CIT DR Trip 2017

Our CITs just returned from Cabarete in the Dominican Republic leading a one-week day camp for 80 local campers, and embarking on a series of adventurous excursions. Read up on all the excitement and activity on our blog!

Summer 2017, Edition #5: July 20th - 26th

While this past week has been particularly cold and rainy, it has not stopped the fun from happening at Camp Scatico. This week, we unfortunately had to say goodbye to our 4-weeker campers. Although we hate to see them go, we also welcomed in our Scaticonians In Training, or SITs,... Meanwhile at camp...

Tribes 2017: The Results are in

This past Friday, the Soopers led the camp in an exciting and competitive final day of Tribes. The day began on the hill with “Squidgulum”, where the teams participated in Tribes classics, including Man to Man, Kickball Stride Ball, Basketball Relays, and Line Soccer. In the afternoon, campers searched all over camp during the Dog Bone Hunt, where dog bones hidden amounted to a certain number of points that teams could gain. Finally, the night ended with a Tribal Campfire that included Aerobics, Camper Imitations, Folk Songs, Art Project presentations, and Novelties. In the end, Blazing Arrow came out as the victor of this very competitive, exciting, and close Tribes!

Racing Wind Runs It In for A Pre-Squidgulum Pep Talk

Dog Bone Hunt

Happy Birthday to Girls Side!

An exciting tradition that took place on Saturday was Birthday Ball, where all of Girls Side gets together to celebrate everyone’s birthday. Divided by season, campers and counselors alike devise fun themes that are a play-on-words and decorate the dining hall with banners and streamers that fit their chosen theme. Winter’s theme was “Winternational Airlines,” Summer was “In Summer” (Frozen), Spring was “Chandler Spring,” and Fall was “Help, I’ve Fallen and Can’t Get Up.” The night concluded with delicious birthday cake and a screening of "The Parent Trap."

Happy Birthday, Girls Side!

T-league and Tournaments and Evening Activities, oh my!

The Sub-juniors have been busy this week on the athletic fields with an exciting T-league game with the Sophomores and a Hockey Tournament at Pontiac which they won. This week’s full camp evening activity was Family Feud, where campers dress up like different celebrity families and name the most popular responses to survey questions about Scatico. The Boys Senior Staff and the Kardashian and Trump families all made their debut, with the Upper Seniors winning the most points and coming out on top. The first ever Baseball Tournament held at Scatico for 13 year olds going into 7th grade turned out to be a huge success, with Scatico beating Schodack after a hard fight. Tyler Winderman, the team’s pitcher, pitched 13 strikeouts, while teammate Ellis Zuckerman scored a single, a double, a triple, and stole two bases, greatly contributing to the team’s victory.

Dress to Impress

Divisional Snapshots

Girls Side

The SITs were introduced to a week in the life of a Scatico camper… The Jinters had their first overnight campout... The Inters learned some Scatico-original Color War activities with the SITs… The Centers and the Debs had the final play of the summer, ‘Beauty and the Beast’… The Debs made a splash with their H2O theme day… The Subs had an empowering Feminism theme day… The Seniors had a magical Harry Potter theme day, filled with Quidditch, homemade butterbeer, and a race to win the House Cup … The Soopers headed off to Lake Placid with the Upper Seniors…

Muggles Playing Quidditch? Unlikely...

Boys Side

SITs experienced a typical week on boys side... The Sophs hiked at Millbrook at Mohunk Reserve… The Sub-juniors went on an exciting bowling social… The Juniors had their 1st divisional softball tournament… The Inters hosted and won the 1st annual 7th grade baseball tournament… The Sub-seniors enjoyed their waterfront cookout… The Seniors hiked to breakneck… The Upper Seniors took off to Lake Placid with the Soopers…

1,2,3 Strikes You're Out of the Old Ball Game...

Summer 2017, Edition #4: July 11th-19th

Although it seems like it has all been done before, there is still plenty to report on here at Camp Scatico. From an exciting Visiting Day to Carnival, it’s hard to believe that we’re halfway through the summer! Meanwhile...

Wild for Carnival! 

