Kids VT Camp and School Fair 2023 Program Guide

AT THE OF BANKING

For more than 65 years, Vermont Federal has been dedicated to improving the communities that we serve with financial support, donations, sponsorships, volunteering, and education. We always strive to make a positive impact in the lives of our members and are proud to be an active part of the local community.

QUESTIONS TO ASK CAMP STAFF

Here are some common queries that will help you evaluate your options:

• What’s your camp motto or mission?

• What does a typical day look like?

• What’s the ratio of campers to camp staff? How do you deal with homesickness?

• How do you hire counselors, how old are they, and what kind of training do they receive?

• Do campers get to choose their own activities?

• Can campers request to be in the same cabin as their friends?

• How many campers and staff return each year?

• How and how often are campers allowed to communicate with their parents?

• How do you handle illness or health emergencies?

• Who cooks for the campers, and what are meals like?

• What are your COVID-19 policies?

How do you help new campers adjust to camp life?

It’s Summer Sign-Up Season!

Attention, parents and caregivers: It’s cold outside, but June is just around the corner. If you’re interested in signing your kids up for summer camp but haven’t yet, now’s the time to start thinking about it.

FIND

Overnight programs

Independent schools

Day camps

Our beautiful state is home to a wide range of camps, independent schools and summer programs — from traditional sleepaway options to those that teach STEM skills, circus arts, gymnastics and mountain biking. Kids VT helps you connect with them. We list dozens of programs on our camp directory website, campfindervt. com, and every winter, we host a free Camp and School Fair in Burlington, where you can speak with their representatives in person. The 26th Kids VT Camp and School Fair is on Saturday, February 4, at the Burlington Hilton.

School vacation camps

In this event guide, you will find essential info on fair exhibitors, colorful quotes from staff that offer a glimpse into camp life and tips on how to pay for these amazing experiences.

Academic support

My own kids are teenagers now, but it wasn’t so long ago that I was scoping out the fair, talking with camp directors and gauging my kids’ interest in different activities. That research paid off. Both of my teens are devoted to their overnight camps, proudly wearing their camp gear all year long.

And my wife and I have seen so many positive benefits from their experiences. They’ve made friends, become more confident and independent, and voluntarily spent weeks at a time surrounded by nature and away from all digital devices. Skills-based day camps have helped them develop their interests in music, sports and art, too.

I hope your kids get as much out of camp as mine have. Good luck with your search!

CATHY RESMER, EDITOR/COPUBLISHER

Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center

Sylvan SUMMER CAMPS

Sylvan SUMMER CAMPS

Our camps will boost confidence and enhance academic skills so your child will be ready to start the new school year strong! We have camps for STEM, reading, math, writing and more!

Our camps will boost confidence and enhance academic skills so your child will be ready to start the new school year strong! We have camps for STEM, reading, math, writing and more!

Our camps will boost confidence and enhance academic skills so your child will be ready to start the new school year strong! We have camps for STEM, reading, math, writing and more!

Call today for pricing and camp schedules.

Call today for pricing and camp schedules

Did you know that students can lose up to 2 1/2 months of learning in a summer?!

Did you know that students can lose up to 2 1/2 months of learning in a summer?! Stay ahead of the curve with Sylvan's summer sessions! Register Today!

Did you know that students can lose up to 2 1/2 months of learning in a summer?

Stay ahead of the curve with Sylvan’s summer sessions!

Stay ahead of the curve with Sylvan's summer sessions! Register Today!

Sylvan Learning 1 Market Place, Unit 10 Essex, VT 05452 802-586-5004

Call today for pricing and camp schedules. SYLVANLEARNING.COM

CAMP FAIR ‘23 EXHIBITORS

Bolton Valley Summer Camps

Richmond • boltonvalley.com/summer/ summer-camps

AGES: 4-17. DAY CAMP, COED. Bolton Valley Summer Camps are all about experiencing Vermont’s outdoors to its fullest. Kids who want to enjoy an adventure can join Mountain Kids Camps, where they go on hikes around the area and play games outside. For thrill seekers, there’s Mountain Bike Camp, where kids spend the day at the bike park learning from coaches. For those who would rather be inside learning new skateboard maneuvers, there’s Skate Camp. Mountain Mini’s Camp engages kids ages 4 to 6 with nature-based arts and crafts.

Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront Camps

Burlington

enjoyburlington.com/youth-camps

AGES: 3-18. DAY CAMPS, COED, FAMILIES.

The Burlington Parks, Recreation & Waterfront Department is focused on supporting the healthy lifestyles of our diverse population. Whether your interest lies in arts, sports, fitness, cooking, outdoor recreation or something else, these camps offer it all!

Camp Billings

Fairlee • campbillings.org

AGES: 7-15. OVERNIGHT CAMP, COED. Since 1906, Camp Billings has provided a unique, coed camping experience focused on personal choice and fun! Located on Lake Fairlee, it offers campers an oasis from their hectic lives during the school year. Billings becomes a second home for every child from the moment their family drives through the white gates, where they’re greeted

Camp Mi-Te-Na & Camp Foss

Alton and Strafford, N.H. campmitena.org

AGES: 8-15. OVERNIGHT CAMP, BOYS-ONLY, GIRLS-ONLY OPTIONS.

YMCA Camp Mi-Te-Na & Camp Foss are traditional sleepaway camps offering water activities including swimming, canoeing, kayaking, SUPs, and motorboats for tubing and water skiing. They also offer many sports — basketball, tennis, soccer, fitness. An international staff introduces sports from other countries. Campers also participate in target sports (archery, riflery, ax throwing), high ropes courses (zip line, climbing tower), creative arts and theatre arts, work on a small farm, and build outdoor living skills. The camp community welcomes everyone and believes that camp builds a healthy spirit, mind and body in all campers. Staff strive to bring out the

• Co-ed day camp for kids that have completed 2nd grade to age 13

• Traditional camp with days full of adventure, held on the beautiful Rock Point property on Lake Champlain

• Campers hike, swim, garden, kayak, paddleboard, play games, do crafts + STEM projects, make s’mores, and much more!

