Camp Guide by Cleveland Jewish Publication Company

CAMP GUIDE

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

CJN.ORG | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | 39

Camp Guide

Photo / Great Lakes Science Center

A Cleveland Jewish News Special Section

40 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

CAMP GUIDE

Read more camp news at cjn.org/camp

Make overnight camp experience enjoyable with preparedness BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |

Create your own SUMMER adventure. HB offers a wide array of summer programming for boys and girls ages 3–21, with dozens of offerings to choose from. Visit HB.edu/summer to browse through academic, athletics, adventure, theatre, and specialty camp options to create your own one-of-a-kind experience. We offer flexible scheduling. Call 216.320.8085 for details. March 19 – 29 & July 23–August 10

VACATION CAMPS Co-ed, Preschool – Grade 8 June 11– July 20

DAY CAMPS Now offered 5 DAYS A WEEK! BROAD HORIZONS BEGINNER Co-ed, ages 3 & 4 BROAD HORIZONS Girls, Grades K – 5 BROADER HORIZONS Girls, Grades 6 – 8

he first night away from home can be scary for children, especially if it’s an unfamiliar place like a summer camp. According to Ephram Caflun, owner and director of Camp Wekeela in Hartford, Maine, and Ken Fortuna, camp director of Hiram House Camp in Moreland Fortuna Hills, parents can determine if their child is ready for overnight camp by talking with them. “One of the best ways to prepare a child for their first experience is to talk with them prior to going to camp about the fun experience they will have at camp,” Fortuna said. “Talk about the new friends and the fun activities. Talk about the positive aspects, but not that you will miss them. Set them up to think of camp in a positive light. Talk specifics too. The parents will know what their child likes to do best.” Caflun said, “They should have a conversation with their child to make sure the child wants to go and why going to overnight camp is a great option for the child. Once the child buys into it, make sure they are prepared. Most times it’s not the children who don’t want to go, it tends to be the parents that aren’t ready.” Both professionals said there are ways to gauge readiness in children. “Some people say if a child sleeps out of the home overnight that is a good way to see if they are indeed ready,” Caflun said. “At the end of the day, the typical age of a child that goes away to sleep away camp is ages 7 to 10, so it can be easier for them to go to overnight camp based on their personal emotional preparedness.” Fortuna also mentioned sleeping over at friend’s houses before going to overnight camp is a helpful way to simulate an environment without familiar faces. “That way, the camp is not their first time away from mom and dad, because that experience can cause anxiety,” he said. “They are in an unfamiliar place with people they don’t know. There is a level of comfort when knowing what to expect when staying away from home.” If homesickness is a major worry, Fortuna suggested parents write letters. “We recommend to parents that

Ephram Caflun, left, and his wife, Lori, own Camp Wekeela. | Submitted photo

they are welcome to write letters and campers can write back as well,” he said. “We encourage (the letters) to be positive, like how (the parents) wish they could go to camp. We encourage that contact.” Caflun said parents should also remember their child is in capable hands so they shouldn’t worry too much. “The parent is worried that the child won’t be able to take care of themselves, but it turns out the child does know how,” he said. “It’s important for parents to understand and for the kids to also know there is a trained staff. We have a training course that focuses on how to care for other people’s children.” According to Caflun, overnight camp is a great place to foster independence. “At the end of the day, parents want their children to grow up to be responsible adults,” he said. “Camp is a great place for kids to develop their self-worth. Counselors are trained to foster independence and growth, so (children) end up finding out all the little things that human beings can do.” When it comes to selecting an overnight camp, Fortuna and Caflun said parents should do their due diligence. “The best way to choose a program is to do your homework on the camps you are considering,” Fortuna said. “Parents know their child’s likes and dislikes and they should go from there. Knowing your child, if you think the camp will be a good fit, do a tour in the spring.” Caflun said, “At its core, every summer camp program has its own unique culture and that starts at the top. If you have the opportunity to speak or meet with directors, you get a better feel for what that camp is about.”

