Spring 2024 Newsletters: Parent & Camper Versions

One minute it was cold and snowing at Akeela, and the next minute everything was in bloom! Spring is finally here and we’re getting excited for the start of summer! Late April also means it’s time for the latest Camp Akeela newsletters:

Spring 2024 Newsletter For Parents/Guardians


Spring 2024 Newsletter For Campers

In the parent newsletter, you’ll find:

  • A reminder about upcoming Zooms
  • An introduction to a few of our key staff members
  • A letter from Debbie and Eric, including a taste of how we get ready for another camp season
  • Information about CampLauncher, our annual Launch-a-Thon, and how you can support this wonderful charity
  • Tips on registering for CampMeds and completing your other camp forms

In our camper newsletter:

  • A rundown of some Akeela-specific terminology
  • A detailed outline of what to expect on the first day of camp
  • A reminder of a typical day’s schedule
  • A fun visual showing all of the places in the world our campers & staff come from

Also in the camper newsletter is the following suggested To-Do List, for both new and returning campers!

  • Make a list of all the activities you are excited to try
  • Write down any questions you have and ask your parents to help email them to us!
  • Practice doing more things on your own; brushing teeth & hair, showering, applying deodorant, making your bed…
  • Ask to see the camp packing list, and think about what to bring. Is there anything on the list you need to shop for?
  • Look at the camp schedule online, and practice following it try waking up at 7:30, eating at 8, 12 & 6, and even taking a rest hour at 12.45!
  • Learn about the Head Counselors and other key staff.
  • Set limits on your screen-time, since there are no screens at camp!
  • What else can you spend free time doing? Reading, writing, drawing…?
  • Collect addresses for people you’d like to write to this summer, and pre-address & stamp envelopes!
  • Gather any (small) games/crafts you’d like to bring to camp to share with bunkmates during free time.
  • Print a few favorite pictures of family, friends, or pets that you’d like to hang near your bed!

Spring 2024 Newsletter For Parents/Guardians


Spring 2024 Newsletter For Campers


Winter 2024 Newsletter

Now that it’s March, the camp season is just around the corner, and our latest newsletter is all about how to start preparing for the summer! It also includes a brief introduction to this year’s head counselors.

Read The Newsletter Here

A few highlights:

  1. CAMP FORMS – All of our required camp forms are now ready for you, and are due on May 15th. Access them through the Staff & Family Log In Campanion App. (See below; the app is the easiest way to submit those forms that require scanning & uploading.) While some forms can certainly wait until later in the spring, others are best submitted as soon as possible: Text Opt-In Form, Open House RSVP and Transportation Form. Thank you!
  2. DOWNLOAD CAMPANION – The best way to stay connected with your camper this summer is through the Campanion App, which is now available to all Akeela families, at no charge. We encourage you to download it and set up your account now. With Campanion’s facial recognition technology, you’ll get a personalized photo feed, along with push notifications for all news that applies to your child. It’s also a great way to submit your camp forms.
  3. REQUIRED ZOOM 5/9 – We will be hosting a mandatory Zoom call for all Akeela parents and campers at 8pm Eastern Time on May 9th. It will be a quick meeting to discuss our community expectations. Please save the date.
  4. FAMILY HANDBOOK – Please take the time to carefully read the Akeela Family Handbook … even if you’ve sent your child to Akeela in past summers! It is updated regularly and contains answers to all kinds of questions you may have about camp.
    On a related note, we will be hosting a few optional live Zooms in April. We will address many of the topics in the Family Handbook and your corresponding questions. See the newsletter for those topics.
  5. REGISTER FOR CAMPMEDS – All campers taking daily medication of any kind (prescription or over-the-counter) must have those meds sent to camp via CampMeds. Registration for CampMeds is now open. NOTE FOR RETURNING CAMPERS: This is not the same company that we used last year. Be sure to register here.
  6. BOOKING FLIGHTS TO CAMP – Please check with Eric before making any flight arrangements for your camper’s arrival on opening day of their camp session. To ensure an easy experience at the airport and a timely arrival at camp, we will often coordinate specific flight plans for our camp families.
  7. CHANGE TO OUR RETURN TRAVEL OPTIONS – Due to the unpredictability of air travel, we are no longer able to accommodate campers flying home alone at the end of their camp session. Instead, any camper departing camp via air must be met at Boston Logan Airport by an adult who either flies home with them or takes responsibility for getting them to their departing flight.
  8. ORDERING AN AKEELA T-SHIRT – It’s not too early to order your Akeela gear from The Camp Spot, as they get quite busy in the late spring. There is lots of great Akeela gear available but only the basic logo’d lightweight cotton t-shirt is required.