Bolton Valley Summer Camp

In Their Own Words

Camp staff reflect on favorite memories and traditions and offer advice

When camp staffers registered for this year’s Kids VT Camp and School Fair, we invited them to respond to a few questions about camp life. Their answers are sprinkled throughout this guide. They illustrate the breadth of programs that will be represented at the fair and suggest that the adults in charge love summer camp almost as much as kids do.

At the end of our Pinbox 3000 camp, we had an “Art-cade” where campers got to show off their cardboard pinball creations. Parents came, and it had a party atmosphere, where campers not only had the opportunity to share what they’d made but also reflect on what they’d learned.

SAM GRAULTY, GENERATOR MAKERSPACE

One of my favorite memories from last summer is from Fish Camp, when we had a 6-year-old camper catch a fish for the first time. The look on his face, which was somewhere between shock and excitement, was priceless! I got a picture of him as he held his fish and was just staring at it wide-eyed with his mouth open. He was super excited to have me send it to his mom.

MEGHAN HILL, LAKE CHAMPLAIN MARITIME MUSEUM

My favorite memories from last summer were our excursions to the Myers Pool in Winooski!

KATHERINE FISCHER, MATER CHRISTI CAMP

My favorite memory from last summer was watching campers achieve their goals in our adventure activities. There is nothing like the celebration that occurs when a camper hits a bull’s-eye at archery or reaches the top of the climbing tower!

CASSANDRA “STRINGS” JILLSON, GIRL SCOUTS OF THE GREEN AND WHITE MOUNTAINS

Being able to take kids down our new Green Mountain bike trail. Was amazing to see kids have a blast on a nice, easy three-mile trail.

KEEGAN BOSWORTH, BOLTON VALLEY SUMMER CAMPS

Summer 2022 was a hot one! At Camp Mi-Te-Na, we rented a dunk tank, and the campers got to dunk and get dunked by their favorite counselors. The smiles we saw from the people sitting in the dunk tank seat were just unforgettable.

ASH PAQUET, CAMP MI-TE-NA AND CAMP FOSS

What was your favorite memory from last summer?

At our annual music festival, the Pok-O-Palooza, one of our longtime campers gathered a group of younger campers and led them around, cheering other campers. It really showed the power of positive leadership.

BRIAN DEGROAT, POK-O-MACCREADY CAMPS

Last summer, we included a backcountry overnight trip at a remote site on the Waterbury Reservoir. The loons welcomed us as we paddled out to our site, and a barred owl called “Who cooks for you?” as we drifted off to sleep. It was the best night’s sleep I had all summer!

ERICA KAMERZEL, PETRA CLIFFS CLIMBING

AND MOUNTAINEERING SCHOOL

CENTER

Having a team of campers build a cardboard boat strong enough to float a camper in!

BRIDGETT TAYLOR, VERMONT STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPS AND JUMP STARTING COLLEGE

Last year, our camp finally got the COVID-19 outbreak we had been dreading amongst our staff (we had escaped it in 2021). While we notified all of the parents and thought we were going to have to cancel, our limited number of healthy staff worked extremely hard to keep camp open for those families who were comfortable still sending their children. They truly rose to the occasion and navigated their peers’ need to take isolation leave while making camp just as special and fun for the campers present as they did for all other campers that summer.

HANNAH PHELPS, GREEN MOUNTAIN CONSERVATION CAMP

We had a student who loved our summer camp so much that they decided to stay on throughout the school year for academic support.

LEAH LACLAIRE, SYLVAN LEARNING SUMMER CAMPS

We celebrated TDI’s 25th anniversary this past summer with a barbecue, cake and sit-down program, where many alumni spoke about how important TDI is to them. It was very moving.

ANNE LATTRELL OF GIRLS ON THE RUN VERMONT, which runs school-year programs at various locations, offered a reflection on participation when she was a student: “I remember when I was in the program and how much I absolutely loved getting to go to practice and run, and learn, too… I know how much the experience meant to me when I was younger and how much it shaped who I am today. I want to be able to give back to the program and help some other young kids feel the same joy participating that I did.”

Our Fairy Camp students built the most magical fairy houses that decorated our school campus. They stayed up all summer because they brought us so much joy!

FAITH JAMES, VERMONT DAY SCHOOL

One of the most magical moments from last summer happened after a giant rainstorm passed through camp. We were luckily inside on a peaceful sound-healing journey that left us all feeling happy and light. When we came outside for our cookout, laughing and dancing, we turned around and saw a double rainbow coming from the building we had just been in. We were all awestruck at the beauty and excitement of the moment. We stood together and hugged as we watched. The moment reminds me there is magic all around us. Both in the relationships we find over the summer and in the nature that surrounds us.

KATRINA ALDEN, REBELS OF THE MOON

Seeing so many beautiful pieces of art created and showing them off with an end of week “art show.”

MEGAN WINWARD, PAINT & CREATE KIDS CAMP! BY BURLINGTON PAINT & SIP STUDIO

LUCY BOGUE, TALENT DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

EXHIBITORS

Charlotte Equestrian Center Horse Camp

Charlotte charlotteequestriancenter.com

AGES: 5-18. DAY CAMP, COED. Campers will spend the week learning the aspects of horsemanship, riding and stable management, doing chores, learning about horse nutrition, and so much more. Professional, experienced instructors teach riders control and handling skills as well as the essentials of grooming and saddling. Riders will gain a basic understanding of horse care, safety around the horses and the responsibility involved in owning a horse. Camp emphasizes not just riding but building holistic relationships with horses. Connecting with people and animals builds self-esteem, and for many students horsemanship becomes a driving interest for many years.

