Posts Tagged ‘Friendship’
Monday, February 27th, 2012
Last week 10 of us ventured to Atlanta for the ACA National Conference. The overall theme of the conference
Jane Sanborn and her entourage!
was Convergence: Vision, Learning, Innovation. This was an exciting opportunity for our staff to continue our professional development as youth and outdoor educators and camp professionals. And it was a great week! Our very own Jane Sanborn was the conference program chair. She and the conference team lined up wonderful session and keynote speakers, fun night programs, and a variety of exhibitors for the exhibit hall. We were all able to go to a variety of educational sessions presented by child development and camp professionals – sessions that emphasized the importance of what we do best: provide exceptional outdoor experiences for children. We were able to network with other camp professionals. We left energized and motivated for the summer! It is fun for us to come back and share all that we have learned with each other and start incorporating new ideas into our summer and school weeks programs.
We had great keynote speakers including, Dr. Christine Carter (author of Raising Happiness), Richard Louv, Sanborn alum, Rod Lucero, and Niambi Jaha-Echols. Each speech was relevant to and encouraging of what we do at camp.
Dr. Carter started the week sharing the importance of teaching and cultivating life skills such as gratitude, kindness, and growth campers – all things that we know about and do at camp! Dr. Carter is a strong believer of Growth Mindset – the belief that someone is successful due to hard work and effort, as well as innate ability. At camp, it is important to us that campers are challenged to try new things and encouraged through the process. We believe that campers and staff can grow and learn from our trips and activities. Being able to try new things is one of the great things about camp and campers having the ability to choose their own trips and activities.
Richard Louv emphasized the role camps play in continuing to get children outside. In his speech he told us how he was jealous of his friend who left Kansas every summer to go to camp…specifically, his friend left Kansas and spent his summers at Sanborn. He spoke of the growing importance of camp and getting outside, as our world becomes more technology-driven.
Rod Lucero helped us better understand the importance of camps continuing the education from schools. Relevance, Rigor, and Relationships are the foundation of education, and according to Lucero, without them, reading, writing, and arithmetic don’t matter. At camp, we help make education relevant. The foundation of Sanborn is education. We continue to learn and pass our knowledge on to all Colorado Outdoor Education Center participants.
Niambi Jaha-Echols provided us with an inspiring and humorous closing session. According to Jaha-Echols, camp provides us the opportunities to transform into new beings – from caterpillars to butterflies. It is important to us that we provide campers with the space and support to understand and grow into the people they are supposed to be. We are lucky to have 6,000 acres, amazing counselors, and a great variety of trips and activities to help all campers grow as individuals into butterflies.
We look forward to continuing to share our learnings with you and incorporate them into our 2012 summer.
Tags: ACA, Benefits of nature, Benefits of Summer Camp, Children and Nature Network, Children in Nature, Christine Carter, colorado summer camp, Community building, Experiential Education, Friendship, impact of summer camp, life lessons, life skills, nature awareness, Niambi Jaha-Echols, Outdoor Education, richard louv, Rod Lucero, Sanborn Western Camps, Youth Development
Posted in American Camp Association, Benefits of Summer Camp, Children and Nature, Colorado Front Range Summer Camps, Colorado Outdoor Education Center, Education, Kids and Technology, Nature Activity, Outdoor Education, Professional Development, Sanborn Western Camps, Youth Development | No Comments »
Friday, February 17th, 2012
A few stories to send you into what is hopefully a good weekend for you…
Hi, I’m Daniela and I want to tell you about a great horseback riding experience! Here at Sanborn, they teach you everything about the horses and give you time to love them. There is time to appreciate and learn about them. The wranglers help you understand the horses and how horses understand your feelings. Horses teach you how that everything is possible! They give you a feeling of comfort, even though the horses are bigger than you. The horseback riding experience at Sanborn is unforgettable and you shouldn’t miss it!
I love horses! I ride English at home and compete in lots of horse shows. I really love to come to camp and ride Western. It is fun and relaxed and I still learn a lot. The wranglers are all really nice! I am able to sign up for lessons on Saturdays, go on a horse overnight, and different rides in the morning and afternoon. Even though it is a different type of riding, the wranglers help me improve my riding skills so I will be a better rider when I go home. I like going on trail rides because we get to play games on horseback and talk to our friends. I definitely recommend riding while at Sanborn!
