Camp Highlands is a classic traditional American summer camp offering a wide variety of activities. Skill development is part of what takes place, but real camping is so much more. It includes experiencing the great out-of-doors, making friends from around the world, seeing a zillion stars at night, sharing the responsibilities of group living, gaining confidence from meeting success while learning new skills, sharing the magic of a campfire, and living with counselors who reinforce the values that most parents share.
The staff is absolutely critical. We can have the best of intentions and the highest goals for providing quality camping experiences for the boys, but the reality is that the staff must make the good things happen. The best way for us to be assured of good experiences is to know the staff ... and we do. We tend to grow our own. Only one cabin counselor out of thirty-two was new to Highlands this past summer. There is a core of maturity on the staff as evidenced by the fact that last summer, twenty-seven were teachers.
Even our younger counselors bring years of Highlands summers to their jobs. This is amazing for a camp, but typical for Highlands. And it will continue, because this past season, ten of our eleven assistant counselors had been Counselors-In-Training the previous summer. Seventeen of our eighteen Counselor’s-In-Training had been Highlands campers! They are being groomed to replace those who graduate from college and move on to that other world.
We have watched these young men grow and mature. We know they are kind, responsible, and positive. Our staff will again be amazing.
Camp Highlands is the oldest private boys camp in the United States. Our roots go back to the University of Chicago Laboratory School in 1904. W.J. “Doc” Monilaw was the director for fifty years. His tradition of quality still stands.
We maintain a nondenominational atmosphere at Camp Highlands, but character and values have always been important to us. By trying to do what you know is right from your value base and thinking of the other person before you act; you will be the kind of person others will want as a friend. This simple philosophy that all religions share sets the tone for a wonderful supportive atmosphere that every boy can relate to.
We emphasize the value of each person. We encourage boys to try new challenges and finish what they start. Kindness and consideration are a big part of everyday life at camp.
While the campers learn new skills and make new friends, we do our best to help them have a relaxed and fun time. We think that this kind of quality experience is the best kind of camping tradition!
By the way – did we mention that a summer at Camp Highlands is fun? It is. No wonder so many of our campers keep returning. No wonder we now have fourth generation campers!
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