Common Roots

South Burlington commonroots.org

AGES: 7-14. DAY CAMP, COED.

Common Roots Summer Camps offer dynamic learning and play at the beautiful Wheeler Homestead Nature Park and the Farm at South Village. Campers will engage in activities that will engage them in nature, develop their ability to express themselves, and nourish their bodies and minds.

• Fairies & Elves Dance & Visual Arts Camp

• Wild Things Dance Theater Camp

• Mini Intensive: Ballet, Lyrical, Contemporary, Improvisation, Modern & Dance Making Classes

• Intermediate Beginners Dance Intensive

• Intermediate Advanced Technique & Dance Making

Circus Smirkus Camp

Greensboro

smirkus.org/smirkus-camp

AGES: 5-18. OVERNIGHT CAMP, COED. Smirkus Camp is for youths of all ages and skill levels who want to dive into the world of circus arts in an immersive camp setting under big top circus tents. Smirkus Camp’s unique sessions offer campers the opportunity to learn, grow and excel — as their authentic selves — from circus industry professionals and with a stellar counseling staff. Kids will spend an incredible summer of circus fun training in acrobatics, juggling, clowning and aerials and enjoy traditional camp activities fueled by circus magic, stories and s’mores. All this while making lasting friendships with campers from all over the U.S.

Davis Studio

South Burlington davisstudiovt.com

GRADES: 1-9. DAY CAMP, COED.

Davis Studio equals Happy Campers! Imagine your children excited and motivated to go to a summer camp where they have fun and make friends while developing artistic expertise. Choose from dozens of engaging weeklong day camp options for young artists in first through ninth grade. Davis Studio’s Artist’s Path Summer Camp Program is an excellent fit for those who enjoy hands-on creating while gaining skills in drawing, painting, building, sewing or photography. Students can also explore creative careers such as graphic design and architecture. Davis Studio equals Happy Parents, too!

Circus Smirkus Camp

Common Roots

Davis Studio

In Their Own Words

We run multiple camps at a time, and on Fridays, each camp group often visits the other camps to see what they’ve created. It is fun to see younger students so impressed with the work created by older campers, and to see the older campers offer words of praise and encouragement to the younger students.

Our Talent Show each week showcases campers’ and staff’s talents, both real and imagined!

LUCY BOGUE, TALENT DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

One of Rebels’ favorite traditions is dressing up with glitter, face paint and a self-chosen power outfit. When we are all dressed up, the entire camp comes together to cheer each person on as they get their photo taken. All together, we start cheering and chanting for the person in front of us. It is this tradition that helps us celebrate each other in our power. We then take group photos and have a huge dance party in the woods. It is a day that always leaves me happy and smiling.

KATRINA ALDEN, REBELS OF THE MOON

We have theme weeks every summer, and students can earn extra tokens by participating.

LEAH LACLAIRE, SYLVAN LEARNING SUMMER CAMPS

A tradition of Common Roots Summer Camps is gathering with gratitude around our mealtimes. Often we harvest some part of our meal from our land, which deepens the experience.

KAYLI O’DONNELL,

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Teen expedition trip leaders are known to be kind and silly people. Every year, expedition participants search for rare ground fruit at campsites along the shores of Lake Champlain. Only the most skilled participants can find the extraordinary Lake Champlain pineapple. Last year, each expedition was successful in finding the elusive Lake Champlain pineapple! We are looking forward to searching for more rare ground fruit this summer.

REBECCA BURNS, LAKE CHAMPLAIN MARITIME MUSEUM

Tie-dying T-shirts! The kids love it and are so proud to wear one of their pieces of art.

MEGAN WINWARD, PAINT & CREATE KIDS CAMP!

STUDIO

& SIP

BY BURLINGTON PAINT

Each week, we take campers out for a sunset paddle on the lake. This is a time of day when most of them have never been canoeing before; not only is there less boat traffic, but they get to watch a beautiful sunset while listening to the night animals emerge for the evening.

What’s your favorite camp tradition?

Paper plate awards — each week we give awards for each camper and staff to appreciate their awesomeness.

One tradition we have is to always check in with campers and their comfort before moving forward in any activity. We understand that even with life jackets, the water can be scary — we make sure every child feels safe and empowered to tell us what they need to have fun.

JUSTIN SHAY, LAKE CHAMPLAIN COMMUNITY SAILING CENTER

Camp Foss is celebrating its 100th summer anniversary this year. As far back as documents, letters and memories serve, it celebrated a tradition of echo contests. The camp is located on a small lake in between two mountains, and each summer the campers compete to see whose voices carry the furthest. It always ends in laughs and with someone jumping in the lake!

ASH PAQUET, CAMP MI-TE-NA AND CAMP FOSS

We typically have “genius hour” breaks built into the camp day. These are less-structured times where campers can take what they’re learning and apply it on their own in new and inventive ways. It leads to some amazing exploration and self-directed learning.

SAM GRAULTY,

At Smirkus Camp, we have a timeless tradition of Dinner Dress. Every morning, the activities director chooses a theme to spark costume ideas, and at dinner, campers and staff members have the option of coming to dinner “in character.” The range of possibilities and ideas are endless, and we’ve seen some pretty fantastic outfits that have led to show and act ideas, which is fun and an added bonus.

Campers can get candy once a week from the Candy Store. But they never know when the Candy Store is open. They all find out at the same time, when “Candy Store” is announced in the dining hall. This sends the entire room into a pandemonium of cheering and yelling and campers jumping up and down in excitement for the sugar rush to come.

