Touring Handbook (More Detail) 2023

Why Camp IHC?

Every year we have the pleasure of meeting many families looking to find the perfect summer camp for their child(ren). While we understand that this is an exciting time for families, it can also quickly turn into an overwhelming and confusing experience!

The purpose of this booklet is to help you understand:

1. The offerings at IHC that we feel make us rather unique

2. The questions to consider during your evaluation process

3. What to expect from Camp IHC if you choose to enroll your child in our outstanding program

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit our camp this summer. We hope, with anticipation, that our beloved camp becomes your child’s summer home in the future, and that this is the start of a long and meaningful relationship between your family and ours.

“My parents sent me to Camp IHC with roots to keep me grounded, and wings to help me fly.”

IHC Camper - Age 10

comparing apples to apples

Oftentimes touring families tell us that by the time they have looked at 3 or 4 camps they are beginning to feel a little overwhelmed, and that facts from one camp seem to merge into the others!

We feel strongly that although camps may at first appear similar, if looked at closely, most are actually very different. Even within Wayne County, where IHC is situated, you will not find another camp that has all the offerings of Camp IHC. We take great pride in offering the most quality summer experience for children ages 7 through 16, with the most comprehensive program offerings, and at the most competitive price. Indeed, we feel confident that the value for money at IHC is unrivaled by any other camp in our industry and we would like to highlight this to you in the following pages.

Expertise of Directors:

One of the most crucial questions parents should be asking camp Owners and Directors is “what is your training and how often do you update your qualifications?” Camp IHC is the only camp in the country to be owned and run by a qualified Clinical Psychologist (focusing on Child and Family Psychology) with two PhD’s. Lauren and Joel feel strongly that an industry standard should be that at least one member of a camp’s full time team has a qualification in clinical social work. As the individuals who are ultimately responsible for each child’s physical and emotional well-being, the Directors should have, at a minimum, an updated training of how children typically grow and develop. This may seem obvious to parents, however it is not often the case in our industry. Lauren has often commented that she feels her clinical training is far from a luxury for her role at IHC, but rather a necessary requirement. Lauren feels strongly that no one, other than those formally qualified, should consider Directing a summer camp, or any organization with a child’s health and wellbeing at the center. However, the quality of the expertise within the IHC Leadership ranks extends well beyond Lauren, many individuals in our team hold Masters in Education or Social Work. We would strongly encourage you to speak to one of our current families to ask them about their experience of working with IHC in preparing and supporting their children for summer camp. We are confident that they would communicate to you the quality of our expertise, and the direct impact that it had on 1 - their child’s success at IHC and 2 - the entire family’s sense of comfort and security during the vulnerable experience of sending your child away for the first time.

A Camp IHC summer is an outdoor experience that provides a balanced offering of instruction and participation.

our 4 Major Developed Program Areas

IHC has 4 major program areas consisting of Outdoor Adventure, Athletics, The Arts, and Aquatics. We are not ‘hyper-focused’ on any particular area, but rather we aim to provide campers, particularly at the younger age groups, a balanced exposure to all program offerings. Our program is progressive, meaning that each year campers will be exposed to new and more challenging activities. This helps keep the camping experience fresh and exciting. Our average camper spends a little less then a decade at IHC, and we believe this is a testament to our developmentally tailored approach to programming. Please find more details on each specific program area:

1. Outdoor Adventure

This specific program area clearly separates IHC from any of our competitors. Camp IHC has a program far more developed than a few climbing towers and a zip line. Our ropes course proudly offers over 40 climbing elements, a 5-stage zip tour and a comprehensive camping program. Campers experience the ropes course at all ages, however there is a progression each year so that children continue to feel challenged. We are the leader in the industry when it comes to ropes and outdoor adventure and our facility is often used in the pre and post season for corporate retreats aiming to engage in team building experiences.

Our camping program begins with our youngest campers. For the first three years, campers spend an evening under the stars, at various locations on camp, like our tree house and outpost. From 6th grade onwards they begin to venture further afield, starting with an overnight off camp trip, building up to 4 nights of camping in 9th grade. Our campers, led by our specialized outdoor adventure staff, hired specifically for this purpose, visit the best camping grounds PA and NY have to offer, and learn to rappel, cave, canoe, to name a few. It is during these times that our campers, whether an athlete or an artist, create memories of a lifetime. Camping is an adventure that most children today do not get to experience, despite the fact that it is exciting and magical. It is a traditional part of sleep away camp that is slowly disappearing in summer camp programs. At IHC, however, we feel strongly that camping is a central part of the summer camp experience and one that it timeless and ageless. None of these trips come with an extra charge to parents. This is all-inclusive in the tuition.

