Juniper West

L-R: Stephanie Shepherd, Katie Wagner, Michaela Johnson

Stephanie Shepherd

Hey! I’m so excited to be here this summer! I’ve spent the past year at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania and traveling abroad in South Africa.  The coolest thing I’ve done recently is see elephants and go shark cage diving in Africa.  Now that I’m here I can’t wait to be outside, play sports, and do crafts.  When I’m not here I love the beach and my favorite animals are dolphins and whales.  I’m from San Diego California.  My favorite time of the year is summertime and you will always find me enjoying the outdoors!

Michaela Johnson

Well hello there! I never imagined that I’d actually be coming back to spending another summer up at camp, and this time not as a camper, but instead as a counselor.  I have had the opportunity to spend last winter participating in The Disney College Program Internship, where I got to work, play, and learn while working for the big Mouse. During my semester working at Disney World I had the chance to do some community service working with the Make- A- Wish Foundation and a special program known as Give A Child the World. Another community service project – I contributed to building a new playground for children at a local park.  I am not sure what my future has in store for me, but I know whatever I do I will do it with a smile on my face and happiness in my heart.

Katie Wagner

I am originally from London, England and have just recently moved from Toronto, Canada to Washington D.C. So I am now back in the United States for good! I study at Denison University in Ohio and LOVE it to pieces! I play for the Women’s Lacrosse team there and have a passion for the sport, and hope to get girls to play at Sanborn this summer! I have been a camper at Sanborn for three whole summers and have loved every bit of my time there! My experiences at Sanborn have made me come back and be an AC- I am so so excited to be in Colorado Springs for the summer of 2013!!

Juniper East

L-R: Makenzie Goldstein, Martha Pallace, Mackenzie Hill

Mackenzie Hill

Hello! My name is Mackenzie and I’m from a small town in Michigan.  Four of my favorite pastimes are playing tennis, recreational running, reading, and crafting. My sorority at Central, Alpha Gamma Delta, provides many opportunities to craft for my sisters! If I were a sidekick, I would be French fries to a McDonald’s double cheeseburger. I believe that the most important “thing” about me is that I’m kind and creative. This will be my first summer at Sanborn, let alone my first time in Colorado. I look forward to making new friends and outdoor adventures!

Martha Pallace

Hi! I am beyond excited to be working as a counselor this summer!!! I’m new to Sanborn but I spent 6 summers as a camper, 5 in North Carolina and 1 in Colorado (and I wish I’d been in CO the whole time!) I think camp is one of the most amazing experiences to have growing up and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be going back! I love kids and have been working as a nanny for the past three years in NYC and in Paris. I can’t wait to share my summer with some awesome girls! I’ve absolutely loved city life but I’m ready for a break. I’m in desperate need of some clean air, open space, nature, and quiet. I’m so excited to hike, swim, ride, paddle, camp, sing, and be in the wilderness!

Makenzie Goldstein

I am so excited to be able to return to camp this year, after being a 7 year camper! I will be starting my sophomore year at Knox College after this summer, where I am currently undecided on what to study. I love to do anything artsy – whether it’s music or drawing you can count me in!  I love to travel and last summer I was able to travel to places like Cambodia and Laos where I volunteered at temples and taught children English! I love being in the outdoors, whether it is just to sit by a tree and read a good book, or to go on a long hike. I can’t wait for all the amazing adventures and memories that will be created this summer!!

Ponderosa West

L-R: Evy Royther, Zelda Sherwood, Lydia Valenta

Zelda Sherwood

Hey there, Zelda here! I’m so glad to be on a mountain and in the sun! It’s a refreshing change from being at sea level in the foggy city by the bay, that’s right – I’m from San Francisco, where I attend college, go to concerts & gallery openings, and hike around with my dog. In SF I work with kids and adults at community gardens all over the city, it’s so exciting to watch things grow and change! I’m really looking forward to exploring trails, riding horses, and cruising down rivers! Not to mention the magic of campfire times and good friends

Lydia Valenta

Hey there! I am MORE than excited for some great adventures this summer. I’ve spent this past year completing my first year of a physical therapy program in Virginia. I’ve been pounded with so much information about the human body that I dream of muscle attachments and the blood supply in my sleep. I do love the program and cannot wait to become a physical therapist, but all of that studying has kept me indoors way too much. Seriously, I am ready to use some of those muscles I’ve been learning so much about; I’m stoked for climbing, horseback riding, campfire songs, and some good old fashioned adventures. I can’t wait to meet you all!

Evy Royther

I cannot begin to tell you all how excited I am to come back to Sanborn for my 8th summer, and finally as an AC! Sanborn is my favorite place and I could talk for days about the many adventures I had while raiding the camp store or hiking to vespers. I am a college athlete and play field hockey. I love sports, but my favorite part of playing in college are all the amazing girls on my team. It’s guaranteed that we are either taking up all of the tables on the first floor of the library or eating all of the peanut butter in the cafeteria. Even when I’m not playing hockey you can always find me outside, often playing with a professor’s dog. I hope to be a veterinarian one day. As of right now though, I can’t wait to be at camp for another legendary summer!

Ponderosa East

T-B: Kendra Shehy, Melody Reeves, Caitlin Kropp

Kendra Shehy

Hello! I am from Wooster, Ohio and attend The College of Wooster. I am majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and minoring in Early Childhood Education. I am so very excited to spend the summer outdoors, learning and exploring. I love dancing ballet, riding horses, and running. I have a feeling this is going to be one of the best summers!

Melody Reeves

Bonjour! Hola! Jambo! Shalom! Namaste! Hello! It has not fully sunk in that I will soon be spending my summer out west in the beautiful state of Colorado. Even more so, it has not sunk in that I will be spending it with some incredible girls (young, old and in between) that will soon be some of my most cherished friends. This will be my first time on a plane, but I know that in the years to come I will be in the air far more than I can ever imagine. My dream is to travel. All I want is a backpack on my back, Chacos on my feet, and my ENO in hand (with a great book, of course). My maintenance level is set to low, and shoes are optional. My favorite moments are spent with coffee, a book, the sights, sounds and smells of God’s creations, and good friends.

Caitlin Kropp

Hi!  I can’t begin to describe how excited I am to be working at camp this summer – with 7 years as a camper already under my belt, I can’t think of a better place to be!  I’m currently a freshman at Yale University, majoring in Archaeological Studies.  Basically, I want to be Indiana Jones, or at least his sidekick (any excuse to hang out with Harrison Ford, really).  I plan on revisiting all my favorite spots at camp, especially rock scrambling at the Bat Caves and trying (and failing) to find the Lost Treehouse.  With my trusty guitar by my side and a sack full of books, I look forward to a summer full of fun, discovery, and, above all, adventure.

Silver Spruce West

L-R: Erica Wilkins, Hannah Weisbecker, Mary Talbot

Hannah Weisbecker

Hello! This will be my eighth summer at Sanborn and I could not be more excited! During the school year I study Engineering Physics and play lots and lots of Ultimate Frisbee, while I anxiously await my return to camp. I’m looking forward to all of the big adventures, like climbing 14ers and horseback riding. Even more than that, I cannot wait to meet my girls and kick it in the cabin!! See y’all soon for an unforgettable summer.

Erica Wilkins

HELLO! I have never been to camp before and I have never been more excited for anything in my life. Most of my life I have lived in West Virginia and the wilderness is part of my everyday scene. I am currently working on my Masters in Secondary Education and I work at an Alternative Placement for High School students. However, five years previous I worked with youth gymnastics. I enjoy some good ole fashion hanging around. I look forward to meeting new people. I am a strong believer that we learn from our own adventures and what a better way to do that than learn through others experiences. I have one talent and that is probably talking (loudly I may add ) I have a special interest in the stars so I’m ready to embrace all they have to offer.’

Mary Talbot

Hi! I’m Mary, and I attend Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY, but originally from Greensboro, NC. I’m a freshman at Vassar and am absolutely loving it so far. I miss North Carolina too though, especially my parents, my kitchen, my dogs, and the warm weather! The things I love the most: my friends, camping,  going on walks, cooking, writing, reading, learning, planning trips and events, traveling, and a lot more! Going to college has helped me discover new passions–I’m very excited about Women’s Studies and would call myself a proud feminist (one of the many reasons I’m so excited to work at a place that is so empowering and healthy for young girls!).

