What a Night! The Big Ten & Espionage

What a night at camp it was! A perfect Northwoods summer day was winding down with a picnic dinner when the vans rolled right through the middle of the meal honking and signaling the Big Ten! The Big Ten is a roast of sorts where we honor those who are spending their tenth summer at North Star. Everyone knew that we were celebrating six folks who are spending their 10th summer at camp: (in alphabetical order) Robyn Boehm, Elliot Bramson, Ethan Doane, Miles Goldberg, Rob Porter and Jack Soble. But one of the surprises was that we added a 7th tonight with the addition of Jack Yonover, who arrived in that van and is staying the rest of the summer. We also are lucky to add Bobby Becker back to the staff as well. Ten years at North Star shows an incredible love and commitment to this place, and we were so happy to honor all of them. I am so proud of the work that all seven of these honorees have done here at North Star, and am lucky to work alongside this great bunch.

After we finished the funny stories, showing off the pictures, and enjoying the wonderful cake, it was on to the next part of our evening - Espionage! Espionage is a game that takes place after dark and is one of the most highly anticipated moments of the session. The boys get dressed up in dark clothes and paint their faces with camouflage paint to play a game full of sneaking around camp to complete a mission. The theme of this year’s Espionage was Despicable Me, and the event started with a great skit with our talented counselors playing Minions and Gru. From there, each group was instructed to go back to their cabins to find their first clue as to where to go next. The campers work with their guides to collect the clues (and earn bananas) in order to save the North Star, which Gru had stolen. Finally the campers are tasked with sneaking into the Council Ring. After the results were in, the cabins of J-6, I-6, and S-1 were crowned victorious. As they were most successful sneaking and maneuvering their way through camp.

And now tomorrow we get to sleep in for Peels Day (sleep spelled backwards)! Tomorrow we’ll have our elections for President and Vice President of the Great and Glorious North Star Party! We’ll also have our Counselor Camper Hunt and our Green-White Series to close out the Green-White competition for the session. As of today, every cabin has completed their camping trip as well.

Today’s Grace:
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”
- Hamlet, Shakespeare

Highlights: Week of July 3, 2022

The 78th United Nations Day

Today was our 78th United Nations Day! And what a great day it was. After an early breakfast, we gathered on the hill for our Opening Ceremonies. The four teams, painted up in their teams colors, sang out their first cheers before our captains carried the torch from the Council Ring to the flagpole where they lit the cauldron.

Then Kim presented the UN Day scroll, as written by Jack Weiner, which proclaims that this day at North Star shall be our United Nations Day and that we will participate as good sports, good teammates and good friends. And after the captains signed the scroll, the games began.

The day divides camp into 4 countries: Bahamas, Bhutan, Eswatini and The Gambia. The four teams competed in all sorts of events - softball, speedball, football, basketball, curtain ball, 4-square, paddleboarding, steal the bacon, line soccer, climbing, archery, riflery, floor hockey, tush ball, dodgeball and more. The teams come together for giant matches of tug-of-war, and with the weather causing some schedule changes to the afternoon, our swim meet came after dinner.

Our ability to adapt with positivity was on full display with our staff dodgeball game. Typically on UN Day, our staff play a highly anticipated game of speedball after lunch. The weather just didn’t allow it though. So with the rain pouring down, we gathered the whole camp in the Fieldhouse for a dodgeball showdown between the staff of each team. Despite some wariness about the rain and schedule changes, the staff brought all kinds of energy and fun to what turned into an incredibly memorable event. The teams were doing warm up cheers, stretches, dances, tunnels and skits that all made the dodgeball seem secondary.

The staff competition is meant to determine the eating order for dinner, as our UN Day feast is a favorite tradition at camp. Tonight’s meal featured spaghetti and meatballs, cheese curds, egg rolls, garlic bread, deviled eggs and chocolate milk. And, believe it or not, after that we swam. Our swim meet was rescheduled for after dinner, as everyone came down for a beautiful evening on the lake as our teams competed in relays, individual events and inner tubing. We ended the day with ice cream and announced the scores, with The Gambia emerging victorious on the day.

