What Makes North Star Camp for Boys Special

Our staff consists of youth development professionals, teachers, educators, camping veterans and, oftentimes, former campers. We hire more than 120 staff members for our 215 campers – one of the best staff-to-camper ratios in all of camping. These individuals are role models who are dedicated to enriching the lives of our campers by making their summer experience as memorable and fun as possible. This allows each camper to receive the individual attention from staff necessary to provide them a sense of security from someone attuned to their growth and development.

The North Star Camp community functions because every camper and staff member gives into it as much as they take from it. From weekly Cabin Campfires where campers talk about their feelings and needs of their cabinmates to simple norms like saying “hi” to everyone you walk past, North Star Camp is committed to creating young people who are willing to devote themselves to causes bigger than themselves.

We view our staff as social and emotional educators. Sleepaway camp comes with its own unique challenges – being away from home, living with others, and stepping outside of one’s comfort zone. Our counselors devote their summers to working with each child to help him process his emotions and develop an awareness & understanding of his own social interactions. Regular reflection and discussion allow campers to build up their social and emotional intelligence through real life successes and failures – thus creating more capable and resilient children.

Independence, responsibility and friendship are innate parts of going away to camp. When we develop our program each summer, we make sure we are adding to those parts of camp by ensuring character development is happening the right way. Here are a few ways we make that happen:

• Reflection – Friday Night Services & Sunday Night Cabin Campfires
  Every Friday night, we have a values-based campfire program with stories and songs led by the campers and counselors. Each Sunday, cabins get together to set goals for the upcoming week and talk about any cabin issues that may be present.
• Meaningful Check-Ins
  Counselors, village directors, and camp directors frequently check-in with each camper. We want to make sure they’re having fun, but also give them a safe space to vent about any issues that may be bothering them. Having a strong support system lets each camper grow and take risks in a comfortable and welcoming environment.
• Social & Emotional Benchmarking
  Campers gain so much independence and personal growth by being away from home for the summer. We try to capture that by having our counselors write parent letters to send home with each camper at the end of their session. Parent letters highlight the growth and development each camper achieved.
• Achievement Based Programming
  We are always pushing kids outside of their comfort zone (during activities, camping trips, or simply by being at camp itself). Our activities are designed to challenge campers, while also helping them develop lifelong skills and learn more about themselves.

When it comes to competition, we put greater emphasis on values and sportsmanship than over who wins the game. Regardless of skill level, the expectation is that each camper tries his best, shows kindness towards others and encourages his teammates. Campers are friends before the game, during the game and are expected to act in a way that they are still friends after the game. After all, it just doesn’t matter who wins the game as long as everyone tries their best and has a lot of fun.  

The best part of camp is the human interaction we have with each other. To help encourage everyone to “be present” at camp, anything with a screen (iPhone, iPads, etc.) that connects to the internet is not allowed.

Our programming activities ranging from Adventure, Athletics, Creative Arts, and Watersports give every child the chance to enjoy and experience something new. Camping trips, campfires, special programs, and more provide opportunities for every boy to shine in his own way.