And just like that, we are halfway through the summer…Where has the time gone?!!
This past week has been a blur of activities, fun and special events. We have had inflatable challenges courses to race through, an all-camp Pirate Day, camper choice tournaments with long-standing records being broken. There have been cookouts and theme dinners and the Kona Ice truck came back for a second visit – much to everyone’s delight. We even finished off the week with an all-camp Silent Disco with 3 DJs working simultaneously to entertain the crowd, and we haven’t even mentioned Lip Sync which is happening TONIGHT!
So read on to find out about everything we have been doing at the 12123 since last Friday!
Check Out The Weekly Video!
Bunk Photos
As we come to the end of our First Session we want to share our bunk photos from the beginning of the session! Parents of First Session Campers – keep an eye out for hard copies of these photos coming home with your child tomorrow!
Special Events
2-Day Tribals!!
The Play
This year the whole camp came together to watch an incredible performance of ‘The Little Mermaid’ that had the audience still singing the songs as they left the Garden. It was a real team effort with those behind the scenes putting in just as much work as those treading the boards out in front. The lead roles shined bright and every single member of the cast and crew should be really proud of the show they put on. Next stop BROADWAY!
Huge thanks go out to Rob Drama and everyone who was involved in this production. We can’t wait for our Second Session Variety Show in just a few weeks time.
Pirate Day
Wednesday saw yet another amazing theme day from Program Coordinator Doug Herbst, as the whole camp decorated flags, made boats, and took part in treasure hunts all over camp! Once all the racing was finished, there was time for free swim in the pool to get out of the heat.
Inflatable Obstacle Course Challenge
For a special event this week we went BIG and had not one, not two, but three huge inflatable obstacle courses that our campers and staff raced through, relay style! It was a sunny and fun-packed afternoon for everyone. When we finished the races, it was time to cool off in the sprinklers!
Silent Disco
For our First Session ‘Celebration’ we tried something new this year by bringing in 550 sets of headphones with 3 separate DJs on stage for a Silent Disco! Once the campers arrived in their respective age groups, they could switch between DJs to see who they wanted to listen to.
After the dancing (and very loud singing!) campers and staff went to the Dining Hall for the after-party with snacks and ice cream making before calling it a night.
Word around the Dining Hall was that it was one of the best Celebrations in Schodack history!
The Tray Flip!
Every year the whole camp comes together to take part in an event that puts your wits to the test…the Tray Flip! A simple premise, but the pressure is high as special events master OPJ, gathers everyone around and simply asks “Which side up will the tray land…Green or White?”
Once campers and staff decide, they pick a side and the whole camp counts down until the tray is flipped! Get it right and you stay in, get it wrong and you are out but get to cheer everyone else one. This continues until there is one person left who will live on forever in camp lore by getting their name added to the list of previous winners.
Congrats go out to this year’s winner, Daniel Lehman, who bravely crossed the line alone to pick white, knocking out over 3o people who incorrectly guessed green after 9 successive green tray flips.
Division Spotlight – Middle Camp
Middle Boys
It’s been an action-packed week here for the Middle Boys, kicking off with 2 Day Tribals(!!!) at the weekend. After Professor Persuasion was defeated and 2 Day Tribals broke on Friday night, the boys were split into their two teams – Green and White – for 2 days of hard-fought competition, ranging from the soccer field to the gaga court. After events including activity periods where the boys worked to earn points for their team, a Hatchet Hunt, plaque making, medleys, dashes and a relay, the Green team triumphed overall! Everyone came back together to sing ‘Friends’ at the end of Tribals to mark the reunion of the two teams and the end of another successful 2 Day Tribals.
The Middle Boys had a blockbuster week of special activities, including a joint bonfire with the Middle Girls mid-week, complete with… you guessed it, ‘smores. The whole Middle division enjoyed chilling out by the fire before heading off to bed. On Tuesday the lacrosse field was taken over by a giant inflatable obstacle course and all the Middle Boys got to race across the course to their heart’s content. Everyone had an amazing time although no-one could believe how physically tiring bouncing around for an afternoon could be! The best Middle Boys time came in at about 1:45 – will it be beaten next year?! Finally, the first session started to come to a close with Celebration Evening. Middle camp rocked out at a silent disco, with all bunks showcasing some impressive dance skills and singing along to party classics (and the camp favourite ‘Breakaway’ of course!). The evening rounded out with the Celebration Feast, a cornucopia of sweet treats including ice cream with all the toppings (oreos, whipped cream, chocolate chips AND sugar anyone?), waffles, cookies, pretzels… belts were bursting on the way back to the bunks after a Feast fit for princely Middle Boys.
