Josh Pollack is a current sophomore at Deerfield High School. There he is on the varsity soccer team. They had a grea season, competing in and winning one game in the playoffs. In addition to that, he also plays club soccer for the Chicago Magic. He also loves playing basketball and football and is a big fan of the Indiana Hoosiers hoops team.
In addition to Josh's love of traditional sports, he enjoys the recreational sports, too, including bowling and mini golf. We’re excited to have join the North Star staff.
More About Josh
Favorite Tombstone pizza type: pepperoni
Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct): Disc golf because i rarely get to play it at home and there i can play it everyday.
Your three favorite movies of all time: The Lion King (original of course), Billy Madison, and The Natural.
Preferred wanegan offering: sour patch
Best evening program at camp: predator vs prey.
Favorite cartoon character: Roger Rabbit
Favorite camp (card) game: mao
If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Lionel Messi and Abraham Lincoln.
What is your dream job: my dream job is to be a lawyer
A little known fact about
yourself: I have 4 older siblings the farthest being 13 years older and closest being 5 years
Our Counselors in Training play a unique role at North Star. These are the guys that were campers last year and now find themselves on staff. They are a tremendous asset as they not only bring energy and enthusiasm, but being not too far removed from their camper years, they bring a great perspective and understanding what its like to be a camper. We consider our CITs to be members of our staff, and most of the time, our campers don't see them as "in training", but just as one of their counselors.
We are excited to introduce you to our CITs over the course of this week. We kick things off with Jacob Baim.
Jacob returns for his seventh summer at North Star. Currently a sophomore at Highland Park High School, Jacob has been in several North Star theatrical productions. This is something that he does at school, where he’s active in swing choir, chorale and acting. He’s also been in school musicals, S.T.U.N.T.S. and short play festival. During his camper years, Jacob was a top notch archery and waterskiier, and he'll instruct both at camp this summer.
More About Jacob
Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Pepperoni
Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct): Archery
Your three favorite movies of all time: Anchorman, The Dark Knight, and My Cousin Vinny
Preferred wanegan offering: Whatchamacallit
Best evening program at camp: Glen's game
Favorite cartoon character: Spongebob Squarepants
Favorite camp (card) game: Euchre
If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Tina Fey and Nic Rouleau
What is your dream job: To be on Broadway
A little known fact about yourself: I
write shows and music
Getting ready for the summer and sending your son to camp can be a cumbersome process. This will be my 29th summer at North Star and along with the many years that Andy, Vickie, Leb and Sue have spent at camp, we've learned a few things about what works...and what doesn't. Below are some tips and practical advice to help you prepare for the summer. Take a few minutes to read over these pointers. We believe that they'll help you through the process of getting ready for the summer and will set your son up for success this summer!
Take things one step at a time
When you look at all the forms, packing, labeling and just the overall idea of sending your son to camp, it can get overwhelming. There is a lot to do ahead of the summer, but if you jump in and just take things one step at a time, you’ll see that pretty quickly you start knocking things off the list.
Shop smart
We’re surrounded by great camping stores that sell fantastic gear that could last your son many years. Unfortunately, by next summer the odds that your camper will be wearing the same size hiking boots or fleece jacket are pretty low. Camp can be tough on equipment and things can get lost. While high end stores are fun, there are places like REI and campmor.com, along with many other traditional stores that are great for buying camp gear. One place not to skimp is on your son’s sleeping bag. A synthetic sleeping bag that DOES NOT have a cotton lining could last your son for many years.
Bonus tip: Avoid the metal cook kits with multiple plates and pans. Pieces tend to fall apart. A plastic plate, cup and utensil set is ideal. Campmor sells this set: http://bit.ly/11vG1xr. You can also buy these items individually at camping or sporting gear stores. Just get a mesh bag to store these in.
Homesick HappensEvery parent wants their son to have an idealistic camp experience. A top worry is that their son will be homesick. The fact is that campers, regardless of their age, may get homesick. This isn’t a bad thing. What is important is to, first off, let your son that he may miss home, family and their pets. Its important to tell them what they may feel as opposed to just using the word "homesick". Let them know that this is perfectly normal and if it does happen, there are lots of staff and other campers there to help them out. All they have to do is talk to them about it. Homesickness should be seen by parents as an opportunity. Once kids plow through it, they learn to be stronger and more self-reliant.
Don’t promise to “pick him up” if things aren’t perfect
Camp is fun, and it’s much more than that. Campers make friends, learn skills and grow. There are challenges that come at camp, but what’s great is that they are in a safe setting with plenty of support! Do not promise your son that you’ll pick him up if he’s homesick, unhappy or if things aren’t working out! You’ll be left with two choices if he calls you on this. One is to pick him up and take away a great learning opportunity. The other is to go back on your promise and risk damaging the trust that he has for you. Instead, let your son know that you’re confident that when these challenges arise, that he’ll do great.
