North Star Camp for Boys







Monday, June 10, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Jacob Lehr


Jacob Lehr heads to camp after spending the year in LA. He just finished his freshman year at the University of Southern California, Jacob hails from Omaha, Nebraska. He's undecided on a major, trying Civil/Environmental Engineering next semester. Jacob is involved in Troy Camp, (mentoring, tutoring) and  just finished a one-week sleepover camp for kids in local schools. He's also involved in SC Outfitters, an outdoors club, and will be leading trips as a guide next year.

At camp he can usually be found on the tennis courts and he’ll also do his share of golf instruction and waterfront activities this summer as well. We’re thrilled to have Jacob back for summer number nine!

More About Jacob

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Hawaiian

Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct): Logrolling

Your three favorite movies of all time: Anchorman, Into the Wild, Lion King

Preferred wanegan offering: Pop Wanegan (Squirt!)

Best evening program at camp: North Star Ball

Favorite cartoon character: Marvin the Martian

Favorite camp (card) game: ERS (Egyptian Rat Screw)

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Bear Grylls and Thomas Jefferson

What is your dream job: Professional Table Tennis Player

A little known fact about yourself: I used to be into Karate.






Sunday, June 9, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Lucas Kasle


Lucas Kasle is a resident of River Hills, WI, just outside of Milwaukee. He just completed his junior year at Nicolet High School. He participated in swim team and got 3rd in conference. On his school's tennis team he got 5th in conference. He went to London and tried to visit Olly, but he was busy.

This will be his eighth summer at camp and he’s looking forward to instructing athletics and climbing. A certified life guard, he is also looking forward to spending some time on the water front. He's been working hard on my Egyptian rat-screw techniques getting ready for the summer.

More About Lucas

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Cheese

Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct): Rock climbing

Your three favorite movies of all time: Avengers, Toy story, Mega Shark Vs. Giant Octopus

Preferred wanegan offering: Reeses cups

Best evening program at camp: Glen’s Game

Favorite cartoon character: Avatar Aang from Avatar the Last Airbender

Favorite camp (card) game: Euchre

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Steven Colber and John Stewart

What is your dream job: Professional ice cream taster

A little known fact about yourself: Got second place in a competition where you had to balance a spoon on your nose. Sorry Nick.


The Kasle Brothers

Staff Spotlight - Benji Pfeffer


Hello all! This year is and was my Junior year at Deerfield High School, in Deerfield IL. In the winter I was on the Men's Swimming and Diving team. Since it's junior year i also spent a lot of my time preparing and taking the ACT. In the spring, i played for the Mens Varsity Water Polo team. We had a hard fought season and I love the sport. 

It was a fast but great school year. I took an investing and photography class in school, while still keeping my core classes. In my free time i watched sports games like Bulls, Bears, or Blackhawks, and playing basketball and Ultimate frisbee with friends. For spring break, I visited many colleges around the midwest and south. It was a fun time this year but now I'm ready to make this summer even greater!

More About Benji

Favorite Tombstone pizza type
: Supreme Pizza

Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct): Disc Golf

Your three favorite movies of all time: The Hurt Locker, Wall-E and The Dark Knight

Preferred wanegan offering: Kit-Kat

Best evening program at camp: Definitely Glens Game, nothing better

Favorite cartoon character: Jake the dog

Favorite camp (card) game: Egyptian Rat Screw

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Shaq and Charles Barkley, entertainment and a big meal

What is your dream job: GM of a Sports Franchise

A little known fact about yourself: I have a great sense of humor 


Saturday, June 8, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Caleb Brown


My name is Caleb Brown. I was born and bred in Columbia, South Carolina, but now currently reside in Rock Hill South Carolina and attend Winthrop University. Most recently I have been involved in a academic internship with the Latin American Coalition. The Latin American Coalition is a non-profit organization, which primarily works with legal issue regarding immigration and differed action cases in the North Carolina. This internship has been very important to me because I have strongly considered applying to Law School. 