There has still been plenty of time for the Boys to enjoy normal activity periods during the week. The Walnut Boys whipped up the tastiest guacamole Camp Schodack has ever seen in the camper kitchen, while a stone’s throw away the Sycamore Boys did what they do best, making impossible shots on the basketball court. The Spruce Boys, meanwhile, have perfected their own version of what they call ‘roofball’, a cross between tennis and basketball played over the roof of their porch in B1. Finally, the Pine Boys are dominating the wiffleball and spikeball world over on the old basketball court… while also finding time to thrash their bunk counsellors and Division Head on the chessboard.
All bunks have been working hard on their Lip Sync performances, the 2nd ‘Triple Crown’ event which takes place on Friday night. This year the Middle Boys’ offerings range from a ‘Muppets’ mashup to an Olivia Rodrigo medley – every musical taste is catered for, and the boys have already been drilling some impressive choreography to accompany their star lip syncers. On the day, costumes, wigs and props will be the order of the day… but for the rehearsal period, bunks are making do with singing into hairbrushes and audiences of their bunk staff and Division Head! There’s never a dull moment with the Middle Boys and you can be sure the next week will bring more triumphs and treasured memories in equal measure!
Middle Girls
The Middle Girls had a brilliant time this week at Schodack! Packed with fun filled activities and some glorious weather.
2-Day Tribals was upon us and after several fakes had already taken place, it was finally time for the break! Friday night saw an all Middle camp dodgeball game against the LT’s and the evil villain, resulting in a win for the middle division. We all ran from night activity to the rec hall steps to see 2 Day break and the color war begin. The first day of Tribals was packed with so much excitement. The Spruce girls gained some serious points with a thrilling game of steal the bacon. The Pine Girls showed off their immense skills at Basketball. With the Sycamore Girls putting up an incredible display in Volleyball.
The fun didn’t stop there, day 2 was just as exciting especially as the rain held off. The Middle girls were amazing in the Medleys, with a mix from all three bunks. Maddy Weiser took home the crown with a fabulous swim.
Next up we had the dashes which saw a Sycamore 1st and 2nd placing. Nicky Einhorn and Nia Abrams had a flat-out race to the end of the soccer pitch, nothing was left as they sprinted over the line. A super fun afternoon was had by all, with a Spruce and Pine game of lightening ball. All the girls loved it and played hard, earning points for their teams. At the end of the night we all sang friends and said goodbye to another year of 2 day.
Monday morning saw a fresh week here at Schodack, the sun was shining, and the middle girls were ready for the day. The morning started with some sporty activities; with the Pine girls starting the day off with their best Tennis skills. The Sycamore girls showed us their moves in Lacrosse; and the Spruce girls scored some great goals in Soccer. Later in the day the girls got to take a trip down to the lake to kayak, paddleboard and swim in the sun. We took two trips and managed to kayak all the way to the island in the lake and back. Everyone who went had the best time and made it back in time for a fun third campers’ choice.
That night the whole middle division made their best s’mores at the bonfire for night activity. We all sat around the fire, played music and enjoyed our tasty treats. On Tuesday we had another fun day of activities, with a twist. The middle girls had the best time on the inflatable obstacle course and raced each other showing off their gymnastic abilities.
To finish off our really fun week, the girls all took part in Pirate Day. All the bunks had the best time, building rafts ready for a race later on in the day. Against the middle boys and senior campers, the middle girls put up a valiant display with incredible rafts! The pirate flags are still out in front of the bunks!
We had the best week here at camp and can’t wait to for lip sync and whatever else next week has in store.
Division Write-Ups
Juniors
Super Junior Boys
Time sure is flying here at Schodack! We cannot believe we are finishing up the last week of the first session already. The boys have had an exciting week!
This week an amazing inflatable obstacle course arrived to camp for a special fun-filled day! All bunks had such a blast running through and racing their friends.
All Bunks are hard at work practicing for the second leg of Triple Crown-Lip Sync! All bunks are creating a lip-sync dance to fun music and are set to perform Friday night!
The Hawthorn Boys worked hard and made some fun one of a kind bookmarks in Arts and crafts this week.
The Maple Boys have loved cooking! They got to make their own chips and guacamole, it was so yummy!
The Elm Boys have really enjoyed a lot of activities this session but their top favorite is probably scho-karts! They enjoy racing along the track and cheering each other on!
Summer is quickly passing by, but so much more fun is still in store!