BRIAN DEGROAT,

Farm & Wilderness was founded with the Quaker ideal that the light of each person is equally important, and as the world around us changes, we change as well but very much stay focused on a simple lifestyle, on the value of people working together and the value of a community as a set of individuals.

TULIO BROWNING, FARM & WILDERNESS

My favorite camp tradition is hiking up a reeeeeeally tall hill at the end of the week. This doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, but it is, I promise! At the top of the hill, we have a campfire, watch as the sun goes down, sing songs and share our favorite memories from the week before everyone goes home the next day. It is the perfect closing to an amazing week — it gives the campers a chance to reflect on their time at camp and say goodbye to their new friends.

CASSANDRA “STRINGS” JILLSON, GIRL SCOUTS OF THE GREEN AND WHITE MOUNTAINS

We have the Pollinator Olympics every week, filled with games, competition and so much fun!

LANEY WILLIAMS, SUN CAMPS VT

RACHEL SCHIFFER, CIRCUS SMIRKUS

POK-O-MACCREADY CAMPS

TERESA DAVIS, DAVIS STUDIO

GENERATOR MAKERSPACE

HANNAH PHELPS, GREEN MOUNTAIN CONSERVATION CAMP

KATHERINE FISCHER, MATER CHRISTI CAMP

COMMON ROOTS

H Farm & Wilderness

Plymouth farmandwilderness.org

AGES: 4-17. OVERNIGHT AND DAY CAMP, BOYSONLY, GIRLS-ONLY, COED AND FAMILY OPTIONS.

Farm & Wilderness camps take pride in teaching hands-on technical skills to campers as they live, work and play in the wilderness. They learn to respect and understand the land and its relationship with food. The campers have an opportunity to prepare dishes with food they have harvested themselves from the farm. A sense of community and cooperation is valued above competition and comparison, leaving the campers feeling unique and valued. Campers are provided ample opportunity to step outside of their comfort zones, knowing that safety and acceptance are prioritized and diversity is celebrated.

Generator Makerspace

Burlington generatorvt.com/camps

AGES: 9-12. DAY CAMP, COED.

Generator, located in Burlington’s South End, is a makerspace that sits at the intersection of art, science and technology. It offers summer camps for youths ages 9 to 12 that provide hands-on, STEAM-focused activities in a dynamic and supportive learning environment. Topics include everything from robotics and coding to graphic design and laser cutter operation. Camps are based in Generator’s 12,500-square-foot facility with access to many of the amazing shops and tools, but campers are also sure to get outside and run around every day, too! Camps run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday, in one-week sessions.

l Girls on the Run Vermont

Multiple Vermont locations gotrvt.org

GRADES: 3-8. DAY CAMP, GIRLS ONLY.

The Flynn

Burlington flynnvt.org/education/classes

AGES: 6-17. DAY CAMP, COED.

The Flynn offers a variety of creative and performing arts camps. Whether you want to try out hip-hop dance or black-light puppetry, learn to create sets and props, or polish your creative writing or acting skills, there’s something for everyone at the Flynn! Because cost should not be a barrier for any child to have a wonderful summer at the Flynn, all camp tuition is pay-what-you-can!

Girls on the Run teaches girls to be joyful, healthy and confident with a research-based curriculum that creatively weaves running into the program. Over the course of the 10week program, teams of third through fifth graders and sixth through eighth graders meet twice a week for 90-minute sessions to make new friends, learn self-confidence, and prepare themselves physically, socially and emotionally to complete a celebratory and noncompetitive 5k to culminate the season.

Kids aged 8–18 spend a week immersed in traditional song, dance & music styles from across Vermont. ALL experience levels are welcome!

Hands-on instruction joyfully provided by expert teachers and renowned artists.

In Their Own Words

I look forward each year to the togetherness that camp brings. Many people have felt isolated these past few years with COVID-19, remote work and school, and limited travel. Camp is a refuge from all that, where people come together and celebrate one another for who they are. You can’t beat the feeling of summer camp starting up again, and I can’t wait to have it back for another summer.

HANNAH PHELPS, GREEN MOUNTAIN CONSERVATION CAMP

Helping more kids explore different art mediums and create lasting memories with new friends.

MEGAN WINWARD, PAINT & CREATE KIDS CAMP!

BY BURLINGTON

PAINT & SIP STUDIO

As camp director, I am looking forward to joining our campers on even more adventures this summer!

ERICA KAMERZEL, PETRA CLIFFS CLIMBING CENTER AND MOUNTAINEERING SCHOOL

I’m really looking forward to our two new camps. Underwater Explorers Camp will be a week of snorkeling and exploring everything underwater. We’ll be going to several different field sites to look at different species of fish, underwater rock structures and even a shipwreck. Watershed Ecology camp will also be at field sites, but we’ll be tracing the path that water takes through our region. We’ll be hiking, snorkeling and canoeing as we follow the water from small streams down to Lake Champlain.

MEGHAN HILL, LAKE CHAMPLAIN MARITIME MUSEUM

I am most looking forward to planning new programs for this summer! Every summer I work to create new experiences in the form of large-scale camp activities. Last year we had a pirate scavenger hunt where all the leadership campers dressed as pirates and hid around camp to hand out clues to campers. Everyone had a blast!

Letting kids explore careers they might not even have thought of.

What are you most looking forward to this summer at camp?

Arts and Crafts! It is personally my favorite time of day, and I love seeing the creativity that comes from the campers!

KATHERINE FISCHER, MATER CHRISTI CAMP

As the camp director, I spend all winter looking forward to meeting the new campers of Rebels of the Moon. I am constantly inspired by each camper and learn something new every summer. I can’t wait to meet a new crew of Rebels who show up ready and willing to have fun, create community and learn about radical self-love.

