Day 1!!

The first full day is over and I am exhausted, but filled with joy. It was an absolutely perfect first day. Hopefully I will get used to things going so well and I won't be skeptical or fear that it is the calm before the storm. I just can't quite believe that this summer will be as easy and wonderful as it has been so far, but I think this is how a camp is SUPPOSED to run, so maybe I will adjust.

The group of kids that arrived yesterday were 75% (or maybe more) return campers. A group of nuns from the city send neighborhood kids to camp every year and this is the group. For the past few years it has rained the ENTIRE week they have been at camp, so I was happily shocked when they arrived to sunshine yesterday.

Everyone got off the bus smiling, excited, happy and ready for camp. After 12 days of talking about camp, practicing activities and getting ready for camp, counselors were SO eager for actual kids to be here. They looked a little nervous when actually put in charge of wiggling 7 year olds, giggling 10 year olds, and eye rolling 13 year olds, but they found their groove quickly.

This morning, the kids were eager to start activities and I was really impressed with the counselors. They were mostly on time (which is IMPRESSIVE for the first day), they were organized, and they lead the activities just as we taught them.

There weren't any homesick kids, behavior issues, and every activity I saw was filled with happy, engaged kids and counselors who were camper-focused and having fun. I felt a little like I was walking around a real life promotional video.

In the evening, we ran an activity called CHAOS which stands for "counselors have another outstanding skill". Counselors get to lead a one hour activity of their choice outside of camp activities. As I walked around camp watching each activity, I was actually choking back tears.

I watched a very engaged group of kids learning yoga poses.

I walked into a building where all of the kids were huddled together- happy but focused on learning Swahili.

A group building tiny boats out of recycled materials and another group building bridges out of toothpicks. I was amazed that even the older boys were smiling and participating (sometimes it is tough to convince 15 year old boys to craft).

There was a group on the field who were "horizontal rock climbing". The counselor had set out paper plates and other "rocks" and the kids had to put their hands and feet in certain places to get from one side to the other. To "repel" back down, they rolled through the grass. It was mostly little girls and they were giggling so loudly I couldn't help myself but to laugh as I watched.

The final group was beat boxing, rapping and learning to harmonize. As they sand their song, my mouth actually dropped open. I could NOT believe how incredible they sounded. I could NOT believe that two counselors could get 15 kids to sound like that in less than an hour. I nearly burst into tears of joy.

Every single child was engaged and happy. Every counselor was not just effectively leading, but they were smiling and happy too. It was pure magic- camp at its absolute best.

Day one= success. I can't wait to see what the rest of the summer brings...