The pinnacle of our outdoor tripping program is our very own Teen Tour called Tribe West. Our campers, going into 10th grade experience an amazing 4 weeks out West, visiting breathtaking National Parks and cities. Campers come to camp at the beginning of the summer for 10 days, then head out West, before returning for Olympics and closing ceremonies. Both campers and parents tell us that this is the experience of a lifetime. What is better than going on your teen tour with your camp friends – and what better for a parent, than not having to worry about finding the right program for their 15-year-old son or daughter? The Tribe West program at IHC is the best teen tour in its class.

our 4 Major Developed Program Areas

2. Athletics

A common question asked by touring families is “how athletic is your program?” The Camp IHC approach to athletics is to focus on the separation of being ‘athletic’ from being ‘highly competitive’. As you can see from our facility, athletics plays a major role in our program. Our athletic facilities are second to none. Quality instruction is paramount at IHC. We want children to participate in athletics and learn the skills they need to perform well, while at the same time having FUN! Too many children today feel an immense pressure during year round sports. We believe when children are relaxed and enjoy their time in a coaching session they learn more easily and perform better. Being comfortable matters!

IHC does not believe in the ‘all or nothing’ approach to competition. Any camper who would like to be on an Inter or Intra camp team will be on that team. There are no tryouts. Due to our healthy enrollment we often have enough players to create more than one team per age group. The IHC teams are put together after skill and practice evaluations, in order to establish evenly balanced teams. IHC does not believe in A or B teams. ALL campers who sign up for a team will practice and all will have an opportunity to travel to another camp for athletic competition! In addition, we cap the number of campers per team so each and every player has quality time when they play. IHC does not send 20 campers to a basketball game (other camps do). This approach is out of alignment with our values, as players, regardless of ability, do not want to sit on the bench – they want to play!

By fielding multiple teams, and organizing hundreds of intercamp games in any given summer, IHC ensures that all children have their opportunity to play. Indeed, we schedule over 250 competitive Inter & Intra Camp games over the course of a summer. This includes the Wayne County League, Camp Invitational Tournaments, the 191 Series and other Wayne County Camp Games. Due to the size of our campus, the number of athletic fields and courts, our indoor tennis complex, and our indoor sports complex, IHC is able to host events most days of the summer, regardless of weather. We also have the logistical power to transport over 7 teams twice per day to other camp facilities. In our experience kids LOVE to play and compete, and we want to maximize their opportunities to do this over the course of a summer.

Our Athletic philosophy has served us very well over the years. IHC wins just as many Wayne Country Tournaments and Games as any other ‘sports focused’ camp. We are proud of our philosophy and take pleasure in watching our campers strengthen their skills & love for sports over the course of a summer.

Our athletic program has 3 requirements

— safety, fun, and participation. And balls, racquets, knee pads—OH YOU GET IT!

If

you can throw it, catch it, score it, or save it—we’ve got it.

our 4 Major Developed Program Areas

Athletics Daily Schedule

The amount of athletics in any given day varies based on the age group. Our youngest campers, going into 3rd through 5th grade, have a schedule written by IHC that offers a balanced program. Campers can expect to have at least two athletic periods in the course of a typical 6 period day. In addition all campers in this age group can pick one elective period a day called Club and Clinic. This allows the more athletically interested campers to spend more time on the fields, courts, etc. In addition, we offer ‘extra’ instruction during rest and shower hour each and every day. Campers who want to practice and play more often choose to spend these times on the fields, courts, etc. This is a structured time led by our coaches that focuses on fundamental skills development and advancement in their sport(s) of interest.

IHC strongly believes that campers should be exposed to all of camps offerings in the early years. Many of our campers will try something new at camp for the very first time. Some children, for example, learn that they are a phenomenal climber, something they might not yet have discovered at home. Others may discover a love of waterskiing or wake boarding! We want to continue to provide this wellrounded experience to our younger campers and protect the traditional aspects of the sleep away camp experience.

As campers return year after year (Grade 6th through 12th) they gain more control in designing their own schedule. The IHC teenage program allows campers to design their entire schedule 3 days per week. We understand that by this time campers know what they like (and don’t like) and we want to support their interests and passions at the next level. We continue to stress the importance of participation; we do not want campers coming to IHC to sit around all summer. Experience has taught us that teenagers are more motivated to participate when they have more ownership of their schedule. This in turn means children who continue to enjoy sports choose athletic activities for the majority of their summer.

our 4 Major Developed Program Areas

3. Creative Arts

Creative Arts at IHC includes Arts and Crafts, Fine Arts, Jewelry Making, Leather Making, Candle Making, Wood Working, Ceramics, Rocketry, Tie-Dye, Sand Sculptures, Sewing, S.T.E.M...the list is endless. Creative Arts also encompasses our extensive Dance, Theatre, Cooking and Recording Studio. Our aim is to make campers feel that when they are at any particular program area – that they have all the offerings of a specialized camp. E.g. when at dance you should feel like you are at a dance camp – when cooking they should feel like they are at a cooking camp etc.

