The final week is spent doing some of Green Cove’s biggest traditions and adventures—Camp Cup, the 8-Hour Bike Event, invitational trips, final overnights, and end-of-summer celebrations. These are the moments many girls have been working toward since the very beginning of camp, and we couldn’t be prouder of all they’ve accomplished.
I had the privilege of being at camp for Goal Setting Night—a tradition unique to Main Camp where girls dream, plan, and begin working toward adventures that are meaningful to them. Each camper made her way to different activity areas to sit down with activity heads and map out her goals for the summer. For some, that goal was a swimming trip to Little Pisgah. For others, it was earning a spot on a four-day climbing trip to Linville Gorge. Every goal was different because every camper was different.
I’ll admit, I expected a little comparison. In a world that constantly encourages us to do more, achieve more, and be more, I wondered if girls would look around and question whether their goals were “big enough.”
Instead, Green Cove reminded me why it’s so special.
There isn’t a hierarchy of goals here. No one is keeping score. The girl hoping to complete her kayak roll is celebrated just as enthusiastically as the girls paddling the Ocoee.
The camper working toward her first rock climbing trip out of camp receives the same encouragement as the one preparing for a five-day trip. At Green Cove, courage is measured by taking the next step—not by how far that step happens to be.
In this final week, campers are celebrating not only their own accomplishments but each other’s as well. They have discovered that success isn’t about doing the biggest thing—it’s about doing the thing that challenged you. And perhaps that’s one of the greatest lessons Green Cove teaches.
Comparison may be the thief of joy, but you’ll have a hard time finding it here. At Green Cove, every goal matters, every accomplishment is celebrated, and every girl is cheered on exactly where she is.
