February Kingswood News
Hello Kingswood families, alumni and friends! We hope your February is filled with heart-shaped candies, warm hugs, and a lot of love. January has been a busy month of staff interviews and planning, and we’re hard at work putting together the team that’s going to make this summer the best ever! From special summer events to staff highlights and tie-dye tips, read on for more exciting news from camp. As the snow melts and the days get longer, we are one step closer to Summer ’23!
Drumroll Please….The 2023 Family Handbook and All Camp Forms Are Now LIVE!
Camper forms are now live in your account, accessible through CampInTouch or the app-version of CampInTouch, Campanion. All forms are due by May 1. A doctor’s signature is required on the camper medical form, so please schedule a doctor’s visit ASAP.
Campanion is the easiest way to complete your camp forms, so if you haven’t put the app on your phone yet, download app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now.
Staff Announcements!
Last month we started to feature returning staff here, and in each issue of The Kingswood News leading up to camp we’ll introduce you to a few more! Our returning staff are the backbone of our camp community, and we’re thrilled to have these returners back for another awesome summer!
Amy Forman, theater staff extraordinaire, is returning from the UK for her 3rd summer at Kingswood as the Assistant Area Head of Theater in the Old Rec! Amy’s creativity and passion for theater and music is evident in everything she does (hello TikTok fame!) and we’re looking forward to seeing the campers’ creativity flourish under her guidance.
Adam Korn, hailing from Cambridge, MA, is returning for his 9th summer at camp and his 2nd as a counselor. Known affectionately at camp as AKorn, Adam can often be found with a gaggle of Olim boys close behind. Adam is known for his infectious energy and contagious enthusiasm.
Rosa Stern Pait is returning for a repeat performance as our Chalutzim Unit Head, after taking last summer off to complete her year as an Avodah Service Fellow in New Orleans. Originally from Brookline, MA and a graduate of Tufts University, Rosa will be back for her 9th summer, working with our 10th and 11th grade campers. Rosa’s love for community-building and her ability to inspire campers to push themselves to be their best selves is a true asset to our program.
It’s in the Family
When a camp has been around as long as Kingswood, we’re lucky to have families that have been a part of our history for decades. The Phillip family is one of those families. Noah Phillip, a Kingswood camper from the 90s, now sends his two kids, Myriam and Xander, to camp for all seven weeks. Having multi-generational camp families like the Phillip family is truly special, and it’s a testament to the lasting impact Kingswood has on our campers.
Noah went to camp for several summers when he was growing up, and says that his favorite things about Kingswood evolved and changed as he came back year after year. The consistent highlights of camp for him, though, were always the archery range and the waterfront, two areas he makes sure to visit whenever he’s able to visit camp. Noah says that “as I got older and got to be a counselor, I realized that really the most important thing about camp for me was being able to form my own Jewish identity with other Jewish kids and teens at camp.” Who would’ve thought that classic camp activities like Counselor Hunt and Gold Rush (which, by the way, are current camper faves, too!) would lead to Jewish identity formation!? Guess that’s just part of the magic of camp…
Noah adds, “when I was a kid, I never even thought that I would be sending my own kids to Kingswood someday,” but now that he has two campers of his own, he says the craziest thing about hearing Myriam and Xander’s Kingswood stories is the jealousy! According to Noah, “whenever they tell my stories of their time at camp I’m instantly transported right back.”
Myriam says that she loves hearing her dad’s stories of camp events, bunk life, and Dining Hall antics during Noah’s Counselor-In-Training year. Xander adds that it’s “really cool” to be able to look at the Color War plaques in the Old Rec spanning the decades and see his dad’s name on some of them.
Noah tells us that it’s particularly special, and a point of pride, to hear how Myriam and Xander are gaining independence and making their own Kingswood stories, while also excelling in Noah’s favorite parts of camp from when he was a kid. Myriam is one of our resident sharp-shooters on the Archery Range, and in Summer ‘22 Xander was crowned “Monarch of the Waterfront” at our annual Closing Campfire awards ceremony.