Silver Spruce East

L-R: Elizabeth West, Rachel Erb, Jane Canter

Rachel Erb

Hey there! I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am to be working at High Trails this summer! It will be my first time at Sanborn and I can’t wait to get started! I love being outside and to spend a summer in the Rockies is like my dreams come true! I am studying to be an occupational therapist at the Ohio State University and my dream would be to work with special needs children in a hospital. I love people, I love new friends, and I can’t wait to be surrounded by others who love nature as well! I will be spending as much time as I can hiking, canoeing, and getting into some crazy adventures, oh I also love some major adventuring! Have I said that I can’t wait? I’m so excited to be with you all in the beautiful place that is Sanborn!

Jane Canter

Hello! I am from Blacksburg, Virginia and I will be graduating from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. I have a fervent passion and desire to travel, learn, explore, create, and grow. I love the outdoors, cuddling up to a book in a cozy nook, a heated debate that ends in hugs (always hugs), the sound of cicadas in summer, a scenic view that is life-changing and inspiring, and reading a good piece of writing and then reading it again and thinking, “Wow, I wish I had the ability to melt someone into a puddle with my words like you.” Also, I would like to say that I think Q-tips are the best invention, and I envy the genius that created them. I am very excited to meet everyone and fill this summer with many laughs, learning, and memories!

Elizabeth West

Hi! I’m from Whittier, CA and I just finished my first year at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where I am an International Affairs major. I have never studied abroad, yet I hope to study in Germany one day because I love the culture. In addition, I’d love to be Batman’s sidekick since he’s the coolest, most awesome superhero ever! Batman always does what is right and proves that you don’t need powers to be a hero. For that reason, I would love to fight crime alongside Batman and further demonstrate that anyone, no matter who they are, can save and change the world. Lastly, I am eagerly looking forward to the start of camp this summer as I get to meet lots of wonderful people! I can’t wait to meet all of you and share memorable adventures this summer!!!

Cedar Lodge West

L-R: Barrett Donovan, Iska Nardie-Warner, Emily Talbot

Barrett Donovan

Hey there!  I am so excited to spend my first summer at Sanborn!  I’ve spent the last summer as a counselor at a summer camp in Kentucky (playing in way smaller mountains than here in Colorado) and the past academic year studying at Colorado College where I am a member of the Local Learning Living Community, a community based around the goal of local community engagement and sustainability.  I am also an active member in the Outdoor Recreation Committee and a volunteer for the Children’s Literacy Center.  I’ve not quite decided on a major, but I am interested in pursuing outdoor education and environmental science/sustainability.  This summer I will be exploring some real mountains, hiking fantastic trails, and soaking up the glorious outdoors!

Iska Nardie – Warner

Well hey there! I am so stoked for my return to camp! I am attending Whitman College, but I have yet to decide my major; however, my interest in travel is leading me towards global issues and cultural studies. This summer, I’m keen for some more grand adventures–backpacking, climbing, and frolicking around. Whether you find me on top of a bluff soaking up the sun or relaxing in an aspen grove, you better believe I’m loving it! Remember: you can always tell how much fun you’ve had in a day by how much dirt you rinse off and how hungry you are! And on that note, if I was a sidekick I’d be jam to peanut butter because all my childhood adventures ended with that dynamic duo. Can’t wait for the adventures to start!

Emily Talbot

Hello Sanborn, we finally meet again! My name’s Emily Talbot (Talbs for short) and I have been anticipating AC-ship since I was basically 10 years old. Working with dozens of zany kids in the most beautiful place on earth–sounds good to me. I hail from Santa Fe, NM, Land of Enchantment, turquoise skies, and green chile. Put any item of food ever created in front of me and I’ll be happy to enjoy it I’m constantly in awe of the power of people and courage. I’m a great listener. I sometimes write poetry and play lacrosse (happy to teach anyone this summer!). I’m definitely not afraid to be weird and craaaaazy. I cackle sometimes, I’m a night owl, and I want to teach. And this is going to be an AWESOME summer, I already know!

Cedar Lodge East

L-R: Anna Atkeson, Maggie Kittner, Sadie Sprague-Siegel

Maggie Kittner

I’m over the moon to be returning to camp for my second summer on staff! I’m a rising junior at Elon University in N.C. and am working towards my BFA degree in Performance with a specialty in Acting. One thing I love about camp is the opportunity to combine a bunch of your favorite things into one big bundle of summer FUN! I love the great outdoors, especially when I get to share it with awesome people at camp. This summer, I can’t wait to summit more mountains, trot a little faster on Little Joe, and make many friends of all ages. This will surely be the best Sanborn summer yet!

Sadie Sprague-Siegel

Hiya! I’ve never been so excited to leave home for such a long time, even though this will be the first time I’ve been away for more than two weeks! I’m excited to check out the mountains as my life is lived for snowboarding! Tried out some college, two semesters for liberal arts, didn’t suit me too well unfortunately. I’m psyched to get to travel and open up new doors and start new friendships as I’m pretty shy, which I find strange because I’m throwing myself into a people filled challenge! I hate to leave my bestie, but I can’t wait to tell her about my adventures!

Anna Atkeson

Hi, I’m Anna!  I’m a first year art and psychology double major at the University of Chicago.  I was a Sanborn camper for eight summers, and after that I’ve spent my summers backpacking and kayaking in Alaska and Iceland.  I’m hoping to go into concept art for animation, so I draw lots of cartoons!  My favorite genre of comics and animation is magical girls – there’s nothing better than lady superheroes!  I’m also big on improv for fun.  I’m really excited to come back to Sanborn and help campers have amazing wilderness experiences and make some fun memories!

Crystal Palace East

L-R: Caroline Tryba, Greta Ohaus, Camille Ewing

Camille Ewing

Hello everybody! I am so happy to finally be back at High Trails, this time as a staff member. I will be attending Bucknell University in the fall, and will be studying Biology and Creative Writing. I look forward to integrating these interests into the camp experience this summer. I am also very interested in hiking and horseback riding. Yeehaw!

Caroline Tryba

Born and raised in Denver, I am now living in DC studying Art History and Business at The George Washington University. If I were a sidekick, I’d be the stakes to a great 3-person tent! Every ship needs an anchor right? (plus I lost an un-staked tent over a cliff once as a camper). I can’t wait to combine my love of hiking, music, and food all together at Sanborn this summer!

Greta Ohaus

Hi! I’m from Chester, CT but went to boarding school and now go to college in New York.  I’m currently studying fashion design at Cornell University and just designed for my first show this past spring!  Sanborn was my escape from reality for 7 maybe even 8 years as a camper and I can’t wait to come back and be an AC. I have a book full of quotes ready for Vespers, my pink cowboy boots polished for barrel racing, a blank journal prepped to be filled with memories, and at least 5 Nalgenes ready for the mountains!

Crystal Palace West

L-R: Grace Adler, Kate Shanahan, Jordan Wilkes

Jordan Wilkes

Hey y’all, my name is Jordan Wilkes. I am from the little mountains of northeast Georgia (Cleveland, GA, to be exact). I attend Young Harris College where I am majoring in Outdoor Leadership and Art. I love being outside but especially running, mountain biking, hiking, and rock climbing. The artsy side of me loves drawing and photography. I can’t wait to meet everyone at camp; this summer is going to be a blast!

Kate Shanahan

Hola! This is my first summer as a Sanborn Counselor and I am so pumped! I’m originally from New York City but, this summer I’m trading in the city life for 14,000ft mountains.  I currently go to the University of Colorado, Boulder and study International Affairs.  When I grow up I hope to be a professional tourist and see as many places as possible.  When I’m not on the move, some of my favorite activities are reading great books, playing fun games outside, and eating warm chocolate chip cookies (I love them so much, I’ve made it an activity).

Grace Adler

Hi, my name is Grace and I am from a somewhat-suburban somewhat-urban town north of Dallas that somehow still managed to put my house by a horse ranch. This summer of 2013 will be my 10th summer spent at Sanborn, and I am so excited to give back to this amazing community as much as I possibly can. I am also excited to have drippy tasty breakfast crêpes from a campfire again, but no one should be very surprised about that. I’m currently attending Brown University in Rhode Island and studying artsy things like painting and fiction, and I love talking about stories from movies to games to comics to books and most especially, stories from this very camp usually involving life-long friends staying up too late in a tent under the stars.

Kinnikinnik East

L-R: Valerie Peterson, Mimi Scott, Sammi Burrell

Sammi Burrell

Hey! So this is my first summer at High Trails and I’m super excited! My favorite things are being outside and going on adventures, so I think this summer’s gonna be pretty great. I just finished my second year at Ohio State where I study environmental science, lead Younglife at Reynoldsburg High School (a high school in central Ohio), and work at an elementary school for an after school care program. I love music and playing guitar, hanging out with friends, hanging out with my family, fishing, and setting up the hammock in a cool place to chill. I’m not exactly sure what to expect this summer, but I’m definitely most excited about meeting and getting to know everybody!