Carnival, a coed fun afternoon of booths and games, is always a summer highlight. It was hard to believe that it could top last year’s Olympic theme  but Dusty, Ken, and the CITs, who organized Carnival, thoroughly impressed camp. This summer's theme was Psychedelic Safari, and campers could be seen sporting their tie-dyed shirts and bucket hats. The classics, such as the Upper Seniors' haunted house, Senior girls' Marriage Booth, Senior boys' dunk tank, Subs' Zap Mail (campers deliver messages to one another in balloons), and Aziz’s psychic tent contributed to the afternoon’s excitement, along with “safari” golf cart rides all along the golf course, or “jungle”. As always the local ice cream truck was a smash hit, as was the DL horse race to close out the afternoon of celebration, with Center/Junior DL’s Lexi Schecter and Josh Trichon taking first place.

Tribes Take 2 (and 3)! 

On Sunday, July 16th, an exciting second day of Tribes took place on girls side. The day included two divisional activities in the morning, a full-camp swim meet in the afternoon, and a Tribal “campfire” at night. The campfire featured an original “comic song,” a medley of songs which lovingly mock the problems in our camp (such as bugs, weather, etc.); a “rhythm band, in which campers act out a scene or activity using only sound effects with their mouths, and a counselor imitation. After two weeks of Tribes, Blazing Arrow is in first place, followed by Racing Wind, Flying Eagle, and then Thunderbolt. However, the standings are extremely tight, with Flying Eagle and Thunderbolt only one point apart! (Editor's note: Since publication, Blazing Arrow has emerged victorious...details to follow in a subsequent post.)

BOYS DOMINATE! 

On boys side, this past week has been full of non-stop excitement. The boys have had a plethora of victories on tournaments recently - The Chess team won the Scatico tournament (other participating camps were Wah-Nee, Greylock, and Eagle Hill), a tennis team at camp Mah-Kee-Nac finished in 2nd out of 6 teams, and a rising 7th grade basketball team reached the finals at Camp Winadu, winning a 1-point game in the semi-finals on a foul shot with 7 seconds remaining. The sub-juniors in particular have been successful during the in-camp competitions, including the second full-camp Rock Paper Scissor competition (won by Sub-junior Josh Montvelisky) and a full-camp knockout, in which sub-junior Jake Zirolli defeated head counselor Cory Schwartz in the finals. Boys side has experienced tons of fun aside from all the games as well. The first overnights of the summer occurred for bunks 3-4, 7-8, and 9-10. An evolving outdoor mural on the road to the ballfields is almost ready for display at the mid-summer art show.

Divisional Snapshots

Girls Side

The Jinters had their first performance in the "Scatico Playhouse" when they starred in three mini-plays that were directed by the Seniors... The Inters ran a fun-filled "High School Musical" themed  Lip Sync Battle evening activity... The Centers won the “All Star Division” award last week, an honor given by the Hill Staff to a division with exceptional athleticism and attitude on the hill... The Debs had their Waterfront Cookout with the Inter Boys... The Subs won the "Friends plaque" and were victorious on many tournaments... The Seniors went on their hike to Breakneck... The Soopers continued to have a blast leading Tribes, while also snagging a victory in the "Lip-Sync Battle."

Boys Side

The Sophs played an intense game of football in the rain...  The Sub-juniors had "speed dating" with the Inter Girls... The Juniors played in a baseball tournament at Scatico and a tennis tournament at Timberlake... The Inters had their Waterfront Cookout with the Deb Girls... The Sub-seniors came out on top in a football tournament at Taconic... The Seniors ran the Dunk Tank at Carnival (a.k.a. the "Dank Tank)... The Upper Seniors gave Scatico a fright when they ran the Haunted House at Carniva l

Jinter Sage Wasserman in the midst of a newcomb Tribes game.

Tribal Swim Meet

Subs playing Ultimate Ball

Senior Boys' Dunk Tank ("Dank Tank")

You may now kiss the bride...

The Jinter Funny Face

Summer 2017, Edition #3: July 4th - July 11th

From hikes and tournaments to Tribes, College Bowl and DJ Pure... as the days of summer go on, so does the fun! It’s hard to believe that Visiting Day is less than a week away, but in the meantime we have plenty to report on.

