls (complete with green shorts, a Color War T-shirt, and blow up photos of their faces) had been placed in the grass, along with giant wooden letters (a la the Hollywood sign) spelling out COLOR WAR. Shrieks and sprinting ensued, and it was time for judges Natalie, Emily and Jessica to read aloud the pledge. Please find the complete team lists by clicking the button below (an asterisk indicates who was selected as Camper Captain), and look out for more Color War updates to come! 

Summer 2016, Edition #5: CITs In the Dominican Republic

Taking a break from our usual coverage of life in the 12523, we wanted to share the CIT blog from their trip to the Dominican Republic. For nine days, the 31 CITs swam, hiked, jumped, and led, doing everything from cave swimming and waterfall exploring to leading a Color War and a full day of activities for dozens of Dominican campers. It was the second year the Scatico CITs have headed down to the DR, and once again it was an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.