Valerie Peterson

Hi! My name is Valerie Peterson and hail from Wichita, KS.  I am currently studying History and Sociology and the University of Kansas.  This will be my second year working at Sanborn, and I am beyond excited.  I’ll share a few facts about myself: 1) My most prized possession is a cardboard cut-out of me and my friend Jeff. It is both fantastic and slightly creepy all at once.  2) I hate sprinkles. (I know. It’s weird) 3) I love lumberjacks more than most things in life. 4) Lastly, I can’t wait to spend my summer outside with the wonderful people of Sanborn!

Mimi Scott

I’m from Maplewood, New Jersey and I’m so excited to be coming back to camp! I can’t believe it will be my eighth summer here!!  When I’m not studying at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, I love baking, hiking, swimming and eating a perfect banana with peanut butter (YUM!)  If I got to be any superhero’s sidekick, I’d definitely kick it with Aquaman and chill with the dolphins all day.  Then, after, we’d hop out of the water for a raging DANCE PARTY!

Kinnikinnik West

L-R: Jaclyn Tagani, Nora Philbin, Hannah Flink

Nora Philbin

Hi! I went to camp for two years when I was in high school and cannot wait to come back home! I’m thrilled to be coming back to Sanborn because I live/go to school in Boston and sometimes you just need more nature in your life. The sidekick question is seriously stumping me, BUT I think since I have to choose I would be a big friendly dog (or BFD), the perfect sidekick to anyone a little down on their luck. I’m so excited to meet all of the staff and campers and start on our summer adventure exploring all over camp and the Rocky Mountains. I’ll probably have my camera with me everywhere I go, but I promise to get your good side!

Hannah Flink

Hi! I’m pretty excited to be back at Sanborn for my second year. I have one semester left at The University of Colorado at Boulder and I really hope to work with kids for the rest of my life. My family is the most important thing in my life. This summer I hope to dress crazy cool and hike up some awesome mountains and to some awesome places, while laughing the whole time. It is the journey that matters the most I am a Harry Potter fanatic. Seriously, I will talk about it all the time, anytime.  Fly fishing on the Arkansas River, or hiking anywhere is where I love to be!

Jaclyn Tagani

Hey there! I can’t believe that three years went by so fast and I’m finally spending my first summer at Sanborn as an AC! I just finished my first year at UConn Torrington and have lots of exciting plans for next year, like a volunteer trip to Morocco and an internship in Hartford. If I were a sidekick I’d be Pen to the superhero Paper, saving the world one word at a time! I’m so excited for crazy dance parties, gorgeous mountain climbs and lay Sundays at one of my favorite places on earth!

Columbine East

L-R: Helen Higgins, Lucy Stockdale, Ellen Cromack

Helen Higgins

It’s my third summer back, and I couldn’t be more excited! I just graduated from Hamilton College where I studied math and art. Ever since I was a camper at High Trails, I have loved climbing mountains- the higher the better! My favorite animal is a mountain lion, and my favorite shirt has a giant mountain lion on it. I would love to read The Phantom Tollbooth or The Lorax aloud to you any day (both will be with me at camp!), especially if we’re outside eating carrots!

Lucy Stockdale

I am so unbelievably excited to come back to Sanborn this summer.  After having been a camper for 6 years and then an AC to the JC’s last summer, I can’t wait for another incredible three months with some of the coolest people I know.  My school year keeps me quite busy and indoors more than I’d like working on papers, studying for tests, etc. (less than ideal, I know), but I can’t wait to be back in my Colorado homeland.  Texas just doesn’t do it for me.  Sorry not sorry, Lone Star state.  Anyway, some of my favorite things to do are play sports (basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse mainly), read and write (hello English minor), and explore–hence my love for Sanborn.  This camp has been such an amazing place for me and I can’t wait for summer 2k13!

Ellen Cromack

Hello! This is my first year on staff and my tenth summer at Sanborn! I am a Psychology major at Western State Colorado University in Gunnison, Colorado. Whenever I think of camp, I think of singing Good Old Mountain Dew at Sunday lunch while banging on the tables. Sanborn has helped me form some of the strongest and most important friendships of my life. This summer I will be working for the first time as an Assistant Counselor! You can find me either in the dish pit or enjoying time with the campers! I hope to climb many mountains, tube the river and go horseback riding to the Top of the World!

Columbine West

L-R: Kaiti Kinshella, Tully Sandbom

Tully Sandbom

I’m so excited to spend yet another summer at High Trails!

Kaiti Kinshella

Well hello! I am so excited to be working at Sanborn this summer, because I, for one, think that nature is pretty neat. I am currently pursuing an English major with a little bit of Spanish and Religious Studies on the side at Gonzaga University. Since teaching and traveling are my two passions, I would be eternally happy if I could teach in a foreign country someday. I enjoy long walks on the beach, sunsets, and… Oh yeah- the outdoors of course! You could say that’s why I am here at Sanborn. Well, that and because I would never pass up an opportunity to act like a goofball. When it comes to being outside, my heart lies with backpacking, rafting, and rock climbing. When I am not doing one of these things, you can find me working on my Chaco tan.

Gold Hut East

T-B: Haley Schreier, Kate Preston not pictured: Maddie Jurden

Haley Schreier

Hello, lovely campers!  As a brand new staff member, I would first like to mention how incredibly grateful and elated I am to have the opportunity to spend my summer with a fabulous group of leaders like yourself.  I was born and raised in a small town just outside of Madison, Wisconsin, but have had a passion for adventure and travel since I learned to read a map.  For the past two years, I attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN where I was a collegiate softball player, a tutor at the Northfield Middle and High School for ESL students, and a Junior Counselor on Residence Life Staff.  This fall, I will be transferring to the University of Wisconsin- Madison where I will study Human Development and Family Studies with an emphasis in Child Development and a certificate in Latino Studies or Women’s and Gender Studies.  In the spring, I will be living in Sevilla, Spain with a host family and studying at the university in the city.  I am in love with the sunshine, an obsession more formally known as Heliophilia; I have the most wonderful family and friends; I’m a big fan of spending other people’s money on clothes; I will try any food once.  I’ve been skydiving, cliff jumping, hookah diving, zip lining, and swimming with stingrays, but the greatest thrill I’ve yet to experience in life is still Christmas morning.  I’m so looking forward to bonding with each and every one of you this summer!

Kate Preston

How’s it going! Name’s Kate, and I’m proud to be born and raised as a valley girl (WV valley to be exact). Last year I finished my college education at Plymouth State University and have recently been bitten by the travel bug. There’s so many place to go, but I am super excited to be spending the summer in CO with you all. This past winter I was serving up some delicious homemade soups, etc. and teaching cross country ski lessons on the side, in the mountains of WV. This summer, you can find me hanging out with the “champers” (champion campers) most likely leading a game of ninja, but if I’m not there, check the barn or the closest dance floor, cause I’ll most likely be cuddling some horses or cuttin’ the rug Appalachian style!!

Maddie Jurden

HI EVERYONE! I can’t wait to spend an entire summer in the most beautiful of locations with the best people I’ve ever met! I just finished my first year of college at the University of Virginia and loved every second of it because it reminded me of camp (only less magical). I lived for the monkey bread during my camper years, but am tragically gluten-free now. So if anyone wants to attempt any gluten free baking, I would be happy to be their guinea pig! I love any kind of music, being outside, and cooking. I’m always up for a challenge or an adventure and will try almost anything at least once!

Gold Hut West

L-R: Maddie Jenkins, Emily Thomposon not pictured: Madi Klinghoffer

Madi Klinghoffer

Hi guys! I am freshly graduated from the University of Southern California and instead of taking that office job, I chose to spend this summer climbing mountains, riding horses, rafting and tubing down rivers, camping, and rock climbing the side of cliffs with all of you in the one place I feel most comfortable – nature.  I love anything that has to do with music, food, and travel so if you are interested in any of those we will be fast friends!  If I had to choose one animal to be, I would choose a bird so I could fly to anywhere I wanted to be all over the world. I was a camper at Sanborn for 4 years in my younger days and cannot wait to make it back to the place where my love for the outdoors was born.