Bonus Tip: Don’t burden your son with your emotions. Your son will miss you and you’ll certainly miss him. Let him know that. Please don’t overshare your worries and anxieties. This will likely lead to increased anxieties of his own that could lead to increased homesickness and challenges for him at camp.
Duffles, not trunks
Foot lockers are bulky and tough to store. Duffles withstand travel much better and can pack away easily. If you’re buying new, go for duffle bags!
Print and pack labels for letters
In an electronic age, campers aren’t used to sending out letters. We’ve seen lots of interesting attempts by campers to address envelopes in rather creative handwriting. Ahead of the summer, make labels for the different people that you want your son writing and then give him a short lesson on how to make sure the letter gets from point A to point B.
Be honest on camp forms
Being up front and open on medical and personality forms will ensure that we can provide the best summer possible for your son. All campers come to camp with a clean slate, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t help them to make us aware of issues that he’s been dealing with. We guarantee that this information will be shared only with those that need to know it. If you haven’t yet watched the Bob Ditter video on the importance of camp forms, we recommend you to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA-nB5fNWFE
Sharpies are your friend!
Label everything. You can either write it in or order labels from Mabel’s Labels or Stuck on You.
Camp rules have a reason
Like families, camp has rules that campers and staff need to abide by. These are detailed in the main spring info pack. From food in camp to cell phones, there are reasons we’ve put these rules into place. If you would like to better understand the reasons for these rules, don’t hesitate to contact us. We ask you to help set your son up for success at camp by ensuring that he’s following camp policies.
Call us, email us, let us know how we can help.
We know that preparing for camp can be a cumbersome process. If you have any questions about anything, do not hesitate to call or email us at any time. Whether you need advice on camp gear or have a question about a camp form, we’re here to help. We can be reached by phone at 715-462-3254 or via email at office@northstarcamp.com.
This past year has gone by incredibly fast and I cannot
believe its already time to be getting back to camp for another fun
filled summer. This past year I was hard at work taking business and
marketing classes so I can finish up my degree at UW- Stevens Point. If
all goes according to plan I should be finishing up and graduating next
May.
Along with school I was also hard at work repairing, re-building,
cleaning and tuning up bikes for friends, family, students and various
other customers. Our bike shop "Dr. Wheels" seems to be more of a hobby
than an actual business but its a work in progress and allows me to
further my experience and knowledge with bike maintenance and repairs. I
also worked for Wheel and Sprocket (a bike company in Wisconsin and a
new location in Illinois) at their spring bike expo sale in Milwaukee at
the state fair expo center. Their was over 3000 bikes at the sale and
it was an awesome opportunity and experience for me. Along with studying
and various work I have been working hard to stay in shape and be ready
for the summer of trip leading. I ride my bike as much as possible,
run, go climbing, lift weights and practice several martial arts to keep
myself disciplined. Other than that not much else is new, just looking
forward to my fourth summer as a trip leader.
More About Jason
Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Veggie
Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct): Biking
Your three favorite movies of all time: The Big Lebowski, IP Man, Wizard of Oz
Preferred wanegan offering: Starburst
Best evening program at camp: Espionage
Favorite cartoon character: Bugs Bunny
Favorite camp (card) game: Malarky.... its a tripper thing
If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Bruce Lee and George Washington
What is your dream job: Working for Trek (the bike company) or operating my own business
A little known fact about yourself: I
have a terrible sense of direction... but not to worry this is more so
in urban areas ha ha, particularly if I'm driving. Out in the woods with
a compass and map I'm golden, so we don't have to worry about any lost
campers or trippers ha ha.
Stratton Shook grew up in Southern Maryland and went to high school in Washington DC
(about 10 blocks from the Capitol). He headed off to Washington State for college, where he went to Gonzaga in Spokane, WA. While at Gonzaga he joined the outdoor recreation dorm, went snowshoeing, skiing and climbing. Stratton graduated with his business degree, and after a year working in the corporate world, he moved to China to teach English. He hopes to complete his MBA in the future and combine business with his love for the outdoors.
Throughout his life, Stratton has been to 23 distinct countries (24 if you count North Korea at the DMZ) and
46 of the 50 states. Recently, he returned from a National Outdoor Leadership
School course in Northern India and a side-trip to Everest Base Camp. This will be Stratton's first year at North Star as he joins us as a wilderness trip leader.
More About Stratton
Your three favorite movies of all time: Apollo 13, Ocean’s 11, Shawshank
Redemption
What is your dream job: Owner of an adventure travel company.
Best place you’ve ever traveled to: Every place is so different that it’s hard
to pick just one. The place I would go back to right now is Iceland. I drove
around the island one spring break with a friend and had an amazing time.