CAMP GUIDE

CJN.ORG | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | 41

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Summer camp offers valuable lessons in life JACOB CRAMER

mid snowy streets and icicle-bearing roofs, families already are mulling over summer’s impending question: what to do with their children during summer vacation. “During the summer, every kid should go to camp,” said David Faulstich, director of Red Oak Camp in Kirtland. “There are camps that are going to focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), and for certain folks that might be the right choice. Faulstich And there’s terrific specialty camps that focus on sports. “I’m a strong believer that every young person should be exposed to some kind of traditional camp experience. We all benefit from being outside, walking outside, all that stuff. It’s such a great opportunity to instill that in children at an early age, to get in the Mendes habit of prioritizing being in the natural world.” Joe Mendes, director of Camp Roosevelt-Firebird in Bowerston, about 30 miles south of Canton, said camp offers a unique opportunity for young people to grow and have fun. “They are in an environment with lots of guidance and supervision, but they also have freedom to develop, to solve problems, to make decisions,” Mendes said. “They definitely come home different, more responsible and more confident.” One of Mendes’ most memorable experiences at camp involves an 8-year-old boy upset by a caretaker who threatened to eat a snapping turtle that he had caught. A counselor told him to take action, make a petition and present it to try changing his mind, and the camper received 130 signatures. Although the caretaker ate the turtle in spite of the petition, Mendes said this act showed the 8-year-old that he could do something meaningful, an important life lesson that he said is different from what is learned in school. “I think this act of being encouraged to realize he could make a difference and fight for things he could believe in showed him he was an agent for change, right at camp,” Mendes said. “You can take these lessons that you’ve learned internally and go out into the world and carry them with you, and hopefully, do something that matters.” Faulstich, who said growth, development and learning are the main focus at camp, recalled witnessing personal development over a longer period when a camper who had never even seen a harness or helmet felt frightened by the prospect of climbing the camp’s ropes course. By the end of the camp session, the camper had climbed through a 20-element high ropes course and zip lined through the trees. “The first day of camp, they were nervous as can be and really unsure, so to have that confidence and grow and develop, and to come back the next year to our travel program and go to Seneca Rocks, West Virginia and climb up a

300-foot rock face and climb back down, it’s pretty cool,” he said. “There’s a deeper level of engagement with all the activities at camp. (Camp) is an opportunity for young people to be engaged and participate in activities but also to be self-directed and make choices and have that kind of authentic childhood experience in a safe environment where there are adults keeping an eye out on them and making sure that they’re taken care of.” Though camp can be expensive, both directors said it is a great option for any demographic. “You get exposure about getting along with people from different walks of life, whether it be economic or racial or even international,” said Mendes, whose

camp runs a foundation which subsidizes families so that kids can attend camp who otherwise would be financially unable. “Part of our mission is to provide the experience for anybody who wants it.” Faulstich said, “Camps do such a great job of engaging campers with each other and with the counselors, so it’s not about checking the box and having the trophy experience. Camp and the camp experience, regardless of the program, offers young people a unique opportunity to have experiences they don’t get often elsewhere in life.

Jacob Cramer is the Yoda Newton Editorial Intern at the Cleveland Jewish News.

Summer of Adventure at University School JUNE 11 - JULY 27 BOYS & COED PROGRAMS • PRE-K – GRADE 12 DAY CAMPS • SPORTS CAMPS • ENGINEERING & DESIGN • DEBATE • THEATRE ARTS • SPACE CAMP • MUSIC COMPOSITION & SONGWRITING

42 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG

CAMP GUIDE

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Former campers make ideal staff members BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |

RATNER MONTESSORI CAMP (AGES 2 – 6) Nature Walks | Art | Music | Montessori Learning Half and full day options available June 11 – July 27, 2018

RATNER ARTS CAMP (GRADES 1 – 4) Sculpture | Painting | Clay | Mixed Media Art Mornings/Sports & Outdoor Play Afternoons June 11 – July 27, 2018

Learn more at www.theratnerschool.org/parents/summer-program or call 216 464 0033 The Lillian and Betty Ratner School | 27575 Shaker Blvd | Pepper Pike, Ohio 44124

SUMMER

CAMPS 2018

Basketball • Engineering Film • Fitness • Leadership Performing Arts • Music • Technology

Summer Camps for Grades Preschool and Up tri-c.edu/summercamps 216-987-3075, Option 1