Emily Thompson

Hey! So, this will be my first summer at camp… EVER! I am so stoked about getting to be out and about in the wild, teaching and learning as much as I can to and from anyone. I attend Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia during the rest of the year; and am going to get a degree in Criminal Justice with Homeland Security and Outdoor Education minors in 2014. I like to have adventures by getting down to earth and back to basics. Literally, I will roll around in the dirt, swim in a freezing river to clean up, and then hike until I’m dry.  I can’t wait to get into that beautiful Colorado wilderness I’ve heard so much about!! In the meantime, you can find me, my hammock, and my slack line having a good time in the sun rockin’ out to some chill tunes

Maddie Jenkins

I am from the littlest state with the longest name: Rhode Island! During the school year I am a pre-med student at Penn State, with the hopes of becoming a surgeon. If I do not go to medical school, then I plan to become a princess. My favorite color is pink and my spirit animal would have to be Beyonce. When it is cold out my friends and I love to go get ice cream because it reminds us of warmer weather.  My favorite Sanborn memory is the river rafting trip with my fellow JC’s. I cannot wait to spend my first summer working at my favorite summer camp! Look for me singing and dancing around the lodge cleaning with the other AC’s!

Aspen

L-R: Sarah Merfeld, Alex Tilsley, Jackie Calicchio

Jackie Calicchio

I’m Jackie Calicchio and this is my first summer at camp ever! I’m originally from Belleville, NJ and am a rising senior at Washington and Lee in Lexington, VA.  My family isn’t the least bit outdoorsy, but once I stepped outside, I never wanted to stop. Quirky facts about me: I LOVE corgis. It’s actually embarrassing how excited I get when I see one. I love to cook and am apparently a hilariously bad dancer.  Out at school, all of our houses have names and I proudly live at Platform 9 and 3/4. I’m ready for a great summer with y’all!

Sarah Merfeld

Hi! I am from Madison, WI and just graduated from Colorado College where I studied Religion and Philosophy. This is my second summer at camp and I am excited to be coming back! I love many things in life including the Dalai Lama, the band Phish, and my cat Kyle. You should probably all know that I can shoot water out of the gap in my teeth really far!

Alex Tilsley

I’m so happy to be back for a second summer as a counselor! I’m originally from New Hampshire, but recently relocated to Denver, and greatly enjoy telling everyone who will listen that I’m “from Denver.” I graduated last year from the University of Southern California, and have since been exploring various cities and mountains. After camp, I’ll spend a year working as an Americorps VISTA in Denver. I love hiking and climbing (anything), and you can generally find me on top of the tallest rock around, usually with a book. I’ve also been known to hug the occasional aspen tree. This summer, I’m looking forward to lots of hiking, mountain biking, and bagel sandwiches!

Ridge Leaders

L-R: Sara Everhart, Kristy Burt, Angela Scruggs, Janie Cole

Angela Scruggs

Hello hello! I am so excited to be back at Sanborn for my second summer! After graduating from the University of Tennessee in December 2012, I have now been spending my time filling various jobs and volunteering with the Haiti Outreach Program. I’m excited to return to Knoxville this fall and attend graduate school for business Analytics. The Junior campers need to be ready for an incredible summer full of tubing, riding, hiking, random dancing, and being hyper for two weeks straight!!

Kristy Burt

The thing to know about Kristy is that she really, really likes to be outside. She likes playing outside, from the time she was a child pretending to survive in the wilds of her back yard woods, to inventing games with campers at High Trails Ranch for Girls.  She likes to eat outside, whether that be a homemade meal eaten in the back yard at her Fort Collins home, or a peanut sauce curry concocted over a campfire in the back country of Utah.  She likes learning outside, from the smallest grasses while in an ecology course at Colorado State University to the largest mammals while in a study abroad program in Tanzania. Kristy is thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to learn and play outside at High Trails this summer!

Janie Cole

Hey everyone! I am so grateful to be spending my third summer with such a fantastic group of people at High Trails.  I am a proud graduate of Salem College; a small, but fierce women’s college in North Carolina. During my time at school, I discovered my passions for Sociology, the arts, and thinking outside the box.  One of my favorite things to do on camping trips is to make ‘guacamole’ in an avocado. It’s so delicious and comes with a built in bowl!  This summer is going to be full of some amazing adventures and I can’t wait to get to know everyone who will share those adventures with me.

Sara Everhart

I have spent the past three summers as a counselor at High Trails, and I couldn’t be more stoked to come back for my fourth summer as a ridge leader. I remember way back to my first summer, and how much I have grown since then. It’s amazing the effects camp can have. In my free time I like to hike, camp, rock climb, climb mountains, surf, play rugby, anything that will get me outside. My favorite thing about the world would probably be cookies, especially Vicki’s, or maybe the banana bread, that’s pretty good too, oh and the Chippy- Dippy bars, I’ll take some of those as well. My other favorite thing would have to be stars, especially the stars on a clear warm summer Colorado night.

Wranglers

Top L-R: Taylor Indrebo, Clara Troyer, Amanda Nooter Middle L-R: Jenny Hartman, Jaime Olivette Bottom L-R: Emily Katz, Sean SudekumK

Jaime Olivette

Hey! I am from central New York, but have always been in love with Colorado, so I am so excited to be back at camp this summer! I just graduated from Syracuse University in December and worked the school weeks program at High Trails this spring. This summer you can find me down at the barn, loving life with the horses!

Jenny Hartman

Hello! I am Jenny Hartman and am proud to say that I will be spending my 6th summer on staff at Sanborn Western Camps! This is such an amazing place that I just keep lingering here!  This summer I will be leading horseback rides for the young ladies of Juniper who are a part of the Sanborn Junior program.  Since  I graduated college, I have spent the past few years at Sanborn teaching for the High Trails Outdoor Education with allows Colorado 6th grade students to spend 3 or 4 days living and learning at our beautiful camp! I am excited to get back in the saddle, ride my favorite horse, Aspen, and teach the horse-crazy girls how to ride!

Taylor Indrebo

Emily Katz

Hey Friendos! It’s your gurl e. katz here, keepin it fresh in the mountains for yah. Super stoked to be working at High Trails for the fourth summer down at the barn wrangle dangling those wild steeds. When I am not finishing my Geography degree at University of ColoRADo Boulder you can most likely find me outside adventuring some way or another! My current project is getting the first horse on the moon…should be out of this world!

Sean Sudekum

I’m so excited to be back for my second summer on staff at Sanborn and to be a part of the Sanborn Riding Program! I study history at New York University, but Florissant Colorado is one of my favorite places in the world. My favorite spot at camp is definitely Three Bears, my favorite trip I’ve done at camp is the 39 Mile Mtn. 5-day horse trip, and during any down time at camp, I love to throw dance parties. As a wrangler this year, I’m so excited to be able to work with girls of all ages and hope that all of the campers get a chance to make it down to the barn!

Amanda Nooter

My name is Amanda and this is my third summer at Sanborn. I am a wrangler so I spend a lot of time with the horses down at the barn! I am an Anthropology major at Grinnell College and next year I will be a senior. This past fall I studied abroad in Tanzania. I am so excited to have another great summer working with horses and the kiddos!

Clara Troyer

I’m excited to be spending my third year on staff as a High Trails Wrangler. Though I just got off the plane from studying abroad in Paris a few days before coming to camp, I could not be happier to be here for the summer. I study English at The George Washington University in DC and will be going into my senior year in the fall. My passions in life include Beyonce and traveling. My new favorite camp space is the beautifully restored art barn, but of course I love the other barn too (obvz).

Honchos

L-R: Mary Gigliotti, Tessa Warner, Adrienne Jones, Jessie Spehar

Adrienne Jones – Kitchen Coordinator

I am excited to be back on staff at High Trails this year and can´t wait to spend the summer with the Sanborn Community.  A Colorado kid, I enjoy rock climbing, horseback riding, hiking with the dog, fruits and vegetables, and the sunshine!  I find that my yoga practice keeps me in touch with myself and my surroundings.  I have a niece and four nephews whom I adore.  I aspire to learn how to fish, to bake bread, and to one day see a mountain lion.

Mary Gigliotti – Outcamp

Hey y’all! I do not know how it happened, but this North Carolina girl has found herself coming back to High Trails for my third summer. While I have traveled around the UK and Ecuador, I still have a lot more traveling to do. But for right now I do know that I could not be happier knowing that I get to spend another magical summer around campfires, in aspen groves, rafting down an ice cold river, and working with amazing campers and staff.  I recently graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington with a degree in Environmental Studies. This summer you will find me in OutCamp- or out in the back country! And when you find me I will probably be singing a Taylor Swift song, even though I don’t have a record deal, I love to sing!

