SCAMP SPIRIT Spring 2023

Scamp Spirit

spring 2023

Hello Aloha Community!

I am writing to you from my dining room table, where my life in Australia is coming to a close and a new chapter in Vermont is opening a chapter that will have each of you in it and that makes me so excited!

Since starting my role as director, I’ve spent a lot of time talking with all sorts of people: those who will be back from last year, those who have never been to Aloha, those who are reentering after some time off (just like me), and those who won’t be back but have valuable stories to share. My goal in having these discussions is to learn about the people who have shaped our community, to build new relationships (or rekindle old ones) and to really listen to what Aloha means to every person I meet.

What I’ve taken from all these conversations is that people love and care deeply for Aloha. This is a huge asset, because it is each of you who creates the culture of our community each summer. We, collectively, are an ecosystem that is unique to that one year and everything we each bring is seen and felt by others. This means that each year is an opportunity.

While it’s been easier and easier to manage the physical health of our community since 2021, Covid has caused an emotional toll that we are still feeling, processing and healing from. Some of the things that can help us deal with stress are obvious laughter and joy, for example and these are baked into what camp has always offered and will continue to bring. It’s especially on display with our singing, dance parties, and Nancy’s Nightmare (which I’m already nervous about!)

However, I believe each member of our community also needs some new skills to thrive. And just like we learn to chop wood and build a fire in the Woodchuck Hole, I hope that we can build skills to help us feel like we can all be our best selves emotionally in 2023, with additional focus on personal development. I envision this to be mindful moments and group discussions in assembly, introvert breaks with reflection activities, and the overall feeling of being able to bring your camp-self back home a little bit more easily.

It’s with this idea in mind that I share our Aloha Foundation-wide theme of the summer “Choose Curiosity.”

To break this theme down, it is helpful to think about what the opposite of curiosity is. It can show up as judgement, closed-mindedness, and rigidity like making a simple story about someone based on the way they look or deciding that you are bad at archery before ever picking up a bow.

To me, Choosing Curiosity in any given moment consists of four key qualities:

Acceptance of the current situation

Personal responsibility of realizing the choices you do have (they always exist!)

Open-mindedness that perhaps what you see is only a part of the whole story and having the willingness to see other parts

Deep listening by recognizing the humanness in yourself and those around you

Therefore, instead of making a snap judgement about someone, we can Choose Curiosity by asking them about their interests without needing to have the same opinions.

Rather than deciding that we are bad at archery, Choosing Curiosity is having a willingness to go to an intro class and enjoy the newness of the experience. These small shifts lead to entirely different outcomes. Ultimately, curiosity drives connection (to others and within yourself) and that’s what Aloha is all about.

I’m excited to explore this in more depth, but don’t worry this isn’t homework! It will be hands-on, fun, and we will experiment with it together this summer.

Geography scramble!

This summer we’ll be mixing it up and making new friends from all over the country—and the globe! See if you can un-mix up the names of these states and countries some of our counselors will hail from! Will there be counselors coming from your part of the world?

U.S. STATES

1. sarnsaka

2. wknyero

3. rigivnai

4. cfiliaonra

5. rpnaemishwhe

6. iisnocwns

7. atsmcshaseuts

8. onaswngthi

9. cocntueictn

10. remtovn

11. coorloda

12. manadylr

13. nktekcuy

14. omgwiny

In the meantime, take a look at some of the stellar counselors we have joining our community from all corners of the globe, as well as some all-star folks returning for the first time since Covid. I’m thrilled to welcome back plenty of our incredible staff members from last year as well.

All of these people cannot wait to meet you (or see you again) and kick off Summer 2023. See you on the lake soon!

Aloha,

15. aofrild

OTHER COUNTRIES

1. sritlaaua

2. oxmice

3. gnmindkitdeou

4. tordhilenrnaenr

5. dnweezanl

6. ipans

Charlotte Messervy Director of Aloha

2023 Counselor extravaganza!

We’re so excited about all the amazing counselors we have coming to Aloha this summer! Some are joining us for the very first time, and some are returning after a little time away. Here’s just a small sample of all the wonderful folks we can’t wait to introduce you to!