Our philosophy at IHC is that when choosing a camp like ours, with a price point like ours, you should not have to sacrifice one thing for another. The program offerings across all areas should have high quality facilities and instruction.

We put on 3 major theatre performances, and 2 major dance recitals over the course of the summer. With regards to theater, all campers participate in 3rd and 4th grade, with 5th graders and above choosing to audition for roles. Involvement in these productions extends beyond being on stage with campers choosing to be involved in staging, lighting, sound, scenery etc.

Dance recitals and competitions are open to all age groups, for both girls and boys, and campers have the choice to participate in these performances. As you may be aware, we have some extremely talented dancers at IHC and therefore these recitals are often exceptional.

Having our very own Sound Studio (Studio IHC) has been an amazing addition. Children will learn to write and record music. In addition, we have a DJ Room, where campers learn to mix thier own music like a world class DJ. This will go hand in hand with our Camper media lab, that boasts 15 Mac computers within which our campers learn to design websites and shoot and edit movies, develop pod casts and more.

Whether it’s on canvas, wood, clay, or stage—there is no shortage of opportunities to let your creative flag fly!

in our beautiful spring-fed lake or in our heated pool water time is always a good time at IHC.

our 4 Major Developed Program Areas

4. Aquatics

Whether it’s in our beautiful natural spring-fed lake or in our heated pool - water time is always a good time at IHC. In 2018 we added a NCAA Short Course swimming pool. Not only does this pool offer 8 lanes for instructional swim and competition, it also is the only pool in our industry sporting a 15 foot climbing wall!!! IHC’s formal swim instruction is based on the American Red Cross swimming program, taught by experienced and skilled instructors. In addition to formal swim lessons, we also hold swim team practices and host competitive swim meets. Our campers are able to gain a more competitive learning experience and maintain and grow their skills for their return after the summer to their club & school teams.

While “free swim” is a camper favorite, occurring for an hour every afternoon (by age and gender) our certified lifeguards will also help your child become a stronger, safer, and more confident swimmer throughout the summer.

We are located on a beautiful, private, spring-fed lake, which is the ideal setting for children to gain experience in a variety of waterfront activities. We have a fleet of three Championship Ski Nautique Ski Boats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and all the equipment your camper requires to go tubing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, or knee boarding.

Want some more? FINE! How does bouncing on our full-size trampoline and being launched into the lake with our blob sound? They can also scale our ‘cool’ Iceberg or make a splash by heading down our 50-foot WATER SLIDE!!!!!

our 4 Major Developed Program Areas

I like it…. I love it…

Our philosophy at IHC is focused on developing the entire child and exposing them to all the activities we offer. They might not know that they’ll love ceramics, or that they are a natural on the stage until they are encouraged to try it. Often overlooked however, is the other side of that coin: What are we doing to foster and develop the passions they already have?

Group Instruction: Every summer, dozens of campers request extra instruction in their various activities. From dance and soccer to movie making and woodworking, IHC coaches and staff are thrilled to provide this extra instruction for your child within a group or team framework. There is no additional charge for this type of skill development, its all just part of the IHC experience. We have a number of campers, for example, who are competitive swimmers, and these children take part in extra group swim training in the early morning.

One on One Lessons: Each year we hear over and over from parents and coaches who want their athletes to continue to develop their skills and hone their game so they are prepared to compete when school starts. In order to get our campers the specific, specialized training they need, we offer optional one-on-one lessons with IHC coaches.

Specialized Clinics: Each summer we offer specialized clinics to all campers. These are in depth, focused clinics, that typically run over 2 or 3 days, where specialists from outside the camping industry come to camp to intensively coach. Campers have the opportunity to sign up for these clinics if they wish. IHC is proud to include these clinics as part of our program. There is no additional cost for your child to participate in these clinics and no limit to the number of clinics that he/she can sign up for. Examples of clinics include, but are not limited to: soccer, lacrosse, basketball, flag football, cooking, music, rock and roll, dance, horse back riding, drumming, magic, singing, gymnastics etc.

Tennis at IHC: Tennis is a ‘life long’ sport that we want all campers to have exposure to in a fun-filled manner in hopes of them developing a ‘love of the game’. We want campers to learn the sport at a young age, as it will serve them well in the future.