17-2295

arents may worry about who takes care of their children at summer camp. According to Rhonda Rickelman, director of auxiliary programming at Gilmour School in Gates Mills, and Candy Stokes, owner of Can Do It Farm Summer Camp in Jefferson, parents don’t have Rickelman to worry because their camps have retention and recruiting programs which ensure the staff is the best of the best. “I select girls that have been going to camp here for years and years,” Stokes said. “I’ve known these girls for years, and by the time they’ve reached 18, they want to keep coming back. At that point, they are already safety conscious. By picking kids that were campers here before, I tend to have a good pool to select candidates from.” Rickelman said at Gilmour, the selection committee looks for teachers and collegeage students who are working in the field of education – which applies to the camp’s focus on learning. “It’s essential to have that,” she said. “We also have a junior counselor program for students who are 14 years and older, and they apply for that position. Then, we have a 12-hour training program that is mission based. Some of those students then move to college and come back for senior counselor positions.” Stokes said she chooses former campers for her staff because her employees work so closely with current campers. “I have to make sure I know the girls who work for me,” she said. “The horses will know how to interact with them and it’s the same the other way around. It’s easier to hire girls that I’ve already trained and interacted with.” In terms of how they keep staff, both professionals noted it’s about keeping employees engaged and invested. “One of the ways we keep them around is by keeping them engaged,” Rickelman said. “We don’t ask them if they want to come back, we ask them when they are coming back. We want them to be in partnership with the camp, so that way they feel engaged in the entire process. We try to make it empowering.” Rickelman said the camp also works to have competitive wages and incentives to stay involved as well. As for Stokes, she said staffers start as assistant counselors as 16 to 18-year olds.

Can Do It Farm Summer Camp likes to hire staff members that are former campers. | Submitted photo

“They get to go to camp as a camper and then spend an extra week on the other side of the fence,” she said. “Most of them like it – but of course there are a few that don’t work out. I’ve had pretty good luck that way though. I also let the counselors bring their horses to camp, but if they don’t have one, I provide them with one.” Both professionals noted the benefits of employing former campers. “It’s nice and it helps,” Rickelman said. “There is something about having someone come back. It gives you validation that they enjoy camp at a different level. We have a lot of campers that are here a lot of years in a row – so having them come back as the staff is great. We have four senior counselors that are coming back this year alone and that is nice.” Stokes said, “My No. 1 thing is not only for my campers to have fun but to be safe. (Horseback riding) can be a dangerous sport. You have to know how not only to handle the students but also the horses. You can always hire an A-1 rider, but they won’t be able to know what to do in a camp specific accident.” Rickelman noted camp staff is an integral part of the culture. Without them, the camp would be a very different experience. “You have to have a strong staff,” she said. “They need to be on the same page and enforcing the same things. The counselors are integral to that. You can have anything on a piece of paper, but it comes across with who is acting on it.” Stokes said, “If you go to camp and you don’t like your counselor, you’re not coming back. If you liked the counselor, you like the camp. Personality is everything – you could lose many campers over one bad counselor.”

CAMP GUIDE

CJN.ORG | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | 43

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Let child’s interests help with camp selection BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |

At camps like Game On! Sports Camp 4 Girls, children can try different sports as well as experience personal growth. | Submitted photo

HIO ILLS • O G AT E S M

r u o m l Gi GA18 S U M M E R CA M

2018

very child can have a camp experience. When it comes to sports camps, there is no shortage of options. According to Tim Baab, owner of Blue Streak Camp in Bainbridge Township, and Barb Lazarus, owner of Game On! Sports Camp 4 Girls with locations in Beachwood, Shaker Heights and Hudson, choosing the correct sports camp comes down to a child’s interests. “My own personal philosophy is that you should expose your child to as many sports as possible,” Baab said. “Many sports camps focus on one sport Baab for the whole duration but here, we cover 15 to 18 sports each week. Kids seem to like it – and if they get bored, they can move onto something else.” Lazarus said Game On! works to teach girls of all skill levels and grades, so it’s up to the parents and child to select a sport. “Game On! offers multi-sport programming that includes summer Lazarus day camps, school-year classes, events, clinics and community projects that focus on an empowering, warm and fun environment,” she said. “We teach and play many sports with exposure to role models and attention to the concepts of (a) team.” Baab said parents want to see their children safe and having fun – and sports camps do that. Along with the fundamental requirements for a camp, sports camps also offer growth opportunities. “It teaches teamwork,” he said. “When you get out into the world, it’s important to talk to people. CFOs and CEOs of business that I know, they say team sports are important because they can show you how to make things happen.” Lazarus said sports camps like Game On! leave campers feeling empowered, confident and strong. “While sports and active play happen all day long, we also work to impact each camper’s growth as an athlete and a person,” she said. “Through our Healthier4Me program, we integrate discussion and lessons that focus on self-esteem, respect, nutrition, teamwork, leadership, goal setting, making smart choices, sportsmanship, developing solid bodies and other life skills.” According to Baab, when choosing a sports camp, parents shouldn’t worry about skill level. “Our camp does not focus on winning and losing,” he said. “We emphasize giving every child a chance to hit, catch, kick and throw. You don’t have to be a good athlete to enjoy (sports camp) – we incorporate everyone in our camp that wants to be involved.” Lazarus said sports camps are unique because they foster a sense of healthy competition and improvement. “Where else can a young girl experience six hours a day of exposure, fun and advancement in sports, no matter their skill level?” she said. When faced with deciding on a camp, both professionals suggested it comes down what their child wants to do. “Even if your child isn’t sporty, sports camp can have something for everyone,” Baab said. Lazarus said, “Whether you think your daughter is a talented athlete or not interested in or good at sports, your daughter will thrive at (our camp).

