At the risk of sounding redundant, I want to tell you again how incredible this class of 15 year olds is. We have 70 teenagers here this session, and a large percentage of those are our 15 year olds. We always rave about our 15 year old class and how impossible it will be to pick 4 leaders for next year…but this year tops them all.  They are simply amazing.  People are always amazed when we talk about running a boys camp, and working with teenagers. “How do you do it?” they ask. They haven’t met our boys. Our kind, considerate, polite, funny teenagers.  They don’t just say thank you, they say “Thank you, thank you so much!” They organize chess tournaments, and help pick up clothing around camp.  They hold doors for others and always ask if you need help carrying something.  They don’t just hang out with each other, they include boys of all ages, younger boys who admire and respect them for treating them as equals. They are willing to be silly, to be vulnerable, to let others in and share of themselves.  They joke around with us as directors, and we love knowing they feel comfortable enough to do so. They are 1st years, 4th years, 7th years…it doesn’t matter. They all get what it means to be a part of Deerhorn and they take their role here seriously…or some days, not so seriously…

Today in swimming, they did a synchronized swimming routine. (Video and pictures coming tomorrow, our internet is being slow.) 15 year old boys, doing synchronized swimming…where else, but at summer camp? Here, there is no fear of rejection or ridicule. Here, you are encouraged to just be yourself. Yourself is always good enough.  And you learn that you can’t take yourself too seriously…there is always room for fun.

Sports & Games played a new game of dodgeball on the baseball field called “Star Wars.” I am not sure exactly how it’s played, but kids loved it. Breakfast was bagels, lunch was pigs in a blanket, and dinner was chicken fajitas. It was pouring when we woke up this morning, but the rain quit by the time breakfast ended, and the last full day of activities continued unobstructed. It’s hard to believe this session is almost over. Three weeks should seem like a long time, but we pack so much into those 3 weeks that it flies by in the blink of an eye.  Some of our 15 year olds decided to stay for next session, and for that, we are grateful! Camp is a better place when they’re around.