What an amazing second week of first session and a great Shabbat! To kick off week three of camp, let’s hear from leadership within our Yalla (1st time camper), Macks (10th grader) and LIT (11th grade) villages on what the past week has looked like for their campers and staff…..
The summer has been off to an amazing start for Yalla Village! Yalla Aleph and Yalla Bet campers have experienced so many fun activities during their week-long session at Capital Camps. Some highlights include jumping off the lake toys, flying through the air on the dual-zipline, and learning new Rikkud dances.
One of my favorite parts of each Yalla session is the Yalla Talent Show. Through dances, songs, magic tricks, and many other talents, our Yalla campers beam with pride when performing in front of their peers and counselors. It has been incredible to witness these campers experience the magic of Capital Camps for the first time and build lasting friendships with one another.
On the last night of every Yalla session, the counselors present each camper with a “Yalla Certificate of Completion”. This certificate marks the end of a wonderful first Capital Camps journey. We conclude the night by singing songs led by Head Songleader, Nick May, and look forward to seeing the campers back in Benjamin Village next summer. I feel so lucky to get to know each Yalla camper and to be a part of their first summer at Capital Camps.
I cannot wait for a fantastic rest of the summer in Yalla Village! –Rebecca Cohen, Yalla Village Leader
Macks Village is special for so many reasons, the first being that the separate cabins from previous summers are becoming one community. I am seeing that transition firsthand with your children. The friendships that they had from previous summers are growing stronger, while new friendships are blossoming.
We returned from our ACE trip on Tuesday, spending time together zip-lining, white water rafting, playing in the lake, and completing a challenging mud course. This trip created some core memories for my staff, the campers, and also myself.
Within two days of returning from ACE, Macks Village produced an amazing Carnival, which in addition to the giant slides and jump toys, featured 11 booths, including two new ones called Caricatures and Human Fruit Slot Machine.
I am very excited for the rest of the summer and I am truly lucky to be the village leader for your children. –Noa Brown, Macks Village Leader
LITs had a wonderful time in the south, balancing learning about our country’s civil rights struggles and recreational fun like enjoying a Blues cruise. We were very moved by the civil rights monument In LaGrange, Georgia, especially the Warren Temple United Methodist Church, which was the site of a lynching in 1940, and the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) in Montgomery. In Atlanta, we visited the childhood home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as MLK National Historic Park and the famous Ebenezer Baptist Church. We explored some of Atlanta’s most historic landmarks, such as World of Coke and Ponce City Market. We learned a lot, pushed ourselves outside our comfort zone, and bonded as an LIT community! This week, we’ve jumped right back in at camp with Leadership training, camp traditions, and fun activities! –Brenda Serpick, LIT Village Leader