SUMMER JUNE

4 - AUGUST 3

The Official Camp of Summer Fun

e r c a mp m m

9 Weeks of Preschool Camp (Ages 3-5) Extended Care for all ages 9 Weeks of Day & Speciality Camps (Ages 5-12) Sciensational Workshops Sports Camps led by Gilmour’s varsity coaches

10%

D I S CO U N T

thru 2/28

Easy online registration at gilmour.org/summercamp

GILMOUR ACADEMY 34001 Cedar Road | Gates Mills, OH 44040

Educating the mind Empowering the heart

44 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Tech camps allow children to expand educational horizons

Summer Ruffing It! Summer Camps for ages 18 months - Grade 8

June 18 - July 27, 2018 For more information or to register go to: ruffingmontessori.net/camps

BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |

3380 FAIRMOUNT BOULEVARD : CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH

hen children think about summer camp, techrelated activities may be the furthest thing from their mind. According to Laurie Laird, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and director of Summer Academic and Honors Institute at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, and Scott Vollmer, vice president of STEM Learning at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland, tech camps can foster interest in new fields. Laird “At its core, you learn about having fun,” Vollmer said. “A lot of camp programs are like that, but tech camps give you access to things you don’t have laying around the house like 3-D printers or drones. Going out for these experiences is beneficial for the child, not only for the fun, but also for tech. It gives them the possibility to have a passion for STEM whether it’s for Vollmer play or school. We’re creating the next generation of innovators in the

Imagine summer, think Hawken! Summer programs for boys and girls ages 4-14. Hawken Summer Programs provide some of the best summer enrichment opportunities in Greater Cleveland. Campers can choose from a broad menu of programs that are specifically designed to be age-appropriate, fun, and worthwhile.

Day Camps

Far-out adventures close to home.

Passport Camps

One-week sessions for fun and creative explorations.

CAMP GUIDE

Athletic Camps Get in the game and have fun.

Summer Studies Academic enrichment and refresher courses for grades 6 –12.

www.hawken.edu/summer 440 . 423 . 2940 summerprograms@hawken.edu

workforce.” Laird said, “They focus on a specific field, study or work. It’s different from regular camps in a way that you have a science and math focus opposed to something like sports. It also brings about a way for students to interact and meet students that have the same interests as them. It also allows them to meet college students and professionals – which is an insight into what their future could hold.” By participating in tech opportunities, both said campers can stay sharp during the summer. “When you leave school in May or June, you kind of chuck out everything you’ve learned,” Laird said. “This gives you the opportunity to make your brain work a little bit. It stimulates (campers’) brains and gives them a boost for the next year as well as something to look forward to. It gives them a chance to pick up their brain and dust it off and use it in a different way than they usually do.” Vollmer mentioned “the summer slide,” which is when students get academically rusty. “They have summer and start to slip on their studies,” he said. “We want the kids to return (to school) and be prepared to learn. You want to figure out what you’re interested in and good at. And you can’t always do that at home. You have to do that in extracurricular activities.” Both camps offer a multitude of programs in different areas. Some of the programs the science center offers include an escape room camp, an amusement park camp, a video game camp, LEGO camps and a drone camp. The Summer Academic and Honors Institute offers programs in areas like pharmaceuticals, engineering, chemistry, forensics, crime scene investigation, astronomy, physics and molecular ecology. “(Students) can become complacent by doing the same things every day,” Vollmer said. “That is a ton of fun, but you don’t get a diverse experience that way. By having different options every week, parents can diversify their child’s summer and introduce them to different kinds of people. “Summer programs, especially tech/educational programs, give children the opportunity to strive a little farther. From a parental perspective, you want to know your child is doing their best. Tech camps allow children to be more insightful.” Laird said, “Like with any camp, a camp that is STEM-related can broaden the horizons of a child. Any time they have the opportunity to go outside their comfort zone and try something new is a good thing.” Vollmer said parents should consider tech camps because of the opportunities. “It keeps children engaged in topics that they are interested in at their level and allows them to achieve great things on their own terms,” he said. “We want to inspire the next generation of Northeast Ohioans to bring more technologies to make the city more vibrant. If you have a generation of kids used to using tech all summer to solve problems, those are the things that will stick with them.”

