By Aaron Selkow, Owner/Director
When I go to dinner with friends, I meet people at a party, or I strike up a conversation with the person next to me on an airplane, there is an inevitable question that comes up after I’ve told them that I direct a summer camp with my wife, Ann:
“But what do you do the rest of the year?”
Some other time, in another blog (or in the yet-to-written book, “My Life as a Camp Director”), I will take the time to dig deeper into all of the ways that I’ve tried to respond to that question. But suffice to say that it’s always fun to try to explain why I don’t spend September to May in sunny Florida, snowy Colorado, or some other restful place. There is a lot of work to do the rest of the year…but that’s not the point of this entry today. The question that far fewer people ask – and it’s something I’m excited to address now – is slightly different but just as interesting:
“What do you actually do during the summer?”
Let me answer that by sharing just a brief glimpse into my week as the director of Chestnut Lake in the first week of our Second Session.
Without going into great detail, I spent countless hours this week doing stuff that most of our community, campers, families, and staff will never even see. I sat in a bunch of meetings getting briefed on what was happening around camp, I received/made/replied to lots of phone calls and e-mails to try to support the success of our kids, I spoke to many staff members about how they were doing and tried to coach them to be even more successful, I had quite a few difficult conversations and made some tough decisions having to do with various typical and atypical challenges that come up in an environment like this, and did other usual “camp-director-y” things that we all do in this field. But now let me share what I did this week that makes this one of the best jobs in the world:
I played some kickball with a group of Niabi girls that was the perfect example of how a camp with so much to offer can also create fun with a rubber ball, four plastic bases, and the enthusiasm of wonderful staff. The girls were spirited and silly in all the ways that I would hope, and my home run was a boost to my former athlete ego. I got to run a Z-Route in flag football during an elective period and absorbed the gentle barbs from the boys. They were so excited to be there, and there was more concern about their touchdown dances than their skills at catching and passing. Making candy sushi with girls at an elective was also a great example of programming being less important than relationships at Chestnut. Yes, they were having so much fun with the execution of good sushi-making techniques. But it was the giggling happening between every other word and the sheer joy they were showing that made it feel meaningful.
I chose to sit with a camper yesterday who was feeling sad, and though I cannot point to any one thing I did or said that felt like it was helpful, maybe just the extra attention helped him to look up and expose a tiny smile. That shift must have continued because just a few hours later I watched as he was begrudgingly coaxed out of the pool from the game he was playing with a few friends. Watching those turnaround moments can be an all-day thing for a camp director because our campers are so adaptable and resilient, and even the rough moments can quickly fade away before your eyes. I joined a Varsity table for breakfast a few days before they would be leaving on their big trip (tomorrow) and marveled at the bonds they have made with each other and their staff members, including their negotiation over group assignments while in the Washington, DC area to ensure that they would be able to spend even more time with their counselors. I played some basketball with Sani boys who might not have known that a long time ago I wasn’t so bad at the sport…and now I’m hoping the Advil will finally kick in so that my back stops hurting. I sat down with a mix of older and younger girls in Create It while they were painting on individual canvases and could make out some of the images of the camp that they were trying to represent. It was awesome to see them seated with each other but silently engaged in creativity. And I walked into the Garden with some boys during Free Play to show them the zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, and various herbs that we are hoping with be picked and introduced somehow at Culinary in the coming days. All of these moments reminded me how fortunate we are to have these unique jobs that almost nobody else can understand.
This has been a truly busy and exciting week at camp. I know our campers’ parents and friends and family are home, desperate to know more of what’s happening, I know there cannot be enough pictures, and I know that you’re jealous of your kids as they have so much fun without you being able to experience it along with them. But I can tell you, from first-hand knowledge and experience, they’re having a blast.
So that’s what I do…that’s how I spend my time. Except when I’m doing other stuff entirely!
Love it! Thanks for making CLC such an amazing experience for my first timer. You’re right about all of it but especially two things – never enough pictures and YES, I’m jealous! 🙂
This blog makes me smile and my heart happy! This is the first year for my camper at CLC and the Companion app has been a life saver. The pictures are awesome. I am amazed and thrilled that my child is able to experience all the fun and excitement that the camp has to offer. I am extremely jealous but very grateful for everyone at CLC. Thank you for making this summer an unforgettable one!!!