Dear Treetops Families,
Earlier this week, I witnessed the first yellowed leaves gently fall from the birch tree behind Meadow House. As we surpassed the midpoint of our time together this summer, this and other subtle reminders of autumn’s approach have begun to appear on campus. It marks a bittersweet time as we prepare to bid farewell to our four-week campers who have been important and valued members of our community.
Our fourth week also marks the sweet spot of summer, when campers have settled into the routines of Treetops, navigating each day with a little more confidence. We see this in the relationships they’ve formed with friends and counselors, as well as a new-found self-assuredness they’ve built within. Today, the excitement is palpable as campers tidy their spaces and anticipate visits from family members this weekend, eager to share their summer experience with loved ones.
The week kicked off with a rowdy and whimsical birthday dinner celebration for all of our campers with birthdays in July. The birthday campers were serenaded with the Treetops birthday song as they entered the dining rooms, where they received crowns carefully crafted out of construction paper, and the regular roles were reversed as campers headed their dinner tables and counselors acted as their waiters.
Sunday brought the excitement of the Lake Placid Ironman triathlon past campus. Campers came out in full force to cheer on the participants, proudly displaying handmade posters with encouraging words for the passing competitors after their long hard bicycle climb up Route 73. Many campers were inspired by this feat of strength and demonstrated perseverance as the cyclists pushed through this huge challenge.
On Monday, Community Day saw our campers working hard to accomplish important and meaningful jobs—senior campers joined junior campers in the gardens, a favorite spot for many, and worked diligently to weed and harvest, deepening their understanding of the importance of tending and caring for our crops. Across campus at the Sugar House, the Supers stacked wood to be used next spring during the sugaring season at North Country School. Though this task may seem removed from the summer experience, campers understand the important role they play in aiding NCS students in this process in order to have our treasured “liquid gold” maple syrup on our breakfast tables each Sunday morning at Camp.
Throughout the week, campers also spent multiple activity periods working together to write, rehearse, and create and gather props and set pieces, as they prepared to perform the Camp plays. Campers who arrived shy and quiet just a few weeks ago took to the stage with energy, enthusiasm, and confidence as their peers looked on with smiles and cheers of encouragement.
Off-campus, more hiking trips, canoe trips, sailing trips, overnights, and visits to local farms gave campers the chance to try new things, scale mountain summits, and traverse fresh waters. Each new experience offered campers yet another opportunity for growth, strength, and confidence, bolstering their self-esteem. These are qualities and characteristics we know they will carry with them when they leave our mountain campus and venture into the great big world beyond.
With gratitude,
Hannah Edwards
Camp Treetops Director