When we remember being at camp this past summer, it can be easy to remember the ways you grew or changed and the way you felt when you were at camp. Sometimes we forget the little moments of joy and laughter that happen along the way. We collected clips (about one second each day) and put them together into one video to help us remember those little moments. Check it out, and share! https://youtu.be/SVkJ_ilNCSI
This summer we welcomed the inaugural group of Rising Leaders, counselors in training who joined us during Jones session. The Rising Leaders were guided by returning staff member Danny Raeder as the Rising Leader Shepard. Danny shares more about the program below: The program was designed with the intention of both creating space to honor the growth that campers do here, by allowing for them to step into the role of steward-leader, as well as giving a glimpse into the work we as staff do to create magic here at camp. Particularly, we wanted Rising Leaders to be able to learn more about Quaker leadership, experience working with our youngest campers, and most importantly find their own strengths as a leader with guidance and support."Every summer brings new songs, new friends, and new traditions here at Friends Camp, but this year we had a whole new way to engage camp with the introduction of our Rising Leader program! Eight young leaders in their final year of camp had the opportunity to come during Jones, our youngest session, to see what goes into being a staff member and what leadership means in the Friends Camp community. As a cohort, the Leaders had daily conversations about leadership and the process of creating a camp experience. These morning sessions were largely discussion based, co-led by the Leaders and myself, as well as guest speakers like Nia Thomas, the New England Yearly Meeting's Quaker Practice and Leadership Facilitator, and our very own Anna Hopkins. The Leaders also used this time to brainstorm and plan elective activities for campers that they independently led each afternoon. Additionally, living in the cabins with campers and a mentor counselor, Leaders became an integral part in the creation of the small cabin-family communities that are the building blocks of [...]
Maybe you’re starting school again and missing camp- missing the great friends you made, the fun and games, the supportive and accepting community, the hugs, the songs, the connection to something bigger that maybe you felt during vespers or morning worship. What if you could have all of that, during the school year? More about JYM (elementary school) More about JHYM (middle school) Schedules for JYM and JHYM More about Young Friends (high school) Young Friends Retreat Schedule 🌟Scroll to the bottom of this page to watch a video about Young Friends! We want to invite campers who are interested in diving a little deeper into Quaker community to try out attending Quaker youth retreats. These are weekend-long gatherings where communities of youth gather with their peers and adult staff to laugh, learn, play, explore their spirituality, and try on Quaker practices. Retreats take place in meetinghouses (Quaker houses of worship) all over New England, with 4-5 retreats per year for each program. There are three Quaker youth programs: Junior Yearly Meeting (JYM) for elementary school-aged youth, Junior High Yearly Meeting (JHYM) for middle schoolers, and Young Friends for high schoolers. Each program is a little different from the others, but they all center around Quaker values of lifting up the light in every child, building community based in love, equity, and inclusivity, and giving youth a safe space to grow in their spiritual journey and connect authentically with one another. Retreats begin on Friday evening and end after meeting for worship on Sunday around noon. We sleep on the floor in sleeping bags, eat delicious home-cooked meals together, and all pitch in with chores. Each retreat has an age-appropriate theme that allows youth to [...]