I’m really looking forward to having the Roadshow program back on Smirkus Camp’s schedule after a severalyear break. Roadshow is one of our placement-based camps and will run for five weeks this year. During that time, a small group of experienced campers will train and hone their skills, create and rehearse a show, and then travel around the Northeast Kingdom performing that show to local audiences, using camp as home base. It’s a great taste of circus life on the road and an amazing way to be involved in and to meet the local community!

RACHEL SCHIFFER, CIRCUS SMIRKUS

Normalcy, I hope. If we feel like we can have camp without masks, I will be very happy!

LUCY BOGUE, TALENT DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

For the upcoming spring 2023 Girls on the Run season, we are looking forward to welcoming back fabulous volunteer coaches and our superstar participants, as well as introducing awesome new coaches and new superstars to our program. The pride that participants exude when they have completed the program and crossed the finish line at the celebratory 5K is magical.

ANNE LATTRELL, GIRLS ON THE RUN VERMONT

Having fun and meeting new children and families!

FAITH JAMES, VERMONT DAY SCHOOL

More terrain options for mountain biking.

BOSWORTH,

KATRINA ALDEN, REBELS OF THE MOON

KEEGAN

BOLTON VALLEY SUMMER CAMPS

BRIDGETT TAYLOR, VERMONT STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPS AND JUMP STARTING COLLEGE

H Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains

Multiple Vermont and New Hampshire locations girlscoutsgwm.org/en/camp/ our-camps.html

GRADES: K-11. OVERNIGHT AND DAY CAMP, GIRLS ONLY, FAMILIES.

In Girl Scouting, a girl’s experience is limited only by her imagination. Girls make new friends, try new things and explore their passions in a safe, nurturing environment. Girls grow in confidence as they develop their full potential and feel empowered to make the world a better place. At both overnight and day camps, girls learn new skills and make new friends in the outdoors, with all safety precautions in place. Girl Scouting has been building girls of courage, confidence and character for more than 100 years.

H Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center

Burlington communitysailingcenter.org/sailing/ kids-camps

AGES: 6-17. DAY CAMP, COED, FAMILIES. Summer is all about fun, new friends and exciting adventures. Community Sailing Center summer camps are designed to teach kids the safety, skill and joy involved in the lifelong sport of sailing. Organized by age group and led by certified instructors, camp options include sailing-only and multiactivity camps that blend sailing and another sport or hobby. Weeklong and two-week camps take place throughout the summer with several sessions to choose from. The Community Sailing Center offers early drop-off and late pickup options to accommodate each family’s needs.

Green Mountain Conservation Camp

Woodbury, Castleton vtfishandwildlife.com/learn-more/ gmcc

AGES: 12-16. OVERNIGHT CAMP, BOYS ONLY, GIRLS ONLY.

Green Mountain Conservation Camp offers campers ages 12-16 hands-on learning experiences about fish, wildlife, ecology, botany, forestry, hunter firearm safety, outdoor first aid and much more. Both the Castleton and Woodbury locations offer opportunities for hiking, canoeing, fishing, archery, .22 rifle and shotgun shooting, orienteering, and other fun activities. Campers have a unique opportunity to meet Vermont state game wardens, foresters, fisheries and wildlife biologists, and others who work in the outdoors. GMCC aims to educate youths about Vermont’s wild habitats to inspire meaningful relationships with the environment and foster genuine connections with their peers.

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum Summer Camps & Teen Expeditions

Vergennes

lcmm.org/camps

AGES: 7-16. OVERNIGHT AND DAY CAMP, COED. Paddling, snorkeling, history, fishing, boatbuilding and more: Day camps and teen expeditions at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum are perfect for outdoor adventurers and passionate learners. Offering day camps for ages 7-14 and overnight expeditions on the lake for teens ages 13-16, summer at the museum combines the great outdoors, hands-on learning and Lake Champlain to create an engaging and empowering experience for all. Kids and teens make powerful connections with the lake as they explore and learn together. And all camps and expeditions are pay-what-you-can!

Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains

Wildflower

Expeditions

In Their Own Words

It’s completely understandable to worry about sending your child somewhere new, but summer camps can be a great chance to grow and learn. If you’re nervous, I would recommend having a conversation with the people running any camp you’re thinking about. That way you can really get a feeling for what that camp is like on a day-to-day basis and the experience level of the people who will be working with your child.

MEGHAN HILL, LAKE CHAMPLAIN MARITIME MUSEUM

We do art all day every day, so this camp is for kiddos who really enjoy being creative and getting a little messy, and who want to explore their creativity.

MEGAN WINWARD, PAINT & CREATE KIDS CAMP!

BY BURLINGTON PAINT & SIP STUDIO

JULY

It was hard, but it was the awesome kind of hard.

Talk with camp directors and current camp parents until you feel comfortable sending your children to camp. This should feel less like a leap of faith and more like being welcomed into a family.

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We challenge by choice; no campers will ever feel forced to progress their skills. We just want all campers to have fun!

KEEGAN BOSWORTH, BOLTON VALLEY SUMMER CAMPS

Camp is such a magical place! It’s a time to try out new skills, new ideas, new passions, new ways of being. It’s daunting for both campers and parents, but it really is an opportunity like no other.

SAM GRAULTY, GENERATOR MAKERSPACE

It is completely natural to be nervous sending your child to camp, but our staff is trained to handle anything! They will do just about anything to make sure your child is comfortable for however long they are away, and 99 percent of the time, even a child who does not want to go when dropped off will not want to leave at pickup.

HANNAH PHELPS, GREEN MOUNTAIN CONSERVATION CAMP

Ask your questions of camp directors, talk to your kids about their concerns. Don’t let your nervousness rub off on them.

