North Star Camp for Boys







Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Jonathan Cook




Jon has worked for several years as a snowboard instructor
I was born in Madison, WI. I was homeschooled for preschool by my Aunt Cathy, who since has gone back to school to earn a teaching degree and is now an elementary school teacher in McFarland. I moved out of Madison when I was 8 to a smaller farming community about 25 minutes outside of Madison called Lodi, where I graduated from high school. Growing up I was always a three or four sport athlete, playing football, baseball, basketball, and track. In high school I only played football and baseball choosing to spend my winters snowboarding and skiing at Cascade Mountain instead of playing basketball.

My sophomore year in high school I got a job at Cascade as a snowboard instructor and I still spend part of my winter breaks working there. My junior year of high school I switched from playing baseball to golf and made the reserve team my first year. My senior year of high school I became certified as a snowboard instructor under AASI (American Association of Snowboard Instructors), and also joined the local Ski Patrol.

After high school I began studying at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse where I am currently a sophomore. I am majoring in Microbiology with a Biomedical Concentration and a Chemistry minor, and hope to one day do cutting edge research to better the health and welfare of people in developing countries. My freshman year at UWL I pledged to the Chi Phi Fraternity, a social fraternity that is the oldest in the world being founded in 1824 at Princeton College. My brothers and I actively give back to the community mainly by hosting philanthropy events, the most recent of which was Sara Softball. Sara Softball was a charity softball tournament dedicated in memory of Sara Hougom (a victim of violence) and all the other victims of violent acts. At camp I'll be instructing wakeboarding, golf and fishing.

More About Jon

Your three favorite movies of all time
: Super Troopers, Space Balls, A Knights Tale

What is your dream job: Working for Doctors Without Borders

Best place you’ve ever traveled to: Colorado Springs

Favorite cartoon character: Dexter from Dexter’s Laboratory & Jake the Dog from Adventure Time

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?:  Dr Paul Farmer, because he spent his career bettering the lives of the sick in Haiti, Peru and Russia despite having the option of staying in America to earn money and live a comfortable life.Robert F Kennedy because I believe he is an inspiration for all who see unfairness in the world. It is one thing to fight for your own rights but it is another to fight for someone else’s rights when nobody else will.

How did you learn about North Star and why did you apply?: I learned about North Star from the career fair at my university

What noteworthy/random/menial jobs have you held?: I was a paintball referee for a couple of months in high school, and I have been a snowboard instructor for five years now.

What did you do last summer?: I worked in a canning factory in my hometown where we canned peas and corn. I worked in the cook room and operated a big crane to pick up crates of cans from the cookers and move them into a cooling canal.

What, if any previous camp experiences have you had?: I have never been to summer camp but I have spent part of my summers at my friend’s cabin in the Ozarks of Missouri.


Monday, April 29, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Isaac Lasko


Hi everyone! This year, I'll be returning as a Junior Counselor for my eighth summer at camp. I am currently a senior at Highland Park High School, and next year, I'll embark on a gap-year adventure to South America, where I plan to speak a lot of Spanish and verse in a lot of culture.

In my High School, I compete on the mock congress debate team and help lead sophomore gym classes. Outside of that, I tutor in math and love to play basketball with friends. When it comes to camp, I work in a variety of projects, including riflery, climbing, waterskiing, tennis, and arts and crafts.

More About Isaac

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Sausage!

Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct): Gotta love some good old dodgeball!

Your three favorite movies of all time: The Incredibles, Pulp Fiction, and The Lives of Others

Preferred wanegan offering: Whatchamacallit?

Best evening program at camp: The Camp Play!

Favorite cartoon character: This is a hard one. Lemongrab (no one understands him but me).

Favorite camp (card) game: Euchre

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: I would've sent in this survey weeks ago if I could make a decision. There are simply so many people in history (not to mention the future!) that I'd wanna sit down with. I guess I'll just say Albert Einstein when he was my age and Stanley Kubrick.

What is your dream job: Creative/Artistic Director of something, whether it be a movie, play, video game, what-have-you.

A little known fact(s) about yourself: I'm a lefty and I can wiggle my ears.


