The Green-White Tradition
During fourth period yesterday, everybody gathered around the flagpole to announce our first-session Green-White captains. One of North Star’s biggest honors, each village has two captains, chosen by their counselors for their leadership, sportsmanship, and a positive attitude in their cabins and around camp. In a special ceremony, the campers are handed torches to hold as the captains’ names are announced one by one. After all have been named, the captains join their torches together to show that even when we’re divided into teams, at North Star we are still always one community. Throughout the summer, these captains will get the special responsibility of planning and leading their teams in Green-White events, and serving as role model representatives for the other campers on their team.
We had our first 90-degree day in a few years, and we embraced it North Star style: sunscreen, water bottles, and a determined attitude to turn even the stickiest day into one of our best. Keeping our campers motivated through fun structured activity was our top priority, along with plenty of water and staying protected from the sun and heat.
After three instructional periods where our indefatigable counselors kept energies high, making sure everyone had fun and stayed motivated regardless of the weather, we approached snack time. For snack today, Dan and Beth brought out a special surprise: popsicles! As everyone enjoyed an icy treat on the hill, BA (Brian Annen) busted out the hose and triggered a water fight that everybody won. I watched with delight from the office porch as campers and counselors ran around smiling and laughing with popsicle sticks in one hand and water bottles in the other, splashing each other with the most refreshing of ammunition.
After an invigorating snack time, we stayed moving in the cool relief of Spider Lake we had “waterfront fun” during Fourth Period today! The objective was simple: get in the water, have fun, and stay cool. We finished off the day with our very first Green-White series of the summer, a great time for all.
It was a day of good, honest fun that required zero technology. The Washington Post recently published an article by Caitlin Gibson that aligns perfectly with one of our primary goals here at camp: disconnecting your child from cell phones. Gibson explores how camps with tech-free policies offer kids a unique and increasingly rare opportunity to unplug, fostering genuine friendships, creativity, and personal growth. It’s a thoughtful read and underscores why we prioritize a screen-free environment here at camp. You can read the full article here.