The energy that our captains, advisors and all of our staff poured into UN Day was infectious and ensured that everyone in camp had a phenomenal day. Whether it was the paint and attire, the hours put into writing the cheers, the positive and encouraging coaching or just the goofiness, all of these things that the staff brought to the day allowed all four teams to end the day chanting “We had the most fun.”

I am so proud of the campers and staff who can compete all day with intensity, all the while carrying themselves with kindness and dignity.

Today’s Grace:
“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”
- Pierre de Coubertin

A Normal Day

Today was a normal day at camp. And it was fantastic. The weather hit 82-degrees and the sun was shining all day. We had first time waterskiers and first time slalomers. New high scores at archery and riflery. First time down the zip line and 78th time down the zip line. First ever fish and working on catching keepers. Senior campers trying new activities and seniors shadowing* their favorite projects. I watched a great softball game on Dan’s Diamond during 2nd period. I watched Cece teaching a private tennis lesson to one of our junior campers.

I caught a great dodgeball game during UN Day practice. There were rockets built and chess games won and walking sticks whittled. They spent rest period playing cards and playing mafia and just talking to each other from their hammocks. They cleaned their cabins, and pretty well I might add.

*Shadowing is an opportunity for our senior campers to volunteer to help teach activities that they have mastered over their time as a camper.

The kids ate like kings today starting with pancakes for breakfast. They went crazy for the chicken sandwiches at lunch with our own version of the Chik-Fil-A sauce. And Jeremy’s Friday Night dinner of brisket, potato pancakes, applesauce and rolls with honey butter leave everyone feeling full and happy. We celebrated two birthdays with Sandy’s delicious cakes.

We wrapped up the day with our Friday Night Service. The air cooled as the sun went down leaving a picture perfect scene on the shores of Clear Lake. The theme tonight was about being a Global Citizen. Staff from around the world shared with us about their home countries. Luis shared a prayer in Portuguese from the Freemason youth organization that he helps lead back home. Rajan gave a thoughtful sermonette about various waves of refugees arriving in London, the trials that they faced, the communities they built, and the gifts that they brought with them to British culture. And we had a beautiful keylog ceremony, with many keylogs expressing gratitude for their friends, counselors, trip leaders. And there were many keylogs to send strength and love to everyone in Highland Park and everyone affected by Monday’s shooting. And, to conclude, we put our arms around on another, sang Forest Green and Taps, and recited the Camper Benediction.

Pine Manor stayed behind to put out the fire. They recounted funny stories from Canada and remembered funny jokes from years past. They complained about having run out of hot water in the showers, and that their counselors confiscated their hidden candy. They hatched plans for the coming weeks and talked excitedly about United Nations Day, College Days, the North Star Games, and many other things to come.

There is so much beauty in a normal day at camp. So many achievements and moments of joy. While we focus so much on the extraordinary things that happen here at camp, it’s important to remember that the ordinary here is pretty extraordinary too.

Today’s Grace:
“Institutions and integrity are both central pillars that underpin our great democracy.”
“Let’s be clear, not doing something is an active decision.”
- Sajid Javid

Week 3 Begins

As I reflect on the last few days, I think it’s important to share the actions of our incredible counselors. From the moment we informed them about the events unfolding in Highland Park on Tuesday, they switched into another gear.

Over the past few days, they have listened to the boy's fears. They have done their best to answer their questions, though some remain unanswerable. They provided empathy, support and love for the campers that allowed them to feel safe. They made camp fun anyways. They cheered and they danced and the campers followed suit. They led team building activities, slip and slides, beach outings and as part of a phenomenal Cruiser Day. They brought energy back to the 1st day of the 3rd week of projects that began this morning. They made Challenge Games tonight and North Star Ball this afternoon as loud and boisterous as ever.

And at night they put their arms around each other. They checked in on each other. They called their parents and checked on their friends at home and at other camps. One of our first year counselors said last night at the staff meeting that he’s never experienced so many hugs in his entire life, and promised that he’s here for anyone who needs one over the coming days.

I know that if you could have watched these guys take care of your boys over the last several days, you would be absolutely thrilled to have them as role models in your childrens’ lives. It’s hard to envision a more pure form of empathy and selflessness than we have seen out of our staff.