IHC breaks our tennis program into group (bunk) lessons and private (one-on-one) lessons. Our youngest campers will receive highlevel group instruction at least 3 times per week. Our older campers can choose to play 2 – 3 times per day.

IHC tennis coaches instruct under the supervision of our USPTA / PTR certified professional director of tennis. We hire a minimum of 16 tennis staff each year. IHC’s tennis facility consists of 11 Lighted Outdoor and 4 Indoor Courts. We are the only camp in the industry with an indoor tennis complex; simply put, we want IHC’s tennis program to be the premier experience in the camp industry. We offer intense private instruction taught by certified instructors for those campers who wish to take their game to the next level.

an opportunity to enhance your childs individual abilities in a safe, stress-free environment.

IHC CLINICS

Basketball Clinics

With our basketball clinics, campers will not only develop their individual skills but we will also be emphasizing teamwork, skill improvement, sportsmanship, and communication.

Soccer Clinic

Skill specific training for campers who want even more Skill Development. Everything they do is designed to maximize the sporting potential of individual players, teams, clubs & coaches.

GOLF TRIPS

Open to advanced upper lake and hill campers only. Hit the links and play 9- or 18- holes at prestigious local area golf courses.

DANCE/HIPHOP

IHC runs professional level clinics that not only provide instruction, but a performance and opportunities to compete as well.

LACROSSE CLINIC

Skill specific training for campers who want even more Skill Development. Everything they do is designed to maximize the sporting potential of individual players, teams, clubs & coaches.

Gymnastics Clinic

Helping take our gymnastics minded campers to the next level. Our coaches will focus on developing the individual skills and needs of the gymnasts during this clinic.

Theater behind the scenes with Mark Kaufman

Mark is the executive vice president at Warner Bros and he is also a IHC parent! He has been a key player in many Broadway musicals including Hairspray, Beetlejuice and Elf.

PATH TO RHYTHM

A variety of drums and percussion instruments provide every camper in the group to join the drum jam! Everybody has a unique rhythm, you’ll get to find yours!

Music Program

In 2019 we opend up our brand new recording studio. Campers had opprtunities to develop and refine their music skills, including producing the music their minds create.

HORSEBACK RIDING

Upper lake campers will have the opportunity to hone their riding skills with lessons at a nearby stable.

baseball Clinics

Skill specific training for campers who want even more Skill Development. Everything they do is designed to maximize the sporting potential of individual players, teams, clubs & coaches.

Cooking Clinics

Designed to expand on our ever popular cooking elective, the expert chefs will help our campers improve their culinary skills!

Whether you want to improve your skills and techniques,or try something totally new and fun, we have clinics for you!

All of these clinics and program enhancements WITH THE exceptION OF private lessons are included in tuition.

explore, love, and appreciate the natural world we live in.

camper trips & Friday Night traditions

Camper Trips

Although IHC has an abundance of program offerings on campus, we do take the opportunity throughout the summer to take campers off campus on occasion. Starting with our youngest divisions, we take day adventures to areas nearby to add to the camp experience. This includes a day at Dorney Park and at least two Mystery Bus Rides! Mystery Bus Ride destinations are close in proximity to camp and offer the very best of attractions that the Endless Mountains of PA has to offer. In the past, the mystery bus rides have traveled to water parks, baseball games, beaches at state parks, zoos, and even local coal mine museums and fun parks. Obviously if we told campers exactly where they were going it wouldn’t be a mystery, but trust us, our campers love these experiences and look forward to the variation from the daily schedule!!! All of these trips are included in our tuition.

Our off camp trips for our teenage program are a little more advanced, with our Senior campers (8th grade) enjoying a 4 Day trip to Burlington, Vermont. The following year, our Varsity campers (9th grade) take a 4-day trip to Boston, Massachusetts. These trips provide a great opportunity for our campers to, for example, visit historic sites, enjoy a dinner cruise, eat Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream directly from the source, all safely under the guidance of IHC staff. Indeed these trips for the 8th and 9th graders, offered at a slight additional cost, have been a huge success over the years.

Friday Night Traditions

Camp IHC is steeped in tradition. We have been in existence for over 78 years, and we still observe important traditions that remain central to the IHC experience. From the Birthday Song, to the Lost Tooth Song, to our Olympic Games and bunk plaques dating back to the 1950s, the history of our camp can be felt from the moment you step onto our campus. Friday nights are extra special nights at Camp IHC. We enjoy a traditional Shabbat dinner, although at IHC we have always affectionately called this ‘Friday Night Dinner’. Every camper and staff member takes part in this tradition, where we light candles and say a prayer in both Hebrew and English. Following this dinner we all head to our Campfire, where we celebrate the wonder of being at camp and talk about our values such as acceptance, kindness, responsibility, integrity and giving back to the community. These values are all central to the IHC culture and community. IHC is designed for every child, from every background. We are an inclusive environment, and a community so special that many parents who experienced a North East camp in childhood, choose Camp IHC to be their child’s connection to this meaningful experience.