Read The Newsletter Here


Holiday 2023 Newsletter

Read the Holiday 2023 Newsletter Here


Happy New Year!

While we still haven’t gotten any “real” snow here in Philadelphia, up at camp, it’s a winter wonderland! It’s hard to believe that 2023 is over and that camp is less than six months away! We’ve been very busy talking to new families about Akeela and we find so much joy in sharing stories about our community and the amazing development of friendships we’ve witnessed since 2008!

We’re excited to welcome our new campers this summer and can’t wait to see them fall in love with Akeela as much as all of our returning campers have. We’re also meeting a lot of incredibly talented and passionate staff members who will be joining us from all over the US and the world! Our community has always been one of acceptance and that makes us feel extremely proud!

As the calendar turns to a new year, we want to tell you how grateful we are to you – our Akeela community. We feel so lucky to have an extended camp family with whom we can share the gifts of friendship, community, growth, pride and fun! We can’t wait to see you up at camp in 2024!

Love,

Eric, Debbie & Erin


Also in this edition of the newsletter:

  • Photos of some new Akeela swag & camp under lots of snow
  • Our advice for making the holiday season as smooth as it can be

Read the Holiday 2023 Newsletter Here


Akeela Spring Newsletters

With summer right around the corner, we have prepared not one but TWO newsletters for our camp community:

Parent Newsletter, April 2023

and

Camper Newsletter, April 2023

These newsletters contain a lot of important and exciting information about this coming summer, including:

  • What’s New At Akeela This Summmer: new ropes course elements, an amazing inflatable in the lake and pickleball!
  • Where Campers Come From: a cool look at how many states (and countries) are represented by our 2023 campers.
  • Head Counselors: what is their role and camp and who are the 2023 head counselors?
  • Camp Nurses: Meet Pam and Chuck, our wonderful health care team
  • Camper To Do List: A few things campers can do between now and arrival to get ready for the best summer of their lives!
  • What To Expect On The First Day: A detailed breakdown of what that camp arrival day will be like

The parent newsletter also begins with the following thoughts from Debbie:

Both of our daughters (ages 14 and 9) will be away at their camp this summer for 7 weeks. I’m a camp director and we’re very friendly with the camp directors who run their camp. I “shouldn’t” be nervous, right? But I am! I am a worrier and I worry most about my family – so when I allow myself to get caught up in thinking about the “what-ifs”, it can get pretty messy and then my anxiety is obvious to my kids.

I know that my most important task right now is to help instill a sense of confidence in my children before they are at camp on their own. In order to do that I also need to prepare myself, and that takes time and energy – a positive energy. Pushing through our own fears and worries needs to be a priority so we can meet our children with a “clean slate”. They need to feel our optimism and confidence that going to camp will be a life-changing experience – one that will enable them to become more independent and confident, and will hopefully open them up to meaningful friendships that will last a long time. Our children are intuitive and if they sense that we’re afraid about this very big transition, they will take on that worry themselves.

Some things that I’ve found helpful, and some advice for those of you who are worried and anxious about camp this summer:

  • Write it down! Take some time during the day (not right before bed or you’ll never be able to fall asleep!) to jot down anything that’s making you feel anxious. Writing your worries down will allow you to acknowledge them and either use your notes to address the concern, or let it go.
  • This includes making lists – what do you need to do? Have you completed your forms? Sent in the RX from the pediatrician? Looked at the packing list to assess what you might need? And have you gone through last year’s “camp stuff” to see what still fits?
  • Call us! If you’re concerned about something, maybe we can help. Sometimes, more information is helpful in minimizing our fears.
  • Breathe! Go for a walk or take 10 minutes with a cup of tea to just relax. How often do you allow yourself to take time for just yourself? It’s important and it’s helpful.
  • Read “Homesick and Happy” by Michael Thompson. This is a great book, especially for first-time camp parents. It’s filled with helpful information, plus – reading will help you take your mind off of your own worries.

By the way, this is great advice for your anxious camper, too! Once you are feeling confident about having your camper with us at camp, take some time to sit down with them to make a list of their “things to do” before camp. Maybe there’s one task you can do together each week to prepare, for example: address envelopes for letters to family/friends, email Debbie/Eric/Erin a few questions, make a list of books/card games/crafts you want to bring to camp, etc.