At our staff meeting last night, the counselors also worked on their weekly SEL evaluations of their campers. In addition to all of the fun they are creating, the counselors are working to teach and develop further skills in self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making. You’ll hear more about this when you receive your Parent Letter from your child’s counselors at the end of the session.

Cabins I2, I4 and I5 all returned from their trips this evening and I3 left today. Can J4, I1 and I6 will all head out on their river trips on Friday. Even though the staffing shortages have limited the size of our trip staff, our campers are coming back from their excursions thrilled with their experiences.

Our Junior Village had a big outing up to Ashland yesterday for their village Cruiser Day, where many of them were able to swim in Lake Superior for the first time. The boys came back to camp when the weather changed and had a great picnic here, with a special dinner delivered from Coop’s Pizza in Hayward. The Intermediate and Senior Cabins made walking tacos over the campfire, and we finished off the night with my personal favorite campfire dessert - Banana Boats. To make a Banana Boat, you cut a banana down the middle the long way in order to make it like a hot dog bun. Then you shove chocolate chips and marshmallows into the middle, wrap it up in tin foil, and throw it on the fire for a few minutes. The result is warm, gooey, chocolatey banana deliciousness that you can scoop right out of the peel. Do try this at home!

Today’s Grace:
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
- Thomas Edison

Take Care of Each Other

My heart hurts for our kids. The shooting in Highland Park was an act of senseless violence that no child should have to wrap their head around. I am grateful that the families of our campers and staff were all unharmed by gunfire today. But we were all harmed today.

North Star has a deep connection to Highland Park. Generations of families from the community send and have sent their kids to North Star. Some of our camp parents were at the parade. Some of our camp parents and alumni had to run for their lives today, and to protect the lives of their children today.

This is personal for us. Dan lives there. Beth raised her kids there. Robyn, Glick and I grew up down the road. My high school job was one block from today’s shooting. Our campers and staff come from around the world, but today hit too close to home.

Before reading the Declaration of Independence as our morning grace today, I talked about what the 4th of July at camp represents to me - a celebration not only of our country, but of the ideals of democracy. Camp, like our country, only functions properly when we are listening to one another, when we put the greater good first, and when we take care of one another. Today we took care of one another.

We spoke with all of the boys before lunch today to tell them what had happened. We gathered them by grade levels so that we could address them in an age-appropriate way. We were able to assure them that all of their immediate family members were safe and we promised to inform them if we heard anything directly related to them personally. We let them know that they are safe here at camp, and that we will work everyday to make sure that it stays that way. We passed along the message that their parents know that they are safe at camp, which is a big reason why they are here in the first place.

Our director team checked in with every cabin at bedtime tonight. We checked in with every counseling team to find out which boys (and staff) need some extra support. Boys were given the opportunity to call home, and all who asked have reached out. (If you’re looking for resources on how to talk to kids, see this worksheet or this video).

And in between all of this, we managed to have an action-packed day of fun and festivities. Our Green-White Marathon featured an epic comeback. The Marathon is one of our most anticipated and exciting events of the summer. It is a relay race that includes nearly every event in camp. It starts with a running race and includes fun-bugging, swimming, canoeing, climbing, archery, biking, skipping, tent building, tennis volleying, bed making, basketball shooting, bucket filling, singing, and more, before leading to Boil Water Boil. In this final event, the whole camp gathers around as the two teams compete to build a fire that can boil a tin can full of water over the top first. The Green team fell way behind after their canoe tipped early in the race, but persevered to enter the home stretch in the lead Jonah and Jack’s fire capped off the victory.

We announced our United Nations Day captains after dinner. Come Sunday, the whole camp will be divided into four countries for one special day of competition. This year’s nations, as chosen by the captains, are Bahamas, Bhutan, Swaziland and The Gambia. The excitement will build all week and culminate in a great day come Saturday.

Our evening program was Glenn’s Game, a camper favorite, where there are four areas that campers must get into. Those four areas, however, are heavily guarded by counselors. Campers have to use speed, smarts and other skills to get into a coned area. Once there, they get a mark and then head to another area, hoping to collect all of the stamps before the clock runs out.