Party in the USA

Last Tuesday, the camp came together to celebrate one of the most spirited days of the summer: the 4th of July. Here at Scatico, we go all out for Independence day - campers ditch their uniform for red, white, and blue apparel and patriotic songs can be heard all around camp (from the bunks, dining hall, and even the bugle system!) At night, boys and girls side join together for a co-ed BBQ, followed by the annual talent show. The Talent Show, held for the 2nd time at the camp-itheater, featured 21 impressive performances, including singing and dancing from the Jinters, unforgettable karate routines from Sage and Jack Wasserman (accompanied by the Upper Senior boys), an acappella song from the CIT girls, and even a history lesson from Jake Zirolli! The festive day concluded with an epic display of fireworks on the golf course.

Tribes: Day One

Jinters trying to Bend it like Beckham

Saturday July 8th kicked off a thrilling first day of Tribes, full of athletics, songs, and intensity. The schedule featured two divisional activities in the AM, a full-camp track meet as the PM event, and concluding with a Tribal Campfire.  The first campfire always involves the debut of each team's entrance (a mini skit performed by the Soopers), a song to sing at the dining hall before meals, a Big Chief song (sung by the Big Chiefs before each of the next two campfires), and a human pyramid. With every individual component of the day scored and taken into account, the stakes were high and competition fierce! For the stats and standings of Week 1, check the link below.

Senior girls take a time out from Tribes and smile for the camera

College Bowl Concludes!

An Inter chugging for his team.

Last Friday, Boys side closed out their College Bowl competition with a campfire- a summer tradition that has remained relatively unchanged since College Bowl started in the 1980s. The campfire includes a wide-range of entertaining contests, such as a Yoohoo chug, human pyramid, Scatico staff imitation, and team song. As is tradition, the final scores are "accidentally" dropped in the fire... We guess everyone's a winner at Scatico!

Campers put their strength to the test in a human pyramid

Ball is Life! NAT tournaments one and two!

One of Scatico's longest-standing traditions, the Girls and Boys Nat tournaments were held Monday and Wednesday respectively. Named in honor of Scatico founder and NBA Hall-of-Famer Nat Holman, the Nat tournament brings all of boys and girls side together for a day of intense Scatico pride (and lots of Green!).

With an impressive 3-0 record, the Girls' Nat team was victorious for the second year in a row! Playing hard against Pontiac, Berkshire Hills, and Kinder Ring, the Nat team came out on top, led by co-captains Amanda Graf, Kasey Wilner, and Isabella Saenz. Special shoutout to the tournament MVP, Sub Emily Holzer, who topped the team in scoring. Scatico celebrated the big win with a bang, as campers danced the night away at DJ Pure. 

Just two days later teams from Camp Kinder Ring, Pontiac, WahNee and Surprise Lake Camp arrived for the Boys' Nat. While we did not come out on top (Pontiac nabbed 1st place), our team played hard and the Scatico stands showed plenty of pride. Special shout outs to the two Upper Senior team captains, Nathan Clendenin and Henry Beck! 

Scatico's where the hART is

New art specialty heads on boys and girls side have been keeping things extra creative this year! On girls side new ceramics head Zoe (who hails from Australia and is a jewelry designer in the off-season) has been helping divisions make ceramic jewelry (everything from bangles to woven crowns!) and leading Upper Hill in the communal construction of a ceramic mural. And down at arts and crafts, Sareema (a costume designed from the UK) helped campers sew, tie dye, and design their very own drawstring backpacks! 

Over on boys side Kyle (a recent art school grad), has "ignited" campers creative sides... literally. After boys learn how to use the pottery wheel and design their own vases, Kyle explodes a tiny firecracker inside so the vase develops a unique, abstract shape. He's also spearheaded an incredible outdoor mural (made on plywood) that greets all on their walk to the ball fields. 

Divisional Snapshots

GIRLS SIDE 

The Jinters practiced for their play, enjoyed their first tribes ever, and had fun with a slip n’ slide!...The Inters lit up the Scatico Playhouse with the first play of the season, “The Wizard of Oz” with The Subs... The Centers hosted a successful "So You Think You Can Dance" evening activity and had their hike through the Catskills. The Debs had a ton of fun inventing and then playing an original sport named “Scatico Ball” (something of a mix of capture the flag and dodgeball)...The Subs nabbed first place in a spirited “So You Think You Can Dance” evening activity...The Seniors headed off to Surprise Lake for a divisional beach volleyball tournament... The Soopers embraced all the perks of their last summer as campers, leading Tribes with intensity and cheering hard (or playing) during the Nat team victory! 