Saturday, April 27, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Jonah Baim


 Junior counselor Jonah Baim returns to North Star for his eighth summer. Jonah is the eldest of three North Star Baims, brother Jacob is a CIT and Joshua is a camper (neither parents have first names that start with "J"). Jonah is currently a senior at Highland Park High School. In the fall, he'll head down to the University of Illinois to study computer engineering.. 

Its a bit of an understatement to say that Jonah is a pretty tall guy, and at school he puts that to good use, playing basketball and volleyball. He's also been a peer tutor and spent time working at his local temple. At camp Jonah is one of our climbing and sailing instructors.

More About Jonah

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Cheese

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

Your three favorite movies of all time: Pulp Fiction, My Cousin Vinny, and The Big Lebowski

Preferred wanegan offering: Snickers

Best evening program at camp: North Star Ball

Favorite cartoon character: Spongebob

Favorite camp (card) game: Euchre

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?:  Michael Jordan and Mark Twain

What is your dream job: Food Critic (hmm... future College Days cook-off judge?

A little known fact about yourself: I am color blind

Friday, April 26, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Adam Pechmann


 Hello to all of the summer 2013 staff both old and new at Camp North Star! I am counting down the days until I complete what may very well be the last semester of school of my life and cannot wait to get back to camp! I am currently a graduate student at Eastern Illinois University pursuing my Specialist Degree in School Psychology. I have been working within the school districts with parents, teachers, and students providing counseling services as well as assessments and diagnostics for special education, gifted programs, etc…

This will be my second summer at Camp North Star and I cannot wait to get back to see everyone from last summer and hopefully have an even more incredible experience than last year! After this summer, I have been given the awesome opportunity to work as an intern with St. Louis Special School Districts next year and look forward to working more independently in the schools. At camp I'll be instructing softball, climbing and some biking.

More About Adam

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Combination (Sausage and Pepperoni)

Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct): Softball, softball, and…baseball??

Your three favorite movies of all time: Good Will Hunting, Shawshank Redemption, Space Jam

Preferred wanegan offering: Snickers

Best evening program at camp
: Without a doubt, Friday night service.

Favorite cartoon character: Stewie Griffin

Favorite camp (card) game: Euchre (But I’m still a rookie)

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Babe Ruth and Stan Musial

What is your dream job: Professional baseball player (it could still happen)

A little known fact about yourself: I am one of seven children in my family (the youngest is 8 and the oldest 33!)


Thursday, April 25, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Michael Berger


Its the Big Ten for Michael Berger! Michael returns as one of our junior counselors and we're looking forward to roasting and telling some great stories about Michael and his fellow ten year men! A native of Chicago, IL, Michael is a senior at the Latin School. After camp, he'll head off to Washington D.C., where he'll be a freshman at American University.

At school Michael is on the volleyball team. He also helps run the A.W.E.S.O.M.E Club, which helps raise money for the Northwestern University Brain Tumor Institute. He's also part of a sketch comedy troupe at school. At camp Michaell will be instructing riflery, arts & crafts as well as theater games.

More About Michael

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Pepperoni

Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct): Theatre games!

Your three favorite movies of all time: Caddy Shack, Animal House and   Fight Club

Preferred wanegan offering: When I was younger I would have said Reese's, but as of late I have begin to go for take 5.

Best evening program at camp: The camper show and Friday night services

Favorite cartoon character: Homer Simpson

Favorite camp (card) game: Euchre

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: I would have lunch with Bill Murray and Teddy Roosevelt

What is your dream job: A writer for Saturday Night Live 

A little known fact about yourself: I am double jointed in my hands. It is gross  

Chief Berger

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Jonathan Schack


Returning for summer number eight is Jonathan Schack. He's called several places throughout the midwest home. He was born in the Chicago area, lived in Milwaukee and then St. Louis, and now resides in Columbia, Missouri, where he's a freshman at the University of Missouri.

Jonathan is active on campus as he is involved in his fraternity, AEPi. He's majoring in journalism and hopes to go into film production. Camp is a family thing for Jonathan as his twin brother spent many years as a camper and counselor at North Star. His younger cousin, Daniel Bernstein, is one of our campers. We're excited to have Jonathan back as a tennis and sailing instructor.