Camper retention

Camper Retention

We encourage you to question camp Directors about their camper retention numbers. Camper retention tells touring families a lot about the actual quality of the camps program, at each age group. A summer camp program should be progressive, changing slightly each year to meet the social and physical needs of the child.

Camp IHC is proud to maintain an above 98% camper retention. Last summer this was 98.7%! This is unheard of in our industry. The reality is that once a camper enrolls at IHC in 3rd or 4th grade, they are likely to be with us for, on average, 8 summers. This speaks volumes for our carefully tailored program. Oftentimes touring families may become focused on the needs of their 7 or 8 year old, forgetting that full season sleep away camping is actually a decision that requires longitudinal thinking. We encourage families to press the Directors on how their program meets the needs of their child(ren) through the developmental stages.

A good way to gauge whether or not a camp is retaining it’s current campers is to ask about how many new children are being enrolled for the following summer. If the number is around 100 or above – it’s a clear indicator that these camps expect significant drops in older age groups. At IHC it’s essentially a simple math problem – i.e. the number of kids aging out at our CIT level equals the number of new campers we are enrolling in our younger divisions – we are confident that everyone else is returning.

This phenomenon at IHC is also one of the reasons through which we can create such close bonds with our campers and their families. Sometimes parents ask us how we get to know all the children so well. The reality is that we are only getting to know a small number of new children on any given year. It’s very manageable for our leadership staff, which has enabled us to create that close tight knit and intimate community that we are so proud of and thankful for.

as soon as you step in, you’re a part of the Camp IHC Family.

Navigating Homesickness

It is not surprising to parents, upon hearing of our retention numbers, that Camp IHC has a fabulous reputation for helping campers conquer homesickness. Our theory assumes that all younger campers, and some older campers, will experience some form of homesickness over the summer. For our younger campers, 90% of this homesickness will be transitional, meaning that during the first few days of camp, and then again following visiting day, campers feel sad and a little lost in their new surroundings. We encourage parents to remember that it is not the experience of these feelings that is the salient piece in the homesickness equation – in fact this is a typical emotional journey and one that children often expect to experience – but rather that our campers feel supported, safe and guided through this experience from the adults around them. When children feel a sense of trust, warmth and security from the adults caring for them, they easily begin to feel better, and gain confidence quickly. We train our staff in how to detect homesickness in children (not all children present it in the same way) and we give them the tools to master the technique of helping a child conquer homesickness. Joel and Lauren, along with the Head Counselors are also intricately involved in the day-to-day lives of our campers when they are with us. They are in the bunks at bedtime, tucking the campers in, and chatting about their day. We encourage parents to reassure their campers in advance of the summer, that Lauren and Joel will be their bunk at bedtime. There is nothing more powerful for a child than when you follow through with your promise! When campers see Lauren and Joel come in on the first night, their anxieties automatically reduce, and in their mind they are thinking; “mommy and daddy said they would show up, and they have!” Children will hold you to your word, and if they see you meant what you said – they feel so much more secure.

For a smaller group of children, homesickness will take a little longer to subside. Of course, the beginning strategy to conquer this more acute homesickness will follow a similar pattern to above. However, it will continue for longer and also include a few more in depth approaches. One may include camp asking for you, the parent, to partner with us in helping transition your child. We will be communicating to you by phone the progress that your child is making. We will be giving you the details in relation to when and where we see the pattern of homesickness spiral, and we will be asking you to do specific things to help us navigate this. For example, we will have been spending lots of time with your child and Lauren, Joel and the Head Counselors will have been to many activities with their group. We will share with you the moments that your child succeeded e.g. she jumped over the vault in gymnastics for the first time and the smile on her face lit up the room. We will then ask you to write to your child a letter (which we will deliver that day to your camper) within which you will say “Lauren has told us you are missing home but that you are doing your best to get through this. We know Lauren has been helping you with this and we are so so proud of you. Lauren also told us that you were amazing in gymnastics and that you were one of the best at the vault! We can just see you now looking so amazing. We are so proud”. This letter, with its familiar information will help your child feel more comfortable. They realize that there is an honest and open communication between camp and home. It’s very comforting for children. This is an approach we use often, and one that has a tremendous success rate. With that being said, we do have many other strategies that we can utilize should your child require some additional help in overcoming their homesickness and finally indulging in the wonder of the camp experience!

children need a safe place to spread their wings so they can experience the best that life has to offer.