ANA VACA teaches in Ecuador, the country of the Galapagos Islands where Charles Darwin refined his theories of evolution. She is thrilled to be joining an experiential learning environment here at Aloha! You can find her at the Art Barn this summer. She told us that she is really looking forward to being a camp counselor. “I am an educator at heart… from what I have heard from previous camp leaders, the experience is full of opportunities to teach with a different methodology than the traditional one and I love teaching and coaching!”

If Ana could be any mythological animal, she would be a dragon!

JADEN TONNER is from Largs, a small seaside town on the west coast of Scotland and looking forward to ALL the group activities, singing, and playing games with everyone!

“What drew me to the role is the chance to be there to support campers’ wellbeing. Being that safe person that a child feels they can open up to with any problems or feelings, and being there for them to make sure they feel supported and cared for whilst away from home is something that I would love to be a part of. I have a lot of compassion and patience for young people, and it would mean a lot to me to help guide them in a summer of unforgettable experiences.”

Jaden strives to embody resilience, compassion, and determination all qualities she associates with her mythological creature choice: a phoenix!

MARYAM USMAN is an industrial designer from Pakistan who will be heading up Woodworking this summer! As part of her degree, Maryam has done a lot of modelling and woodworking and brings the skills and confidence to teach and lead within the wood shop. Maryam also has her own online business selling papercrafts and stationery she loves all mediums for arts and crafts.

She says “I feel that nature has a deep connection to me and the power to help me grow. Happiness for me comes from taking in the sights and sounds of the natural world, I’m always happy when I look at nature and other living creatures!”

If Maryam could be any creature she’d be a unicorn because associates them with nature, and happiness (and cuteness)!

EDEN EDWARDS

was a counselor in 2019 and is rejoining us from New Zealand in the Kayaking department. In a letter to Char, Eden wrote: “I was so impressed by the everpresent theme of ‘girl power’ and leadership opportunities for the campers, especially Club. Every day I was in awe of how Aloha fostered young women to be their most authentic selves through confidence building and self-reflective activities like Wishing Fire.”

If Eden could be a mythological creature, she would be a Mer person because she loves all things water. It’s a long swim from Aotearoa (New Zealand), but you can count on Eden to bring her love of yoga, bouldering, and birthday cake decorating with her to the shores of Aloha!

ELLIE POHLIG is returning to us from Concord, Massachusetts as a counselor in Canoeing. A former subclubber in 2019, Ellie loves to read and make friendship bracelets during free time at camp. Ellie told us “Mythology has been one of my leading interests since my best friend introduced me to the Percy Jackson series (by Rick Riordan) in fourth grade. Greek and Roman mythology fascinate me to the point where I now study both Latin and Greek, and plan on majoring in Classics alongside Biology.”

If Ellie could be a mythological creature, she would be a (friendly!) dragon so she could fly around and see the world from a new perspective.

CHARLIE HAIGH will be spending the summer at Woodchuck Hole a favorite spot from their camp days. Charlie’s coming to camp from Bucks County, PA and loves to play board and card games. A reference had this to say: “Charlie is gentle, patient, and kind. Charlie is so very empathetic and will no doubt make even the most difficult situation with a camper as comforting and supportive as possible. Combine that empathy with a maturity and wisdom and you have a person who your organization would be proud to have.”

Charlie also loves to read and write stories especially fantasy stories! As a mythological creature in their own fantasy story, Charlie would probably be a sphinx (though a phoenix comes in a close second!).

