CAMP TREETOPS Since 1921, families have given children the gift of timeless summers at Camp Treetops, a residential summer camp for children ages 8 through 14. Our seven-week program offers a wide range of creative and challenging activities in a simple, unhurried, child-centered environment. Treetops is set on a 220-acre property surrounded by pristine mountain wilderness in the heart of the six-million-acre Adirondack Park, ample space to experience firsthand the beauty of rivers, lakes, and mountains. Our campus includes a lake free of motorboats, a large organic garden, and a working farm. Treetops gives children a summer unplugged— in which to experience the natural world and grow in self-confidence, independence, creativity, and physical skills. In a world saturated with technology, Treetops offers the sound of early morning birdsong, the challenge of canoeing across a windy lake, and the satisfaction of creating something beautiful with one’s own hands.
Time for Childhood UNPLUGGED. UNHURRIED. UNFOLDING.
Camp Treetops gives children time. Time to consider and reflect; time to fall in love with the earth and understand their responsibility to it; time to make friends for a lifetime; time to experience genuine accomplishment and unbounded joy. In the words of Helen Haskell, Camp director from 1929– 1969, “Treetops gives back what city and suburb have taken away—farm animals to care for, sand and earth to dig in, trees to climb, grass to roll in, woods and fields to explore, flowers to pick or a garden to tend, wide stretches in which to play safely, a place to swim in the sun, to sleep out under stars.” In today’s wired world, children need this time “unplugged” more than ever before. Being present in the moment, day by day, campers are given the chance to discover their true selves.
UNPLUGGED
Without watches or clocks, campers begin to regard time differently. The world slows down, so children have time for childhood. The joys of the young—jumping in puddles, chasing butterflies, turning cartwheels in tall grass—are within easy reach, unencumbered by frenzied pace or over-scheduled routine. Without the smartphones and computers that dominate our modern landscape, children begin to see and notice, listen and hear, and imagine and create.
UNHURRIED The essential experience Treetops offers is time. Here, we gain time—and a host of benefits—from unhurried, simple living. Where there is time to learn the names of every one of our horses, pick blueberries on Noonmark Mountain, or join in a square dance, there is time for childhood.
UNFOLDING
A Treetops day unfolds in a rhythm. Children are awakened not by a bell, but by the quiet words of a counselor telling them the day has begun. Each week a different group of campers has early morning chores at the barn or the garden. Apart from daily swim lessons, work jobs, and a weekly riding lesson, children choose their
activities with guidance from counselors. Even for our youngest campers, personal choice is balanced by an established structure and daily routine. A Treetops day is open for new experiences and adventures.
A TREETOPS DAY 6:30 – 9:00 am Chores, Breakfast & Tent Cleanup Children assigned to morning barn chores and garden harvest get up earlier than their fellow campers. They make their way to the barn or the garden to care for animals or harvest food for the day’s meals. As they return, the rest of camp stirs. All gather in the dining room for a delicious, healthy breakfast. After breakfast, campers return to their tents or cabins to tidy up living spaces. They work together to take out the trash, sweep the floor, and make their beds. 9:00 am – 12:15 pm Council & Morning Activities Following breakfast and tent cleanup, campers and counselors gather for morning council, where music is played, songs are sung, and information about daily activities is shared. Council, for which we gather three times a day, builds our community and provides structure and choice. It is during council that campers select activities for their mornings, afternoons, and evenings. Daytime activities might include swim classes, craft projects, music, drama, cooking, farm activities, horseback riding, rock climbing, and wilderness trips. 12:15 – 2:45 pm Lunch, Council & Rest Hour After a wholesome lunch, afternoon activities are chosen at council. Following council comes rest hour. Rest hour is a time for children to nap in tents or
cabins or pursue solitary activities such as reading, writing, or drawing. Mail is also delivered at this time, so campers are able to savor news from home in relative privacy. 2:45 – 6:00 pm Afternoon Activities & Work Jobs After rest hour, campers participate in the two activities they selected during lunch council. At 3:45, between third and fourth activity periods, everyone gathers for a 15-minute snack break called “Juice & Crackers.” Campers look forward to this break as a time when the whole camp comes together. At 5:00, all campers and staff participate in daily chores. This meaningful work not only helps to keep camp running smoothly, but teaches children the value of their contribution to the community. 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm Dinner & Evening Activities After dinner, some campers may opt for quiet games or reading by the fire, while others work on craft projects or join a short sunset hike. Pickup games of soccer and capture-the-flag are favorites, and, on particularly hot evenings, many campers head to the waterfront for a dip in the lake. On certain evenings, the entire camp gathers for a special event—a musical or dramatic performance, square dance, or bonfire on the Lake Hill.
