2016 Upper Camp Vedette (Issue 2)

Vedette The

Deck + Unit Reports // Someone You Should Know Being Band // The Full Culver Experience

Horsemanship saddles up on another perfect morning in Culver!

Issue 2 July 22, 2016

The Time is NOW!

It all seems to be blowing by, wouldn’t you agree? Homecoming Weekend has come and gone and the end of camp is quickly approaching. Emotions are mixed. Do we feel anxious about departing? Joyous about having cell phones and air conditioning a regular part of our lives? How are we supposed to feel?

Instead of all the questions we urge you to live in the moment. Think about what is happening right now and who you are with. Be present and active in the Culver community. When the time comes to look back on your camp experience we’d hate for you to look back and think all you did the second half of camp was wish for the end or worry about having to leave.

It is a lot easier said than done but keep in step and keep your chin up, these next couple weeks will be fun, busy, and the best you’ve ever had.

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The Vedette // Culver Summer Schools & Camps

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

June 5

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7

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12

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29

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Junior Woodcraft Camp Begins

Mass / Chapel Muslim Services C-swim U-Pictures W Opening Ceremony

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W Classes Begin U Class Walk Through U Opening Ceremony

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Mass / Chapel Constructive Meditation Muslim Services

3 Mass / Chapel Constructive Meditation Muslim Services Permits

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4

U Classes Begin U Retreat

U Retreat

5

6

Junior Woodcraft Camp Final Day

W / U Retreat

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11

17

18

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Camper Registration 8-5 Multipurpose Carillon Recital

Jewish Services

July 1

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No U Permits Mass / Chapel Muslim Services Constructive Meditation W Final Band Concert W Drill Down U Gold Star Ceremony

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2

Carillon Recital Permits Garrison Parade W Council Fire

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Garrison Parade

Jewish Services

W / U Retreat

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13

14

15 W / U Retreat

U Retreat

HOMECOMING PARENTS WEEKEND Town Lake Fest Jewish Services

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19 U Troop Hike

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No U or W Permits Carillon Recital Garrison Parade W Council Fire

Jewish Services

Ann M. Smitson Moonlight Serenade 8:30 pm

HOMECOMING WEEKEND Mass / Chapel Muslim Services Constructive Meditation Town Lake Fest U Troop Hike

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Carillon Recital W Council Fire

Mass / Chapel Constructive Meditation Muslim Services

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SATURDAY

10

8

U Retreat

Independence Day Ceremony

W / U Retreat

FRIDAY

U Troop Hike

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U First Class Dinner U Retreat U Communications Relay

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U Horse Show W/U Final Day of Classes Camp Play-Shrek the Musical

Notes: Religious Services Times: 9:00 AM Sundays Catholic Mass 10:30 AM Sundays Protestant Chapel 10:30 AM Sundays Muslim Services 9:00 AM WC, Sundays Constructive Meditation 10:00AM UC, Sundays Constructive Meditation 6:00 PM Fridays Jewish Services Carillon Recitals are at 4:00pm on Saturdays.

Please refer to the Culver Summer Portal for the Homecoming and Commencement Schedules at summer.culver.org

22 U Girls Hike

U Girls Hike

U Retreat

W Pow-wow U Retreat U Girls Great Race U Pegasus Challenge

21 W / U Retreat

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Jim Henderson Day Final Garrison Parade W/U Final Awards W Kline Relay U Final Band Concert U Final Ball U First-Class Bonfire

Jewish Services U Girls Hike W Talent Show

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HOMECOMING PARENTS WEEKEND Town Lake Fest Carillon Recital Homecoming Garrison Parade W Council Fire

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No U Permits Carillon Recital U Honor Organization Garrison Parade W Council Fire

29 W/U Graduation

Garrison Parades are at the Henderson Parade Field at 7:00pm.

W Retreat Parades are Thursdays at 8:00pm.

W Awards are at the Woodcraft Amphitheater on Sundays at 7:00pm W Council Fires are at 9:30pm at the Council Ring.

U Retreat Parades are Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:15pm at the Oval *W= Woodcraft Camp *U= Upper Schools

Culver observes Eastern Daylight Time: (574) 842-8300 / (800) 221-2020 | FAX: (574) 842-8462 | summer@culver.org | www.culver.org/summer

Contact: summer@culver.org

TheUpdated Vedette01-20-16 // Culver Summer Schools & Camps

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Jacob Fleck

Someone to Know

By Ziad Mamlouk kind of person who will help your no matter what the obstacle is or however long it takes. Every upper classman I have met always talks about how great Jacob is, and even the 3rd classmen look up to him as a role model. Jacob always has a story that will make you want to hear even more.

You might know him by many names, but I prefer to call him “The Ginga Ninja”. This year Jacob Fleck (Louisville, Kentucky), is a first classman in Aviation, and in week 2 was selected as Regimental Mess Officer. He is the kind of person to cheer you up even when you are having the worst of days.

