We understand that choosing the right summer camp for your child is a significant decision. At Calleva, we take this responsibility seriously. We strive to create an environment where your child can thrive. Our commitment to fostering a strong sense of community among parents, campers, and staff sets us apart.
We believe that a supportive community is essential for providing an enriching camp experience. By working together towards a common goal, we can offer unique opportunities for children to explore the great outdoors, build lasting friendships, and develop valuable life skills.
Through Letters From Camp, we aim to share the magic of Calleva. This series will provide insights into our programs, stories from parents, campers and staff, and tips for making the most out of your child’s summer adventure.
Letter From a Parent
Our first letter is from a Calleva parent. Katherine Corsico found Calleva during COVID and they haven’t left. Her kids have done it all: Farm & Forest Cubs, Nature Adventures, After School Programs, Summer Camp, Schools Out Camp, Saddle Club, Pizza Nights. You name it, if her kids are old enough, they have tried it.
Katherine has seen her kids grow from curious cubs to capable campers. They have all embraced the benefits of being tech-free at Calleva over the years.
Here is what she wanted to share
Dear Fellow Parents,
Calleva is a tech free camp. This means you leave ALL your devices at home. After all, they may get broken. An iphone doesn’t do well in water, or lost. Think of the Nintendo Switch at the bottom of the Potomac River.
More importantly, without their technology children can be more present in their experiences at Calleva. Without the persistent pull to check text messages, scroll social media, or play video games, they can actively focus on being outdoors and growing their social emotional skills.
They can actually talk face-to-face with other kids; laugh at a real-time joke instead of a meme; participate in the weekly song or dance competitions. They can get bored driving in the camp van to a rock climbing or fishing spot. Getting bored is good! It encourages creativity. Kids can participate in all the camp lore: the silly or scary stories and songs they’d miss if they bring their electronics along.
It’s hard to be your best at something when you are distracted. And we all know technology can be very distracting. If you’re nervous about trying something new, electronics can be the perfect crutch to refuse to take a risk. If you’re shy, it’s the perfect reason not to talk to the other kids in your group.
In order to get the most out of their experience at Calleva, kids need to fully participate which is just not possible with the lure of electronics in their backpack. So I’d leave the tech at home. We do! To be very clear, we are not a tech free house. My kids get plenty of time with their electronics, just not at Calleva!
Dear Calleva Staff,
Thank you for being my children’s happy place! They are their best selves when they are unplugged and outdoors with you. They are happy, confident, and kind. We found Calleva four years ago during COVID when we decided to homeschool our children. My then kindergarten twin sons were (and still are) ACTIVE. Both have ADHD and one is dyslexic. So we realized there was no way they were going to be able to sit online from 9am-3pm to learn to read virtually.
Calleva offered a different path. Their Forest Cubs program met in-person and the boys could run, climb, play outdoors, and interact with other kids. They were truly Calleva Kids. They got muddy and soaking wet looking for crayfish in the stream near the mud kitchen. I sent them to Cubs with bags of extra clothes and they came home with bags of dirty laundry.
They caught frogs, climbed trees and challenged themselves on the rope courses. They learned to build fires with flint and steel. They roasted apples and marshmallows.
We hired specialized tutors to teach them to read and sent them to Calleva to learn about the world and themselves. They learned that they are capable of doing hard and scary things, like the zip-line or kayaking through rapids. They learned about accomplishing goals and teamwork. They learned to be independent and responsible for themselves.
While they love their technology just as much as the next kids, they are truly at home in nature. They are more emotionally regulated, focused and at ease on the farm, at Riley’s lock or on the Madeira campus. They don’t miss their technology when they are at Calleva. I don’t worry about being disconnected from them because all the counselors have my cell phone number!
In time our daughters would join the boys on the farm. They now attend Nature Adventures and Saddle Club during the school year and Camp during the summer. The friends they’ve made at Calleva are some of their best friends. I feel very much that Calleva is their home away from home.
The staff feels like their family. They know my children so well, from their strengths and weaknesses, to their personality quirks. They encourage the kids to be kids, explore, wonder and try new things. In a world that often pushes children to grow up too soon, Calleva preserves their childhood and I could not be more grateful.
Regards,
Katherine Corsico
Mom of Kate (11), Charlie (9), Jack (9) & Gracie (7)
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