Tessa Warner – Art Barn Lady

The perfect and ideal dream job to me would be working in the mountains with children, playing, and creating art. Low and behold this position exists and I get to fill it as the art coordinator this summer! CU Boulder granted me a BA in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, which left me excited to find new and more interesting ways to go about “doing” science. In enjoying the beauty of nature for its own sake science is being redefined for me as the study of the perfection of life and recognition of its perfect order. Beauty-ology if you will. I should also mention that I have never taken a structured art class, but don’t feel this holds me back from art in any way. I am excited to create, inspire, and adventure!

Jessie Spehar

Howdy! Never did I imagine that I’d actually get to spend 7 summers working at camp, but alas, here I am, and as the local paparazzi I’ve never been happier! I’ve spent the last few winters teaching special education students at an elementary school in Laramie, Wyoming and writing a thesis paper for my Master’s Degree from the University of Wyoming. I’ve thought long and hard about this- if I were a sidekick I’d be Grilled Cheese Sandwich to the superhero of all soups: Tomato. There’s nothing better on a cold winter’s day, I’d be warming kids’ hearts everywhere! This summer, my camera and I plan on spending as much time as possible climbing mountains, canoeing 11-mile Reservoir, eating Vicki’s cookies, and tubing the river as possible.

Nurses

L-R: Tricia Goska, Whittany Eisermann, Catherine Capozzola

Whittany Eisermann

I was a military brat growing up -born in Italy, childhood in Jacksonville, FL, early teen years in Lemoore, CA, and high school/college various parts of Kansas, after nursing school, Omaha, NE, and after camp, in Colorado Springs.  This summer is so exciting because it blends two of my favorite things together:  being a nurse and being at camp.  I want to make sure this summer is safe for everyone so that we can enjoy all that camp offers.  You don’t have to be sick or hurt in order to say hi!  If I was a sidekick, I’d be one of the Planeteers for Captain Planet.  I hula hoop for a hobby.  I’ve just started working on two at once!

Tricia Goska

Wisconsin is my hometown state, and have always wanted to move out west.  Sanborn is my first stepping stone to make that dream come true.  I love camp!  Growing up, I attended Camp Onaway in Waupaca, WI on the Chain ‘O Lakes.  Five years as a camper and four years as a leader, I’d consider myself a lifer.  I have played lots of sports my whole life, tennis, waterskiing, and snowboarding being my favorites.  I also love the outdoors.  I am so excited to be able to go hiking, rather than just go for a walk on the city streets.  I love trying new things and usually always have a good time.  Some people say I giggle too much, but I don’t think that’s possible.

Catherine Capozzola

Hi! I’m Catherine and I’m going to be one of the nurses this summer.  I grew up in Albany, NY and received my degree in nursing from Villanova University.  Colorado has quickly captured my heart and I’m excited to get to spend my summer at Sanborn making sure every camper has the best, safest, healthiest summer possible. If I were a superhero side kick I would be the Super Shoelace to the awesome, world traveling, Irish Dancing pair of Converse Sneaker!

Summit Sunrise

“False peaks are like goals, after each one your next is a little higher”

Little oxygen, as cold as I’ve ever been, tired, hungry, tripping over my own feet, and still, I was as happy as I could be. My breath was heavy but cold and empty. I was on top of the tallest mountain in Colorado. My friends Polk and Santiago lagged just a few meters behind me. After excitement disappointment, repeat, we had finally made it to the summit. We were deep in Colorado; so deep in Colorado that a few of us got altitude sickness. Altitude sickness could only be cured, where we were, by iodized water. I drank as much salty, murky, black, iodized water as I needed to, to if it would keep me from getting sick. I remained healthy. Other happy campers were getting on my nerves, but that hardly affected my day. Even though negative aspects of the day piled up, the day I summited Mt. Elbert will always be a day I desire to relive.

I was woken up for the third time that morning by a loud shaking of my tent. I looked over and Walker was already sitting up. The tent was warm and damp, for it had rained last night. I rolled out of my sleeping bag, then, sluggishly, I forced myself outside. I went and visited a tree for a two o’clock in the morning bathroom break, and went and joined Walker, Polk, Santiago, and others for some quickly cooked oatmeal. The oatmeal was a soft, warm, brown, banana mush, but tasted like a five-star breakfast. All of the sudden we had started our hike to the top of Mount Elbert. It was a slow incline. We all conversed with one another. We talked about everything we could think of. We talked about girls, sports, television, video games, and the list goes on. That was before we hit tree-line. For those who are wildly unfamiliar with nature, tree-line is where vegetation stops growing due to lack of resources. When we hit tree-line conversation suddenly slammed to a halt. Brendon was the counselor present for this trip. Brendon was my counselor the first year I went to Sanborn Western Camps. He was a great role model and loved the outdoors. When we hit tree-line, Brendon called for a water break. Some campers sat, one of them being Santiago. I reminded him that sitting down would cause lactic acid build-up in his knees and make hiking a lot harder. He shrugged it off. We all chugged as much salty, black water as we could. Then we continued on. It started to get warmer, and we all started to be more alert, having been awake for some time now. Brendon had already summited Elbert twice. So when he pointed to the seemingly rounded off pile of rock near ahead, we all believed him. We were sure that it was 14,433 feet in altitude, and only about a fifth of a mile away; however, this assumption only lead to disappointment.

Polk and I finally came over that mound of rock, only to see a slow slope down about fifty feet and another peak. This is referred to as a false peak. It’s exactly what it sounds like. The thing that’s so exciting about false peaks is I’ve personally seen as many as seven. Each step became progressively harder and heavier. My feet had gotten to the point of clinging to the ground after every step. Then, I looked up and saw far in the distance, campers celebrating. There was only one thing that could mean. I locked my eyes onto the summit and my feet started working mechanically. Before I knew it I was watching the sun silently burst through bits of cloud in the orange sky from atop the highest point in Colorado. Sunlight trickled across the horizon. The forest we had come from was perfectly still, as if it was posing for a picture. I took it all in, and from that day on, I’ve appreciated everything a little bit more.

A friend from Colorado once said, “False peaks are like goals, after each one your next is a little higher.” I long to revisit that day. That was the first day I saw pure, unfiltered, beauty. Every time I think back to that day, I can’t help but pause for a moment and go back to the top of mighty Mount Elbert.

–Guest Post by Jake Baum, Big Spring Camper 2009-2011, Outbacker Summer 2013–

Perplexing structure and writing aside, I want to examine the source-less “quotes” as potential societal trends impacting the camp community, and perpetuated by this sort of poor journalism.  By looking at each of the “Top 10” with a more balanced and fair perspective, I think we can see that the Gazette (and Ms. Wieczner) missed an opportunity to present the ever-changing summer camp experience as what it truly is:  A fluid, agile environment of youth development professionals who are committed to excellent client and customer service and who, quite frankly, have a better understanding of what children need today than most other youth serving organizations.

True, as a camp director I have a particularly acute bias, but I am also a parent of a camp-aged child who—like most of his peers—NEEDS the camp experience every summer, and I am a certified secondary educator who sees the woefully paralyzed state of our nation’s public school system post-NCLB and knows that, for many, a camp experience will provide necessary character and values development that no longer exists in most educational curriculum.

As an editorial response to Jen Wieczner and the Gazette’s re-working of her article, I would simply point out—like we do at camp when we are mediating situations that arise in the unique, respectful community we create each and every summer—there are two sides to every story.  To equate the joy of making and eating s’mores around a campfire (gluten-free graham crackers provided) with friends with whom you have made authentic, real friendships (grounded in healthy risk-taking and shared, fun experiences) far trumps any access to cellphones.  As parents, we know (deep down) that these independent experiences with support from young adult counselors develop character and self-efficacy in our children in a way that we cannot replicate at home.

Because of cultural trends, summer camp is more important to whole-child development today than ever before in history, and our professional accrediting body, the American Camp Association does a brilliant job providing not only a body of research to support that claim, but also shares a great deal of non-biased information about accredited camps all across the nation.  Being an accredited camp means holding ourselves to standards that are above and beyond national and societal expectations.  Camp gives kids a world of good in a world of social and cultural stressors…so let’s see if we can answer the question Ms. Wieczner asks: “will campers have any fun?”