If it’s making you laugh with a story or just saying something silly he will al- Even though he might not show it, ways brighten up your day. He is the he is an amazing athlete. Recently, in

a basketball game against Troop, he played outstandingly. When all the third classmen came into the meeting room on the first day of camp, Jacob answered all of our questions, and gave us advice in surviving the remainder of camp that most of us still use today. Even when unit meetings seem sad, Jacob always shares a joke that cheers up all of us. All in all, Jacob is an outstanding person.

The Vedette // Culver Summer Schools & Camps

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Unit Reports

Naval 1’s summer has been going very well so far with many wins in athletics and with the military banner, the “Awesome One” unit is giving all it’s got this summer. Everyone is very close with one another with the first classmen always checking up on the second and third classmen making sure their rooms are great for P.I and G.I. Athletic events and the mud run are great times of bonding within the unit and everyone always gets one step closer when they cheer for one another.

Naval 2’s summer has been a little rough for them but has gone very well for them otherwise. They all cooperate together and work as a “super” group to play sports and be there for one another. The mud run was a very positive way to make the unit come together but the passing of one of their unit members brought everyone together as brothers.

Naval 3 is winning most of the sports they have played. Fadi Nuql (Amman, Jordan), always there for his unit and shows what being a true leader means.

Naval 4 is doing well in sports. They are a good company and it was tough to decide who the main leader is, but Fernando Ramirez show the most leadership and was the unit’s commander last week. Fernando shows tremendous generosity towards others and always looks out for everyone.

A lot of people are impressed with how well Naval 5 is doing in sports and athletics because Naval 5 was only started two short years ago. Alvaro Del Carpio and Evan Wimberly, stand out among the others because of the amount of leadership they show in the unit.

Troop’s summer has gone pretty well so far this year; everyone is very united and close. Arturo Rivas from Mexico has shown a lot of leadership during the first few weeks of camp and has really worked with the unit. The 4th of July ceremony was the best bonding time they had so far. Even though the Troop’s members are from many different countries, they all united as a whole on the nation’s birthday.

Aviation has really come together as a whole. Andrew Valentino (Sterling, Illinois) is known as a leader to the rest of his unit because he helps bring Aviation together in sports and in times of hardship. Andrew is always there for his brothers and never leaves anyone behind.

Naval Band has been having a great summer, even though they’re not setting any athletic records. Musically, they have all come together and love playing in Sally Port after parades and retreats. They are all very excited to play in the Moonlight Serenade on the Ledbetter soon.

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The Vedette // Culver Summer Schools & Camps

Deck Reports

Deck 1 is a very diverse group that has quickly come together. Their first and second classman are wonderful, and their third classman are adapting. Deck 1 recently got second place in military and are rapidly working on getting less gigs.

All the girls in Deck 1 are very strong athletes who are doing their best this summer!

Deck 2, with their red inflatable dinosaur mascot “Miguelito” and their incredible energy, has amazing spirit! Their manners are superpowers and their spirit makes them great! Deck 2 Deputy Regimental Sophie Sears (Grand Rapids, Michigan) is a great leader. She’s spirited and ready to take action with her Deck!

By having twenty-two Spanish campers, Deck 3 can easily say that their Deck is full of unique people. One person who would be a great example of Deck 3’s unique girls is Pia Miro-Quesada (Miami, Florida). She is a positive leader who looks out for everyone in her Deck! Watch out for Deck 3! They have a lot of pride that they’ll be showing throughout the summer!

The sisters of Deck 4 have grown throughout first three weeks of camp! With winning their volleyball, and crew matches one week and only getting one gig on their inspection, Deck 4 has been doing their best! Also, with the leadership of Lily Erickson (Indianapolis, Indiana) Deck 4 will be aspiring to greatness. With their secret word “___” (we can’t say) Deck 4 will strive for their best!

Deck 5 was off to a rocky start, and quickly is starting to rise to their potential. The girls who were at first homesick are now improving and working hard. In their first week they got first and second place in retreat. However, they are still trying to figure out athletics. A special shout out to Cami Munoz (Mexico City, Mexico). She’s been working hard as a second classman and is supporting her deck!

According to Chavon Hussey (Chicago, Illinois) “We have work ahead of us, but we’re off to a great start!” Deck 6 has gotten zero gigs in PI and are also trying to get their girls involved in athletics. The upper classmen have been bonding with the new third classmen, helping them to get adjusted to Culver life. Everyone in Deck 6 has been lively and vibrant!

Warn Troop to move over because the girl riders in Deck 7 are making their way! In their first mounted parade, Deck 7 showed what they got. They might be the newest Deck around, but Deck 7 won’t go down without a fight! A shout out to both Isabelle Landy (Jacksonville, Florida) and Regina Lopez (Durango, Mexico). They just did a wonderful show at the South Bend Parade and really wowed the crowd!