More about Jonathan

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Sausage and Pepperoni 

Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct): Arts and Craft because it is without a doubt the best place to just kick back and relax

Your three favorite movies of all time: Superbad, remember the titans, and the breakfast club 

Preferred wanegan offering: Charleston Chew strawberry edition 

Best evening program at camp: glens game

Favorite cartoon character: Hey Arnold because it is simply the best cartoon show of my generation 

Favorite camp (card) game: Spoons

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Aaron Rodgers and Kate Upton because Aaron Rodgers is the best football player of ALL TIME and because Kate Upton is my celebrity crush

What is your dream job: film producer

A little known fact about yourself: My first year as a camper when I was going into the 5th grade I cried hysterically because I was not put in the same cabin as my twin brother Jordan. After being put in his cabin because I refused to have fun if I wasn't, I had the best summer of my life and have been attending North Star ever since

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Andrew Rachlin


Andrew Rachlin returns to North Star for his eight summer. From the city of Chicago, Andrew is  a junior at Francis W. Parker High School. He's is a very active guy. At school he's on the golf and tennis teams. He is also on a club rock climbing team. 

His activities are not limited to sports. Andrew is interested in economics, business and social sciences. At his high school he is the president of his investment club and manages a hedge fund for his school (we want to know more about this).  At North Star, you will find Andrew instructing rock climbing, sailing and riflery.

More About Andrew

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Cheese pizza All the way!


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

Your three favorite movies of all time: Anchorman, Happy Gilmore, Skyfall

Preferred wanegan offering: Skittles

Best evening program at camp: Camper counselor hunt.

Favorite camp (card) game: Euchre

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: That’s a tough one, Probably Andrew Carnegie and Barak Obama.

What is your dream job: A Wall Street Executive

A little known fact about yourself: I’m the manager of my school’s hedge fund!
 
Future Wall Street exec, Andrew Rachlin

2013 New Camper Open House Pizza Party



New Camper Open House Pizza Party
Saturday, May 18, 2013
12:00pm - 1:30pm
Morton Grove Park District
Prairie View Community Center
6834 Dempster St

 Morton Grove, IL

Join us on Saturday, May 18 at the Morton Grove Park District Community Center for an opportunity to meet some of our junior staff, ask your burning questions and introduce your son to some of the other first time campers. Vickie, Dan and I will be at Barnaby's with some fine North Star staff members who will look to get your son psyched for his first summer at North Star

This is our fourth year doing such an event and our goal is to help each of our first-time campers to feel comfortable and get even more excited for camp. It is our hope that this allows each of our first-time campers to meet some staff and other first-time campers so that they can see some familiar faces when they arrive at the bus.

Please RSVP to Andy@NorthStarCamp.com or at 847-943-9559, and feel free to contact me if you have any other questions as well. We hope you'll stop in and have some pizza!

Monday, April 22, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Ethan Levy


2nd generation North Star guy Ethan Levy returns for his ninth summer. He hails from Mequon, WI, just outside of Milwaukee. There he's a junior at Homestead High School. Ethan is a big hockey guy, playing for his school's team. He also plays club volleyball.

Ethan spent most of his time over the last few months playing hockey and snowboarding. During the winter he took a snowboarding in Colorado. Ethan is notorious for his entertaining and random "Wacky One Day" activities at camp. He'll be found quite a bit on the athletic fields this summer, instructing several different athletic activities.

More About Ethan

Favorite Tombstone pizza type:
cheese

Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct):
soccer or football

Your three favorite movies of all time:
The Princess Bride and The Blind Side (he's currently looking for a third favorite movie)

Preferred wanegan offering: butterfinger

Best evening program at camp:
all camp capture the flag

Favorite cartoon character
: Barman

Favorite camp (card) game:
Spoons or Presidents

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?:
Patrick Kane & Jeremy palgen

What is your dream job:
a fighter pilot

A little known fact about yourself: I am a good gymnast


Sunday, April 21, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Ben Weil


Ben (R) with '12 counselor Chad Harju

Ben Weil is one of two sets of twins that are on the North Star Staff. A native of Denver, CO, he's back for his eighth summer. Ben is a junior at the Denver School of the Arts. Affectionately known a as Bdubs (or Bdub$), he staged managed his  schools performance of Bus Stop, which opened on April 10th. He's Bdubs because of his musical talents and he's currently recording my full length rap mix tape "Triple Threat" which will be released in late 2013. 