You may also want to help your camper make a list or start a journal with things they’re looking forward to doing at camp. Do they have a goal in mind? Something new they want to try or something they want to accomplish? It’s also a great time to start pushing your camper to be more independent in anticipation of being on their own this summer. Are younger campers getting ready for bed and school independently? (Showering, brushing their teeth, putting away their clothes …) Are older campers thinking about non-electronic tasks they can do during down times this summer? Having your camper think about these things NOW will help them feel more prepared as summer approaches.
Finally, as I’ve written about this year on a few different occasions, it’s important to use language that acknowledges a child’s worries but also expresses confidence. Statements like, “I know you’re worried about going to camp AND I’m really certain that you can do this.” These types of statements are the loving push our campers need to feel more secure in this transition.

We’re very excited to see your child up at camp in a very short time – sooner if you’ll be joining us for our Open House in June! Your camper’s head counselor will be emailing you in mid-June to introduce themselves to you and they’ll want to know if there’s anything on your mind. Feel free to start a list now that you can email or call once our team is all up in Vermont. Enjoy your Spring and we’ll see you soon!

Again, you can read the entire newsletters here:

Parent Newsletter, April 2023

and

Camper Newsletter, April 2023


April 2021 News For Campers

Read The Camper Newsletter Here

It’s spring and that means that the camp season is just around the corner. We’ll be moving up to Akeela the first week of June so that we can get ready for our staff to arrive on June 12th. We can’t wait to get there, but most of all, we are counting down the days until we get to welcome all of our campers back to Akeela this summer!

This has been an unusual year, to say the least, and we really believe that camp is exactly what we all need right now. It will be a chance to re-connect with friends, face to face, while taking a little break from our technology and screens. Instead of playing games online, you can look forward to making new friends and talking about those games with other campers!

In this month’s camper-only newsletter, you’ll find:

  • advice about how to start preparing for your time at Camp Akeela
  • a preview of how we’ll introduce you to your bunkmates and counselors before camp starts
  • a reminder of what to expect from a typical day at Akeela
  • “Akeela 101”, a quick review of who is who at camp and some of the terminology we use at Akeela

Read The Camper Newsletter Here


February 2021 Newsletter and Upcoming Webinars

The February edition of our Akeela newsletter is here!

With cold weather and more snow than we’ve had in a number of years here in Philly, we are even MORE excited that camp is on the horizon! We cannot wait for June! Eric and Ben have been spending a great deal of time interviewing staff who have impressed us with their talents and passion. We’ve also rehired a number of former staff members who can’t wait to get back to Miller Pond. And, of course, we’ve loved catching up with all of you by phone, emails and on our virtual programs. Debbie has been busier than ever meeting and enrolling new campers who are so excited to join the Akeela community this summer.

Camp is happening and we’re ready for it!

Of course, we know many of you have questions about how camp will be different this summer due to COVID. This newsletter includes some answers to those questions. Hopefully, you’ve also visited our COVID web page, which is updated regularly.

You’ll also find information about a couple of very exciting upcoming webinars:

  • February 28, 2021: Helping My Neurodiverse Child Get Ready for Life’s Transitions (Including Going To Camp!), with Dr. Anthony Rostain and Dr. B Janet Hibbs, authors of The Stressed Years of Their Lives.   Register here for this FREE webinar.

 

Read the entire newsletter here.

 


December 2020 News – Happy Holidays!

It’s time for our December 2020 Newsletter!

This edition includes an excerpt from our blog post about setting limits and expectations at home, along with a link to a video of the webinar Debbie co-hosted on the same topic. Also included in the newsletter is camper & staff news and a collage of photos showing our community’s Akeela spirit on National Camp T-Shirt Day!

Debbie and Eric also want to wish everyone a very happy holidays …

We’re now in the final month of 2020 – a year many of us have found difficult. As the days get shorter and shorter, we’re reminded of the many spots of light that get us through darker times. Here at our home in Philadelphia, we have created new traditions – birthdays and holidays have become exciting landmarks in an otherwise empty calendar. Birthday decorations have become more important, afternoon walks around the neighborhood are now an opportunity to talk to other people, Zoom holidays with family and friends from all over the world are now the norm, and there has been a lot of baking going on in the kitchen. All of this family time isn’t always easy – our tween often tells us she just wants to be alone! At the same time, our 1st grader hates to be alone for more than a few minutes! We have watched a lot of movies on Netflix.

Yet we are reminded every day how lucky we are. We are especially grateful for our camp community. We spend every day thinking about being back together this summer in Vermont with our campers and staff. When we’re feeling low, we try to focus on a memory from Akeela: being together with friends at the campfire site, laughing on the slide at the lake, watching the talent show as a community. We know that even if camp looks a little different this summer, the feelings that Akeela gives all of us will be the same.

Our wish for all of you is that you take some time to find a light in all of this darkness, that you’re able to wrap yourself in a warm memory from camp, and that it brings you joy and peace. Please know that we’re thinking of all of you and are looking forward to the time when we can all gather together safely.

