Black Pond Post

Caring. Honesty. Respect. Responsibility. 

Greetings Woodstockers!
My name is Conley Cummings and I have the privilege of being the Program Director at Camp Woodstock this summer. I cannot wait to get this summer kicked off and spend another summer with all of you! This year will be my 13th summer at camp; I first came as a 9 year old in cabin 2. I've had many great memories and experiences at camp that I am excited to share and bring into my life again this summer. I recently graduated from Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts with my degree in elementary education. I love working with kids and teaching new skills. Hopefully I will soon have a classroom of my own. In my free time I enjoy hiking trips, playing board games, and watching sports. I can't wait to see you all this summer and look forward to making it the best one yet!
Do You Know About the 
Summer Slide?

      No, we're not talking about diving into the cool, refreshing waters of Black Pond. We're talking about summer reading loss, which educators describe as the summer slide. 

     Research shows that the best predictor of summer academic loss or gain is whether a child reads during the summer. And the best predictor of whether a child reads is whether he or she has access to books.   

     This summer, Camp Woodstock embarks on an exciting new initiative: a common read for all campers, counselors, families and alumni that we're calling Woodstock Reads. During sessions one and three, we will read Charlotte's Web by E. B. White.  During sessions two and four, we will read The Not Just Anybody Family by Betsy Byars. Each cabin will have a copy of the common read book for the session. Counselors will facilitate the read between campers and counselors. We encourage you to join us and read along at home.   

     "Reading is the foundational skill for later learning. The National Reading Panel found that increasing the time that children spend reading is the single most powerful strategy for improving literacy skills in fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension."

Going Green at Camp 

     The Cabin Field is going green! You might know the Cabin Field as the area in front of Pop's Lodge where you park your vehicle when you arrive at Camp Woodstock for check in, but it is so much more!  For your campers, the Cabin Field is used for gaga, frisbee, capture the flag and making new friends. Unfortunately, a combination of high use, poor grading, and storm water drainage has created a serious erosion and sustainability issue for the Cabin Field.

     During the course of the past academic year, we engaged in a wonderful collaboration with the UConn Landscape Architecture Program to tackle these complex challenges and seize the programming opportunities. The key restoration and sustainability components of the proposed site plan include vehicular and pedestrian circulation, re-grading to achieve usable terraced program areas, storm water treatment, and native plantings. What does this mean for your campers? Imagine an athletic field of green for your camper to lay on, play on, and fall on.

     What does this mean for you when you arrive for check in? Parking spots will be moved to a new location on Camp that will preserve our natural beauty around the lake. Be prepared to stop early on Camp Road and follow the directions of our volunteers. With your help we will keep Woodstock beautiful!

Y logo with focus B&W
Ask Oscar
Oscar! I'm  excited about camp but I was wondering how I pick my classes?
On Sunday, the counselors will share all the exciting activities you have to pick from for that week. After that you get to select four activities to participate in all week long! You'll get to try new things and have fun learning! 
Email Oscar your question about camp.

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Dates to Remember
Black Pond Biathlon
1/2 mile swim & 5k run
Saturday, June 14th
8:00 am

All proceeds benefit the Annual Campaign, which allow kids to experience Camp Woodstock and make life long friendships
YMCA Camp Woodstock
42 Camp Road
Woodstock Valley, CT 06282
1-860-974-1366 | 1-800-782-2344