1.  “It’s called camp, but it feels more and more like school.” Unlike the mass-consumption, Hollywood image that equates a child’s summer camp experience to the movie “Red Hot American Summer,” camp has ALWAYS been about education.  Beyond the emotional intelligence camp develops in campers through community life and opportunities for free play, many camps have made the choice to offer campers more specialized study AND play in fields that interest them.  This trend is far more representative of the desires of both campers and parents to be able to “specialize” in something while at camp.  This specialized focus may be for future college prospects or it might simply be to honor a child’s own interests…a key way to help children enjoy the camp experience.  If a camper has helped pick which camp he attends, his ownership of the experience will be that much higher.

2. “There’s not enough bug spray in the world to protect you from these pests.” Nature.  As Woody Allen so eloquently said, “I love nature.  I just don’t want to get any of it on me.”  There are bugs in the woods, there are sometimes mice in the cabins, and there are even porcupines munching loudly (and quite rudely) in the trees above your tent while you are trying to sleep.  Critters and bugs can be a bit icky for some, and bedbugs are undoubtedly a concern, but—for some reason—I am much more concerned about sleeping in a hotel near a bustling airport than sleeping in a bunk at camp.  Plus interactions in the outdoors are typically memorable and create an ongoing sense of wonder, and a stewardship of and connection to the natural world.

3.  “PB&J and ice cream?  Not anymore.” Look.  Let’s be real. Going out to eat with my four and eight year old sons is an exercise in limited options.  Most camps have policies and procedures surrounding food allergies and dietary restrictions.  Some camps are completely nut free, some are not.  Some actively limit the amount of sugar, some do not.  Some provide daily vegetarian or vegan options, some do not.  Just like choosing a restaurant, you can choose a camp that will accommodate the nutritional needs of your child.  Yet, just like at a restaurant, you can’t make them sit at the table indefinitely if they refuse to eat…but you can take away dessert.

4.  “Your kid has a cellphone, but that doesn’t mean you can talk to him.” Exactly.  That’s the point.  How often do you try and get your child OFF of her phone?  Unstructured time in the outdoors, away from technology gives children the opportunity to develop authentic friendship, teamwork and leadership skills with REAL people…who, more often than not, are actually REAL friends, too.  As for not being able to talk to your kids while they are at camp, just think of it as a vacation for your kids…plus letter writing is a skill they will use for the rest of their lives.

5.  “Homesickness?  Try I-miss-my-kid sickness.” A tool we use at camp when campers are homesick is to help them understand feeling that way is normal and then we try and get them excited about all of their upcoming trips and activities.  Let’s try it for parents:  Being kidsick is normal.  Lots of other parents feel the same way.  Let’s look at your calendar for the month and see what exciting things you have planned.  Ohhh, look!  You have a dentist appointment next Monday, and this Thursday you are hosting your book club and you haven’t read the chosen book (Cloud Atlas) yet.  Then, the following week you have a waxing appointment and have to take your visiting sister-in-law (she has horse teeth, really?) to lunch. (No wonder you are kidsick.  Just know that blubbering about your 10 year old leaving for a few weeks is more understandable than sobbing uncontrollably when your 19 year old leaves for college.)

6. “There’s a bully born every minute.” One of the key differentiators between bullies and “upstanders” (peers who speak up when they witness bullying) is that most bullies lack empathy.  Teaching children friendship skills, and providing environments where individuals are respected for who they are is a key component of camp.  Pranks and cabin raids are more typical in Hollywood portrayals of camp than in camp itself.  Parent Trap is over 50 years old, and to think that our campers continue to both look and act like Hayley Mills in the film is cultural hyperbole.

7.  “It’s a dangerous world; we’re just camping in it.” Right.  Better to be camping in the outdoors than texting and driving, experimenting with drugs, alcohol, and unprotected sex, and away from the fear saturated media.  Camp provides an incredibly safe place where kids can be kids, and—in all honesty—one of the overarching goals of camp is to actually give campers life and relational skills that will eventually make the world a safer place because kids who come to camp understand our shared humanity.

8. “You think getting your kids into college will be hard?  Try getting them into camp.” There are THOUSANDS of camps.  If the camp you are waitlisted for doesn’t give you other ideas for similar camps in the region that have similar programs or goals, then that camp doesn’t recognize the importance of capital C “Camp” for childhood/youth development.  And, as a parent, if you buy into the hype that there is only “one” camp for your child—then you are denying your child the opportunity to have a new and unique camp experience.

9.  “Our camp feels more like a reality show.” One of the most prolific and outstanding speakers at American Camp Associations across the country is family therapist Bob Ditter.  During training sessions, Mr. Ditter talks about “getting on the same train” as your campers—meaning, that in order to completely connect with kids, we need to know and understand (and even read or listen to) THEIR worlds.   So yes, we offer Katniss Everdeen archery competitions,  Zombie Apocalypse hikes, and Superhero horseback rides—not because these are culturally cool—but because these types of activities echo what our campers are into, relate to, and plus they are great springboards for even more innovative and creative programming.

10.  “Some counselors have to be taught to keep their hands to themselves.” Ah, just in case Ms. Wieczner readers hadn’t been scared effectively enough after noting summer camps’ apparent limited  fun, bugs, lack of communication, bullies, mass shootings, the threat of social isolation, and the ever-present and insidious nature of cultural trends spread through technology (which makes the whole cell-phone thing even more hypocritical), now we can also worry about our kids being abused at camp.  Yet Ms. Wieczner is correct when she says “assaults and abuse are rare at camp.”

Though there is plenty to take issue with, in the end I think Ms. Wieczner’s title brings up a very good point:  as parents, we have to be responsible adults, do research and ask camp directors hard questions about the nature of their staff training, the goals and objectives of the program, the mission and philosophy of the camp, and we also have to ask those “boogeyman” type questions too, just to allay our fears (many of which are spurred on by articles like Ms. Wieczner’s and liberties taken by subsidiary editors).

Camps that are worth their salt will be open and transparent about their policies and practices, and we (camp directors) like it when parents are thoughtful enough to ask:  “tell me about your hiring process” or “what sort of emergency/crisis management plans do you have in place?” or “why can’t I talk to my child when he is at camp?” or “how do you handle homesickness…and if I need to call or email you for reassurance, is that okay?”

When we are practicing and modeling the skills required to eventually let our children go and become successful, functional adults, our children will grow too.  If we have confidence in the leadership at our chosen summer camps and are even brave enough to consider sending our child to camp in the first place, our children will not only have fun at camp—they will flourish.

~Ariella Rogge~

From Montana to Missouri on horseback, for grassland conservation

Tenacity. Persevarance.  Spirit. Unbridled adventure. A deep respect for the natural world and the lessons it teaches you: those of humbleness, responsibility, and connectedness.

These are the things that you carry with you after spending a summer (or 4) at Sanborn. As a camper for many summers, and then as an assistant counselor, I left Sanborn with a sense that things that at first glance seem undoable (climbing Mt. Princeton at dawn, taking 15 8 year olds on a backcountry expedition, cleaning the dining hall after 150 campers pass through its Sunday buffet) are achievable when they coincide with an equal dose of determination and fun.

It is impossible to drive down the dirt road in Florissant after a summer at High Trails without discovering an intense respect and appreciation for the vast beauty and explosive grandeur of the natural world. You gain this at Sunday Vespers, as you sit and watch the sky light up in flame and paint a snow flecked Pikes Peak delicate pinks and fierce reds. You gain it when you listen to the clash and crackle of Aspen leaves around you. You begin to develop an environmental ethic. My own includes a sense of responsibility to be a thoughtful and engaged steward of this land and earth.  To look at the world around me and inquire what my place is within it.

With this in mind, I have developed a project, along with my colleague Sebastian Tsocanos, that aims to put this ethic into action. We will traverse the North American Great Plains on horseback to increase public understanding and appreciation of a region that is absolutely pivotal to conservation efforts in North America. Through education and outreach, from both scientific and artistic perspectives, we will engage a wide audience in an investigation of the issues that affect this vitally important region. We will explore what our legacy as stewards of this land has been and what it might become, shaking hands with the landscape and the people who call it home.

We will produce a documentary film that will share the beauty of the landscape and the perspectives of the people we meet along the way. It will be used as an educational tool to promote greater local and national involvement in determining the future of an ecologically imperative region.  After we complete the ride, we will present our film at high schools, universities, and other groups, giving talks nationwide promoting conservation of this enormously important region and challenging communities to become involved in its story. In addition, we will exhibit our work at galleries around the country, combining art, conservation, community, and education to deepen ecological understanding and appreciation of the natural world.

