Conference turris::womannotes-v1

333.0. "A Good Children's Camp" by ATPS::FODEN () Wed Jun 10 1987 16:46

Camp Wileyah for Children 
Part of Spring Hill of Ashby's Youth Education Program

Spring Hill is a training center.  It is also a loosely woven community of
loving and caring individuals.  Each year they sponsor a summer camp program 
for children called, Camp Wileyah. (Wileyah, is an approximation of a Lakota
Sioux word which means: "to follow the sun, and in so doing to be in
harmony with all")

My boys have attended Camp Wileyah for the past four years and have really 
enjoyed it.  My youngest son once said that Camp Wileyah was better than
other camps he had attended because "The staff really care about the kids, they
don't just boss us around all the time".  

The staff are conscious adults from a variety of professions who
set aside a week of their time each summer to work at camp. They 
work at Camp Wileyah because they find value in creating this positive
experience for themselves and the children who attend.

After my boys' second year at Camp I was so impressed with the staff and
camp I wanted to be a part of it.  This will be my second
year on Staff and I am looking forward to it.  I will be teaching the
arts and crafts program and I have a lot if interesting projects planned.

If you are looking for a really positive, gentle camp experience for your
child, Camp Wileyah can provide it.  A lot of preparation takes
place to welcome your child to camp. Parents supply a biography and a
picture of their child.  On Staff orientation day, we read the
biographies of all the children and associate biographies with pictures.  
That way we learn about each child before they get to camp and can give them 
any individual attention they may need.  The camp day is structured so both 
campers and staff get a balance of rest and activity. Most of all camp is fun,
for the staff and campers alike.  Last year it felt mostly like
a big warm family coming together to play and learn together.  

There are two events that shine most in my memory as being very representative
of the kind of Camp this is.

	On Friday evening after a party, we needed to get the dishes done.
	We just moved the party into the kitchen and continued our
	singing and dancing while we all did the dishes and cleaned
	the kitchen. We got work done and had a wonderful time.  I have 
	trouble putting to words how good that spirit of cooperation,
	pride, and accomplishment felt. We all had the experience of 
	channeling the good energy from the party into the work that needed 
	to be done, in a way that was productive and positive and full of joy.

	Another memory involves a 14 year old boy who wouldn't go in swimming
	during his class.  He insisted that swimming was for babies and he
	wasn't going to do it.  

	The swimming director gently encouraged him to walk slowly into
	the water.  As he began to walk in, it became apparent that he
	was very afraid.  All the children in his swimming class came
	together around to offer support each child gently giving him
	support and encouragement as he walked into the water.  

	In the week he was at camp he was able to gradually become more
	comfortable in the water and was eventually able to put his face 
	underwater. 

	One day when I was complimenting him on how well he was doing
	swimming, he told me that when he was little he was able to swim like 
	other children. However, when he was 5 he almost drown. From that time 
	until that day at camp, he had been afraid of the water. 
	
	I believe it was the spirit of caring and nurturing that is so
	vital a part of camp Wileyah that allowed this miracle to take place.
	The boy learned about trust and confronting his fears as well as about
	swimming.  The other children learned that their support and 
	caring for another person can make a difference in this world.


This year camp will run from Sunday July 26 to Thursday July 30.

If anyway would like more information about Camp Wileyah please contact me or
call the camp registrar at Spring Hill of Ashby, (617)864-9181.

I cannot say enough about Camp, it has been a wonderful experience for me and
my children.

Information from the Camp Brochure follows:

			Welcome to Camp Wileyah

	Camp Wileyah is a rich group experience created to  help young people 
ages 7-14 feel good about themselves, learn to cope in healthy ways and
communicate clearly with other people--all while having fun in the country.

	Programmatically, we offer a typical camp experience that interests
and engages young people.  But it's the way that we do it that makes all
the difference.

	First of all, we have a high staff to camper ratio of 1:3.  This
means our staff  has a lot of time and attention available for the campers.
But more specifically, all our staff are trained to:

	--Teach in ways that enhance the learner's self-image and self esteem.

	--Help campers discover creative options for coping with familiar
	  feelings and pressures that arise.

	--Offer tools to help young people communicate in clear, responsible
	  ways.

	One parent told us that Camp Wileyah was "the best thing that has 
happened to my child in a long time" and that she couldn't thank us enough.
Other parents have reported that their child insisted that the whole family 
regularly use one of the communication tools learned at camp, and that "their
family interaction has changed and deepened."

	We would welcome the opportunity to include your child in this
experience.  This summer, offer your child the richness of Camp Wileyah.