As we kick off our 110th anniversary year, it’s exciting to think about all the memories that the Phillip family has made at Kingswood over the years. From Noah’s experiences as a camper, CIT, and staff member, to Myriam and Xander’s current experiences on the archery range, waterfront, and beyond, Kingswood has proudly been a part of their family. As Myriam and Xander head off to camp this summer, they’ll be continuing a family tradition that spans decades.
We’re honored that the Phillip family has chosen to make Kingswood a part of their family’s history. We can’t wait to see Myriam and Xander make their own memories this summer, and we’re sure that Kingswood will hold a special place in their hearts for years to come.
DIY Tie-Dye!
Even though we just crossed the halfway to camp mark, summer can feel far away in February. To get in the camp mood, put on some good music, picture you’re at A&C, and let’s tie dye! Tie Dye is a favorite Kingswood bunk activity, and our A&C staff are pros, teaching cool techniques like swirls, stripes, and bull’s eyes. Even if a camper never chooses A&C as an elective, they’ll all go to A&C as a bunk activity once to Tie Dye! We give campers each one white Kingswood t-shirt to tie dye, but we’ve known campers to love it so much they leave camp with tie dyed shirts, sweatshirts, socks – even underwear! Dylan, our awesome head of A&C, wrote out instructions to share with you here. He says if you follow these instructions, you’ll end up with a beautiful, vibrant shirt every time!
We hope you have fun with this activity and that it brings a little bit of camp to your everyday life! Don’t forget to take a picture and tag us on social media so we can see your tie-dye creations!
Meet Ethan
As we gear up for camp, our facilities team is hard at work making sure our buildings and grounds are ready. Leading the charge is our Facilities Director, Ethan Fellows.
Ethan, a Maine native, has been with Kingswood for over a decade, and his dedication to maintaining and improving our facilities is unmatched. From small repairs to large renovations, Ethan and his team are always working to make sure camp is a safe and comfortable place for our campers to call home.
Ethan came to Kingswood when he was just 16, starting as maintenance staff as a summer job in high school, and eventually becoming the second-in-command to Eric Bloomberg, Kingswood’s longtime caretaker and camp legend. When Eric retired in 2019, Ethan stepped into the role, and we are grateful every day that we have someone who loves camp as much as Ethan does caring for our property all year-round.
Kingswood Dictionary: Schnoopencups
Schnoopencup [‘SHnu • pin • kəp] noun, Ahh, Schnoopencups. The elusive creatures of camp legend. You may have heard murmurs of these mysterious little critters around camp, but let us tell you, they’re real and they’re here at Kingswood. You see, Schnoopencups only come out at the witching hour of 3:33 AM, and they make their home under none other than Jodi’s cabin!
But don’t just take our word for it, ask any of the campers who have caught a glimpse of these sneaky creatures. They’ll tell you that Schnoopencups are not only real, but they’re also “nice” and “good.” And if you’re lucky enough to spot one, be sure to join in on the camp classic Schnoopencups song that has been passed down through generations of campers:
So as the night falls and the campfire dies down, keep your eyes peeled for those sneaky Schnoopencups. You never know what you’ll find at camp!
Team Kingswood Superstar!
While we all love to talk about camp, some campers talk about Kingswood so much they’ve convinced their friends to come too! When you can do that, we want you on our recruitment team – Team Kingswood! Our newest team member is 2nd year Olim camper Stella Azrin. Stella has already referred two new campers, so it’s a win-win-win! Her friends get to experience the awesomeness of Kingswood, Stella receives a super cool Team Kingswood referral gift, and Stella’s parents receive a $250 credit toward camp! Win-win-win! Here’s Stella, sporting her new Patagonia referral gift. Thanks Stella! Want to join Team Kingswood? Share your love of Kingswood with your most fun, friendly, awesome friends!
That’s a wrap for the February edition of The Kingswood News! Don’t forget to put Campanion on your phone, start working on your camp forms, and follow us on FB or Instagram for spring updates! Whether you’re new to Kingswood or you’ve been a part of camp for years, we always love to hear from you! Use the links below to schedule a meeting with Jodi or Mitch anytime. 🙂
Until next month, peace, love, and camp,
The Kingswood team