Temperate grasslands are the least protected biome on earth, and our own are disappearing at an alarming rate. Our project aims to increase understanding of their fragile state and volatile future and contribute to the growing momentum of grasslands conservation today.

The project requires support–financial and otherwise. For the financial aspect, we have started a fundraising campaign with IndieGoGo, and hope you’ll contribute. You can learn more about our project and make a donation at our Indiegogo page. Please check out it out at: www.indiegogo.com/projects/rediscovering-the-great-american-prairie

Your contributions are so very appreciated, and we’ve arranged some great perks for donors, including photographic prints, and horseshoes thrown from the road!

Learn more about the project and follow us on the road at our website:www.RediscoverThePrairie.org

Please help us make it happen by passing our Indiegogo link on to family, friends, colleagues, and campers. Tweet about it, post it on your Facebook, talk to friends about it. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm and support and we can’t wait to share our stories with you from the road!

-Robin Walter, High Trails Camper 97,98,99, 2006; High Trails Staff 09-

At High Trails, the cabins and Lodge are already open, but everything will be cleaned and given a fresh coat of paint. In addition we will put up tennis nets, order crafts supplies, organize the backpack tents, and put the final touches on all of our facilities and programs.  The new Health Center is on track to be completed by early June and we are excited to inaugurate this outstanding new facility.

Maren, WillO, Jenny, and Rosie will bring in the horses from the pastures at Fish Creek and get them fixed up with new shoes for all the great rides this summer.  There are plenty of things to keep us busy, and everyone is excited about these projects because they mean that a new season of camp is almost here!

The Aspen are showing catkins now and we’ll begin to see the first leaves later in the month; the bluebirds and robins are back, and a herd of deer has been moving hanging around Big Spring and High Trails.  The Pasque Flowers have already bloomed and it won’t be long before we begin to see Indian Paintbrush and the spectacular wild Iris in the field in front of the Witcher house.  The first hummingbird has been sighted and a couple of porcupines have been seen lumbering along the road at night.

Late this month, we will begin staff training for our ridge leaders and trip leaders.  During the weekend after Memorial Day (not a holiday here) we will do a leadership training with our Ridge Leaders and Wranglers.  On Monday and Tuesday, any members of our leadership staff who do not have current certification in Wilderness First Aid will take that class taught by instructors from the Wilderness Medicine Institute.  On Wednesday, we’ll be providing more first aid instruction and a full day of driver training. On Thursday, June 6, our entire staff will arrive for a 10-day training period before the first campers arrive.  And on June 16, first term campers arrive and we’ll be off…

We are still accepting enrollments in some age groups in the Second Term at Big Spring so let us know if you are interested in receiving our brochure and DVD.  Summer—2013 promises to be a fantastic experience for everyone!

Sunday Morning Vespers at the 2008 Reunion

If you are anything like us, you think somewhat seasonally.  And, like many people, you are just now beginning to think about your upcoming summer and early fall plans.

If those plans do not currently include the Sanborn 65th Mega Reunion at camp from August 22nd-25th…then you just might miss out on the MOST fun this side (and the other side, frankly) of the Continental Divide.

Beyond the incredible activities, adventure, camaradie and fun, there will be like-minded Sanborners from all over the country (and world) in attendance at this year’s reunion.  Use this as an opportunity to reconnect with new and old friends,  network, build on shared memories and create new ones with your children, former staff members, former campers, friends and mentors.

Here is the list of current attendees.  If you see someone who isn’t on the list that should be, or if you would like us to apply gentle, but fairly pointed pressure on anyone in particular (“You’re getting married that weekend?  Well, we guess that is fine as long as you make it to Vespers on Sunday morning….”) –do not hesitate to email jane@sanbornwesterncamps.com.

See you in August!

REUNION ATTENDEES

WHO IS COMING TO THE ALUM REUNION?

Nick Alton                                                      BS Staff 2007

Jamie Bailey                                                    HT 82-84; Staff 86

BreAnn Behlen                                               HT Staff 02-05

Margie Pringle Brown                                     HT 70-74

Lauraleigh Davis Burke                                  HT 66-68

Cathy Gepson Burnham                                 HT 84-86; Staff 88-91

Emily, Sarah, and Abby Burnham                  Current

Jon Carlson                                                     BS Staff 61-63

Pat Decoursey Cercos                                     HT 63-64; 66-67

Julie Micou Cerf                                             HT 72-75; Staff 76, 78

William Comley                                              BS 66-67; 69

Amy Sawyer Daniher                                     HT 84-85; Staff 86, 88

Erika Davidoff                                                HT 05-11

Daria Davidoff                                               HT 07

Betsy Swango DeLurgio                                HT 78-79, 81

Emily Myrick Densmore                                 HT 82-87; Staff 91

Shelley Desloge                                              HT 78-79

Sheri Bone Fedorchak                                                HT Staff 80-82; TNP 07

Mia Fisher                                                       HT 69-73

Andy Fletcher                                                 BS 68-70

Rob and Connie McWilliams Friesen             BS 62; Staff 65-68    HT Staff 66-68

Annie Garretson                                              HT 65-71; Staff 72-83

Sarah Stahl Garrigan                                       HT 79-80

Grace Stimson                                                 HT 10-13

Pete Glasser                                                    SWC 71, 74-87

Catherine Stahl Glenning                                HT 79-80

Meredith Glenning                                          HT 10-12

Mary “Spice” Garlich Grannell                       HT Staff 63-67, 69

Harriet Hargrave                                             HT Staff 89-90, 93, 05

Jeffrey Hargrave                                             BS  Staff 89-90

Rodney and Laura Hite Hargrave                  BS Staff 88-89  HT Staff 91-93

Kim Bean Higgins                                          HT 70; Staff 77-79

Matthew Huffman                                          BS 85; Staff BS 89-93

Lisa Prentice Hughes                                      HT 78-85; Staff 87

Jack Kramer                                                    BS Staff 68-72

Flori Lambart                                                  HT 62-68

John Leavitt                                                    BS Staff 06-09

Alex Levine                                                    BS 84-85; Staff 92-93

Maggie Proffitt Link                                       HT 91, 93, 96; Staff 98-99, 01

Amy Davis Lunne                                           HT 72-77; Staff 79-80

Libby Malone                                                  HT Staff 83-87

Schehera Randle McKasson                           HT 89-94; 96-01

Dori Knowles Morgan                                    HT 64-69

Susan Uptegrove Myrick                                HT Staff 64-65

Renee Desloge Nelson                                    HT 78-83

Bob Perlmutter                                                BS 66-69

Elliott Perlmutter                                            BS 01-02, 04

David Peters                                                   BS Staff 92-95

Mary “Bunny” Porter                                      HT 71-73; Staff 78-79

Phil Pringle                                                      BS 64-69; Staff 70

Erin Proctor                                                     HT 89-93

Roger Proffitt                                                 BS 61-65; Staff 68, 71

Kay Seessel Rawlings                                     HT 80-83; Staff 88

Bea Raemdonck                                              HT 01-05; Staff 08-12

Wilson Rawlings                                             BS 07-13

Julie Richardson                                              HT  62-63; Staff 64-70 and 2000-12

Jeff Roberts                                                    BS 89-90; Staff 97-02

Jim “Herc” Roth                                             BS 63-67; Staff 68-71

Barbara Rowley                                              HT 74-77; Staff 78-81; SWC Staff  86-90

Anna Middleton                                             HT 08-12

Kate Middleton                                              HT 10-13

Don Sable                                                       BS 62-65

Rick Sanborn                                                  Long time

Lisa Schneck                                                   HT 72-75; Staff 78

John Shelton                                                   BS 62-68

Mark Shelton                                                  BS 58-61

Nancy Shiffler                                                            HT 62-65; Staff 68-76

Megan Shellman Rickard                                HT 85-9; Staff 99

Toby Slezak                                                    BS 84-85

Sally Riekhof Smith                                        HT Staff 89, 91

Delta Stokes                                                    HT 87-91

Katie Binter Swyers                                        HT 94-95; Staff 98, 02-03

Rebecca Todd                                                 HT 80-83; Staff 85

Betsy Tucker                                                   HT 63-65; Staff 68-73

Eric Weidmann                                               BS 63-64; Staff 66-70

Rein and Jan Sanborn Van West                    Long time

Alissa Gutin West                                           HT 77

Walker Crowley                                              BS 06-13

Big Al and Terry Goodger Williams               BS Staff 75-77;  HT Staff 74-77

Frank Williams                                                BS 81-86; Staff 87-92, 95, 97

Keith Williams                                                BS 64-67, 69; Staff 70-77

Lindsay Williams                                            HT 92-95

Krista Wright                                                  HT Staff 91-99

More to come…..