We are getting ready for our last overnight this week. I am really excited to go on the Pirate overnight. I heard we get to build a pirate ship, go on a scavenger hunt, and play fun games! I loved all of my trips and activities this summer. I can’t decide which is my favorite! I am going to be really sad to go home soon. I have made such great friends this session – I’ve made some new friends and spent time with some people who were here last year. This has been such a fun summer and I can’t wait to come back next year!
Tags: Benefits of Summer Camp, camping, Colorado Camps, Friendship, fun activities, High Trails, Horseback riding, Sanborn Western Camps, summer camp
Posted in Children and Nature, Colorado Front Range Summer Camps, From the Campers' Mouths, Horses, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids | No Comments »
Saturday, February 11th, 2012
I was doing a little procrastinating today, hence a late blog post, and was amazed by some of the things that I
We can't get enough!
read of Facebook. Camp isn’t just something that happens for a couple of months during the summer. It is a year-round experience.
We know that a camp experience is important to children. We know about the friendships that are made. We know how essential it is for children to spend time outdoors and to have the opportunity to reconnect with nature. We see campers and staff grow and change during their time at camp during the summer. We love mailing reminders of camp during the year – calendars, DVDs, postcards, newsletters. We live and breathe Sanborn all year. And we LOVE hearing how campers, staff, and alums live and breathe camp when they are away.
As I was scrolling through my Facebook news feed today, I noticed a number of Sanborn reconnects and memories being shared. Campers visiting each other, staff taking trips together, alums reminiscing about their Sanborn experiences. For us, it a great feeling to know how people stay connected to camp even when they are not here. Recognizing that my number of Facebook friends can never compare to the number of people who have come through Sanborn, I can only imagine the number of Sanborn memories and reunions that I am unaware of.
A fun camp memory
It is great for us to hear about the lasting impact camp and Sanborn has had on people’s lives. Send us news updates, follow us on Facebook, look through photos from the summer – share your camp reconnects and memories with us! We love Sanborn and we love that you do too!
Tags: Benefits of Summer Camp, Camp memories, Friendship, impact of summer camp, Sanborn Western Camps
Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Children and Nature, Colorado Front Range Summer Camps, Sanborn Western Camps, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »
Monday, August 22nd, 2011
Camp has sadly come to an end for the summer of 2011. Things are very quiet at Big Spring and High Trails! While we are already looking forward to next summer, we want to share a few more stories from this summer…
Today we went horseback riding. We all put on our jeans and boots and walked to the barn. First we talked to our wrangler about how to saddle our horses before our ride. The sun was blazing hot, but luckily we all finished saddling quickly. My horse was named Popcorn. She is dark brown and pretty tall. We walked through all the pretty trees and mountains. At about noon we stopped for lunch. YUM! We tied our horses to trees and enjoyed a delicious meal. Turkey sandwiches and fruit. After we ate, we got back on our horses and started to head back to camp. On the way back we took a different trail and saw colorful flowers and lots of trees. After an all-day ride, we got back to the barn and untacked our horses. This was probably the best horseback riding trip ever all because of SANBORN!!
Abby G.
One day early in the morning we got up and dressed to go on our all-day horse ride. It was really fun! When we got to the barn I looked on the sheet and I got Rafter. Rafter was a tall horse. He was really sweet and listened to everything I told him to do, and he loved to trot fast. I loved him so much. When we got back, we put the horses in the pen. Rafter dropped on the ground and started to roll in the dirt. I said “Rafter I just brushed you” and he just looked up at me, stood up, and came up to the fence and licked my hands.
Alexandra D.
There are lots of fun things to do at Sanborn. The fun thing I just did was the Artsy Overnight. It is a hike to Tie Cabin and we make art. It took us about twenty minutes to get ready with our backpacks full of food and tents. And then we were ready to go. It took about two hours to get there and set up our tents. Then we started to draw, make key chains, rock necklaces, and so much more. The day went by so fast. It was time to go to bed. I was sad to leave the fun things that we were doing, but I knew that a bunch more fun things await me and my campmates!
Addie T.