Addressing mean spirited behavior

One other major area for concern for parents revolves around the forming of cliques or exclusive behavior. When campers first come to IHC we don’t expect them to get everything right at first. This is a new experience. They have never lived with a group of other children for a prolonged period of time before. We view the first summer as an opportunity to teach campers how to be a good bunk brother or sister, and a good community member. We help children understand that differences in personality from your own does not necessarily mean that the other child is mean. The world is made up of both extroverts and introverts –and camp is no exception! If we see any form of behavior at camp that we deem to be out of alignment with our values of acceptance, warmth and kindness, we will meet with that camper privately and clearly point out the situation where they did not act appropriately. Even from a young age it is very important that the adults are very clear with the child. There can be no talking around the issue. Children deserve to know the specifics about where they went wrong, how this could have negatively affected someone else, and how to resolve this moving forward. This is an investment in learning! It sets the foundations for the many years your child has ahead of them at IHC.

As campers get older however, they are far more aware of what is acceptable and what is not. We believe that camp is a choice. If you choose to be part of our community, camper or staff, it means that you choose to live by our values. We will continue to provide our older campers with specific feedback about any unfavorable behaviors, and offer them the choice of changing that behavior or choosing to opt out of camp. Parents will be involved in this process so that there is complete transparency between all parties. In addition, all older campers and their parents will sign a behavior contract before the summer commences. This ensures that there is clarity in what is expected of our campers during both the summer and off-season months. Needless to say, our campers love the community that we have built, they look forward to being in their happy place, and our retention highlights that they are all willing to step up and be responsible for their actions. Our Stand Up IHC program tailored specifically for each developmental age group provides campers with a frame work to guide them into becoming a kind, considerate and inclusive IHC camper.

Geographic diversity

As you walk down the bunk line, you will begin to see the widespread appeal of Camp IHC. We attract campers from 12 different states; NY, NJ, CT, MD, PA, NC, GA, FL, IL, AZ, UT and CA. We find that we enroll children from any community who are familiar with the full season sleep away experience. Many campers have at least one parent who grew up attending full season sleep away camp in the North East, and therefore want to expose their own children to this remarkable experience!

By expanding your child’s circumference in geographic areas that may not mirror their own, campers return home more confident, independent and mature. At Camp IHC, children immediately see that they have the freedom to explore new interests, new friendships with the opportunity to step outside the confines of social cliques to discover who they are instead of who they are supposed to be. This self-discovery cultivates an understanding and appreciation of others that is in alignment with the value system at Camp IHC. In short, we believe that camp friendships should be special friendships, different from home friendships, within which children are free to re-invent themselves as they choose.

The Camp IHC community has the unique ability to successfully bring together individuals from varying geographic backgrounds where authentic friendships are born that never would have been forged otherwise. These friendships stretch far beyond a child’s years at summer camp. Indeed, they last a lifetime.

step outside the confines of social cliques to discover who they are instead of who they are supposed to be.

connecting your child with the friends that they choose.

Staying connected

Staying Connected Throughout the Year

At Camp IHC we feel there is great value in staying connected throughout the year. We host a number of off-season events during the Fall, Winter and Spring months. In early fall we host a fall Foliage picnic at camp. Families are our guests for the day, enjoying a day of climbing on the ropes course, arts and crafts, boating, tennis and basketball to name just a few. We also enjoy a BBQ lunch together and even a hay wagon ride to our very own pumpkin patch! This is an especially great event for new campers as it allows the opportunity to become more familiar with our campus and our amazing staff. We also host a Florida Pool Party in the winter months for our Florida families and North East families enjoying vacation over the holiday. In March we host a bowling event in NYC followed by a yummy pizza party. To complete the off-season events we host a final picnic at camp, this time called Spring Picnic. During this event families can again enjoy all of camps offerings, and immediately following lunch our campers separate from parents and enjoy some icebreaker games with our Leadership Staff. This is a great way for new campers to become familiar with key staff who will be working with them over the summer, as well as being introduced to other children in their division. We strongly encourage parents of new campers to allow us to do the introductions during this event. Oftentimes when parents try to create play dates before camp, unnecessary problems arise. We are firm believers in letting camp do what we do best – connecting your child with the friends that they choose and letting the process occur naturally when the summer begins.

Family Camp

Camp IHC is proud to offer an exclusive Family Camp experience over Memorial Day Weekend. This camp experience is only open to IHC families. Families interested in spending this amazing weekend at camp, rent out a cabin from Friday to Sunday and enjoy a full program of activities and events. IHC is proud to offer 5 star services. Indeed, this is a very special event, and one that many families choose to return to year after year. The popularity of this experience is so great that we encourage families to sign up as soon as enrollment becomes active. More information about this event can be found on our website.