LUCY BOGUE,

TALENT DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

What advice do you give to parents who are nervous about sending their kids to camp?

Our faculty are experienced, and we have a welcoming environment. Camp is a wonderful and supportive place for kids to try new things and make new friends!

Our team of staff and instructors have been with the organization for years, and many of our instructors were campers themselves once. We put safety first in everything we do, and kids leave feeling empowered by what they were able to learn and accomplish in their time at camp.

JUSTIN SHAY, LAKE CHAMPLAIN COMMUNITY SAILING CENTER

Our camp is a team, and no camper will be forgotten.

FISCHER,

All of our staff have experienced a “first” summer. We have all either been that camper who was nervous or the parent nervous to send them. Some have joined our camp family as first-time counselors and were also a little nervous. We understand. We have been in the camping industry for 110 years and have worked very hard to provide a safe, welcoming experience for all families. We know it is a big step in sending your child to us for one week, two weeks or longer, and we put your camper’s well-being first.

ASH PAQUET,

Attend all pre-camp opportunities. We host virtual camp chats and in-person open camp days. These give both the parents and their children a chance to preview what camp is like, ask questions they may be unsure about and meet some of the summer staff.

Girls on the Run can be a nice introduction to what it is like to go to camp. The program happens during the school year, meeting after school twice a week for 90-minute sessions. The volunteer coaches who lead the teams through the curriculum and movement practices go through extensive training provided by Girls on the Run Vermont and have support from our staff throughout the program.

ANNE LATTRELL, GIRLS ON THE RUN VERMONT

Each year I have campers write letters to next year’s summer group with bits of advice. Their words are so wise; I think parents will enjoy them and find inspiration: “Dear camper (and parents), you are loved, you are valid, you are powerful, you are enough. This camp really helped me and I hope it does the same for you. Remember to be vulnerable, confident and brave. Most importantly, remember to have fun. Get ready for the craziest week of your life and don’t forget to be a Rebel. Love, a past camper.”

KATRINA ALDEN, REBELS OF THE MOON

KATHERINE

MATER CHRISTI CAMP

CAMP MI-TE-NA AND CAMP FOSS

CASSANDRA “STRINGS” JILLSON, GIRL SCOUTS OF THE GREEN AND WHITE MOUNTAINS

FAITH JAMES, VERMONT DAY SCHOOL

H Lake Champlain Waldorf School

Shelburne

lakechamplainwaldorfschool.com

AGES: EARLY CHILDHOOD TO HIGH SCHOOL. DAY CAMP, COED.

The mission of the Lake Champlain Waldorf School is to prepare students to become creative, independent thinkers who meet others with compassion, live with purpose and have the courage to make change in the world. Guided by Waldorf principles, teachers honor each student’s innate desire to learn. Looking beyond test scores and report cards, teachers guide students through a time-tested educational framework that builds bold, inventive problem solvers.

Paint & Create Kids Camp at Burlington Paint & Sip Studio

Burlington

burlingtonpaintandsip.com/ paint-n-create-kids-camp

AGES: 7+. DAY CAMP, COED.

Five days of art instruction with fun activities and crafts, based out of our studio located in downtown Burlington. Camps are centered on painting and its different forms and also explore other art mediums — and dive into some light art history — while making sure kids still get outside and move their bodies. There are movement breaks each day, taking advantage of all that downtown Burlington and the waterfront has to offer, including field trips to places like Battery Park for yoga and artthemed games, picnic lunches by the lake, and exploring the Church Street Marketplace for inspiration.

LetGoYourMind Summer STEM Programs

Burlington, South Burlington, Essex, Winooski letgoyourmind.com

AGES: 6-13. DAY CAMP, COED.

LetGoYourMind Summer STEM Programs offer structured day programs where kids can experiment with LEGO bricks and learn the basics of design and engineering while having a blast! Summer programs run for one week each, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There are separate classes for children of all ages to ensure that learning occurs and students are engaged.

Mater Christi School Summer Camps

Burlington mcschool.org/programs/mcssummer-camp

AGES: 3-10. DAY CAMP, COED. This summer camp located at Mater Christi School serves children in the Burlington area. Campers spend the days exploring, making art, playing games and appreciating this beautiful place.

H Petra Cliffs Climbing Center & Mountaineering School

Burlington petracliffs.com/camps

AGES: 6-18. OVERNIGHT AND DAY CAMP, COED. Each day presents a new experience! Summer Mountain Adventure Training base camp is Petra Cliffs in Burlington, and from there campers go every which way for a variety of awesome adventures. Camp groups are age-specific and small, but their adventures are huge. Join SumMAT Camp for exciting adventures, healthy activities and summer fun!

The Strike Zone provides training in Baseball & Softball. We offer Private Lessons, Camps/Clinics, Cage Rentals, Pitching Machines, and more!

FEBRUARY & MARCH CLINICS

4-Week Pitching Clinics Thursdays @ 5pm

4-Week Hitting Clinics Mondays @ 6pm 4-Week Catching Clinics Saturdays @ 11AM

UPCOMING CAMPS

Spring Fever Camp Week of 2/27 from 10AM–12PM

April Break Camp Week of 4/24 from 10AM – 12PM

Summer Camps • 10AM–1PM

Weeks of 6/26, 7/24, 8/7 and 8/21

PLEASE CONTACT US DIRECTLY

Petra Cliffs Climbing Center & Mountaineering School

COURTESY OF MICHAEL PRONZATO/MICHAELPRONZATO.COM

Payment Plans

How to cut camp costs

BY CATHY RESMER

As any camp-conscious parent can tell you, all that extracurricular enrichment ain’t cheap. You can easily spend several hundred dollars a week on day-camp tuition, while many overnight programs cost between $1,000 and $2,000 a week per child.