BOYS SIDE

The Sophs played hard in a baseball tournament with the Sub-juniors at Kenmont...The Sub-Juniors played in a basketball tournament at Kinder Ring and are also headed out for a soccer tournament at Timber Lake... The Juniors had a blast playing two boys side favorites, Slamma Jamma (the hoops are lowered on the A Court to facilitate dunking) and Slapball... The Inters headed out on their hike to North Point in the Catskills... The Sub-Seniors used teamwork to complete their Mohonk hike, which included a tricky but fun rock scramble...The Seniors also headed out on their hike, to the famous Breakneck Ridge...The Upper Seniors lost but played hard during a hockey intercamp Berkshire Hills (shoutout to Bart Tourri, who led the team in scoring!)

Summer 2017, Edition #2: June 29-July 3

Excitement in Elizaville

Now that we are officially into our second week, Scaticonians are back in the swing of things in the 12523. While the opening ceremonies and rituals may be in the rearview mirror, the activities, memories and excitement have only just begun.

The Juniors are all smiles during soccer.

On boys side, campers participated in a “So You Think You Know Your DL,” trivia night, where each division was asked miscellaneous questions about their division leaders to see who knew the ins and outs of their group leaders best. Major props to the Upper Seniors for stealing 1st place! Beyond the kickoff of Soccer Leagues and Upper Hill T-Leagues, the Juniors and Inters also started their Hoops League competition, and the Sophomores began a T-league of their own (for those not already in the know, the "T" in T-League stands for Twilight, as the games are played under the lights of the boys' ballfields just after the sun has gone down. A truly magical camp experience.) 

On girls side, lower hill campers chose their camp sisters, an older camper whom they can rely on and bond with over the course of the summer. Girl campers celebrated their new “sisterhood” with a series of evening activities, including one epic “sing-off” and an evening of salmagundi (essentially a rotation of classic games from Musical Chairs to Freeze Dance), led by the CITs.

Friday Night Lights (kinda)

Boys and girls side both had their first Friday Night Services, a weekly camp tradition that emphasizes life lessons, friendship, sportsmanship, and all the key values of camp. Boys and girls conduct their services slightly differently, with the boys gathering on the bleachers down by the waterfront and listening to a "sermon" from one member of boys side (it rotates weekly) who has a meaningful message to share. For the first service, Sophomore DL Alan O'Neill (a second-year counselor from Ireland, and teacher in the off-season) spoke of his childhood experience getting cut from his soccer team (after being told he was too short), only to learn resilience, make the best of a bad situation, and play in recreational league later in life. Director David Fleischner also shared a few words, before presenting a special new item for the Boys' HC Porch: Mariano Rivera's chair from the Yankee Locker room (a gift to Dave by his own camp friend and Scatico alum Doug Herzog). 

On girls side, services are lead by a different division each week, with bunkmates working together to figure out the lesson, reflection or takeaway they want to share with the rest of camp. Gathering on girls back campus, the Soopers kicked off the first service, each sharing a memory of when they first knew that Camp Scatico "was home"-- a message particularly appreciated by first-year campers. Girls services also always conclude with the distribution of several awards. Shoutout to the Soopers for winning this week's Friends Plaque-- handed out to the division that demonstrates the most unity and respect-- and to Tori Madison (Jinter) and Lara Tolstoi (Deb) for nabbing this week's Sportsmanship Awards-- given to one Upper Hill and one Lower Hill camper who best exemplify Scatico’s most important values. 

Let the games begin!

On the morning of Sunday, July 2nd, Tribes (a mini version of Color War, and with four teams instead of two) broke on girls side when donuts with red, green, yellow and blue frosting were handed out at the end of breakfast. After waiting a long eight days, campers were so excited to finally find out their teams and begin what will be a thrilling next couple of weeks competing in everything from songs, to athletics, and arts projects.

The Big Chiefs-- four counselors that act as judges during Tribes-- strike a pose after a successful Tribes break!