While also working I have found time to do a great deal of Hiking and exploring this year. Most recently I have been hiking and bouldering in Crowders Mountain State park just outside of Kings Mountain NC. Being a history major I spend a lot of time visiting historical sites around South Carolina. Most recently I have traveled to Cow Pens and old revolutionary war battlefield in the upstate of South Carolina. I have also spent my first few weeks of summer traveling down to the coast of Carolina spending time in both the Grand Strand (Myrtle Beach), and Charleston visiting family and friends. 

With the summer heat and humidity falling on Carolina it has become prime time for fishing, and eating seafood. The past few weeks I have boiled Carolina Blue Crab, and grilled shrimp on the open range. I always enjoy the first few weeks of summer in the South Carolina because all of the tourist flock to the coast, and I have the opportunity to help my uncle tend to his restaurant in Myrtle Beach, SC. I will be returning to Winthrop University this August to complete my senior year. Upon graduation in May I intend to hike the Appalachian trail from Georgia to Maine, and then if all goes according to plan start graduate studies in Fall of 2015.

More About Caleb

Your three favorite movies of all time: My favorite movie of all time is the "Lion King" I love the dynamic dialogue, amazing musical pieces, and most importantly the bond shared between Simba and Mustapha "Father and Son" As for other movies I am also a great fan of the King's Speech, and Star Trek into Darkness. I thoroughly enjoyed the King's Speech because it showed a mans adversity when dealing with public criticism, while being in the spotlight! I love Star Trek because I enjoy Science Fiction stories and space travel. In my dream world "Star-Fleet" would exists, and I would be standing on the bridge of the U.S.S Enterprise right next to Captain Kirk!

What is your dream job: My goal in life is to start my own non-profit, which would bring sustainable living, and musical instruments to disenfranchised youth around the world. However; if I had to work for any company or organization I would love to be a United Nations adviser and Peace Keeper. I have many friends who have traveled through and come from other nations around the world, which are not as fortunate to have the freedoms we do in the United States. To make a long story short I essentially want to work a job where I come home after a long days work knowing that I helped improve someone's quality of life.

Best place you’ve ever traveled to
: This is a toss up between Paris France, London United Kingdom, and Acadia National park in Maine. Being a history buff I loved slowly pacing through the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles (Paris France) Versailles is filled with diplomatic history, and has been the site of many treaties regarding international conflicts. I thoroughly enjoyed my travels through London because they allowed me to visit the "Tower of London" Lastly I enjoyed my travels through Acadia, Maine because I had never seen such beautiful natural formations. Backpacking and hammocking under the stars in Acadia Maine to the sound of ocean waves crashing against monstrous sea cliffs was the most energizing sleep I have ever had in my life.

Favorite cartoon character: My favorite cartoon character is "Jerry" from "Tom and Jerry" I have always liked Jerry because he goes to prove that no matter how much bigger your opponent is than you with a clever plan, and the appropriate execution one can always outwit their opponent.

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?:
I would love to have lunch with Franklin Delano Roosevelt simply to discus politics, and grasp a firmer understanding of what life was like in the "Great Depression" I would also love to sit down and have a chat with Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack to brush up on my singing skills, and suave appearance.

How did you learn about North Star and why did you apply?: I learned about North Star after applying to another camp in Minnesota. The other camp did not have any openings, so fortunately they passed my information on to North Star. When Dan and Andy contacted me and told me more about the summer program, I was excited about the opportunity of working with such a great camp ground and staff. I applied because, while Wisconsin is a long way from South Carolina my experience at North Star will allow me to understand the experience of growing and living in the Mid-west Great Lakes region of the United States.

What noteworthy/random/menial jobs have you held?:
Senatorial Page South Carolina State Senate. South Carolina DHEC Camp Burnt Gin A summer camp for Special Needs Children in South Carolina. Camp Kemo a summer program put on through the Childrens Hospital in Columbia South Carolina, which serves children with battling cancer and blood disorders. Camp Tapawingo a summer camp for girls in Sweden Maine.

What did you do last summer?: I worked at Camp Burnt Gin South Carolina's camp for children with special needs.

