Camp Sealth
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Camp Sealth is located on Vashon Island, Washington. It is owned and operated by Camp Fire USA. During the summer it is a resident summer camp and day camp, and during the off-season it is an environmental education center and can be rented for retreats. Camp Sealth is an American Camp Association accredited camp.[1] The new camp director is Rick Taylor.
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[edit] Location
Camp Sealth is on Vashon Island, Washington. It consists of 400 acres (1.6 km²) of woodlands and wetlands. There are over 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of beach along the Colvos Passage in the Puget Sound. Predominately, campers come to Sealth via an Argosy Cruise ship dubbed "Da Boata" that departs from Fishermans Terminal. A smaller percentage of campers travel via "Da Bussa" from the Tacoma Ferry Dock. A handful of campers are driven in by private car.
[edit] Campers
Camp Sealth is a co-educational camp serving children from 5-21. Many children from all backgrounds come to Camp Sealth, and Camp Sealth makes a strong effort to mainstream children with special needs and illnesses into its programs. Camp Sealth has worked with the American Diabetes Association since 1941. Camp Sealth also works with the American Lung Association for asthmatic campers, the Gluten Intolerant Group, and the PKU clinic at the University of Washington. Scholarships ("camperships") for low-income kids are available.
[edit] Programs
[edit] Regular Camp
Campers are divided into Units of cabin groups based on the grade they'll be going into next fall.
[edit] Milky Way
For boys grades 1-3. Boys are placed into cabins named after stars and constellations, across the camp road from Birdcage (the Arts & Crafts building).
[edit] Misty Mountain
For girls grades 1-3. Girls are placed into quaint little cabins, named after mountains, right next to the Orchard (a common area of camp, with only one tree).
[edit] Magic Hill
For boys grades 4-6. Boys are placed into cabins on Blueberry Hill (not the unit, the place) and enjoy such activities as Archery and Outback.
[edit] Blueberry Hill
For girls grades 4-6. Girls are placed into cabins on Blueberry Hill and enjoy such specialty camps as Arts & Crafts and Cooking.
[edit] Day Camp
For kids ages 4 to 11. Children come Monday through Friday, arriving between 8 and 8:30 in the morning. Most leave by 3:30, but extended care is available until 5:30.
[edit] Village
For kids grades 7-8. Children are usually placed in Village South if they are boys or Village North if they are girls.
Experience the choices, the independence, the things that you never thought you'd do...crazy, hilarious, fun times and quiet, thoughtful moments, too. Expand your world with new activities, plus new spins on the favorites you grew up with, to create your own environment. Spend a week with counselors who will challenge you and share great times with you and your peers. Make lasting friendships, explore and share your values and goals, and gain a new sense of independence.
You, your new friends and counselors will participate in exciting activities like broom hockey, Ultimate Frisbee® and color-wars, plus hang out with your group for beach fires. Kayaks, the challenge course and advanced archery equipment will offer new challenges. You may "sneak" a cabin of younger kids for treats and games, or pitch in on a service project to improve Sealth's trails, campsites or cabins.
[edit] Horizon
For kids grades 9-12. Children are usually placed in Horizon.
[edit] Wrangler
Wrangler is Camp Sealth's horse camp. Children spend 2 hours a day learning about horses and how to ride and care for them. Levels of the horse program are Range Riders, Rodeo Riders, Pony Express, Gauchos, and Masters. In addition, there is an English riding specilaty session and Trail Riders, where campers from all levels come together.
[edit] Kiwanis
Kiwanis is Camp Sealth's windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, and nocturnal specialty camps. Depending on the session, kids spend 2 hours every day learning how to do a specific kind of boating. Kiwanis campers stay in teepes. Kiwanis is named after Kiwanis International, whose Seattle Chapter helped build Camp Sealth.
[edit] Tripping
There is one cabin of Tripping every session, where kids either take a trip outside of Camp Sealth or take day trips. Recent Tripping sessions include Vashon bike trips, Camano Island kayaking trips, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting in Oregon. There is a swimming and boating area where campers can play in the freezing water. Water is literally freezing! Have fun.
[edit] Teen Leadership
[edit] CITs and RSITs
The Counselor-In-Training (CIT) program and Riding-Staff-In-Training (RSIT, formerly WIT) program challenges kids grades 10-12 to learn more about working with kids or horses. CITs and RSITs visit other camps in the area and participate in workshops of how to work with kids. There are two sets of CITs and RSITs, formerly, there was a CIT I and CIT II program, but currently both sessions of CITs are equal in level. CITs shadow and do a live-in with a counselor. RSITs shadow and do a live-in with the riding staff.
[edit] Teen Interns
After a training session, teens going into 11th or 12th grade can be an intern with a cabin counselor, the riding staff, or program specialists. Interns are "junior staff" and are not paid.
[edit] Activities
Canoeing, rowing, swimming, fishing, kayaking, field games, archery, challenge course, broom hockey, nature, touch tanks, arts and crafts, an overnight, firebuilding, outdoor cooking, singing, sandcastles, beach walks, aqua luca, tea parties, hiking, making friends, wail lunches, and council fire.
[edit] History
Camp Sealth was founded in 1920 on Blake Island, and moved to its present location on Vashon Island in 1921. The South End Forest Fire on Vashon burned a good deal of Camp Sealth in 1922,[2] and campers helped fight the fire. Rounds Hall, the dining hall, was built in 1921, and it is dedicated to "Daddy" Rounds. It was renovated in 2005, giving it a better foundation and new roof. In 2005, a new Birdcage building was built, replaceing the Old Birdcage, which housed arts and crafts, and Nature Nook. The Green Birdcage is an eco-friendly building for environmental education in the off-season and arts and crafts during the summer. In the 1990s, a new Wrangler unit was built.
Camp Sealth was an all-girls camp prior to 1975, when Camp Fire USA became co-educational. Currently, about half the campers are male and half are female.
Indy Mann is attending this camp in the summer of 2008, he is a part of DDC from Nottingham Trent.
Alumnus: Every two years (odd years) Camp Fire members and Camp Sealth past attendees and staff, gather in September to sing old camp songs, participate in a service project, as well as reconnect with old friends. Those wishing to be added to the list may contact the Camp Fire USA, Central Puget Sound office to be added to the mailing list, or visit their website for further information. 206.461.8550 People come from all of the United States to attend this event, and Camp Fire welcomes individuals who were involved with Camp Fire elsewhere in the country.
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