Staying connected

New Parent Night

We host a New Parent night every year in February for parents of our first year campers. It is a great opportunity for new parents to spend time with Lauren, Joel and our Leadership Staff, asking questions that will help ease their first year jitters. Don’t worry if you cannot attend this event – we repeat the session at the Spring Picnic when the campers are out playing icebreaker games with our staff.

Big Brother/Sister Mentorship Program

Our Big Brother/Big Sister Program enables each new camper to get acquainted with an older camper who has experienced IHC for many summers. Each ‘Big’ camper will be paired with a ‘little’ camper sometime in early Spring, and will subsequently contact their ‘little’ camper before camp starts. This gives younger campers an opportunity to ask any questions or concerns that they might have and feel a sense of comfort knowing that they have this connection going into the summer. During the summer we host events where camp siblings can spend time together. They will also visit their camp sibling at bedtime to say goodnight. This experience has been a huge success in years past, and is a valuable addition to our program.

Phone calls/Mail/Emails

Parents often ask how often they will be in touch with their child over the course of the summer. At IHC campers have up to (2) two phone calls over the summer. They are also required to write to you at least (3) three days a week on ‘red letter days’. These letters MUST be to mom and/or dad. Campers can also choose to send additional letters to other family and friends but these will not count as ‘red letters’.

Parents can also email their camper every day. We print out the emails and deliver them just like mail. Campers cannot return emails – they can only write letters. We encourage you to write a mixture of emails and letters as children LOVE receiving real letters in the mail!

A home away from home, where the bunk boys or girls are your brothers and sisters.

Staff Selection and Staff/Camper Ratio

One can never underestimate the importance of hiring quality staff! After all, it’s these young men and women who are living in the cabins with our campers. They make or break the summer!

We proudly have a 2:1 camper to staff ratio. For our younger age group you can expect to have a minimum of 4 staff members living in the bunk with your child.

One of the other advantages of having campers stay with us until they are CIT’s relates to the fact that many will eventually return as staff members. Often we are able to have a former camper in most of our bunks. This is invaluable. It helps create an incredible spirit at camp, where traditions are passed through the generations. Former campers also have a unique way of relating to younger campers, and are able to guide them through their first year experience. We are grateful for our former campers continued involvement and commitment to our camp.

We also hire staff members from various teaching schools across the United States, as well as students from the UK, Australia and New Zealand. All our potential staff go through a rigorous application process. We are the only camp in the country who is traveling to both the UK and Australia each year to meet the applicants in person. We believe in this face-to-face interview. Applicants can appear great on paper or on skype interview, but nothing can provide more insight into the genuine warmth in an applicant than an in person meeting. Warmth is crucially important for applicant to be successful at sleep away camp. Former campers will attest to this!

IHC is proud to have over 40% of staff members return each year. This is a very high retention rate for our industry and on average each staff member will spend 3 years with us. We treat our staff members very well. Our theory is that if we expect our staff members to treat our campers with the utmost respect and warmth, then we should in turn be treating them that way also. At IHC we believe that we are serving three groups of people over the course of our summer: our campers, our camper families, and our staff. All three groups should feel the positive impact that camp can have in our lives.

facilitating the development of relationships, enhancing a positive self-image.

Health and emergency procedures

Camp IHC is 17 miles from Wayne Memorial Hospital; this is a straight drive South on 191 and very easily accessible. Because of our location we have ambulance services’ from many townships, meaning that arrival time, from emergency call to onsite emergency service personnel arrival, is optimal. In the unlikely event that we require to airlift an individual from campus, Camp IHC does NOT need to wait for the ambulance service to request this call. We have a private agreement with Air Method Corps, so that in the unlikely event we encounter a serious medical situation, we can immediately request the helicopter be placed on standby should we, or local EMS, determine an airlift is required, thus significantly reducing any delay. If families are concerned about emergency procedures, it is important that they ask this question during the tour, as it may not naturally be brought up in the touring process.

It is important to us at IHC that you are aware that your child(ren)’s health and safety is carefully protected throughout the summer by our highly trained staff, consisting of two - 24 hour onsite Doctors, a team of 8 nurses, and numerous First Responders and Lifeguards e.g. ALL of our outdoor adventure and waterfront staff are American Red Cross Waterfront Lifeguard & Professional 1st Aid & CPR. In addition, our outdoor adventure staff are qualified Wilderness First Responders. At no time during the summer is a camper out of reach of a staff member with 1st Aid and CPR training or within minutes from our Health Center. All our staff know where to locate the nearest EPI-Pen in case of an allergic reaction, or obtain an AED in case of a Cardiac Emergency.

