Behavior at Camp
From the 2024 Camp Handbook
We strive to create a sacred community that is safe for individuals to take risks by providing them with the tools necessary to find success in doing so. It is our goal to provide a well-supervised and nurturing environment for our campers and teens, and we only employ staff members who understand their role as strong role models, educators, and supervisors.
Chestnut Lake is a place where participants will create, learn, and live together while making memories that will last a lifetime. This unique opportunity is exciting yet challenging. Living together requires a lot of cooperation, sharing, patience, and respect. In addition, we have high expectations and standards of behavior at Chestnut Lake. We do not tolerate abuse or exclusive behaviors of any kind, either physical or verbal.
One of the goals at Chestnut Lake is to help individuals learn to be responsible for their own behavior. In most situations, staff will try to solve behavioral problems without having to involve parents. This is different if a person exceeds the limits understood by the camp community. We expect:
- Respect for all living things means that no person will ever hurt another person physically, sexually, or psychologically. We will treat all animals with respect, too.
- Respect for the environment, which includes the natural environment in which we live during the summer, activity and program spaces, and one’s own personal space.
- Alcohol and other drugs may not be possessed or used at camp, and the consequence for possession or use will be dismissal from camp. No camper may possess any smokeable substance, matches, or lighters.
- Camp is not a place to experiment sexually. Campers will hear that any behavior beyond discreet hugging and kissing (fully clothed, of course) is not permitted.
- Respect for camp as an inclusive community, which includes the welcoming and valuing of campers with differences and disabilities, both in your bunk and in the wider camp community.
- Individuals will make choices that are good for themselves and others and will take responsibility for those choices.
With these standards and expectations in place, the administration of Chestnut Lake reserves the right to ask that a person at risk to themselves or the community be removed from camp immediately. We will expend every effort on behalf of the entire camp community to make the camp experience a positive one. We hope to form a partnership with families to deal with concerns in an honest, productive, and effective manner. Please remember that Chestnut Lake is a family, and we respect and value our relationships.
At Chestnut Lake, we pledge to care for your children and help guide them on the right path toward positive experiences, building relationships, and making good choices. Together, we can help ensure that your child/children has/have a meaningful, fulfilling, and fun summer.
If you have concerns about the behavior of your camper prior to the summer, please reach out to our directors so that we may discuss strategies and tools with you that would be helpful to know going into the summer.