Recently in Resident Camp Category

Give your Girl Scout the great outdoors this summer! Girls grow in confidence when they learn new skills and have new experiences away from home. With two camps to choose from, you just can't lose! Summer Resident Camp is offered at Camp Scoutshire Woods and Kamp Kiwanis; two special camps, each with a distinct personality of its own, offering a variety of summer resident camps there's sure to be one (or more) to intrigue your Girl Scout!

We have many exciting new additions to our summer resident camp sessions, and we are pleased to introduce them to you!   Some of the changes include camp scholarships (formerly called financial aid), Circle of Friends camp, troop camping and a multi-council sailing camp at Camp Kugelman.

Camp registrations for girls who sold more than 600 boxes of cookies (girls who earned cookie camperships or cookie bucks) will be accepted starting March 22. Camp registrations for all other girls will be accepted beginning March 29.

All of the camp information can be found on the Camps and Properties page of our website.

Spend a summer in the great outdoors helping girls grow in courage, confidence and character. Facilitate camp fun like canoeing, crafts, and singing camp songs you learned as a girl (or wish you had). Would you like to have a worthwhile summer job that is also loads of fun?  We are looking for qualified counselors 18 years of age and up at Camp Scoutshire Woods and Kamp Kiwanis Resident Camps for summer 2010.

Download the Camp Staff Application and start planning for your best summer since you went to camp!

Did your daughter go to Girl Scout resident camp this year?  If so, what did she like?  What did she learn? We want to know about your daughter's experience, so please have her take a few moments to complete our resident camp survey.  Her responses will help us as we develop programming for next summer.

So your daughter didn't go to camp this year?  Well, we want her opinions, too!  Was she scared to sleep in a tent?  Not into canoeing?  We want to know why camp isn't her "thing" and what we can do to make it something she wants to do next summer. Please have your daughter complete our survey and share her thoughts with us.

We've got more video from Kamp Kiwanis for you this week!  Chevy (also known as our intern Evie) came down to Camp Scoutshire Woods Wednesday, June 17, so we'll have that video up next week. 

Also, be sure to check out the camp photos from this week.  It's been a hot week, but that hasn't stopped the girls from having a great time!

Girls are at camp, and they're having a fantastic time!  Each week of resident camp, we'll upload pictures from Kamp Kiwanis and Camp Scoutshire Woods.  We even have video from Kamp Kiwanis this week.

The photos are on the Camps and Properties page of the website at http://www.girlscoutssa.org/properties_camps.php#CampPhotos. 

The summer resident camp staff are at Kamp Kiwanis and Camp Scoutshire Woods this week getting ready for your girls.  The staff at Kamp Kiwanis took time out of their schedule to talk about their expectations for camp.  You still have time to sign your daughter up!  Check out the sessions at http://www.girlscoutssa.org/properties_camps.php.

Many of you are getting to ready to send your children off to camp. Camp is a wonderful and powerful place for your girls to grow.  Watch this video from the American Camping Association (ACA) with Bob Ditter on:

• Strengthening the partnership between parents and camp professionals
• Taking steps to make the adjustment to camp as smooth and successful as possible
• Campers on medication at camp, and why it's important to share medication information
• Children with ADHD at camp
• Working with your physician and camp for the best outcome

Bob Ditter is a child, adolescent, and family therapist in Boston, Massachusetts.  He consults with youth agencies throughout the United States, including theACA, Girl Scouts of the USA, YMCA, Salvation Army, JCCA, and many others.  He has visited over 500 camps in the United States, writes for Camping Magazine, the official publication of ACA, and has authored many books and training videos for camp professionals.

Would you like to spend your summer in the great outdoors, helping to build girls of courage, confidence and character (and having loads of fun at the same time)?  We have just the job for you!  We are still looking for qualified counselors 18 years of age and up at Camp Scoutshire Woods Resident Camp.  Check out all of the camp sessions on our camps and properties page.

Download the Camp Staff Application.

Hello,

My name is Kim Shaw.  Many of you may know me as SPORT. 

I have been a Girl Scout for the past 21 years, and one of my favorite places to be is Kamp Kiwanis.  I attended K.K. as a camper from 1992-1998 and was on staff from 1999-2007 as a unit counselor, assistant unit leader, lifeguard, waterfront director and most recently as assistant camp director to former Camp Director Cathy Whigham.  During my time as a camper, I worked tirelessly each year to sell enough cookies to earn a council campership.  As I got older, I not only sold cookies to go to camp, but I babysat to earn money, so that I could go for more than one week!  While attending camp, I completed much of the badge work required to earn my Silver and Gold awards.  I'm sure my counselors got tired of watching me perform certain skills and signing off on them, but they always encouraged me and they are the reason I was able to achieve such goals.

For as long as I can remember, Kamp Kiwanis has been a part of my life.  I am SO EXCITED to be able to go back this summer as your camp director.  I want to be able to give to girls what my counselors gave to me.  Ask any former camper, and they will tell you that they are who they are today because of the experiences they had a Kiwanis.  Our goal is to provide fun and safe opportunities for girls to try new outdoor activities like canoeing, swimming, kayaking, paddle-boating, sailing, and riding the banana boat to name a few!  There is so much Kamp Kiwanis has to offer.  This summer, we will be learning to read a map and compass and try our hand at a competition that is known throughout the world as orienteering.  Orienteering requires leadership and team work.  In fact, it is so popular that it is even an Olympic sport!

Our staff is committed to making Kamp Kiwanis a place where a girl can find herself away from Mom and Dad, brother and sister;  a place where she is responsible for herself, but is strong in her ability to work with others as a team.  Kamp Kiwanis builds capable, courageous, strong, compassionate leaders.  I can't wait for all the fun to begin! 

See you in June!

Sport

Can girls who are currently in Kindergarten register to attend resident camp?

Resident Camp Sessions are geared to match the current National age-level guidelines (Brownies - grade 2-3, Juniors - grade4-5, etc.).  As stated on the first page of the brochure, the camper should meet "grade-level requirements" and that "grade refers to Fall 2009."

In the past, girls in Kindergarten were allowed to attend camp as Brownies because they were moving into the 1^st grade in the Fall and  1^st graders were Brownies.   Now that 1^st graders are officially considered Daisies, that changes the adult girl ratio requirements set forth in Safety-Wise.  Those guidelines were recently revised. (02/09)  The updates that GSUSA sent out, are published on our website in the left column of the Forms & Resources page.

"Girl Scout Daisies who have completed Kindergarten may independently participate in resident camp experiences lasting up to three nights." 

"Girl Scout Daisies who have completed first grade may independently participate in resident camp experiences lasting four or more nights."

So, to answer the question......

Yes, girls going into the 1^st  grade in the fall of '09, are welcome to attend

camp during either Troop Camping or Family Camping week or Brownie Sampler at Camp Scoutshire Woods.

If you have any additional questions about this, contact Volunteer Liaison Cheryl Miller at 800-239-6636, ext: 2302.