The Vedette // Culver Summer Schools & Camps

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Poetry Them Girls Troop Lily Sandman - Deck 7

How about them Girl’s Troop Ain’t they neat?

Ridin’ them horsies Right to the Beat Ridin’ them stallions Ridin’ them mares Ridin’ them crazy ones Stronger than bears Look at them Troopers Ain’t they sweet?

The ladies got fire Swingin’ their feet Them canterin’ cadets Ain’t they mean?

Kickin them horises Pickin’ up steam How to be a Lady Trooper?

Aint that tough Just tack up a horse NEIGHHH! We got the stuff

Being “BAND!”

Culver Summer George Taylor - Naval Band

Week 1 might go by pretty slow Getting used to PI’s and GI’s But eventually everybody gets the flow Week 2 goes by a little faster Getting the hang of naval events So by now sailing isn’t a total disaster Week 3 starts to come around Getting the hang of marching now And after TAPS not hearing a sound Week 4 is always a busy few days Alumni come from everywhere Hearing the cannon go off; nobody phased Week 5 you get your last set of classes Last chance to try something new As ribbon rcks grow with the masses Week 6 goes by all too quick Comm Relay, Great Race, and Pegasus Let’s hope these Culver qualities stick

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Val Hoffman - Naval Band

What’s good about being in Band is that, if you’re in a conversation with someone and they say “What unit are you in? And you say “band” you can see that their faces light up with happiness and they’ll say “omg… I love band” And that feels really good inside when you hear people say that. But not just that. It’s also when band is marching around the campus and we start doing cadences and everyone is saying those with us, or even when we’re in Sally Port, after retreats and parades and are playing Anchors Aweigh, everyone is singing along and having a good time. It’s just a great feeling to have, that no other unit gets on campus.

Some of the challenges of being band are we have to stand with instruments for fifteen minutes during retreat. That’s not that bad, but one hour for parade that’s not an easy job. The only other unit in all of Culver who does the same thing is the Woodcraft Drum and Bugle Corps, but they only do half an hour. Band is the hardest working unit on campus; trying to stay in step while playing music is pretty hard but that’s our job.

Band is a really fun unit to be in not just because of all the things we get to do but we believe the bonds that the bandsman have with each other are unmatched by any other unit. We get to do Sally Port three times a week, and being in Sally Port is unreal. You feel the music inside your bones; it’s such a cool feeling. That’s why we can have fun, we trust each other like a brothers, and we play and work hard like brothers.

That’s being band

The Vedette // Culver Summer Schools & Camps

The Full Culver Experience

By Catherine Szymusiak

One of the best things Culver has taught me in my nine years of being a camper, is the importance of trying new things. I have tried almost every single class offered here at Culver- from archery to ceramics to water skiing. Not all of them were my favorite but I did find out quickly which ones were and were not. I have never taken a class twice here in Upper Camp because I believe that trying new things is the best way to find something I love.

In order to live the full Culver ExperienceTM I believe that it is extremely important to try new things. Culver is an environment where we are able to try new things without fear of failure. It is drilled into our heads at home that if you are not good at something we should not continue to do it. However, here at Culver we are able to try a new class, food, or even learn a new language with limitless forgiveness.

The class that was most fun for me was Sailing. I really enjoyed having the ability to take advantage of our beautiful lake each day. I learned so much from my instructors. I met many people from different places and was able to sail with them. I loved sailing so much that I had the courage to join the sailing team at winter school this past year.

My favorite part about Culver is that we are given the opportunity to try anything we wish with the support of all the staff members. Even if we do fail, we can just get right back up and try something else. It is crucial to understand that Culver is a place where everyone belongs. By taking risks (even small ones) we find where we belong; that is on the North Shore of Lake Maxinkuckee.

The course that was not for me was Horsemanship. I tried it my first year of camp and had a horrible experience. I tried extremely hard to ride but my horse would not cooperate. I even changed horses and the issue went unsolved.

I fell off almost every day. I still don’t walk past barn to this day.

The most informative course I took was Etiquette. I learned everything from how to introduce myself properly to how to properly set a table and how to correctly indulge in a five-course meal. We even learned how to read other people’s body language. My favorite part of the course was the fancy meal we ate as a class at the end of the course.

The Vedette // Culver Summer Schools & Camps

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Week 3 Intramural Report

Boys

Girls

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The Vedette // Culver Summer Schools & Camps

Across 3. What you are reading right now 6. The glorious time of the week where you can relax and go off campus 7. What we wear everyday 8. The weekend where most alumni return to campus 10. The short number of weeks we have to spend here Down 1. The group of students that fly planes 2. The best thing that Culver teaches us 4. The group of students that ride horses 5. The place we go to watch movies and plays 9. The lake on which Culver located

The Vedette // Culver Summer Schools & Camps

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