CAMP GUIDE

CJN.ORG | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | 45

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

One Happy Camper grants happiness for hundreds each year JACOB CRAMER

s families search to give their children a memorable summer experience, Jewish overnight camp offers an opportunity to build relationships and embrace Jewish values. Nonetheless, the cost of attendance can be overwhelming, barring families from exploring the sleepaway scene. For Michelle and Sam Feinberg of Pepper Pike, this hurdle emerged when their son, Gabe, 12, asked if he could spend his summer at the Mandel Jewish Community Center’s Camp Wise in Claridon Township, where children entering grades two through 11 enjoy horseback riding, daily swimming lessons and Shabbat with friends. With assistance from the Michael and Anita Siegal One Happy Camper Program, the Feinbergs, who belong to B’nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, were able to transform their son’s dream into a reality. “I think the cost of going to an overnight camp is extremely high, especially when you have multiple kids going,” Michelle Feinberg said. “Having (the program) is really helpful for the parents and I think that there are kids who would never be able to go to camp without that and that really helped us be able to send Gabe to Camp Wise.” The program began in June 2014 with a $1.25 million endowment from Michael and Anita Siegal of Beachwood. Designed to provide need-based grants of up to $1,000 for first-time Jewish overnight campers attending a Jewish overnight camp for at least 19 days and entering grades four through 12, the program is in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, as well as the Foundation for Jewish Camp and the Jewish Education Center of Cleveland. In 2017, the program awarded 358 grants to help children in Greater Cleveland attend Jewish overnight camp and hopes to help 365 this year, according to Maya Holtz Groys, director of scholarships and grants for the Jewish

Education Center of Cleveland in Cleveland Heights. Through the grant, Gabe enjoyed three weeks in the village of Ohalim, one of Camp Wise’s five villages, for rising sixth and seventh-grade campers. “(Gabe) had the time of his life,” his mother said. “He really liked all the different activities: the horseback riding, the ropes course and just time being spent with his friends in the cabin. He made a lot of friends from other schools in the area, and he really liked getting to bond with the campers and counselors and do group activities he loved.” As a child, Michelle Feinberg attended the Mandel JCC’s Anisfield Day Camp in Claridon Township, while her husband, Sam, spent his summers at Camp Ramah, a Jewish overnight camp in Ontario, Canada. She said she

wanted Gabe, a sixth grader at Brady Middle School in Pepper Pike, to have a Jewish camp experience just as she and her husband experienced because of the importance of children identifying with their faith beyond religious school and celebrating their Jewish roots. “It was such a good experience and I think that being able to offer something like this is truly unique,” Michelle Feinberg said. “It just helps so many kids go to camp, and for kids who otherwise wouldn’t be able to go, this is a great opportunity and we’re very lucky to have that in our community.”

Jacob Cramer is the Yoda Newton Editorial Intern at the Cleveland Jewish News.

SUMMER DAY CAMPS BEGIN JUNE 4! • Dozens of fun themes • Before- and after-care • Register by March 23 and save!

Gabe Feinberg, 12, returned from Camp Wise in Claridon Township bearing a tie-dyed T-shirt and telephone numbers written on his arms to stay in touch with friends. | Submitted photo

46 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG

SERVING NORTHEAST OHIO CAMPERS SINCE 1947 RED BARN • CHINCAPIN • RED OAK

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Camp administrators drawn to creative, empowering environment BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |

A RED OAK CAMP

9057 KIRTLAND-CHARDON RD. KIRTLAND, OH 44094

JUN

AUG

11 18

BOYS AND GIRLS DAY CAMPS OVERNIGHT CAMPS TEEN LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS

Swimming • Horseback Riding • Nature & Science Fishing Tree Climbing • Canoeing & Kayaking Archery • Riﬂery • Rock Climbing & Ropes Course Woodshop • Arts & Crafts Hiking • Sports

REDOAKCAMP.ORG

Nature play, crafts, activities and animal encounters are all part of the experience at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo summer day camp. Open to kids ages 5-14, campers are grouped according to age to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment.