We just got back from our very fun overnight, the Artsy Overnight. When we got back, we went to outcamp to wash dishes and put away the food. We had a delicious lunch of hamburgers, french fries, and root beer floats. We met at the lodge for our afternoon activities – I chose blogging. I know we are going to be very sad to leave our new friends we made at Sanborn. But most of us are coming back for another summer of fun!
Taylor L.
Tags: Benefits of Summer Camp, Children in Nature, colorado summer camp, Friendship, High Trails, impact of summer camp, Outdoor Activities, Outdoor Fun, Sanborn Western Camps, summer camp, summer camp in Colorado
Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Colorado Front Range Summer Camps, From the Campers' Mouths, From the Horse's Mouth, Fun Activities, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 10th, 2011
CORE (Community OutReach Experience) Horse was a very educational, growth encouraging, and fun-filled experience for me. A lot of people think riding a horse is very simple. But it takes a lot more work than just sitting in a saddle and pushing the horse forward. My group learned things from how to scoop manure to how to do Key Hole in gymkhana. You learn how to face your fears of riding bareback on a horse and how to communicate with your horse through your body, not just your actions. We learned how everyday wranglers, like Jessie, Will O., and Maren, wake up at 5am to feed and pull horses for us campers throughout the day. And then they don’t get to sleep until 10pm. CORE is a great experience and I will never forget it. Thank you Sanborn!
Mimi C.
Sanborn is the BEST camp ever! You meet lots of great people here and they are very nice to you. My favorite part of camp is the good. The chefs are amazing! And nice. 
The one thing that is great about this camp is that you get to choose almost everything you do here! I can’t wait to climb a 14er! The view is beautiful everywhere you go. There are trees everywhere! We follow a practice that is “Leave No Trace.” That basically means don’t litter, leave stuff behind, or carve your name into trees. I most certainly can’t wait for my 2nd year in 2012!
Lauryn G.
There are so many things to do at High Trails, and fishing is one of them! We went fishing and it was so much fun! We learned how to fish in 3 simple steps. Cast, reel, and viola! You probably have a fish. We used marshmallows as bait. There were a lot leftover, so we ate them. We heard that the boys caught a 19in fish in the pond, so we were hopeful! In the end, everybody had caught something – reed, sticks, themselves. Overall everybody enjoyed themselves and were full of marshmallows!
Mia M.
I am a junior at HIgh Trails, but I wish I were here for a month because it is so much fun here. One of my favorite things is the horseback riding, which I absolutely love, but everything at Sanborn is fantastic so I’m not picking favorites! Today we came back from our last overnight at Tie Cabin, which was awesome. It’s amazing that eleven days have done by because it feels like two days. I am definitely coming back to Sanborn!!!
Katherine S.
Tags: Benefits of Summer Camp, Children in Nature, Colorado Camps, colorado summer camp, Friendship, High Trails, impact of summer camp, Outdoor Fun, Sanborn Western Camps, summer camp for girls and boys, summer camp in Colorado, Youth Development
Posted in Colorado Outdoor Education Center, From the Campers' Mouths, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »
Thursday, July 28th, 2011
Camp is like a home away from home. Every year is full of fun, adventure, and excitement. I have been with the same group of girls that now feel like family; I can be as crazy as I want to around them. Camps is also the only time I really get out into nature and no amount of technology can compensate for living with nature.
The Warrior Dash
The warrior dash was such a blast! We had all these different teams and challenges that we had to complete. These are just some of the things we got to do. First we went to the warrior sing and had to make up a song for our team. Next I went to the 4-story treehouse and had to save “King Arthur” by choosing the right silver cup. We tossed shrunken heads (water balloons) back and forth in front of the lodge.
Hope Pohlman
Sanborn Camp is not about sitting around. Sanborn is about determination, courage, and responsibility. Sanborn is about getting in touch with nature, hiking the tallest mountains, riding a horse as fast as you can, and pushing yourself to the extreme! Sanborn is a new beginning and it never has an end. Sanborn camp is happiness, pure happiness.
Victoria Mak
In the world,
we get lost in the commonality
we forget to look for the beauty
we miss the glow of life
Then we come to nature and
we are afraid to look, love, listen
we are afraid that something might be perfect and true
we are terrified that something is real
That’s why together we can accept that
this might be what we’ve been searching for
this might open up our eyes to it all
Then we go back to the world
never to be the same.