HIKE A NEW MOUNTAIN

PADDLE, KAYAK, OR SAIL TO THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF LAKE MOREY CHAT WITH A FRIEND ON THE MAIN HOUSE’S PORCH SWING

INVENT A NEW AWKWARD DANCE MOVE WITH YOUR TENT FAMILY

INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO SOMEONE NEW EVERY DAY GO DOWN THE SLIDE AT SWIMMING

THROW A POT OR MAKE A PIECE OF JEWELRY IN ARTS & CRAFTS

DELVE INTO A BOOK AT REST HOUR

SIGN UP FOR A BIKE TRIP

MAKE A WISH AT WISHING FIRE

FIND A NAME YOU RECOGNIZE (OR SOMEONE WITH YOUR SAME FIRST NAME) ON THE NAME BOARDS IN THE HALE

LEARN OR TEACH A NEW CARD GAME

PRACTICE BUILDING THE PERFECT CAMPFIRE

MAKE A FRIENDSHIP BRACELET

GO ON A LAKE WALK

WAIT IN LINE FOR THE SALAD SHIP

TIE A FRIENDSHIP KNOT

PLAY SPUD

START A SONG WITH YOUR TABLE DURING A MEAL

TIE KNOTS IN BREAD WITH SHEL

SHOOT A BALLOON AT ARCHERY

ENTER THE CAMPER-COUNSELOR TENNIS TOURNAMENT

PERFORM AT ALOHA ENTERTAINS

HELP OUT DURING TABLE SETTERS

LEAD A SONG AT ASSEMBLY

STAR GAZE ON THE ATHLETIC FIELD

MAKE A S’MORE IN THE WOODCHUCK HOLE DECORATE YOUR NAMETAG

READ IN THE GARDEN DURING SCATTERED EVENING VISIT THE TREEHOUSE

WRITE A NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS SONG IN THE DINING HALL GO TO MUSIC APPRECIATION IN PERFORMING ARTS

WRITE A LETTER

CALL “A-LO-HA!” FROM THE BLUFF DRESS UP FOR A THEMED EVENING PROGRAM

DO A TENT FAMILY MEAL

LISTEN TO THE SOUND OF RAIN ON THE TENT FLAPS PLAY BADMINTON DURING 12-1

TRY TO VISIT EVERY DEPARTMENT AT LEAST ONCE!

LEARN THE NAMES OF EVERY CAMPER & COUNSELOR IN YOUR UNIT

with so much to do, what will you choose?

know your camp plants!

This summer you’ll be hiking and boating in the midst of beautiful mountain views, but don’t forget to take in the world beneath you too! Unique flowers and plants abound with their own unique traits, purposes, and abilities just like you! Here are just a few you’ll be able to spot around camp…

SPOTTED TOUCH-ME-NOT These orange, spotted flowers grow near water, and their name comes from the seed pods, which explode when they’re fully mature! The Spotted Touch-Me-Not is the flower of the Jewelweed, a plant whose leaves are “hydrophobic” meaning they can’t get wet. Test it by picking a leaf and holding it under water. While it’s underwater, the leaf looks silver! When you pull it out, the water drips off immediately. This plant is also sometimes used as a treatment to poison ivy.

RED CLOVER This flower is found all over camp! You can be extra sure you’ve found it because of its distinctive clover leaves, which always have three leaflets. Look for it particularly in fields and meadows.

TRUE FORGET-ME-NOT

Another flower found all over the place! These flowers grow in long clusters along a thin stalk, each with five blue petals and a yellow center. You can find this flower anywhere it’s damp. Check along the edge of the lake!

CLIMBING NIGHTSHADE You’ll find this flower growing on vines around the edges of camp. It grows in down-hanging clusters of purple blossoms with a yellow center. They look a bit like shooting stars. Although Climbing Nightshade is in the same family as deadly nightshade, it is not as poisonous. The mature berries and leaves do have a low level of toxins, but not enough to do harm to people. Still, please don’t eat them!

HEAL-ALL This flower is sometimes considered a weed, since it can and does grow almost anywhere. Its name comes from its use as an herbal medicine. Look for its mouth-like blossoms and its square stem (roll it between your fingers to check!). Keep an eye out in any freshly-mown field.

CAMP DATES 2023

FULL SEASON: Friday, June 23–Wednesday, August 9

1st SESSION: Friday, June 23–Sunday, July 16

2nd SESSION: Tuesday, July 18–Wednesday, August 9

Visiting weekend: Saturday, July 15–Sunday, July 16

If you think tennis courts are just for tennis think again! These dodgeball/street hockey/basketball courts have a use for everybody! And if you think that’s neat, wait until you see how much we can do with the mountains and lake!

alohafoundation.org