But don’t get overwhelmed by sticker shock: Lots of camps offer some form of financial assistance. Some accept tuition on a sliding scale, allowing some parents to pay less, knowing that others will choose to pay more. Other camps, including those offered by the Flynn and Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, advertise pay-what-you-can tuition to make the experience affordable for all.

overnight programs cost between $1,000 and $2,000 a week per child.

Many

Still others are open to nontraditional approaches. According to its website, Rebels of the Moon offers a trade and barter option in an attempt “to step outside of the oppressive capitalist economy.”

It’s worth doing a little research into ways to bring down the cost. Here are a few suggestions Kids VT has published over the years from sources including local parents, camp staff and the American Camp Association that could help:

LOOK FOR CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS.

Various community organizations see the value in helping young people learn new skills and make connections over the summer months. These can include churches, synagogues, clubs, fraternities and sororities, and even your town or a local foundation. For example, the Chauncey B. Warner Foundation offers assistance to Franklin County families. Find out more at warnerhomeforlittlewanderers.org

DO YOU HAVE A SKILL THE CAMP NEEDS?

Some camps will offer tuition breaks for campers whose parents work nursing shifts, for example.

HAVE A CAMPER’S PARENTS OR GRANDPARENTS SERVED IN THE MILITARY?

Organizations such as Our Military Kids might be able to help. The Virginia-based nonprofit offers grants for children of deployed and combat-injured service members. Find out more at ourmilitarykids.org.

ASK THE CAMPER TO PITCH IN.

That could mean designating a portion of each week’s allowance or money from birthday gifts for a camp fund. Pitching in to pay for a special experience can be empowering, and it’s smart to practice saving up for something in advance.

FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY FOR A TAX CREDIT.

Depending on the type of program, you might.

TALK TO THE CAMP OWNER OR DIRECTOR.

It can’t hurt! They might suggest other options.

Pok-O-MacCready Camp

WINDSURFING CAMP

WND&WVS is offering weekly half-day windsurfing camps from Jun 14 – Aug 19 at our BURLINGTON SURF CLUB location. The camp runs from 8:45 am to 1:45 pm, Monday thru Friday. Visit BURLINGTONSURFCLUB.COM/PLAY/CAMPS or call 802 540-2529 for more info.

Pok-O-MacCready Camps

Willsboro, N.Y. pokomac.com

AGES: 6-17. OVERNIGHT AND DAY CAMP, COED.

Grounded in a century of tradition, Pok-O-MacCready fosters growth by empowering campers to achieve independence, create friendships and develop a deep appreciation of the natural world in the Adirondacks and beyond. Activities include: hiking, horseback riding, canoeing, rock climbing, blacksmithing, mountain biking, sailing, swimming and creative arts. Its Adirondack Park location gives access to miles of trails for both day and overnight trips. Facilities include a 19th-century farm, indoor rock climbing center, street hockey complex, swimming and boating docks, and rustic cabins tucked into the fields and forest. A screen-free setting and small cabin groups promote social growth and conflict resolution.

Rebels of the Moon

Fairlee rebelsofthemoon.com

AGES: 11-17. OVERNIGHT AND DAY CAMP, COED. Rebels of the Moon is a summer empowerment camp for trans and young women and gender nonconforming folks ages 11-17. Rebels focuses on connecting teens to nature, body and radical self-love. The experience builds resilience, community and self-love through yoga, meditation, art and the chakras.

● The Schoolhouse Learning Center

South Burlington theschoolhousevt.org

GRADES: PRE-K TO 8. COED.

The Schoolhouse is open to ages 2 to 14, preschool through eighth grade. Teachers value each child’s curiosity and independence of mind, nurture respectful relationships, and empower students to develop to their full potential and have a positive impact in their communities. In their commitment to being anti-biased and anti-racist, staff begin conversations about identity and justice with the youngest age groups. Students explore who they are, their families and ancestors, and celebrate their similarities and differences. The Schoolhouse actively teaches kids to stand up for justice — social and environmental — for themselves, for each other and for the world.

Rebels of the Moon

Whether you’re considering clear aligners, retainers or today’s braces, an orthodontist is the smart choice. They have 2 to 3 years of education beyond dental school. So they’re experts at helping you get a great smile—that feels great, too.

H The Strike Zone

Essex Junction • thestrikezone.com

AGES: 8-12. DAY CAMP, COED.

The Strike Zone provides training in baseball and softball, including private lessons, camps and clinics, cage rentals, pitching machines, and more! Upcoming camps:

The Strike Zone provides training in baseball and softball, including private lessons, camps and clinics, cage rentals, pitching machines, and more! Find a schedule of school vacation and summer camps on the Strike Zone website.

SUN Camps VT

Waterbury • suncampsvt.org

AGES: 6-9. DAY CAMP, COED.

SUN Camps provides a hands-on, scientific learning experience in nature, with weeklong camps in summer 2023 that focus on appreciating and protecting the environment and the ecosystems of plants and animals. SUN Camps is run through the nonprofit Scientists Uncovering Nature, Inc. Its mission is to provide immersive, exploratory experiences in nature while fostering a deeper understanding and respect for our planet and one another.

H Sylvan Learning of Essex

Essex Junction

sylvanlearning.com/essexjunctionvt

GRADES: 1-12. DAY CAMP, COED.

Thinking about summer activities? Keep your child’s mind growing over the summer at Sylvan Learning! Sylvan’s location in Essex Junction offers fun, stimulating and educational camps — designed with families’ busy summer schedules in mind! Offerings include academic and STEM camps such as math, reading, writing, college prep, coding and science! Kids love the hands-on activities and creative games (perfect for keeping young minds active and growing). Camp sizes are small to create a really engaging experience for each child. Sylvan’s proprietary STEM curriculum is specifically designed for elementary and middle school students and aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.