S.S.
Swimming
Grab your towel, grab your goggles, bring your smile, and run to the pool. Cruise down the slide, and splash in the water. There’s so much to do at the POOL! Paddle around in the blow-up tubes! Use the noodles as any sea creatures. Adventure through the whole pool, there’s so much to do! You can play in the pool or out of the slide. I love the swimming pool! My favorite thing is to hang out in the sun and talk to my friends! Mis loves to go down the slide on a sleeping pad because it goes so fast! Addie loves to go down on a tube! I love the pool! There’s so much to do!
Emily Driscoll
Tags: Benefits of Summer Camp, Camper Post, Colorado Camps, colorado summer camp, Friendship, High Trails, impact of summer camp, nature awareness, Outdoor Fun, Outdoor Play, Sanborn Western Camps, summer camp in Colorado
Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Children and Nature, From the Campers' Mouths, Fun Activities, Kids and Technology, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 26th, 2011
I was new at camp the year. When I came I was scared and got homesick. Then everything got better, everyone was really nice!! My counselors were nice too! One of my favorite activities is horseback riding! You get to learn how to put the saddle on and learn how to brush your horse. Skit night was fun. It’s where you and your cabin make up a skit and perform it and everybody at High Trails watches. I like singing songs here like “Rocky Mountain High.”
Katie Neal
High Trails is like a second family to me. We all come here from different parts of the county and come from different backgrounds. But once we are surrounded by all of these beautiful mountains and trees and nature, none of that matters. Every new person is welcomed with hugs and smiling faces. And old friends are never forgotten. You are never bored because there are a variety of things to do. You can horseback ride, mountain bike, technical rock climb, rock scramble, swim, arts and crafts, and much more! High Trails gives me something to look forward to every summer and when it is over I know there are more girls enjoying the Rocky Mountain High.
Mimi Chapman
High Trails at Sanborn Camps is a summer worth of fun. There is something for everyone. Horseback riding, drama, hiking, climbing, pottery, and so much more. Sanborn is a safe environment where kids can learn and grow in the outdoors. We welcome new campers with open arms. Sanborn has become a second home to some and hopefully to you too. Sanborn is an experience you do not want to miss. Have you ever heard the wind dance in the aspen leaves? Have you ever slept out under the stars? Have you climbed to the top of a mountain peak? Have you ever gone tubing down a river? We guarantee you will have a blast! Throughout the term you will learn new things, meet new people, and do things you may not have. I tried Sanborn and I know I am a better person for it. Sanborn is the camp to go to. We hope to see you here next summer!
Kate Ratliff
It’s only the first week of Sanborn, and I can already tell you that walking uphill is A LOT easier. I’m sure by the end I will have gained so much muscle! Hiking a mountain will be a breeze. Then I will spend more time actually seeing the beauty of the Rockies. The hills gently roll, and the mountains…Oh the mountains! Last year when I was hiking up Quandry we got up at 3 in the morning. I can tell you it was well worth the early rise. In the light of the moon, the dew on the pines sparkles and glistened. It was probably one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen.
Not using technology was hard at first, but when you get to know how many things you can do without it, it gets easier. There is so much to do here, you really don’t have time for technology. If there’s anything to be said of Sanborn, it’s that you never get bored!
At Sanborn there are 2 sections. One is Big Spring, where the boys live. And I live at High Trails with the girls. It actually makes camp more enjoyable to be separate, you spend less time worrying about looks and boys and more time enjoying the outdoor experience. There are coed events where you get to see the boys. Best of both worlds!
Coming to Sanborn is a wonderful experience, and the people you meet always become your friends. It’s like a family away from family. Cliques don’t exist here. Everyone is there to help you out. If I could spend every summer here, I would say yes without even batting an eye.
Jen
Tags: Benefits of Summer Camp, Big Spring Ranch for Boys, Camper Post, Children in Nature, colorado summer camp, Community building, Friendship, High Trails Ranch for Girls, impact of summer camp, nature awareness, Outdoor Fun, Sanborn Western Camps, summer camp for girls and boys, summer camp in Colorado, Youth Development
Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, From the Campers' Mouths, Fun Activities, Kids and Technology, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »
Saturday, January 22nd, 2011
We can’t believe it is already the end of January! It feels like campers were just here sharing their stories from their trips and activities. While we reminisce about the summer, we are very excited for summer 2011, and all the stories to come!
