When I think of summer camp, I think of running outside, swimming in a lake, eating sandwiches on big rocks, and telling stories by a campfire. Trail Blazers is just this kind of camp and they have been doing it for a long, long time. We talked to two of their best camp directors, Christopher and Jay, to learn more about this tradition and how our community can participate this year.
Christopher (Overnight Camp Director on the left) and Jay (Day Camp Director on the right)
Trail Blazers started 130 years ago. Can you briefly tell us a bit about how the program as evolved?
Trail Blazers has one of the longest histories of all summer camps in America and we are proud to say that we will be celebrating our 133rd summer this year! We launched our inaugural summer in 1887 as Life’s Fresh Air Farm with the goal of getting children from the city to connect to nature. While some elements have changed, like our name and the addition of year-round after school and recess programs, the fundamentals remain the same. We continue be a place where children can connect to nature as well as connect to themselves and each other. We believe in being outside, unplugging from technology, stewarding our environment and community supporting children in exploring, learning to overcome challenges, and very importantly, we believe in play. You will see all of these elements in our Overnight Summer Camp (Grades K-12), Day Summer Camp (Grades PreK-5), School Break Camps (Grades PreK-5), and After School and Recess program (Grades PreK-5).
What makes Trail Blazers different from other camps?,
One of the most obvious differences between Trail Blazers and other camps is that we are outside – A lot! Rain or shine we are out and about, seeking adventure and rarely get scared indoors. Also, at Trail Blazers we embrace challenge because we recognize that challenge leads to growth, independence and success. For the youngest members of our camp, taking a walk in Prospect Park may seem like the deep woods, and it can be tough, but with strong, fun and kind leaders, they can not only do it, but also laugh and sing the whole way. One thing that might not be so obvious is our emphasis on a youth-led programming where youth are encouraged to explore and staff design activities specifically for their own group. This is made possible by small groups and staff to child ratios that ensure that camper receive the individualized attention and support they need. Our approach has been recognized with the 2018 Algorhythm Hi-Impact Award for significant impact on positive youth development (learn more at https://algorhythm.io/algorhythms-2018-hi-impact-award-winners) and the American Camp Association of NY/NJ’s 2012 Harold Breene Youth Education Award for “youth development in a creative camp environment”. We are also accredited by the American Camp Association. And another distinguishing trait is staff from Brooklyn as well as all over the world!
Your website says you have staff from around the world. Can you tell us a little bit about how you find your staff and train them?
We take great care in how we build our teams and diversity is a large part of that. Your child has the opportunity to look up to trained leaders with different backgrounds, perspectives, skills (and accents too!). No matter your camper’s background, there is a role model for everybody. In addition to hiring and training staff locally, we recruit staff from the UK, Netherlands, Jamaica, New Zealand, and beyond. We hold face-to-face interviews with each potential staff member, allowing us a chance to really get to know them and their approach to child development. There are also background and reference checks, as safety is of the utmost importance. Staff are trained for two weeks (lifeguards train for three weeks) prior to camp starting. This intensive pre-camp training prepares them to deliver a memorable and enriching summer for your camper.
Tell me about the mini overnight adventures. It sounds so fun and seems like a great way to introduce sleepaway camp. Are they just one night away? Do you offer bus service there? How far away is it? What do they do there?
There’s no denying the excitement that our campers get when they hear about overnight camp! But there’s also no denying the nervousness of parents who aren’t quite ready to spend two weeks away from their little ones. Which is why we introduced the massively popular Mini Camp. It’s a 6 day and 5 night adventure at our beautiful, forested Mashipacong Estate in Sussex County, NJ just a two-hour bus ride away on our bus (leaving from our Brooklyn office). The campers will get the opportunity to experience our full program like generations of campers before them. They will swim in the gorgeous Lake Mashipacong, go boating, biking, try archery, hike the forest trails and even get to cook some meals outside and roast marshmallows around a campfire, which they learned to build themselves.
I see you have an income-sensitive payment scale. That’s awesome! How do you fund this? Do you receive grants or other funding? Can parents who can afford it contribute to the scholarship fund?
At Trail Blazers we believe that every child should have access to opportunities to learn and grow and that our spaces should be more diverse. Every summer we are reminded that there is a cost/access challenge where high-quality no-fee programs have limited spots and high-quality programs with spots are often economically unfeasible for those who need them the most. We also are aware that many of our learning spaces are segregated by socio-economic background. Our effort to address this is to offer programs on a tiered pricing schedule based on family income, allowing those who can contribute to do so. Trail Blazers is a 501c3 nonprofit, and the rest of our programs’ costs are supported by our own fundraising events, individual donations, and foundation/corporate grants. One of our funders currently has a matching challenge running through June 1 – all donations to the Scholarship Fund are eligible to be matched dollar-for-dollar and help get more campers to camp!
This post is sponsored by Trail Blazers
Thank you for supporting the businesses that support us.