CAMP GUIDE

career in camp administration can be rewarding. Danny Herz, camp director at URJ 6 Points Sports Academy in Greensboro, N.C., and Joy Whitlow, director of auxiliary programs at Ruffing Montessori School in Cleveland Heights, said running a camp has allowed them to explore creative and centralized programming. “Though this is my first year as Director of Auxiliary Programs, I have been working with children in multiple capacities for the past 18 years,” Whitlow said. “Originally, I was Herz interested in pursuing a career as a K-3 teacher. After my second year I decided to switch my major to art history. In college, I started out as a nanny and a lot of my time was spent with children during the summers and after school. A large portion of my work was to get creative with the activities and to keep the children engaged.” Herz said he found camp Whitlow administration was right for him when 6 Points Sports Academy opened in 2010. “It felt like a natural fit for me as an educator, coach and

Jewish professional,” he said. “Those aspects are important to me. I believe in education, sports and my role as a Jewish educator. I’m glad there is a place where I am proud to be Jewish and proud to be an athlete.” After her job as a nanny was done for the year, Whitlow said she went into the classroom. This move inspired her camp involvement. “I taught preschool, toddler and did substitute teaching,” she said. “After being in the classroom last year, this position opened up and I had so much experience planning as far as the classroom and working several years leading summer camps and planning itineraries, this felt like the next step from there.” Herz said at 6 Points’ start, there weren’t many Jewish specialty camps. “We weren’t sure if it was going to work – but to me, it made complete sense,” he said. “One of the things I love about our camp is students were being forced to choose between the beauty of Jewish camp and the benefits of a sports camps. We wanted to give an avenue to do both and that has worked out well.” Whitlow said the reason she continues to work in camps is that it’s a challenge. “I have worked with children as young as 6 weeks all the way up to 17 years of age,” she said. “After my first year at Ruffing, my predecessor retired, and I moved into the role of Director. With the trajectory of my career, and the years of experience, this position just felt like a natural next step.” Herz said, “I believe in our mission. I believe in the impact that a Jewish sports camp can make on young Jewish people. I have a lot of fun and I love learning every day and being with people who share the love of and believe in Jewish camp like I do. The power of camp works.” In comparison to other jobs he had, Herz said he finds working at a camp unique. “It’s unique because it combines what I’ve done before and makes it something new,” he said. “I’m taking what I like about educating and combining it with sports – the lessons learned and the personal growth. I’m then combining it with my love for all things Jewish. I’ve seen the fun that comes out of it. I see the connections and deep, meaningful relationships that come out of combining Judaism and sports. It’s powerful.” As for the future of their camps, both professionals said they don’t exactly know the answer yet, but can’t wait to find out. “I love the opportunity to feel like I can contribute to children becoming lifelong learners, while engaged and having fun,” Whitlow said. “With each year that passes, my goal is to take the auxiliary program in a direction that supports our students to be their most creative selves. Seeing the children get excited about new opportunities is truly a rewarding experience for me.” Herz said, “Part of me likes the fact that we’ve seen growth in our camp and on a professional level. I’ve learned so much in the role and I want to continue to learn and get better.”

CAMP GUIDE

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

Lifelong friendships can find roots at summer camp JACOB CRAMER

riendship can be magical. Whether it’s conceived on a school playground in the second grade or at a dinner party as an adult, it links people through memories and experiences. However, friendships formed at summer camps are particularly magical, according to Jason Dombrowski Habig, who directs summer programs at Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights. “Camp presents an opportunity for children to be around students who they otherwise might not be around,” said Habig, an eighth-grade history teacher at Hathaway Brown during the school year. “You get a different mix of kids and you give them the opportunity to do a bunch of activities in an immersive way, whether that activity is just doing crafts and having fun with friends, or it’s going on extended-day field trips, and that creates an opportunity for them to create friendships that last a lifetime and are just different than what they would experience during the school year.” One reason that camp friendships form with ease is because camp embodies less judgment, said fitness manager Teri Dombrowski, who manages the two camps at Chagrin Valley Athletic Club in Bainbridge Township, which are a junior activity camp for ages 4 to 6 and sports camp for ages 6 to 12. “In school, you have your friends from kindergarten to 12th grade, and you know those kids pretty intimately over 12 or 13 years,” Dombrowski said. “I think at camp, we’re more accepting of the kids, whether or not it’s because we really are attracted to them or because we really don’t get along with them, but we know that camp is a short period of time, and it’s okay to be their friend. It doesn’t have to be forever.” In addition, when campers at Chagrin Valley Athletic Club camps participate in activities like tennis and swimming, they play noncompetitively. Dombrowski considers this “good ole summertime fun” another reason that campers build such close bonds in