Ben has been busy starting his search for a college that and a few of our counselors have been pushing Michigan State. Besides his musical and art talent, Ben is a big basketball player and fan. At camp and he'll be instructing arts and crafts as well as basketball.

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Cheese

Favorite activity at camp: Basketball/arts and crafts

Your three favorite movies of all time: Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Batman Dark Knight Rises and Toy Story

Preferred wanegan offering: Peanut M&Ms or Hersheys Cookies & Cream

Best evening program at camp: Glen's game, dodgeball, camp play

Favorite cartoon character:
Taz

Favorite camp (card) game: Egyptian Rat Screw

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Sloan Peterson

What is your dream job: Rapper

Little Known Fact about yourself: Have an album on iTunes "AutoPilot", My rap name is Bdub$, and my favorite color is purple, and i like elephants, and love dogs

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Ari Weil


 Ari Weil returns to the North Star staff as a junior counselor. Hailing from Denver, CO, he's a junior at Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) and is a very active guy. At school he plays on the ultimate frisbee team, is a peer tutor, writes for the school comedic newsletter and is a member of the service Learning group.

Ari was an intern at Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum. During surping break he took an alternative spring break service trip to Ensenada Mexico to build two houses for families in need. This will be Ari's eighth summer at camp, and he'll be teaching biking, canoeing and ultimate.

More About Ari 

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Plain Cheese

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

Your three favorite movies of all time: Star Wars, Toy Story, Remember the Titans

Preferred wanegan offering: Butterfingers

Best evening program at camp: All-Camp Capture the Flag

Favorite cartoon character: Captain Rex from Star Wars or Taz from Looney Toons

Favorite camp (card) game: Egyptian Rat Screw

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Claire Lee Chennault and Kelly Johnson

What is your dream job
: Experimental Aircraft Test Pilot

A little known fact about yourself: My parents claim I threw my shoe at the teacher in 2nd grade. My classroom behavior has greatly increased since then.

Ari (R) doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would
throw a shoe at a teacher!



Friday, April 19, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Eli Fried


My name is Eli Fried and I'm one of the Junior Counselors. I am from Leawood, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. I am a junior currently attending Blue Valley North High School. At home I'm active in my BBYO Youth Group chapter, Nordaunian, and in my school’s robotics team, the Metal Mustangs #2410.

This is my 9th year at North Star and second as a counselor. At camp, I help out with rocketry, waterskiing, and land sports.

More About Eli

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Cheese

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

Your three favorite movies of all time: Ocean's Series, The Dark Knight, & Sleepwalk With Me

Preferred wanegan offering
: Soda

Best evening program at camp: Capture the Flag/North Star Ball

Favorite cartoon character: Scooby-Doo

Favorite camp (card) game: Presidents

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?
: Walt Disney and Dean Kamen (Segway Inventor)

What is your dream job? Walt Disney Imagineer

A little known fact about yourself: I'm on my school district's FIRST Robotics Team, Metal Mustangs #2410, which won the Gracious Professionalism Award at the Kansas City Regional.


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Holden Greenberg


Holden (L) is quite the dresser
Holden Greenberg joins us from Larchmont, NY where he's a junior at Mamaroneck High School. Somehow, despite being from New York, he's a big Nebraska fan. This could have something to do with the fact that he's related to a bunch of Goldbergs and other folks hailing from Omaha.

At school, Holden is on the ultimate frisbee team, and their season is in full swing now. He's also involved in theater and was involved in a production of  Shakespeare's The Winters Tale. This will be Holden's ninth summer at camp and he'll be instructing tennis and athletics. We're thrilled to have Holden back as one of our junior counselors!

More About Holden

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Pepperoni

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

Your three favorite movies of all time: Good Will Hunting, Anchorman and Toy Story

Preferred wanegan offering: Starbursts

Best evening program at camp: Friday night services

Favorite cartoon character: Calvin and Hobbes

Favorite camp (card) game: euchre

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?
: John D Rockefeller and Brett Favre

What is your dream job: Owner of the green bay packers

A little known fact about yourself: I can trace family connections to over 20 NSC campers.