Connectedness FULLY PRESENT. HERE, NOW, AND WITH EACH OTHER.
Our campus is simple and rustic. Children live in platform tents or cabins with two or three other campers of similar age. These “tent groups” are carefully organized with camper compatibility in mind, and each is overseen by a counselor. In keeping with our “unplugged” philosophy, tents and cabins do not have electricity. Although junior and senior camps have separate dining rooms, the rituals are the same. In each, we serve familystyle meals on real china. Groups of five campers and one counselor share a table for every meal for one week at a time. The opportunity to share mealtime conversations with counselors and campers one might not otherwise encounter is another way we build a close community at Treetops.
CONNECTED TO THE NATURAL WORLD Through simple, rustic living, children at Treetops develop an appreciation of the world around them—the feel of mud between barefoot toes; the smell of balsam on a woodland trail; the sound of gentle, evening
raindrops on the tent; the bright blinking of fireflies in the garden meadow; the taste of freshly picked raspberries. We have several naturalists on our staff who provide endless opportunities for nature exploration in our forest, ponds, lakes, and surrounding mountain wilderness. At the barn, campers learn about and care for farm animals. In the process, they learn firsthand lessons of life’s natural
rhythms—the birth of baby goats, the grooming of horses, the eating habits of pigs, the loss of chickens to predators— cultivating a deep respect for the animals in our care. This connection to the natural world fosters a life-long commitment to simple and sustainable living and to responsible decision-making regarding natural resources.
CONNECTED TO OUR FOOD We believe in the power of food to influence the well-being and healthy growth of children. We serve three healthy, well-balanced meals a day with an emphasis on homemade, whole foods. Most of the food we consume we grow ourselves or purchase from neighboring farms. At Treetops the farm-to-table cycle begins on our own land. Every day, campers collect about 75 eggs and help to harvest vegetables, greens, herbs, berries, and wild edibles grown on our property. Through cultivating, weeding, and harvesting, campers help provide the food that sustains our community.
Community PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN OURSELVES.
A sense of community suffuses all we do. Through daily chores and work jobs, children acquire shared values and gain confidence as they perform meaningful tasks that help to keep Camp running smoothly. The money saved from eating a light meal of soup and bread once a week is donated to a charity of the campers’ choosing. Every summer campers have the opportunity to participate in a summer-long community project: building a canoe, cutting a new trail, creating a perennial garden—something they can point to years later with pride.
COMMUNITY CHORES
Campers enjoy the opportunity to work together in small groups to accomplish a worthwhile task, such as harvesting the vegetables we eat at meals; caring for our farm animals; picking fresh flowers for the dining room tables; gathering wood for the evening campfire; tidying and sweeping the crafts shops; putting away camping equipment; and repairing canoes.
COMMUNITY MORNINGS One morning each week is set aside for an all-camp community chore. Perhaps the annual flowerbed needs to be weeded, a trail or pasture requires maintenance, firewood needs to be stacked, or an invasive species eradicated. As with other jobs, campers gain a sense of accomplishment from taking on real responsibility and shared work.
Creativity PLACE OF INSPIRATION. WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY.
Creativity and forms of expression are woven seamlessly into a Treetops day. Some may be ethereal and explorative, while others require more process and planning. All involve imaginative, hands-on learning. At a time when digital technology plays a large role in our lives, completing hands-on projects is empowering. Unplugged, campers discover not only the simple joys of imagination, but also a sense of resourcefulness and self-reliance. At Treetops, there are no pre-formed kits; our farm, fields, and forest provide a bounty of materials. With ample inspiration from nature, in turn children inspire one another, allowing ideas to come to life and transforming materials all around them into works of art.
