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As summer camp directors we often see the "magic" of camp. Sure we know alot of hard work and dedication goes into each summer to make it a success. But something much more than fun comes out of camp, we see it every summer , Below is an article I recently found in Chicago Parent Magazine written by a Mom that see the benefits

The greatest gift my parents ever gave me was the privilege of summer camp — a tradition we’ve passed on to my children. At camp I learned to water ski, sail, canoe and horseback ride. I can make a killer lanyard key chain or beaded necklace. But these are just the things that you DO at camp. It’s what happens in between all of these activities that make camp so special.

Here are 5 things you learn at camp that stay with you for a lifetime.

Nearly a year ago today, our nation was shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, taking children out of schools and parents out of work, sending them to complete their daily tasks from their homes to prevent further spread of the virus. A year later, and not much has seemed to have changed. A lot of folks are still working from home, and kids are still doing virtual learning, though with people beginning to receive the vaccine, it seems that we may be able to return to our “normal” state sooner rather than later. COVID struck just a few months before summer camps all over the nation reopened, and for some, it put an end to the summer before it even began. While not all camps were able to open in the summer, there were a small number which successfully navigated the COVID issue ensuring campers were safe, but also got to enjoy what summer camp has to offer.

Swift Nature Camp was one of the few overnight summer camps that operated during 2020 through the COVID-19 Pandemic, though it was not without sacrifice. Much of what we knew about camp had to be changed in order to maximize the safety of both campers and staff. We asked campers and staff to quarantine for weeks before coming to camp to minimize the chances of them becoming infected by going out into public. The schedule was reworked so that cabin groups would not intermingle with other cabins, so that if only one cabin were to have a case of COVID, we would have been able to isolate them to ensure there was no further infection. Face masks were mandatory, though due to the length of camp, we were able to take them off, as no one was allowed to enter or leave camp, effectively giving us a “safety bubble” where it was nearly impossible for COVID to enter camp after campers arrived for a session. As no one could leave camp, days which staff members had time off were spent around camp, rather than getting to go out to eat or go to a state park. Each cabin also had UV lights put into them, which science has shown to be effective in killing the COVID-19 virus. Thankfully, at a nature summer camp there is plenty of sun at camp, which allowed us to naturally disinfect canoe paddles and life jackets by letting them soak up the UV radiation of the Sun. The wide-open spaces made social distancing rather easy, and we tried to keep camp as normal as we possibly could, and I believe that this was done quite well, as Swift Nature Camp experienced 0 cases of COVID all summer. 

COVID surely changed the way that Swift Nature Camp operated in 2020, but we took it as a challenge we could not back down from, one where the reward was much greater than the risk, and it paid off hugely. By prioritizing safety, we were able to mitigate any damage that could have been done by the virus and were able to make it through the entire summer. While the social distancing guidelines were not well received by many campers, they understood that they all played a pivotal role in the entirety of the summer, as a single case of COVID likely could have shut down the whole camp for the entire summer. The campers wore their masks, they practiced social distancing, and the day that we announced that we would no longer have to wear face masks was often one of the best days of the session. It was so rewarding for all of us to know that we had each played our part to make sure that everyone benefitted, a lesson in teamwork that I think more of the world should learn from. 

With the 2021 season ahead and a year of experience of “COVID Camp” behind us, Swift Nature Camp is ready for the new summer. We instituting new policies like asking counselors to get vaccinated as soon as they can based on the groups which are allowed to receive the vaccine. With testing becoming more widely available, we will be implementing much more testing, to further ensure the safety of our campers and our staff. Face masks and social distancing measures will still be implemented in order to minimize the spreading of the virus. We are hoping that our 2021 summer camp will be just as safe as our sleep- away summer camp in 2020. It seems as if COVID-19 is getting under control and that 2021 will be the last year we have to plan for COVID, so that the Swift Nature Camp community can return to normal and that campers can return back to their summer homes with out concern

Summer camp and COVID something SNC has experience with

For over a hundred years Ovenight Summer Camps have been providing outdoor fun and personal growth for America's youth. 2020 was the year of exceptions, resulting in  85% of the summer camps remaining closed. At Swift Nature Camp in Minong Wi. camp was on and COVID FREE. Swift Nature Camp attracts bright, curious and creative children with passion for nature and the outdoors. At camp, they tackle exciting adventures, and gain confidence and independence with their outdoor explorations. 