the short amount of time that they’re together. At Hathaway Brown’s flagship camp, Broad Horizons, which is celebrating its 40th year, adult alumni have started to send their children to the camp, often reminiscing to Habig and other camp staff about their friendships that began decades ago at the same camp. “It’s a unique experience for us because as an institution, we have the 40-year-long view of it,” Habig said. “We now are in a place where we’re getting a number of people coming back and saying, ‘I remember what this was like when I did it, and I made friendships that lasted a lifetime, and now I want my daughters to have that same experience.’” That experience is made possible by the counselors, which Dombrowski said are helpful in facilitating friendships and keeping relations peaceful among campers. “If there is some friction between some campers, the counselors will step in and try to get the kids to work it out and realize what they’re doing to each other or saying is possibly hurtful, and just to try to get them to understand that we’re all here to have fun,” Dombrowski said. While counselors help encourage friendships during the session, it’s up to them to maintain the relationships they form, particularly for the older children. Habig said the digital age lends itself to the lasting quality of the friendships he sees formed at camp. “Social media now allows kids to stay in contact with friends that they meet in ways that might not have been true in the past, and I think it’s great for kids to have a support system of people that they care about and that care about them,” Habig said. “For adolescents, when you’re having a rocky experience at your school during the school year because of whatever reasons, having people outside of that school environment that you can fall back on and trust and know are part of your core is a great opportunity and that’s why camp friendships for kids are just another way to feel connected to the world around them and get to know people with similar interests and passions.”

Jacob Cramer is the Yoda Newton Editorial Intern at the Cleveland Jewish News.

CJN.ORG | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | 47

CPH EDUCATION PROGRAMS

CPH THEATRE ACADEMY Education Classes for All Ages and Levels

CPH Theatre Academy has classes for working adult professionals, preschool children with big imaginations, and everyone in between. Faculty from Tony Award-recipient Cleveland Play House will excite creative potential and nurture your passion for live theatre!

clevelandplayhouse.com/academy

Meet new friends and make memories to last a lifetime. Hiram House Camp offers Summer Day Camp for boys and girls ages 6 through 12 (and a Junior camp for children entering kindergarten) and Summer Overnight Camps for boys and girls ages 6 through 14. Camp activities include high ropes course, climbing tower, archery, boating, arts n’ crafts, hiking, horseback riding, cookouts and camp outs, swimming, and nature studies. Register for Summer 2018 now at hiramhousecamp.org or (216) 831-5045 HIRAM HOUSE CAMP • 33775 HIRAM TRAIL, MORELAND HILLS, OHIO

48 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

CAMP GUIDE

CAMP LISTINGS Summer 2018 First Session: June 17 - July 13

Second Session: July 15 - August 10

Taste of Beber: August 3-August 5 (847) 677-7130 www.bebercamp.com

COMPUTER CAMP

CAMP GAN ISRAEL OF BEACHWOOD

CAMP RAMAH IN CANADA

25400 Fairmount Blvd. Beachwood, OH 44122 216-282-CAMP (2267) camp@cgibeachwood.com cgibeachwood.com Director: Rivky Friedman

3845 Bathurst St., Suite 310 Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3H 3N2 416-789-2193 Fax: 416-789-3970 info@campramah.com campramah.com Director: Dr. Ron Polster

BEBER CAMP Winter: 8833 Gross Point Road, Suite 312 Skokie, IL 60077 847-677-7130 Fax: 847-677-7132 Summer: W 1741 County Road J Mukwonago, WI 53149 262-363-6800 Fax: 262-363-6804 info@bebercamp.com bebercamp.com Director: Becky Altman

CAMP CURIOSITY

NATIONAL COMPUTER CAMP

Baldwin Wallace University, Cleveland America’s Original Computer Camp 41st Anniversary Residential and Day Programs

Great Lakes Science Center 601 Erieside Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114 216-621-2400 GreatScience.com

www.nccamp.com (203) 710-5771

TOP 10 Camp in USA!