The very same day, College Bowl began on boys side. A series of high-spirited competitive events where boys of all ages compete in sports and mind games alike, with highlights including a full-camp knock-out, an egg toss, and an intense game of capture the flag. The four teams (the same every year) are USC, UCLA, Ohio State, and the University of Michigan... stay tuned for updates from the College Bowl campfire, scheduled for Friday!

Lower Hill boys play an intense game of dodgeball for College Bowl

Divisional Snapshots

Girls Side

Good "clean" fun! Jinters pose outside ceramics.

Debs stop for lunch at Sunset Rock! 

The Jinters  headed out to the Milbrook Trail at the scenic Mohonk Preserve for a hike which was filled with tons of rock climbing and singing. In the campers own words it was, “fun, high, rocky, and exciting"... The Inters tried out a new and fun divisional activity in which they played backyard games, including 9 square in the air, a jumbo Connect-4, Ladder-ball, and corn-hole, on Back Campus... The Centers went on an intercamp at Kenwood, playing a wide range of games including softball, volleyball, basketball and soccer! ... The Debs and Subs also went out on their hikes, the Debs to Sunset Rock at the Catskill State Park, which led them to a beautiful view of the water... and the Subs to Bonticou Crag, also at Mohonk Preserve... The Seniors kicked off College Leagues (a series of competitive evening activities), which gives them an opportunity to experience and practice their leadership skills before their Sooper summer. They also played an intense game of flag football against the Soopers, in which they came back to tie it in the final seconds of the game!!... The Soopers went on a divisional soccer tournament to Wah-nee, and although they lost, they enthusiastically celebrated the lone goal by Emma Rosh and had a blast!... The CITs hosted not one, but two evening activities! 

Boys Side

The Sophs have a moment with nature, at the Sunset Trail lookout behind the boys ball fields

A little rain can't get us down! The Inter boys have fun in the mud!

The Sophomores set up an 18 ft Slip-n-Slide for an evening activity; they used a hose and dish soap, and described the activity as "great fun"... The Sub-Juniors went on their hike to Widow Jane Mine, a first-time hike for Scatico, where they explored an abandoned mine that was "very cool"... The Juniors also set off on a really great hike to Inspiration Point at Catskill State Park .... The Inters kicked off on all of their sports leagues: soccer, basketball, and T-League... The Sub-Seniors went hard at hockey, resulting in an intense last minute goal/buzzer beater... The Seniors enjoyed a baseball tournament at Kenmont as well as a series of unique activities, including Euro Handball and a simulation of an NFL Combine!...The Upper Seniors enjoyed a spirited game of Sumo Wrestling (complete with outfits) and are eager to lead College Bowl... The CITs had their first van night of the summer- hitting Rollin  Lanes for bowling! 

Stay tuned for next week's blog post, which will feature highlights from the always-incredible 4th of July Talent show, Tribal and College Bowl Campfires, and more! 

Tribes 2017 Has Begun!

This morning, girls side woke up to what seemed to be a day like any other; however, little did they know that they were in for a special treat (no pun intended!). As breakfast came to an end, donuts were brought out frosted with the red, yellow, green, and blue Tribes colors, along with the emergence of the Big Chiefs and their drums, signifying that Tribes 2017 had begun! Tribes embodies numerous Scatico traditions, with all the girls divided into four teams— Blazing Arrow (red), Flying Eagle (green), Racing Wind (yellow) and Thunderbolt (blue)—to participate in a competitive series of sports and creative projects in the following three weeks. Soopers (the oldest campers on girls side) lead each team in various events, ranging from aerobics routines and the 50 meter dash, to teaching folk songs and team cheers. Good sportsmanship and teamwork are important components to the tradition of Tribes, and there is no doubt that these teams will transcend its legacy!   

Girls side awaits their splits.

Flying Eagle Soopers rejoice (Pictured left to right: Isabela Saenz de Cabezon, Emma Rosh, & Amanda Graf).

Racing Wind Soopers embrace (Pictured left to right: Marley Vogel, Kasey Wilner, & Sydney Rosh).

Blazing Arrow Soopers celebrate (Pictured left to right: Carly Rosh, Daisy Gonzalez, & Lucy Mandel).

Thunderbolt Soopers share a touching moment (Pictured left to right: Daphne Zuckerman & Miko Newman).

Campers jump for joy!

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.