And we concluded our programming with a great fireworks display over the athletic fields that we watched all together from the tennis courts.

After an incredible grand finale, I made good on a promise to get back together with the Senior Village campers to provide them with any updates and answer their questions. They asked about the details, the shooter, the motives, and they asked about the best ways that they could support each other and the Highland Park community. And just when I thought they had asked all of their questions, one boy asked, “when will we have all the answers?”

We won’t have all the answers. We can’t have all the answers. My heart aches wishing I could give them the answers, but some moments in life bring about unanswerable questions. What we can do is provide our campers and each other with empathy, support and love. We started the day talking about listening to each other and caring for one another, and we ended the day committed to do just that. We ended the day by promising to use our time at camp to become the best versions of ourselves, because camp provides us with a safe space for children to learn and grow. And while we don’t have all the answers, we can be part of the solution. So I asked the boys to work everyday to make the world a better place, so that future generations of North Star campers can have all the 4th of Julys that every child deserves.

Carry On,

-Andy

Pine Manor Returns, Keylogs & The Dodgeball Extravaganza

Welcome back Pine Manor! Our oldest boys returned to camp this evening to a tremendous greeting as they returned from their ten-day canoeing and portaging trip in Quetico Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. The Canadian has long been the seminal experience of our tripping program, as all of the campfires and overnighters have built up to this adventure.

Last Wednesday, the night before the boys left, we met with the campers and staff to do some processing pre-departure. They were nervous and they were excited. They were sentimental and stressed. They were scared and they were determined. Tonight, though, they returned with their heads held very high. The boys returned wearing their pride as plain to see as their new shirts from Canoe Canada. They took on a challenge that they didn’t know if they could complete, and they succeeded.

One of our little secrets is that our entire program is designed to do just that - to push the boys beyond their comfort zone and support them while doing so. They faced wind and weather, mosquito bites and sunburn, difficult portages and just being without a bed or shower for the length of the trip. Our staff spoke very highly of their teamwork and their attitude, and they returned excited to bring their energy and leadership as role models for our younger campers to look up to. And that was visible right as they got off the bus and celebrated their return with cheers around the flagpole.

As they were enjoying their last night in the Canadian wilderness last night, we were enjoying our second Friday Night Service of the summer. Gabe Adler and Sam Goldstein wrote a beautiful service about having a Growth Mindset. Miles Goldberg gave a heartfelt sermonette about his own growth and growing pains along the way. The chorus gave us great renditions of Learning to Fly by Tom Petty, Change Your Mind by Sister Hazel, and The General by Dispatch. But that wasn’t the only music of the evening. Some excited tourists on Clear Lake had their top-40 music blasting from their pontoon boats through the Council Ring. While that should have undermined the sanctity and serenity of our Friday Night Service, the boys still managed to sit quietly and listen to the readings, poems and songs that were shared about growth. I was very impressed and told them how proud of them I felt.

And that added to the pride that I felt watching the keylog ceremony. This staple of our Friday Night Services is an opportunity to throw a stick into the fire that represents something that you are thankful for. While it is totally optional, the overwhelming majority of our campers and staff elect to go up in front of the whole camp and express their gratitude. Many of our youngest campers threw in keylogs for all of the new friends that they’ve made, their fantastic counselors, and even expressed their appreciation for their families back home for making it possible for them to come to camp. A first time camper in the Junior Village thanked his cabin for already being his best friends in the world. A first time Senior Village camper threw in a keylog for his counselors who helped him make it through the beginning of camp even when he thought he wouldn’t. This expression of gratitude speaks to who we are as a North Star community. And gratitude is a practice that makes our boys stronger, more resilient young men.

So too do events like the Dodgeball Extravaganza, which took place on Friday afternoon. The dodgeball extravaganza is a camper versus staff dodgeball event that pins the Green and White campers against the staff from the other team, in an effort to see who can fare better in terms of timing. The campers love the dodgeball just as much as they love the hoopla that comes with it. The campers and staff spend as much energy trying to out-cheer the other team and to top the best costumes as they do working to win the dodgeball game itself. Hopefully you enjoyed the silly pictures, as we had a blast!

Today’s Grace:
“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.”
- Vince Lombardi