Selected as Ohio’s ‘coolest’ camp!

-EarlyChildhoodEducationZone.com

-Philly.com

800–837–CAMP

Falconcamp.com

CAMP WALDEN, MI 5607 S. River Road Cheboygan, MI 4971 248-225-1256 Fax: 844-272-6354 summer@campwaldenmi.com campwaldenmi.com Directors: Liz Stevens and Scott Ruthart

CLEVELAND PLAYHOUSE CPH Theatre Academy 1901 E. 13th St. Cleveland OH, 44114 216-400-7061 / 216-802-3031 ndiamond@clevelandplayhouse.com clevelandplayhouse.com Director: Pamela DiPasquale

CAMP GUIDE CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (TRI-C) SUMMER CAMPS

RATNER MONTESSORI CAMP AND RATNER ARTS CAMP

216-987-3075, option No. 1 tri-c.edu/summercamps

27575 Shaker Blvd. Pepper Pike, Ohio 44124 216-464-0033 crolen@theratnerschool.org theratnerschool.org/parents/summer-program

FALCON CAMP 4251 DELTA ROAD SW Carrollton, OH 44615 216-991-2489 / 800-837-CAMP info@FalconCamp.com falconcamp.com Director: Dave Devey

HATHAWAY BROWN SCHOOL 19600 N. Park Blvd. Shaker Heights, OH 44122 216-320-8085 jhabig@hb.edu hb.edu/summer Director: Jason Habig

HAWKEN SUMMER PROGRAMS 5000 Clubside Drive Lyndhurst, OH 44124 440-423-2940 summerprograms@hawken.edu hawken.edu/summer

HIRAM HOUSE CAMP 33775 Hiram Trail Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 216-831-5045 info@hiramhousecamp.org hiramhousecamp.org

LAWRENCE SCHOOL SUMMER PROGRAMS Broadview Heights (Lower School) Sagamore Hills (Upper School) 440-526-0717 Fax: 440-526-0595 admissions@lawrenceschool.org summeratlawrence.org

CLEVELAND METROPARKS ZOO 3900 Wildlife Way Cleveland, OH 44109 216-635-3391 programregistration@clevelandmetroparks.com clevelandmetroparks.com/camps

CJN.ORG | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | 49

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

join us in 2018

RED OAK CAMP 9057 Kirtland-Chardon Road Kirtland, OH 44094 440-256-0716 marketing@redoakcamp.org redoakcamp.org

.com www.campwaldenmi i.com nm de al pw am summer@c

248-225-1256

SCHOOL OF ROCK HIGHLAND HEIGHTS 299 Alpha Park Highland Heights, OH 44143 440-684-7625 highlandhieghts@schoolofrock.com highlandheights.schoolofrock.com

With an awesome array of activities, a supportive camp family and a beautiful Northern Michigan setting, kids really do make the most of summer at Walden! Find dates for our 2- through 7-week sessions, 3-day Mini Mini Session, and Leader in Training program for campers entering 11th grade, at our Website.

SCHOOL OF ROCK STRONGSVILLE 16888 Pearl Road Strongsville, OH 44136 440-572-7655 strongsville@schoolofrock.com strongsville.schoolofrock.com

www.campwaldenmi.com

SUMMER RUFFING IT Ruffing Montessori School 3380 Fairmount Blvd. Cleveland Heights, OH 44118 216-932-7866 Fax: 216-321-7568 julias@ruffingmontessori.net ruffingmontessori.net/camps

SUMMER OF ADVENTURE AT UNIVERSITY SCHOOL Hunting Valley Campus 2785 SOM Center Road Shaker Heights Campus 20701 Brantley Road 216-831-2200 ext. 7366 summer@us.edu us.edu/summer

Listings provided by advertisers

NATIONAL COMPUTER CAMP 203-710-5771 info@nccamp.com nccamp.com Michael Zabinski, Ph.D.

Questions? Contact Leora@campramah.com www.campramah.com 416.789.2193 x2133

campramahincanada

50 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG

FEBRUARY 23, 2018

CAMP GUIDE

Camp Guide To read additional camp stories and view the expanded listings, visit cjn.org/camps

S umatm e r

Lawrence

Launch into the fall with our summer program!

Lions Leap

â&#x20AC;˘ 4-week, academic enrichment program for students entering grades 1-6 â&#x20AC;˘ Experience academic success, learn new organizational strategies, make new friends