Safety
is stressed at all times.
We ride horses, climb rocks, canoe whitewater, take long backpacking trips — and teach safety as a primary consideration. We follow a number of self-imposed guidelines including specific and individual approval of lifeguards, drivers, and trip leaders. A high level of instructor qualification, along with ongoing training and supervision, is another key to an excellent safety record.
Good Judgment
Being safe has a great deal to do with using good judgment. As a parent, you wouldn’t teach water safety by keeping a child away from the water; you’d teach her to swim. But most importantly, you’d teach the art of judgment: knowing when to attempt something and when to retreat.
Self-confidence
Self-confidence goes hand in hand with good judgment and is dangerous without it. We endeavor to develop the pioneer spirit in our campers, the spirit of adventure and discovery, and of confidence in one’s self, while at the same time teaching them to prepare thoroughly and carefully for any undertaking.
Adventure
Adventure, and the pioneer spirit, can happen at any level, from an afternoon creek stomp to an epic five-day adventure. In everything, and at all levels, safety, preparation, and judgment are not only practiced but taught as a part of skill development. This approach helps children carry over an attitude of safety into activities well beyond camp. The art of discipline is as important a part of any skill as the skill itself.
Emergency Action Plans
Over the course of a fun-filled camp experience, situations may arise that threaten the health, safety, or well-being of the campers or staff. These situations could be medically related (e.g. injury, infection), natural (e.g. severe weather), or man-made (e.g. fire, power outage). In most cases, mishaps are minor (e.g. slips, trips, and falls), but the possibility for major incidents must be recognized and addressed.
We have thorough protocols for a variety of potential emergency situations, which we review and drill with both staff and campers during the summer. Our Emergency Action Plan, which is reviewed and updated yearly, can be viewed here.