-Reagan
Super Junior Girls
The Super Junior Girls had an amazing week to round out the first session of camp! The week started with lots of Schodack cheers during two-day tribals, even though the bunks were split into two we all came together and had so much fun.
The Elm Girls in G3 were the first ones to complete the treasure hunt and collect all 7 coins during the pirate-themed special event day this week. This included running around camp in search of all of the treasure, ending in the playhouse where they found the hidden treasure.
The Oak Girls in G6 have adopted a new Squishmallow friend into their bunk and have been looking after it every day. Along with that, they have remained in the top three for the cleanest bunks on camp!
The Hawthorn Girls in G3a hosted an ‘official’ wedding during campers’ choice including personal invitations to all of their neighboring bunks. Everyone was gathered around the bunk celebrating and laughing together… it was most definitely a sight to see!
The Maple Girls in G4a you can always find dancing around their bunks having a blast! They have been looking forward to the breakfast in bed that they won during a trivia night!
The first session ended in a blink of an eye, we are saying farewell to all of our friends who are only first half, but so happy we had the best time ever! Can’t wait to wrap up this week with the slideshow, celebration, and lip sync!!
Xo, Morgan
Super Seniors
The last week of the first half has been filled with amazing Super Senior moments that will remain as core camp memories for these campers for years in the future. Over the past seven days, the Super Seniors have been engaging in bunk activities as well as running full-camp events for every camper and staff member in the 12123!
– Every summer, the 2-Day and Tribals generals, captains, head lieutenants, and lieutenants participate in Hatchet Hunt, an activity where these leaders dig through a woodchip pit in search of a cloth and tape wrapped hatchet. This summer, the Super Senior Girls’ own Hannah Cohen pulled the hatchet out of the pit, making this only the second time ever a lieutenant has found the hatchet.
– The Super Seniors filled seats as the first audience for the dress rehearsal of “The Little Mermaid,” this summer’s musical. Laughter, applause, and cheers echoed from the amphitheater in this “sneak peek” at the show. Congrats to the cast and crew on the wonderful performance!
– The Super Seniors planned, decorated, and ran Celebration this Thursday, a camp-wide party around the Playhouse. This year, the Super Seniors created a Casino Night theme, decorating the playhouse in enormous painted playing cards, streamers, disco lights, and even a red carpet! Campers enjoyed dancing, card tables, and lawn games at sundown. It was amazing!
– On Tuesday night, the Super Seniors watched the NBA Finals as their night activity following a dinner of wings and veggies. With the entire division in the Rec Hall, the vibe was electric and the commentary did not stop until long after the last buzzer!
– The Super Senior Girls had a waterslide party in the rain this week as the final part of a two-week-long storm passed over camp. Covering the slide (and themselves) with soap and bubbles, the girls had a fantastic time on corral hill in the downpour. Nothing can rain on the Super Senior parade!
The Super Seniors had a great first session of camp this summer, and second session is already looking to be one for the books. The energy from the Super Seniors is felt around camp, and we are all excited for what’s to come. Until next week! – Eli
LTs
The LTs have had another amazing week here at camp. 2-Day Tribals was an incredible event with highlights of Waiter Football and the now legendary CIT Water Basketball. The latter in particular was as hard-fought and thrilling as any in living memory. The LTs were seen to full effect on Tuesday and Wednesday helping in bunks – when our staff takes their day off. They are learning at a rapid rate and the reports from campers, staff and head staff alike have been overwhelmingly positive. The all-in-one-year campers will be receiving their ‘permanent’ assignments just before Lip Sync this Friday – campers and LTs are equally excited.
The LTs scarfed an enormous order from My Place on Wednesday night as a celebration of their efforts and success over the last few days and will next be ‘on parade’ organizing the arrival, welcome, and unpacking of the Second Session Campers on Sunday. Just the latest in our continued pursuit of sunsets and wins!
Activities
Alongside all of the fun-filled special events we have been hosting, there has been lots of time to continue hitting the courts and the sports fields for activities. As the mid-way point of the summer gets ever nearer, Ultra Leagues is ramping up. Commissioner and ACS, Andrew, has been scheduling mid-season tournaments that are being played as we type!
Camper choice tournaments have seen the Golden Arrow, Bruins 88 Hockey, Home Run Derby, Free Throw contests, and more take place, with the winners of each getting their names etched into the world-renowned ‘Book of Everything’ (formerly the ‘Book of Records).
There truly is something amazing happening every minute of every day here at camp – The only problem is trying to fit it all in!
Check out these amazing pictures of the night sky at camp, captured by LT Skyler Lipkind.
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We’ll be back next week with more photos, stories, and videos of life here under the Schodack Sun