But, 2020 was different, many long standing SNC camp families were understandably reluctant to send their children to camp. Yet, with so many camps closed, many other families who did not know SNC, sent their children, making the summer of 2020 one of the busiest summers in 25 years. 

By creating a safe bubble, Jeff & Lonnie Lorenz knew that the children would appreciate camp more in 2020 than ever before. Jeff says "Despite all the rules to keep covid out, like isolating, masks, washing, cleaning and staying in pods it was still an amazing experience and much better than being in the basement looking at a screen."

 After the in camp isolation and masks wearing, the happiest day at camp was the day that camp was declared COVID free and the "safe bubble" was working. Campers were crazy with excitement. It meant that kids were again allowed to be kids and not worry at all about a pandemic. Swift Nature Camp was again a safe place.

In early May 2020 the government had given little support to help camp understand the best practices for summer camps to be open. Fortunately, the ACA (American Camp Association) had contracted with an outside environmental firm to put together a best practices plan to keep campers safe and reduce the spread of COVID. The plan worked flawlessly at Swift Nature Camp and never was there a reason to suspect a COVID case. In the summer, camps were a testing ground for many of the COVID plans like the "Safe Bubble" that the NBA used successfully in the fall of 2020. Camps helped lead the way that outdoors is a limiting factor in transfer of COVID-19.

So camp was coming to a close, we were sitting outside with our staff and we asked about their after summer plans. Not surprisingly, many colleges were doing classes online. So the question came up, "would you like to do school at summer camp?". Again, pandemonium erupted with the option of being at camp covid free, playing with kids and doing school. Thus was born the Fall School Camp that took place later that fall for 6 weeks. Being that we felt comfortable tackling COVID all that was needed was rearranging the camp schedule so students could get the school work they brought from home completed on time.  Many families loved the concept of giving their child the ability to have face to face contact along with outdoor exercise rather than staying home doing school work in isolation. The kids loved it. Because the group was small, it became more like family. Lonnie, the Camp Director says "It was amazing the students were so well behaved and friendly towards each other, their appreation for having such an opportunity was evident". Two of the greatest days were the day it snowed 4 inches and stayed around for 3 weeks and spending Halloween at camp including pumpkin carving and party at night. 

As we move to 2021, with a COVID vaccine slowly rolling out, it is clear that all of us have become more knowledgeable about the virus. As a residential summer camp that blazed the trail in 2020, this year will seem much easier. Today, we wait for the spring to give us more information, allowing more informed decisions to be made.  Safety is camps major concern, evaluation will take place and perhaps there will be less isolation & masks and more fun and friendships in the summer on the horizon.

ACA works with accredited camps to provide:

What are some of the 300 ACA standards ?

What's the difference between state licensing of camps and accreditation by ACA?

How do ACA standards exceed state licensing requirements?

How can I verify that my child's camp is ACA accredited?

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Top Five Reasons to Pursue a Rewarding Camp Counselor Job in Illinois

At Swift Nature Camp our campers tend to be those smart kids who like to learn and since they have no screens, they have plenty of time to read. At this old fashioned summer camp we have an achievement award for those campers that read while at summer camp. It takes a little prioritizing but their are plenty of opportunities to read, before bed, quiet time and even outside during activities. Our camp library is loaded with books that campers can choose from. However recently I found this article with a list of books that you might want to give your camper to read at camp

Summer Camps Activities 2020: Campers, Be Sure To Pack These Books This Summer

By Alissa Silber

Published: Mar 07, 2020 08:00 AM

 

Sleeping bag: check! Flashlight: check! Books to read …

For children and teens not sure what books to bring to their overnight camp this summer, C.H. Booth Library’s librarians have them covered.