(and of course, Jerry, Jane, Mike Mac, Rob, Carlotta, Ariella, Elizabeth, Maren, Chris, Rosie, and all of the year-round staff)

Speaking of staff, we have some great people returning for 2013!  At Big Spring,  returning wranglers include Will Ostendorf, Charles Nunziato, and Bryan Belsey.  Ridge Leaders will be Mike Piel, Kyle Kotzman, Byron Pringle, Trent Reed and John Jackson.  Michelle Christiance will return as the Arts and Crafts Director.  Other returning staff include Ryan Murphy, Ian McDavid, James Nicoll, Jake Gulliver, Adam Saucedo, Andrew Morton, Kevin Dlugos, Jeremy Mabe, Joe Sisk, Jack Ostrand, and Peter Hoeller.  Marissa Beauchane and Holly Lehmann will both be back as nurses.

At High Trails, Janie Cole, Sara Everhart, Kristy Burt, Kelly Muedeking and Angela Scruggs will be returning as Ridge Leaders.  Mary Gigliotti will be the Outcamp Coordinator; and Jamie Olivette, Emily Katz, Taylor Indrebo, Jenny Hartman, Clara Troyer and Amanda Nooter will be wranglers.  Hannah Flink, Maggie Kittner, Hannah Weisbecker, Tully Sandbom, Valerie Peterson, Sean Sudekum, and Sarah Merfeld will return as counselors.  We also have a great group of former campers returning as staff members, and some wonderful new staff who will join us for the first time.

We have begun our Spring outdoor education program and are excited to provide experiential, nature-based classes for 4th and 5th graders from 24 schools over the next six weeks.

Our April will be filled with putting the finishing touches on improved programs and trips for this summer, renovation projects to improve our facilities, hiring the last few summer staff and counting the days until camp begins.  The new Health Center at High Trails is looking good—it has walls and a roof now and is well on the way to being completed before camp begins.  New mattresses just arrived for Big Spring and guys on upper STUW Ridge will appreciate their new tent frames.  Gaga Pits are being built for both camps and many other facility improvement projects are underway.

Our 2013 community is really coming together, and most grades in both terms of High Trails are filled.  Big Spring still has openings in most grades, but some of these are close to filling.  Most Sanborn Junior terms in both camps have only a few openings left.  Families interested for the summer of 2013 should call to check availability.  As always, we are happy to send our brochure, DVD and references to any interested families.

We can’t wait to begin creating the fun, adventure, and friendship of the Summer of 2013!

The Iconic Aspen Grove

The last days of February brought two really good snowstorms, and we are really happy to have the moisture. The longer days and increased activities of our wild animal friends remind us that Spring is just around the corner, and this makes us even more excited about the coming camp season.

We have many projects underway in preparation for camp next summer. One of the most exciting is that we are building a new health center at High Trails. This new state-of-the art facility will be light and airy and will be convenient and comfortable both for our nurses and campers/students. It will be open by the time our First Term campers arrive this summer. You can follow the progress on our Facebook page.

Our maintenance crew is working on a variety of projects to improve and update our facilities in both camps. These include new roofs on cabins at High Trails, new tent frames at Big Spring, new Gaga pits for both camps, and many others.

Mike, Ian, Ariella, and Elizabeth have been hiring some outstanding staff members for next summer. We have some great returning staff as well as some super new staff signed up for the summer of 2013. We are working on many areas of the program, too, which will provide some exciting new activities and trips this summer.

Ian, Kelly, Ariella and others are keeping our Facebook site fresh and active with new posts every day. You can also check out our blog which has valuable information for families, alums, and youth development professionals.

Camp is only three months away and we can’t wait. Already we have campers and staff from 41 states and 10 countries—and we’re adding more every day. The fun and friendship which occurs when all of these great people get together is what makes camp so special! We are happy to send our brochure and DVD to anyone interested in learning more about the exciting programs at Big Spring, High Trails, and Sanborn Junior.

The COEC Team in Dallas!

Many of us have just returned from the American Camp Association National Conference in Dallas, and I want to share a little of what we learned.  The theme of the conference was “Camp:  Learning for Life” and we heard over and over again the same message:  The skills that children need in order to succeed in the 21^st century are not the cognitive skills that are measured by standardized tests in the classroom; they are character skills like enthusiasm, perseverance, empathy, optimism, and self-control.  These skills are the best predictors of happy, healthy adulthood.

We heard psychologist Madeline Levine, author of the 2012 best-selling book “Teach Your Children Well”, tell us that children do not gain self-esteem when adults tell them they are smart or talented; they gain self-esteem only from true accomplishment—from riding the horse or climbing the mountain, or successfully making friends in an environment away from home—an environment like camp.

We listened to Mawi Asgedom, who came to the United States as a refugee from Ethiopia, graduated at the top of his class at Harvard, and has dedicated his life to helping young people set and achieve their goals.  His message again stressed that our society has placed too much emphasis on grades and academic achievement, and that what young people need are social and emotional skills like networking, creativity, and ability to problem solve.

Paul Tough’s book, “How Children Succeed:  Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character”, has climbed to the top of the New York Times Best Seller list and his title says it all.  He spoke about his research and also about the power of adult mentors to help young people gain success—adult mentors like those found in camps.

And, finally, we heard from Dr. Gary Krahn, the Head of Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, about the importance of taking kids outdoors and getting them out of the classroom and into the natural world.

Of course, all of this was music to our ears, and we came away from the conference both affirmed in the critical education we are providing at Big Spring and High Trails, and inspired to do it better.  As most of you alums will realize from your time at camp, these are not new concepts at Sanborn.  In fact, building a place where children could learn the social and emotional skills critical for successful adulthood, was a foundational principle for Sandy and Laura.  And we are still doing it today.

All the research and evidence is pointing in one direction:  The camp experience plays a more vital role in each child’s educational journey today than ever before.  We are committed to helping children and young adults learn for life.

Thankfully, the ACA National Conference in Dallas is next week, which will give all of us at camp the revitalization and inspiration to stride through February, and the rest of the winter with ease. At the conference, we will hear keynote speeches by Peg Smith and Madeline Levine, Mawi Asgedom, Dr. Lorena Gonzalez, Paul Tough and Gary Krahn. All of these speakers have different experiences, skills and messages to share with the rest of the camping world; we will be sure to bring back some great ideas!

The conference lasts for four days and will be filled with breakout sessions, exhibit halls,  luncheons, and other great activities. People from all over the country and the world will be at the conference, sharing ideas, passions and excitement for camping! During the conference, we will be updating our Facebook page, uploading pictures to our Instagram, and tweeting about our travels. Make sure that you check-in to see what everyone at camp is up to!
If you want to experience the conference for yourself, check out some of these books and other information about the keynote presenters…

Peg Smith has had close to thirty years of experience with children. She has worked with many organizations including, Head Start, the Governors Step Ahead Initiative, Indiana Youth Initiative and is currently the chief executive officer of the American Camp Association.

Madeline Levine is the author of four books, Viewing Violence, See No Evil: A Guide to Protecting our Children from Media Violence, The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids and Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Authentic Success. Currently she is a practicing psychologist in California, constantly working on issue’s with adolescent development.

Mawi Asgedom is the author of the book, Of Beetles and Angels and The Third Harmony. Of Beetles and Angels is the story of Mawi’s incredible journey from a refugee camp in Sudan then to Chicago, and then to Harvard University. He has since started the Mawi Learning program through which he reaches out to educators and students with information on leadership and leadership training.

Dr. Lorena Gonzalez is the co-author of the book, Inheritance: Discovering the Richness of Latino Culture and Heritage. She has worked with many Hispanic and Latino communities in an effort to revitalize and sustain them through the organization, Urban Strategies. She also has worked with developing leadership programs for individuals, groups and communities through AVANCE.

Paul Tough is the author of How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character. This book is about giving less praise to test scores and the academic achievement of children, and putting more emphasis on non-cognitive skills and a child’s character in terms of success. Tough has spoken many times on this topic, as well as poverty and parenting.

Dr. Gary Krahn is the head of the Trinity Valley School, a K-12 school in Fort Worth, TX. He has extensively presented on his effort to successfully guide children into a world filled with unknowns, ever-changing technology, politics, and economy.

Check out all of these people, pick up their books and go to their websites! We are all looking forward to hearing what they have to say, and integrating their information into camp.