What, if any previous camp experiences have you had?:
I have all of the previous camp experience listed above as well as volunteer yearly with Palmetto Richland Health's Camp "New Horizons" a grief camp, which supports children who have lost a sibling to cancer of a blood disorder!



Thursday, June 6, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Ned Shashoua


Ned Shashoua is back for summer number eight. Ned spends the rest of the year in the warmer climate of Boca Raton, FL. There he’s a sophomore at Pine Crest School. Ned spends quite a bit of time on the athletic fields and courts at camp, with tennis and soccer amongst them. He’s a great tennis player and is on his school team. He’ll also be instructing other athletics and can be found on the waterfront from time to time.

More About Ned

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: cheese
      
Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct):
My favorite program at camp is waterskiing/wakeboarding

Your three favorite movies of all time:
Pulp Fiction, Anchorman, and The Godfather 

Preferred wanegan offering: My favorite wanegan option is and always will be Sour Skittles

Best evening program at camp
: Glenn’s Game

Favorite cartoon character: Scooby Doo

Favorite camp game: Apples to Apple

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?:  Jimi Hendrix and Will Ferrell. I know it’s a random combination but I feel like it would work out pretty well.

What is your dream job: snowboard instructor

A little known fact about yourself: I play guitar. I started about two years ago and really enjoy it. I’m looking forward to bringing my guitar with me to camp this summer.









Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Joe Erdman


I feel very blessed to have just finished my sophomore year at Winona State University where I am majoring in Psychology. The two lives I live between home & school are far from the same. After 9 months of studying & socializing, I then made the trip 4 hours south to my hometown of Dousman, WI where work quickly begins to consume my life. If I'm not painting or staining houses I'm running fire calls. I realized this year I needed a break from it all. I'm always open to new things in life & welcoming new experiences, friends, & memories. North Star is my escape.

"You may not always end up where you thought you were going, But you will always end up where you were meant to be."

More About Joe

Your three favorite movies of all time
: Batman- The Dark Night, Goodwill Hunting and Remember the Titans

What is your dream job
: Filming for National Geographic in exotic/secluded areas around the world.

Best place you’ve ever traveled to
: Road trip to Colorado snowboarding with my one of my best friends for spring break.

Favorite cartoon character
: Spongebob

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Carrie Underwood (lunch date?) and my grandma, she passed away when I was young.
 
How did you learn about North Star and why did you apply?: Dan introduced me to North Star camp while attending a college job fair. Nick Meyer made me excited to go! ;)

What noteworthy/random/menial jobs have you held?: 3-year active duty firefighter

What did you do last summer?: Exterior painting (hottest summer in over 50 years)


Monday, June 3, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Chip Kass


Chip has been spending his year in school and working on plays for school. He appeared in Legally Blonde during the winter and was the Fight Captain for Cyrano de Bergerac in the spring. In the fall, he will be a senior at Highland Park High School, where he will be a Link Crew Leader and a P.E. leader, so, hopefully, he will get to have a couple North Star camper freshmen in his crew. 

He will also be a Producer for HPHS's Stunts, the student musical, in the fall and he encourages all of the NSC freshmen to audition. Chip will be spending first session at Stagedoor Manor, an acting camp in upstate New York, and returning to NSC for second session. This summer will be his 9th summer at NSC. Chip can't wait for camp can't wait to see everyone there!
More About Chip

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Pepperoni

Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct): Sailing or Theatre Games

Your three favorite movies of all time: Avengers, The Usual Suspects & Moneyball

Preferred wanegan offering: Sour Skittles

Best evening program at camp: Camper Musical!!!

Favorite cartoon character: Do the Avengers count?

Favorite camp (card) game: ERS or Celebrity (even though its not a card game)

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be? Robert Downey Jr. and Joss Whedon

What is your dream job:
Camp Counselor

A little known fact about yourself:  (Not exactly little known but) is a relative of NSC (former and present) campers/counselors/owners Andy Shlensky, Josh Frost, Benji Friedman, Scotty Laner and his dad and uncle, Geoff and Ira Kass.