				Programs

During the camp, each young person will participate in the following programs:

Outdoor Adventure. Games and adventures in the fields and forests which 
	emphasize team-building, group decision-making and problem-solving.

Theater. Campers will exercise their imaginations, build acting skills, and
	have fun experiences in creative group expression.

Living in the Wild.  Learn to build a simple shelter, forage for food and track
	animals.  Orienteering will be included for older campers.

Arts and Crafts.  Campers will make and build with ingenuity, paints, clay,
	and the materials at hand.

The Facility.  Camp Wileyah will be  held at Spring Hill Institute's Conference
Center, located on a wild and beautiful hilltop in Ashby MA, near the New
Hampshire border.  The conference center shows the loving care that went into 
its construction--native wood interiors, large hearthstone fireplace, thick 
carpeting, and lots of windows.  In addition, the view from Spring Hill
is spectacular, and its 80 acres of land offer many opportunities for
hiking and exploration.

Accommodations.  Group meetings, indoor classes and meals will take place
in the Conference Center, while campers and staff will sleep out on the
land in tents with full use of Conference Center bathroom facilities.

Diet. We offer delicious vegetarian cuisine with some chicken and fish
available for those who would like it.

			Meet the some of our instructors

Linda Aranda/Director; teaches self-esteem enhancement,
	coping and communication skills to youth and adults as part of
	her work as a Health Educator in the substance abuse prevention
	field.  She is also a senior staff person for the Opening the
	Heart workshop at Spring Hill.

Steven McFadden/Associate Director; is a communications consultant with several
	Fortune 500 companies and a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership
	school and Outward Bound Leadership Program.

Alicia Foden's life as a mother of four has provided her with many opportunities
	to develop expertise in the areas of creative problem solving
	and cooperation, and it is this spirit of loving dedication to results
	that Alicia brings to the camp setting.

Celia Slattery is currently completing her Master's Degree in
	Theater Arts.  She has directed theater programs for all ages of
	children and adults.  She is currently director of Boston area
	Project Depth (Drug Education Through Participatory Theater),
	a teenage theater group that tours, and is involved in several
	other productions in Massachusetts.

We have a few positions open for parents who would like to work at camp in
exchange for free tuition for one child.  Please inquire immediately.

Camp Dates: Sunday morning July 26 to Thursday night July 30.

Program Costs: $225-$325.  We use a sliding scale payment system.  Please
assess your financial situation and pay the highest fee within the scale
you can afford.

				Registration

1.	Write or call Spring Hill Institute and request an Application
	form. (If your child is an alumni if Camp Wileyah, request an
	Application Update).  Fill out the forms as soon as possible,
	and mail them to Spring Hill, with your deposit.

2.	Once your application forms have been received, you will be
	mailed a Confirmation Packet.  This packet will include further
	details, a suggested packing list and a map to Spring Hill's
	Conference Center in Ashby, MA.

3.	The balance of the camp fee is due upon arrival at camp. Please
	make your check out to Young People's Education.

		Early Registration Deadline: June 19, 1987
		Late Registration Deadline: July 10, 1987
		Late Registration Fee: $40.00

		Please address all make to:
		
	Registrar/Camp Wileyah
	Spring Hill of Ashby
	687 Massachusetts Avenue Room 201
	Cambridge, MA 02139
	Telephone: (617)864-9181
	M-F 10-4 pm
	
If you have any questions or concerns, we invite you to call and talk
to our Registrar. We would be happy to hear from you.

    I used to live and work at Spring Hill, and was around during several
    of the camp sessions--I used to give massages to the staff!
    
    I would agree with everything in the base note.  It is a wonderful
    experience for children, and very un-regimented and un-bureaucratic.
    
    Linda Aranda, the originator and director of the camp, is a peaceful
    and talented woman who has put a great deal of energy into building
    a camp program which is consistent with the ideals set forth by
    Spring Hill.
    
    She has also done a great deal of work with inner city, third world,
    and substance abusing teenagers, and is able to meet their needs
    as well as those of children from middle and upper middle class
    families.  I have a great deal of respect for this program as I
    have watched it evolve over a period of several years.
    
    Holly

I am a member of Big Brother/Big Sister Association and wanted to send
my little sister to Camp Wileyah after my experience of doing an Open
Heart Workshop at Spring Hill.  I was one of the workers at camp and
assisted the cook.  It really gave me a loving relationship with my
little sister (even though we had been together for a year!).  Needless
to say both of us are going back this summer.  It's a tremendous experience
for all involved....staff included!  Hope to see you there!!