Greetings from Hilltop. It’s another beautiful day on Orcas Island. As we turn the calendar to August, camp is in full swing. The Second Session campers are making the most of their time here, diving into activities, deepening friendships, and soaking in the long days of summer.
Today, we’re wrapping up a new addition to our program called Cardinal Week. For the past few summers, we’ve run Polaris Pals, a mentorship initiative that pairs older campers with younger ones to help foster leadership, connection, and a sense of community across age groups. This year, we built on that idea with Cardinal Week.
During Cardinal Week, campers are divided into four teams named for the cardinal directions. Each team is made up of several Polaris Pal groups, older campers alongside younger ones. Every day, we focus on a different camp value: leadership, sportsmanship, service, mentorship, craftsmanship, and so on. Staff members award points throughout the day when they see campers exemplifying those values, and the teams accumulate points as the week progresses.
Today marks the end of Cardinal Week, and I’m happy to report that it’s been a fantastic success. Campers and staff alike have embraced the spirit of the week. It’s brought an added layer of meaning to our days, emphasizing the aspects of camp that are about growth, character, and being a good friend, not just fun (though there’s been plenty of that too).
To close out the week, campers are gathering in their Polaris Pal groups to build boats out of driftwood and natural materials. This evening, after Evening Fire, we’ll light candles and float the boats out on the sound. It will be a quiet, beautiful conclusion to the week and a reflection of the values we’ve celebrated.
We often talk about the importance of fun and friendship at camp, and rightly so, but Cardinal Week has reminded us of the deeper threads that run through the experience. It’s been a meaningful, joyful experiment, and one we hope to continue.
As we pass the halfway point of the session, the rhythm of camp life has fully settled in. Campers and staff are living firmly in the here and now, spending time with friends, reading in hammocks, trying new things, and being present in a way that’s increasingly rare outside of this place.
As adults, it’s tempting to want to grab them by the shoulders and remind them that their time here is short and precious. But of course, the beauty of camp is that they don’t need that reminder. They’re doing it exactly right. Being present. Absorbing it all.
Thank you, as always, for sharing your children with us. It’s been a wonderful first half of the session, and we’re so looking forward to making the most of the second.