Dear Treetops Families,
I can hardly believe that we are more than halfway through the summer season and that the time is approaching for us to bid our four-week campers farewell this weekend. It’s been a busy week at Treetops, both on and off campus, and our campers have continued to deepen their connections: with one another, with the natural world around them, and with the interests they’ve developed over the past weeks.
The unhurried pace and unplugged nature of Treetops affords campers the opportunity to let their imaginations soar and their creativity ramble, unhindered by busy schedules or the nearest screen or device. We see this creativity at the dining table when campers tell stories or devise complex hypothetical video game plots over the course of many meals together. The recent Junior Camp trend of teaching snails the value of snail boating and helping them glide across the frog pond aboard beautiful and ornate watercraft is another example of the creative whimsy that’s nurtured during a Treetops summer.
At Treetops, we also value seeing a project through to completion; the emphasis is not on doing as much as humanly possible, but on digging in, focusing on doing the craft well, and appreciating the process. This week, I was thrilled to see the rough-hewn canoe paddles created by many of our Senior Campers, as they toted them around Camp with a fold of sandpaper, rounding the edges and smoothing the grooves in any idle moment.
Out on the trail, campers also took their skills to a higher level. Our first trail rides went out for riders who had shown commitment to learning important horsemanship skills, such as proper tacking up, as well as safety skills, including tying a quick-release knot, emergency dismounting, and demonstrating skilled control of their horse at different gaits. Their time, attention, and commitment afforded them the opportunity to take part in an afternoon and evening ride around our many acres of campus trails.
In the surrounding Adirondacks, campers scaled higher peaks, paddled rougher waters, and our first double overnights took off from Senior Camp. On these extended trips, campers have the ability to dig into their skills and also have the time and space to embrace the microcommunity of their trip group. As they embark on their journey together, they develop their relationships and revel in being immersed in the natural world. Trip groups returned to Treetops having formed deeper bonds with their companions, clamoring to share stories from their adventures, happy to be home, and proud of what they’d accomplished.
Today, campus will be a flurry of activity and excitement as we prepare to welcome families to campus for Visitors’ Weekend tomorrow. Campers are eager to show their loved ones all they have experienced over these last four weeks: the relationships they’ve forged, the animals and grounds they’ve lovingly cared for, and the crafts they’ve honed. I’ve truly enjoyed watching your campers flourish at Treetops, free and unhurried in this child’s world.
We look forward to welcoming many of you to Treetops this weekend!
With gratitude,
Hannah Edwards
Camp Treetops Director