CRAFTS & ART The experienced artists and educators on our staff encourage children to develop creativity as they learn new skills: weaving, woodworking, pottery, dyeing and batik, felting, puppet making, knitting, beading, and papermaking, to name a few.
In the craft shops, campers learn to weave on bead and belt looms, later progressing to table and floor looms. As always, after learning the necessary skills, children become increasingly creative with design and color. In the pot shop, campers learn the art of ceramics. Beginning with basic handbuilding techniques, campers make a variety of objects, such as coil pots, clay animals, teapots, or whistles. Campers may then progress to throwing on the electric or kick-
wheels, making cups, bowls, plates, or vases— improving basic skills and broadening their ability to create more intricate projects. In the woodshop, children craft boxes, checkerboards, toy sailboats, and canoe paddles. Campers interested in woodworking first learn to use hand tools safely, including hammers, saws, and drills. Older children in the senior camp woodshop also learn to use a lathe, eventually making objects like bowls and baseball bats.
WHIMSY AND PLAY
A tradition of playfulness and whimsy infuses daily life at Treetops. We keep a well-stocked costume closet, as play-acting and make-believe are popular activities. Our highly imaginative counselors enjoy coming up with a unique twist on activities like singing to the pigs, cloud watching, storytelling, creating houses for the gnomes
and fairies who live in our forest, dressing as pirates in a search for hidden treasure, and having a proper British tea party on top of a small mountain. Many of our Treetops traditions and special all-camp events—from Gymkhana to Backwards Day and Farm Fest—incorporate dress-up, whimsy, and imagination.
MUSIC & DRAMA Music is an integral part of life at Treetops. Campers and counselors sing together at morning council; they play guitars outside the dining room waiting for meals; their drumming sets a rhythm for community work projects; and voices and instruments are the backbone of our Sunday evening performances and campfires. Drama at Treetops is all about collaboration, the creative process, and having fun. Improvisation and the exploration of expressive performance guide our program—from theater games to poetry readings to rehearsed plays.
Confidence
THE JOY OF ACCOMPLISHMENT. A SUMMER OF GROWTH.
In nurturing the whole child, Treetops builds confidence and bolsters children’s sense of self-worth. From successfully completing a deep-water swim test, to learning to trot in the riding ring, to paddling against a strong headwind, campers learn to take pride in their summer accomplishments. They learn to lean on one another and their counselors and discover they can be there to help support a friend. This is particularly true on hiking and overnight camping trips. Confidence in oneself, as well as in one’s community, allows children to feel at ease and at home.
SWIMMING
Each child has a daily American Red Cross swim class at the waterfront. Classes are assigned based on the ability of each camper at the beginning of the summer. All campers must pass a swimming test before venturing into deep water or participating in boating activities. Hardy campers who enjoy the water may choose to take a pre-breakfast polar bear swim.
Afternoon general swims allow everyone, from beginners to advanced swimmers, to have fun playing in the water and paddle about in little boats. Especially skilled swimmers may take on the challenge of swimming for endurance or help out teaching younger children. After a hot day, an evening activity swim is a great way to cool down.
HORSEBACK RIDING Children have the opportunity to ride at least once a week in one of our outdoor rings or on trails. At the start of camp, riding instructors assess every camper’s riding ability and place them in a class appropriate to their skill level. Well-qualified and experienced riding instructors make sure that riding lessons are educational, safe, and enjoyable. Skilled riders who demonstrate advanced ability may go on long trail rides and overnight trips.
PADDLING & SAILING
Under the watchful guidance of our certified staff, campers develop the art of canoeing, kayaking, and sailing in the safe confines of our waterfront. Campers learn paddling basics, boating rescue procedures, and safe portage methods. Those interested in sailing learn the basics of knots, rigging, and the points of
sail. On our own lake, budding sailors first learn to handle small and easy Sunfish before progressing to the larger and more challenging Capris. When campers have mastered their canoeing, kayaking, or sailing skills, they are eligible for day and overnight trips to larger lakes and rivers in the Adirondacks.