Campers at the start of a 4-day long trip.
Camp has been a huge part of my life for the past four years. Since day one, everyone here has been kind, understanding, and fun. The girls in my cabin are my sisters and we are all part of a strong, loving community. Sanborn has pushed me to achieve goals I hadn’t even set for myself 4 years ago. I have been pushed to do what I thought was impossible, which has helped make me a stronger person. My self-esteem has grown enormously from my experiences here. I cannot believe this is my last year as a camper. I will never forget the times I’ve had here and the lifelong friends I’ve made. Camp’s been an experience of a lifetime that has changed me for the better and I will forever be grateful for the time I’ve had at Sanborn. - Jaclyn T.
I have made a lot of friends at camp. On my first overnight we went to Beyond A-Bluff and played Capture the Flag. I have done a lot of activities including rock scrambling, hat making, horseback riding, and a lot more. The food is GREAT! Camp is so much FUN! I am really excited for my long trip and Gymkhana. I am definitely going to come back next year! - Simms E.
On July 1, 2010 I climbed a 14,037ft mountain (Mt. Sherman). We lost the trail once, but didn’t back down and found it right in front of us again. When we reached the top we celebrated with apple cider and gummy bears. It was REALLY fun! And challenging. It was a wonderful experience and I’m so glad I went and climbed the mountain. - Hannah B.
Tags: Benefits of Summer Camp, Big Spring Ranch for Boys, Camper Post, Children Activities, Children in Nature, Colorado Camps, colorado summer camp, Friendship, High Trails Ranch for Girls, impact of summer camp, Sanborn Western Camps, summer camp, summer camp for girls and boys, Summer Camp for Kids, summer camp in Colorado
Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Colorado Front Range Summer Camps, From the Campers' Mouths, Fun Activities, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »
Thursday, January 6th, 2011
Camps have known about the importance and power of play for a long time. As outdoor educators and youth development professionals we do all that we can to promote children’s use of imagination, creative play, developing relationships, understanding of self and others, self-esteem, and appreciation for the outdoors (to name a few).
Research has been done and published promoting these lessons and the chance for children to play and explore. The New York Times published an article today about efforts made to promote play. This article supports our parents’ efforts to encourage their children to use their imaginations, disengage from video games, computers, and TV. We have long recognized and try to share the importance of free play and getting kids outdoors as a way to take advantage of imaginative play. Children need recess, camp, time in the backyard to develop and refine the life and relationship skills that are hard to learn in the classroom or on the soccer team.
Central Park hosted the Ultimate Block Party in October to promote the importance of play in children’s lives. While the party’s over, the Web site provides additional resources and research for parents. Just looking at the number of sponsors and endorsements the group received was inspiring for me to see the number of people and organizations that support the movement to get children playing.
Throughout the past year we have shared ideas and benefits of creative and imaginative play with our readers. As I searched our archives and reread what we’ve written, I realized that I couldn’t share every post that we’ve written, so I tried to limit the links (as hard as it was). These are just a few links to check out some of our ideas for helping children and parents helping their children get back to unstructured (while supervised) play: Snowy Day Activities, Bring on the Sunscreen,Parent Lessons from Camp, Go Play Outdoors, Hooray for the Wild Child, More Play, Time for a Special Place, Adventures with the 5 Senses, and Reconnect With Your Sense of Wonder. Sometimes children just need props to get their creative juices flowing and other times we try to provide limited guidance to help children feel comfortable with the idea of free play.
With greater recognition, support, and effort we can all help children reconnect with their childhood and enjoy playing again.
Tags: Benefits of nature, Benefits of Summer Camp, Children in Nature, Community building, Friendship, Imaginary Play, impact of summer camp, life lessons, life skills, nature awareness, Outdoor Activities, Outdoor Fun, Outdoor Play, Parenting, Sanborn Western Camps, Winter Activities, Youth Development
Posted in Benefits of Summer Camp, Children and Nature, Education, Fun Activities, Nature Activity, Nature Stories, Parenting, Sanborn Western Camps, Summer Camp for Kids, summer camp in Colorado | No Comments »