Talent Development Institute

Johnson • tdivermont.org

GRADES: 4-10. OVERNIGHT AND DAY CAMP, BOYS-ONLY, GIRLS-ONLY AND COED OPTIONS.

TDI Vermont Summer Camp is a twoweek summer program at Northern Vermont University in Johnson, June 18 to 24 and/or June 25 to July 1. TDI combines the relaxed atmosphere of a summer camp with academic and creative opportunities for advanced, creative and gifted students entering grades 4-10. Students have fun with peers while exploring a wide variety of topics, including Gardener Gnomes, Writing and Laughing, Monsters in the Making, Rube Goldberg Machines, Ancient Artists, Clowning Around, Let’s Build Roller Coasters, Tall Tale Treasury, and Improvisation. Overnight and commuter options and partial scholarships are available.

PAINT & CREATE KIDS CAMP

Art instruction, creative exploration, and movement activities for kids ages 6 and up!

Our camp centers on painting techniques and explores art in a variety of forms. Outdoor and indoor time, art projects, games, movement exercises, and more!

H University of Vermont 4-H

Various Vermont locations uvm.edu/extension/youth

AGES: 5-18. OVERNIGHT AND DAY CAMP, COED, FAMILIES.

University of Vermont 4-H offers young people all sorts of opportunities to find their spark and explore topics of interest. 4-H programs connect young people to each other, to caring adults and mentors, and to communities, while engaging in fun, hands-on activities that build both life and job skills.

★ Vermont Day School

Shelburne • vtdayschool.org

GRADES: PRE-K TO 8. DAY CAMP, COED, FAMILIES.

Vermont Day School summer camps are open to the public and are designed with the school’s values in mind. Camps strive to develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills through hands-on activities. The faculty designs each camp to maximize learning, creativity and fun! In the daily schedule, structured activities are carefully balanced with free play and outdoor exploration. Vermont Day School is an independent, nonprofit school that prepares pre-K through eighth-grade studentsto be passionate learners, creative thinkers, effective collaborators and responsible global citizens in the 21st century. Find more information about school enrollment and summer camp sessions on the school website.

★ Vermont State University Camps and Jump Starting College

Randolph vtc.edu/academics/high_school_ students/

GRADES: 6-12. DAY CAMP, COED.

Discover your future with Vermont State University! Participate in sixththrough twelfth-grade summer camp experiences or learn more about early college and VAST, the university’s oneof-a-kind accredited high school.

Williston Community Theatre Jazz Jivin’ Theatre Camp

Williston • willistoncommunitytheatre. com/youth-theatre

GRADES: RISING 5TH TO RISING 9TH. DAY CAMP, COED.

This energetic camp hosted by Williston Community Theatre at the historic Isham Family Farm offers a week of song and dance to tunes from hip-hop to the Big Band era. The culminating show features LC JAZZ! If your child loves to sing and dance and dreams of performing with a bigband backup, this is the camp for them. Add the outdoor element of being on a working farm, and the experience promises to be a week campers will remember for a long time.

Find More Summer Fun

Check out our online camp directory at CAMPFINDERVT.COM. It includes listings for all of the fair exhibitors, as well as these local programs:

• American Dance Training Camps, Stratton

• American Precision Museum Summer Camp, Windsor

• BCA Summer Camps, Burlington

• Camp Birch Hill Coburn, N.H.

• Camp Common Ground, Starksboro

• Camp Little Notch, Fort Ann, N.Y.

• Dunkley’s Gymnastics Camp, South Hero

• Eagle Island Camp, Saranac Lake, N.Y.

• ECHO Camps, Burlington

• Hosmer Point Camp, Craftsbury Common

• Humane Society of Chittenden CountyCamp Paw Paw, South Burlington

• Humane Society of Chittenden County

- Animal Welfare Warriors, South Burlington

• Humane Society of Chittenden County

- Humane Heroes Workshop, South Burlington

• Kingdom Mtb Camps, East Burke

• Night Eagle Wilderness Adventures, Wallingford

• Partners in Adventure, South Burlington

• Rock Point School Camp, Burlington

• Summer Art Camps at the Current, Stowe

• The Aloha Foundation, Fairlee

• Theater in the Woods, Middletown Springs

• Trad Camp, Burlington

• Vermont Ballet Theater School for Dance, Essex Junction*

• Water Wanderings, Hyde Park

• Wildflower Wilderness Expeditions, Burlington

• Windsurfing Camp at Burlington Surf Club, Burlington

• YMCA Adventure Camp at Rock Point, Burlington

• YMCA Camp Abnaki, North Hero

Camps with listings as of press time; check campfindervt.com for the latest updates!

FUN FOR ALL

Children and young adults with disabilities benefit from going to camp, too. If you’re a parent searching for an appropriate program, the nonprofit VERMONT FAMILY NETWORK can help. The group devotes a page on its website to Camps and Recreation. It includes a current list of local summer camps, local and national resources, and a link to questions to ask camp directors, including: Is the facility accessible? Can the camp give you references from other parents? Are therapeutic components covered by insurance?

It also reminds parents that “children who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) may have a summer camp or other program through their extended school year or ESY … Families should discuss ESY with their child’s team well before the end of the school year.”

For more information, call 1-800-800-4005 or visit vermont familynetwork.org/what-we-do/resources/topics/camps-recreation.

* Summer and school-year programs

COURTESY OF DEBBIE LAMDEN

Former Partners in Adventure staff member Sarah and camper Chris swing together at Bolton Adventure Center

Summer Planner