CLIMBING Campers are given the opportunity to learn rockclimbing. With indoor and outdoor climbing walls and world-class crags and boulders in our backyard, campers are exposed to multiple routes requiring varying levels of experience and technique. In addition to improving agility and building strength, children also learn to develop patience, trust, and self-awareness through rock-climbing.
WILDERNESS TRIP PROGRAMS We encourage our campers to put on a backpack and join us on the trail. A beginner hiker may find adventure in hiking up Balanced Rocks right from Camp and exploring the cave and enjoying blueberries on top. More
experienced campers meet the challenge of climbing multiple peaks across rugged terrain over the course of several days. Campers may also choose to work toward Treetops Guide Certification by showing a mastery of skills. Leaving Camp for a trip by water introduces children to remote natural beauty. Adirondack lakes and rivers offer opportunities for a wide variety of trips on local waterways, ranging from a
sailing day trip to an overnight canoeing expedition. We always practice “Leave No Trace� camping. Group size is kept small with a maximum of eight children and two staff members on trips. Cultivating resilience, inner strength, and a buoyancy of spirit, wilderness trips allow campers to discover physical and emotional reserves they may not realize they have.
SPORTS & GAMES On the way to the waterfront, you may see campers shooting hoops, playing a tennis match, or kicking a soccer ball across the field. Although Treetops is not considered a sports camp, a selection of non-competitive games helps campers learn the importance of goodnatured fair play and teamwork. Evening games may be as energetic as Ultimate Frisbee and Capture the Flag or as quiet as a chess match in front of the fireplace.
ABOUT OUR STAFF Our staff members are skilled and love children. Many are former campers. A staff member may have first come to Treetops as a nine-year-old and discovered hiking. Now, many years later, she leads children into the mountains she still loves. Our staff is from the U.S. and abroad. Older staff, many of whom are teachers during the school year, provide the wisdom of parents who have raised their own children. Young counselors infuse the summer with energy. We choose staff members carefully. Intensive training and weekly meetings ensure that even the youngest counselors are held to the highest level of professionalism.
NUTS & BOLTS Our staff members are skilled and love children. Many are former campers and roots go deep. A staff member may have first come to Treetops as a nine year old and discovered hiking. Now many years later she leads children Camp wasshe founded in 1921 by progressive into the Treetops mountains still loves. educators Donald and Dorothy Slesinger. Helen and Douglas theare staffteachers soon after and became Older staff,Haskell many joined of whom during directors 1929. the schoolin year, provide the wisdom of parents
TRADITION & HISTORY
who have their Treetops own children. Youngamong camps From theraised beginning, was unique counselors the summer with energy.and welcoming of the era: infuse coeducational, noncompetitive, Staff members from foreign countries exposeemphasized to children of diverse backgrounds. Treetops children to aremain diversity that value. values that true to we thisall day—child-centered education, community, the fostering of self-reliance and We choose staff members carefully. Intensive confidence, living in harmony with nature, and preserving staff training and weekly staff meetings make a child’s world through a “summer unplugged.” sure that even the youngest counselors are Helen’s Leonora, and her husband, Walter Clark, held to a sister, high level of professionalism. joined the Treetops staff following the Haskells. Leo and Walter were equally committed to the ideals of progressive education and founded North Country School in 1938. In 1957, Treetops and North Country School were organized into a nonprofit, educational institution governed by a board of trustees. Today, the two institutions continue to share the campus and their mission and values.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSIVENESS Our history requires that we continue to lead in sustaining a camp that is diverse in all ways, and where differences are recognized as strengths. Such diversity includes, but is not limited to, differences in racial, cultural, religious, geographic, and ethnic origin; economic status; sexual orientation; gender identity; and physical and learning abilities. These differences among us that we call diversity are recognized as a core strength, too precious to homogenize.
TUITION & ENROLLMENT Enrollment forms and tuition information are available on our website, www.camptreetops.org. Treetops is a not-forprofit organization dedicated to providing a unique camp experience to as many children as possible. The generosity of donors allows us to provide need-based scholarships to about 25% of our families.
CAMP TREETOPS 4382 Cascade Rd.
Lake Placid, NY 12946
(518) 523-9329
www.camptreetops.org