Our Health Center Director and Head Nurse ia a member of our Full Time team. This means parents have year round access to her should they have medical concerns for their camper, that require careful planning for the upcoming summer. Parents often comment on how helpful it is for year round access to our medical team, and subsequently the transition into camp in June is much smoother for all.

It is also reassuring for parents to know that our own Maintenance Department is made up of local firefighters and EMS responders. We also take the training of our Emergency Procedures very seriously. All our staff is trained on how to respond during a fire, inclement weather, and medical emergency and even in the extreme and unlikely case of an intruder. Everyone on campus knows his or her own role and responsibilities during any emergency.

We view all of the above like valuable insurance – you always have it although you are unlikely use it.

we understand the importance of professional health staff and equipment.

creating a healthy and balanced diet is our priority, as is meeting dietary requirements.

Food Service & Special Dietary Requirements

Camp IHC takes great pride in our excellent food service. Not only do we provide nutritious and tasty meals for our campers and staff throughout the summer, we also host weddings, Bar /Bat Mitzvahs’ and corporate retreats without any assistance from outside caterers. People often don’t think of a summer camp being able to provide 5 star cuisines, but at IHC this is the norm. We offer an abundance of options for our campers at every meal. We work hard to create a tasty balanced diet, ensuring that children always have access to healthy options. Fruit is available for campers throughout the day and we vary the fruit options twice weekly.

Many children today will come to camp with an allergy or special dietary requirement. This can be very anxiety provoking for parents. At IHC we hire two specialist chefs to prepare all the meals for children with an allergy or special dietary requirement. Our Head Specialist Chef has the qualifications to work in this area, and also returns to IHC every year. This is great from a consistency standpoint and he gets to know the campers very well over the years. Parents also have direct access to this chef, as well as the Food Allergy Director. It’s important to note that we do not make a big scene when it comes to special food requirements – we don’t want our campers to feel isolated. All meals and snacks offered to these campers will be a safe version of what the rest of the camp is eating. In addition, the Food Allergy Director is available in the dining room to answer questions for campers should they be concerned about a particular meal and require some extra reassurance.

IHC has been a Nut Free campus for nearly 20 years. We do not serve any food containing nuts, or produced in a facility that produces nut products. Many years ago this was relatively difficult to achieve, however today it is much easier with the abundance of nut free products now available on the market.

IHC West & Cit program

IHC West

As mentioned in the Outdoor Adventure section, IHC provides a Teen Tour Experience for campers entering 10th grade. Our Tribe West Program provides a balance of wilderness & urban adventure. Tribe West campers will spend time rafting down the Colorado River, Mountain Biking in Utah, Horseback Riding in Bryce Canyon, surfing in San Diego, and hiking in National Parks like, Zion, Arches, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. The urban adventures start in Denver/ Boulder and the journey takes us to the the bright lights of Vegas, the Gas Lamp District in San Diego, and the Bay Area of San Francisco, with so much more in between. Children are only eligible to go on this trip if they have attended IHC for the years prior, so no children new to IHC would be permitted on TW.

Our Counselor In Training (CIT) Program

For campers going into 11th grade, this program is designed to inspire and provide each camper with leadership opportunities, while spending their summer at the happiest place on planet Earth! The CIT program includes fun, informational and life long learning experiences such as leading all camp Special Events (Sing & Olympics), getting a head start on University research with our College Tours, building a philanthropic connection with Project Morry through visiting Morry’s Camp, and hosting Project Morry campers at IHC. The College Tour component of our CIT program is of huge benefit to campers and their families, and helps to start the important process of familiarizing campers with University options for the coming year. We run two College tours over the course of the summer, with campers visiting a minimum of 2 schools per trip.

In addition to all of this, and perhaps the most impactful part of it all, CIT’s assist in the mentoring and caring for IHC’s youngest campers and pass on meaningful traditions to the little campers who adore them. Our CIT program is designed to guide our life long campers in developing an appreciation of both the wonders of being a final year camper, while also recognizing the importance of maturing and launching independently into young adulthood.

ADVENTURE AWAITS

JUST AROUND THE BEND

you’re a part of the Camp IHC Family.

Thank you for taking the time and interest to read our Touring Parent Handbook. We hope that you have found this information useful. It is almost an impossible task to communicate all we have to share about our incredible camp. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have additional follow-up questions or comments. We would love to hear from you.

We genuinely hope that you will arrive at the decision to make Camp IHC your child’s home away from home, and that your family begins the journey of developing a love for our deeply treasured camp.

With Gratitude

Lauren & Joel, Leadership Team, Staff, Campers, Camp Families and Alum