JCC Winter Program Guide - Flipbook - Page 7
JCC Camps
Getting Ready for Summer with Matt Steinberg
Director, Leventhal-Sidman Camps
What makes
summer at the
JCC so special?
Community. When
campers come to
camp at the JCC
they make friends
for life and have
caring role models
they will remember
for years to come.
Camp is an
environment where
everybody celebrates your accomplishments, whether it be
learning to swim or getting up on stage to perform, your
friends and counselors are there to cheer you on every
step of the way. Camp is all about making memories that
matter, and there is no better place to do that than the JCC.
What’s a camp experience that has stayed with you since
you were a camper? Camp is one of the first places I built
self-confidence, trying new things and making new friends
beyond my friends at school. What sticks with me most is
actually a Camp Counselor, Jason, who was a role model
for me. He was the coolest guy. As the oldest sibling, this
was the first time I had someone like an older brother or
cousin I could look up to who wasn’t a parent or teacher.
He took the time to get to know me and the rest of the
campers in our group, and he made the little moments fun.
I still remember stories he told during snack time – he
never missed an opportunity to make camp memorable
and special. To this day I think about Jason when we
prepare staff training for our camp counselors. We
emphasize to our counselors the incredible opportunity
they have to make an impact on their campers that they
will remember their entire lives.
What are your main goals for this summer at the JCC?
Every summer we have a waitlist in several age groups and
camps. One of our biggest goals this summer was making
camp accessible for more families. We added extended day
and bus service for our tennis, swim and sports camps,
opened additional spots in our younger age groups, and
we continue to offer need-based financial aid thanks to
the generosity of our donors. We are also investing in
core programs, including our Counselors in Training (CIT)
leadership development program, which grows future
counselors and community leaders, and our inclusion
program, which makes camp a supportive environment
for all campers. We always continue to hone and improve
our camp program, and this summer our schedules are
jam packed with more fun than ever before, including
specialties like cooking and filmmaking, as well as more
pool time for campers across all our camps!
What in your opinion is the secret sauce that has made
Camp Kaleidoscope such a success for 30+ years
and counting? The Camp Kaleidoscope program is truly
outstanding. There’s a reason why several age groups fill
the day registration opens and there is consistently a
waitlist every summer. Compared to other camps around
the country, we have a higher ratio of staff to campers,
which creates a very supportive and warm community and
a support structure that helps our campers thrive. The
quality of our activities and programs is elevated as well.
Our theater, music, art, science and other specialist
instructors are professionals who develop thoughtful
curricula, and our classroom spaces and equipment elevate
the experience beyond your typical camp activity. Many of
our counselors were campers themselves, have graduated
from our CIT program, and very intentionally want to pass
on the amazing camp experience they had to the next
generation. Kaleidoscope is a special place where every
single child feels part of a welcoming and supportive
community. Many of our older campers and staff who
come back summer after summer express that camp is
the one place they can truly be their full selves.
What are you looking forward to the most this summer
at the JCC? I think the thing I most look forward to is
seeing all the counselors and specialists we’ve been
interviewing throughout the winter really shine in how
they interact with our campers throughout the summer.
We have so many strong, incredible role models for our
young campers. Our staff are really what makes the camp
environment so special and full of fun. I love when the
hallways of the JCC are filled with the energy of camp:
smiling faces, cheers and laughter.
What can campers expect from this summer at the JCC
across all of our camps? Campers can expect a huge
variety of really fun, engaging activities. They will get to
try things that are niche and new, like podcasting and
fashion design, and have plenty of opportunities to enjoy
familiar favorite programs and activities, like swimming,
arts and sports. We also have a few fun surprises up our
sleeves for our signature camp events, including the
Upper Camp Musicals, Israel Carnival, and Family Shabbat.
The entire camp team cannot wait to share our fun
summer plans when camp starts in June!
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