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Pre-K – 1st grade - NEVERLAND/Friendship
The longstanding Neverland program at Camp Thoreau is geared towards the exciting developmental growth and changes that occur in children age’s four to six. Through cooperative and imaginative games and activities at camp, our experienced Neverland counselors guide their campers through the processes of cooperation, negotiation and relationship building. “Friendship” – one of Camp Thoreau’s five character values – is a value that is of upmost importance in Neverland. Campers spend their days separate from the older campers, and stay within their own small groups of ten campers with two Neverland counselors – thus creating a 1:5 staff to camper ratio. This intimate setting provides a safe and positive environment for Neverland campers to form friendships with one another, learn new skills, and enhance their capacity for peer relationships.
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2nd grade & 3rd grade - WILDLIFE VALLEY/Responsibility
At Camp Thoreau, we recognize the tremendous growth that occurs in children age’s seven to nine, as they begin formal schooling and learn to be more autonomous and independent from their parents. For Wildlife Valley campers, the emphasis is on Responsibility. Because these campers are older, their capacity for being on their own is increased and they are anxious to learn how to be an adult. We hone in on their eagerness by providing them with more challenging activities – such as our low ropes course initiatives, and Archery. Wildlife Valley campers are given more responsibility as they are afforded with more challenging activities. An example of this is Kapers – when campers are delegated with an area of camp to clean and maintain. Wildlife Valley campers leave camp more independent, more able, and more responsible.
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4th grade & 5th grade - FOREST RIDGE/Teamwork
“Tweens” entering the 4th and 5th grades are very much influenced by their environments – particularly their peer groups. Beginning middle school offers new challenges both academically and socially, and children are very much affected and influenced by the norms of their friends. At Camp Thoreau, we hone in on this age group’s need for a sense of belonging within a community. Teamwork is a character value that is of upmost importance in Forest Ridge. Longer periods and more extensive programming on our challenge course offer amazing opportunities for these campers to learn how to be successful both individually, and as a group. Campers are taught not only how to work together in an effective manner, but also how to appreciate the strengths and differences of others. Forest Ridge campers leave with a heightened sense of confidence and belonging, and are better equipped to work with a group in many different capacities.
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6th grade & 7th grade - SUMMIT/Respect
Many of our Summit campers were once in Neverland, Wildlife Valley and Forest Ridge… and so they have had many summers of learning and growing up at camp. The Summit years at Camp Thoreau are very special; campers look forward to the day when they can finally hike up to where the Summit group area is located… perched on a hill looking down at all of center camp. Summit campers are at an age when their relationships with their peers and their parents are changing… and they begin forming a view of themselves in the world. The Summit experience is about respect; respect for yourself, respect for others, respect for your counselors, and respect for your environment. At Camp Thoreau, we help Summit campers navigate through this exciting time in their lives by providing activities geared more toward “older kids.” Summit campers are afforded more overnights and out of camp trips, as well as more rigorous activities such as hiking and rock climbing. These activities and more provide a safe and fun setting for Summit campers to grow and learn from one another.
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8th grade & 9th grade - LIT/ Risk Taking
Our newest program at Camp Thoreau – Leaders in Training (LIT) – will expose young adults to the many different facets of leadership development through extended overnight trips, intensive challenge course initiatives, community service projects and through preparing and leading peer activities. Campers entering the 8th and 9th grades are at an age where there is a strong desire for risky activities – physical, intellectual and social. When provided with safe opportunities for risk, these campers have the opportunity to challenge themselves and each other in healthy ways and gain strength from these experiences. An extended overnight backpacking trip, standing up on stage and presenting in front of the entire camp, or designing a service project for camp are some examples of the ways in which LIT’s will be encouraged to step out of their comfort zones, and into a place of challenge and strength. Drawing on the leadership of highly skilled and enthusiastic staff, the LIT experience will be a culmination of all the character values learned in previous years at camp.
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10th grade - CIT (Counselors In Training)
This longstanding four week program focuses on developing leadership skills in young adults while directing them on a path toward working with children in a summer camp environment. Participants are exposed to working with different age groups and program areas, and will engage in weekly trainings with the CIT Director. Training topics will include: First Aid and CPR, child development, behavior management and program development. The goal of the CIT program is to equip participants with the tools they will need in order to be successful summer camp counselors.
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