Here’s to 2021!

With love,
Debbie and Eric

Read the full newsletter here


Camp Akeela Summer 2019 Slideshows!

The holiday season is a great time to be together with family and to reflect on the past year. As we do so, we are very grateful for our Akeela community. Nothing brightens a cold winter day more than thinking about all of the warmth, joy, laughter and friendship we feel and see all around us throughout the summer at camp.

We hope that these slideshows remind you of your great memories from camp. Enjoy!

Akeela Vermont Session 1

Akeela Vermont Session 2

Akeela Wisconsin Session 1

Akeela Wisconsin Session 2


Post-Camp September Blues

After we move our family home from camp and get our daughters settled back into their school routines, I spend most of the fall talking to parents about camp and the transition home and into a new school year. It’s often a challenging time for our campers and parents too! What I hear most often is this, “I don’t get it. He was so successful at camp and he came home and was happy and texting with camp friends. He even made his own bed for a while without prompting. Now that school’s started, he’s just reverted back to his old ways.” Yes. We know!

So, here’s the question: Did the magic of camp just wear off or did something else happen? I think the answer is BOTH.

There is a lot that we can do at camp that is challenging for you as parents at home to mimic. For example, our campers live with 7 other kids their age and have 4 staff members dedicated to those campers 24/7. The positive peer pressure that comes from living in a community and wanting to be a part of that group is really powerful. When everyone is going to an activity – even one that a camper may “refuse” to do at home – she goes and even participates because that’s what everyone else is doing! When something less preferred is on the table at dinner and the coolest counselor at the table says, “Broccoli? Pass that to me. I LOVE broccoli!”, suddenly, your camper who refuses to eat any veggies at home is willing to at least take one bite. You just can’t mimic that at home and I’ll venture to guess that even the coolest parent doesn’t have the same influence that our staff can! In addition, our campers feel relaxed at Akeela. They don’t have homework or the stress of being in an environment where there are confined to small, noisy, crowded spaces. They are running around, playing on 400 acres of beautiful woods. They have very few demands placed on them (outside of the 24/7 social demands) and they feel like they can be themselves. By living in a community where they are with friends and staff who “get” them, they can enjoy friendships and a sense of pride that they can’t find at school.

And then, yes, something likely “happens” in the fall. The start of school brings with it the reminders of unkind classmates, demanding teachers, or even teachers who aren’t demanding enough. Most importantly, it brings a world of people who don’t really get it. That’s exhausting and it’s upsetting for a lot of our campers. At the end of 2nd session, a lot of our campers talk to us about how nervous they are to leave. They wish that camp was year-round so they didn’t have to deal with school. Don’t get me wrong, most of our campers are brilliant and love to learn but school can sometimes take the joy out of that.

So – what can you do at home?

  • You can make sure that you’re normalizing all of these feelings for your child.
  • You can remind them that keeping in touch with camp friends, although time-consuming, is really energizing and healthy. These are the people who “get” you after all! They will need guidance with this – they may not know where to start when it comes to having a relationship with someone they don’t see in school. Help them compose an email, practice how to call someone to invite them over, teach them how to Skype or Facetime (and then stay close by the first few times to make sure they don’t need help to keep the conversation going).
  • You can set some expectations – just like at camp! You can tell your child that they are responsible for certain things around the house like: making their own bed, doing their own laundry (or at least folding it and putting it away – neatly!). Please remind your child that she was able to do all of that at camp and there’s no reason not to do it at home as well. This will give your child a sense of pride and the knowledge that you believe they are capable. For our camper who struggle with Executive Functioning, a checklist is very helpful.
  • Encourage your child to help prepare a meal once a week. This often helps with trying new foods. Kids are more apt to TRY things they’ve put an effort into making! (It works at camp in our cooking classes!)
  • Finally, feel free to call us any time! We’re always here to help.

Akeela VT Spring Newsletter

The Akeela Spring Circular for our Vermont campers and their families is here!

In this issue of our camp newsletter:

  • A letter from Eric and Debbie
  • What to expect on the first day of camp
  • How we assign counselors to cabin groups
  • A list of first-year Akeela campers!
  • An invitation to enrolled families to attend our Open House in June
  • A snapshot of all the places in the world that Akeela campers come from
  • Introductions to head counselors and program heads
  • A detailed description of the kinds of communication that parents can expect with camp during the summer
  • Important reminders about forms, optional programs, medication at camp, sending bags to camp, and ordering camp clothing
  • Photos and updates from this winter’s construction projects at camp
  • Upcoming birthdays and much more!

 

Check out the entire newsletter here!