Favorite cartoon character: Calvin and Hobbes (I know it’s cheating to pick two
but you can’t have one without the other).
If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: George
Washington- would be awesome to hear his perspective on the current state of America.
Michelangelo- I studied his works in college and got to see many of his
sculptures in person.
How did you learn about North Star and why did you apply?: I learned about North
Star through NOLS and applied because the camp seemed awesome. Also, who doesn’t
want to spend the summer working in the great outdoors?
What noteworthy/random/menial jobs have you held?: Spent 2 summers umpiring Little
League Baseball and Softball games, worked as an English Teacher in China, interned
for a Congresswoman for one summer.
What did you do last summer?: Last summer I spent working at Casual Adventure
(an independent outdoor retailer) while I trained for my NOLS Backpacking
course.
What, if any previous camp experiences have you had?: I played baseball all
summer so I never got the traditional camp experience but did spend a week at a
photography camp in Maine.
I grew up in the Pineywoods of East Texas in an off the grid home over a
mile from the nearest telephone pole. I was raised to appreciate the
outdoors and owned my own canoe paddle when I was 5 years old. I was too
young to remember my first overnight canoe trip, but my parents tell me
that it was a 5 day trip on the Rio Grande river below Big Bend
National Park. Since then I have traveled around the US paddling on
lakes and rivers, backpacking, fishing, climbing, and camping. The
outdoors is one of my biggest passions.
Since the age of 15 I have spent
my summer working at outdoor camps through Stephen F. Austin State
University in my hometown and through the Boy Scouts where I had the
opportunity to be a camp counselor in Texas and a canoe guide Canada. I
love sports, and fishing is my favorite hobby. I am an engineering
student at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville where I love to go
hiking and fishing in my spare time.
More About Forest
Your three favorite movies of all time: The old Star Wars Trilogy, A Knights Tale, and Django Unchained.
What is your dream job: Fishing Guide in Alaska or Australia
Best place you've ever traveled to: The Crow Land of Ontario Canada
Favorite cartoon character: Tom for Tom and Jerry
If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Bill Dance and Bill Nye the Science Guy
How did you learn about North Star and why did you apply?: The Outdoor Pursuits Director At Stephen F. Austin State University, and I applied because I have a passion for the North Woods and love to teach and learn through the outdoors What noteworthy/random/menial jobs have you held?: I've worked at a silkscreen t-shirt shop, I have been a farmhand on an organic chicken and cattle ranch, and I worked at Advanced Auto Parts. What did you do last summer?: Last summer I was a canoe guide in Canada for the Boy Scouts of America
What, if any previous camp experiences have you had?: I worked as a Lifeguard and counselor at a day camp in my hometown, I
was a Merit Badge teacher at two Boy Scout Camps, and worked at Northern
Tier High Adventure Base in Canada.
Christopher Rodriguez was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. He stayed in the Lone Star State and headed to Nacogdoches, TX to attend Stephen F. Austin State University. There he's a Junior majoring in Radio/TV Production. At school he also leads trips for the Outdoor Pursuits organization.
Lately Christopher has been busy working and schooling. In the past couple of
months he hase been to Colorado for skiing, North Carolina for a WEA
conference, and Jackson Falls, Illinois for rock climbing. He just celebrated his 26th birthday and rented out a roller rink so he could have a 70's
Roller Disco. His favorite holiday is Texas
Ranger's Opening Day, this year was his 15th year in attendance! We're excited tpo have Christopher join us as a trip leader.
More About Christopher
Your three favorite movies of all time: This is hard because I'm a big time cinephile.
1.) Good Will Hunting
2.) Shawshank Redemption
3.) Forrest Gump
What is your dream job: Outdoor Educator
Best place you've ever traveled to: In 2008, I did a cross country trip for two weeks with my mom. We went to St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, NYC, Nashville, and Memphis. That trip was the best because it was with my travel buddy and we got to see a lot of cities and ballparks.
Favorite cartoon character: Goofy
If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: My mom, so I could talk and laugh with her again. Second, would be my best friend Jake Owens because we don't get to see each other that much and its always a good time when we get together.
How did you learn about North Star and why did you apply?: I found North Star through a NOLS job listing and after reading about the camp, I felt we would fit very well together. I love leading trips and spreading my passion and knowledge for the outdoors.
What noteworthy/random/menial jobs have you held?: I was a technician on RV's without knowing anything about RV's. I also fried french fries for Fresh Fries at numerous fairs in southern Wisconsin and Minnesota.
What did you do last summer?: Last summer I stayed in Nacogdoches, Texas to take a full course of classes and work for SFASU Outdoor Pursuits.
What, if any previous camp experiences have you had?: I grew up
in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts going to a variety of monthly camps and
summer camps. Now I lead outdoor trips for SFASU Outdoor Pursuits.