Holden Greenberg; friend to animals!

Monday, April 15, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Scott Hamilton


Returning for summer number nine is Scotty Hamilton. A native of Northbrook, IL, Scott is a senior at Glenbrook North High School. As a high school senior, Scott has been pretty occupied with college applications. He recently decided to attend The University of Texas at Austin and major in Accounting.
At GBN he's been on the track team. He recently took third place in DECA regionals for accounting applications. Scotty reports that he's become a borderline health nut. At camp Scott will be instructing archery, riflery and tennis. 

More about Scott

Favorite Tombstone pizza type:
cheese
 
Favorite project at camp (that you don’t necessarily instruct):
sailing

Your three favorite movies of all time:
Superman, Superman 2, and Superman

Preferred wanegan offering:
mike n' ikes.

Best evening program at camp:
North Star Ball because it allows me to get some exercise as a runner.

Favorite cartoon character:
Shaggy from Scooby Doo

Favorite camp (card) game:
Farkle

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?:
George W. Bush and Stephen Colbert

What is your dream job:
An auditor

A little known fact about yourself:
I collect sports memorabilia.

Counselors Danny Verb, Scott Hamilton & Scott Plonsker

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Michael Palgen


Hi!  My name is Michael Palgen and I am just finishing up my freshman year at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.  I LOVE playing sports!  If I could play sports and eat (one of my other hobbies...) all day long I probably would.  I play pick-up basketball, football, and volleyball games quite often at college.  I'm running a half-marathon here at U of I at the end of April with a couple of college friends as well.

My major is Actuarial Science (if you don't know what that is, it basically just means I'm a math nerd).  I like to stay busy and involved in different things so I joined a fraternity this year, Sigma Nu, I'm part of a volunteer project, and I will be an RA (resident advisor) next year.  I have three siblings- an older brother (Jeremy), an older sister (Caitlin), and a younger brother (Shaun).  I grew up very close to my siblings and we get along... usually.  Jeremy, Caitlin, and I have planned it out well so that Shaun is stuck with my parents for an entire year (the rest of us are in college now, and Shaun is the only one not doing camp this summer).  I have two wonderful parents- Dave and Sandy as well.  I look forward to getting to know everyone this summer!

More about Michael

Your three favorite movies of all time: Harry Potter, Boondock Saints, and Remember the Titans

What is your dream job: A professional athlete

Best place you’ve ever traveled to: Jamaica

Favorite cartoon character: Bart Simpson

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: Ryan Gosling (man-crush) and Michael Jordan

How did you learn about North Star and why did you apply?: My brother Jeremy; I think it's a great opportunity to have the ability to work with younger kids and it will prove to be a very self-rewarding
experience

What noteworthy/random/menial jobs have you held: Flag Football Referee and Math Tutor

What did you do last summer: Last summer I spent a lot of my time playing sports and going to high school graduation parties

 What, if any previous camp experiences have you had?: None...

Three members of the Palgen family will be on the 2013 staff

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Staff Spotlight - Adam Kleiman


Hi my name is Adam Kleiman and I’m a senior at Deerfield High School. Next year I’ll be attending Washington University in St. Louis.  Right now I’m undecided for a major, but I may want to do something with business or English. I will definitely minor in music. I play violin, guitar, and sing, and I love a good jam more than anything.  

After several years as a North Star camper, I took a few years off. I spent the last four summers with Adventure Treks. I took trips to British Columbia, Northern California and Alaska. My favorite activities at camp are disc golf, tennis, and riflry. 

More About Adam

Favorite Tombstone pizza type: Cheese all the way.

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

Your three favorite movies of all time: The Dark Knight, Inception, and Caddyshack.

Preferred wanegan offering: A nice twix bar.

Best evening program at camp: Staff shows

Favorite cartoon character: Spongebob

Favorite camp (card) game: I’ll go with just a camp game, and say mafia.

If you could have lunch with any two people, dead or alive, who would they be?: John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

What is your dream job
: Famous musician who plays with the resurrected Beatles, who are my age.

A little known fact about yourself: I’m a ridiculously skilled ping-pong and pinball player