Children’s Librarian Alana Bennison and Young Adult Librarian Catherine Findorak have crafted a list of camp-specific books that will be sure to keep pages turning well after the campfires have died out and the counselors have called lights out.

Young Readers: First Through Third Grade

Camp would not be complete without some ghost stories, and The End of Orson Eerie? by Jack Chabert helps with just that. The spooky book is part of the Eerie Elementary Series, which consists of easy-to-read text and illustrations on every page.

Another popular children’s book series is the Bad Kitty series by Nick Bruel. It features Bad Kitty Camp Daze, which chronicles the hubbub that ensures when the main character, Kitty, bonks her head, causing her to act like a dog, and gets sent to Uncle Murray’s dog camp.

Grow Grateful by Safe Foster-Lasser and Jon Lasser is a lighthearted read for children that features character Kiko embarking on a campingq trip with her class where she learns about gratitude. The book even provides advice and tips for mindfulness and being grateful.

Campers looking for a heart-racing, white-knuckle inducing story can check out I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967 by Lauren Tarshis. There, the readers will learn the dangerous tale of an 11-year-old girl coming face-to-face with a grizzly bear in the wild.

Another book shining light on the great outdoors is The Camping Trip That Changed America by Barb Rosenstock. The book highlights the true story of President Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir’s trip to Yosemite in 1903.

Middle Grade: Fourth Through Sixth Grade

Fans of Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes will enjoy the follow up book Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard by Jonathan Auxier. The fictional journey takes the characters on an adventure they will never forget.

Out of the Wild Night by Blue Balliett will keep readers on their toes as they read about ghosts who select a group of children to help save the island of Nantucket.

Released just last September, The Light in the Lake by Sarah Baughman is perfect for campers by the water. It tells the tale of a 12-year-old girl studying Maple Lake’s pollution; what she discovers will cause her to make a pivotal choice.

The great outdoors is the setting in The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, where a robot named Rozzum unit 7134 — also known as Roz — finds herself on an isolated island where she has to find a way to survive in nature.

Waste of Space by Stuart Gibbs is the third and final installment in the New York Times bestselling Moon Base Alpha series. As exciting as it is to travel the world, this book takes readers on an adventure in space to solve a murder and rescue the moon base commander.

Fans of Kelly Barnhill, Michael Buckley, Adam Gidwitz, Adele Griffin, Lisa Brown, Claire Legrand, Nikki Loftin, Daniel José Older, Dav Pilkey, R.L. Stine, and Rita Williams-Garcia will be delighted to read Guys Read: Terrifying Tales edited by Jon Scieszka. The book features a collection of ghosts stories from each author with illustrations by Gris Grimly.

Those looking for a fright in the night can also dive into The Haunting of Henry Davis by Kathryn Siebel about two kids who meet a ghost named Edgar. The duo goes on an adventure to find out who Edgar was when he was alive and why he has chosen to haunt Henry now.

Grades 5 And Up

A popular young adult series capturing the hearts and attention of graphic novel readers is Lumberjanes, Volume 1 to 13, by Noelle Stevenson. The series features five teenage best friends at Scout camp who go on adventures solving mysteries and fighting monsters.

Another graphic novel sure to delight older campers is the coming-of-age story All Summer Long written and illustrated by Hope Larson. When her best friend leaves for summer camp and our protagonist Bina is left to figure out how to spend her time, she discovers a new friendship based on a mutual love of music.

Grades 8 And Up

With the last book in the “Arc of a Scythe” trilogy by Neal Shusterman finally released last November, campers can binge-read all three books — Scythe, Thunderhead, and The Toll. The dark series takes readers to a fictional world where humanity has conquered everything from hunger and disease to war, and even death. Two teens must apprentice with a scythe, whose job it is to take people’s lives, and if they fail, their own lives could be at stake.

The graphic novel This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki tackles some adult content as its main character, Rose, goes through the turbulence of fighting parents and the unexpected discovery of an older teenager being involved in something life threatening.

So, children and teens heading off to overnight camp this summer will need to be sure to scoot over their toothbrush and socks to leave a designated spot in their knapsack for these page-turning reads.