Dear Newbie, Camp culture doesn’t happen by accident. Here is our first step in orienting staff to the magic of Danbee. First of all, thank you for choosing to become a member of a very special summer community. Get ready for an amazing ride. Being a camp counselor is the hardest job you will ever […]
What is the Danbee difference? I think it starts when a family decides that Danbee’s commitment to instilling empowerment and community service values becomes a differentiating factor for them from other summer options. As educators, all of us on the Danbee full-time team spend our year preparing for the next summer. The key word here […]
“Nice means moving forward with the clear-eyed confidence that comes from knowing that being very nice and placing other people’s needs, on the same level as your own, will get you everything you want.” Power of Nice Principles The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World With Kindness Book by Linda Kaplan Thaler […]
By far the most important tradition for any expedition I urge all camp owners and directors to share with all new camper families the following top 10 prep tips, excerpted from the book I co-authored with Dr. Jon Malinowski, The Summer Camp Handbook. Plan together. Instead of planning the entire event for your child, involve […]
Nevitt Sanford was a professor of psychology at the University of California at Berkeley. In 1962 in his book The American College outlines for his readers how universities by design can create an environment necessary for growth. Sanford posits: “Being placed in social roles that require new responses, having to make decisions concerning what role […]
“I thought 2020 would be the year I got everything I wanted. Now I know 2020 is the year I appreciate everything I have.” Author and Mom Julia Cho gave her daughter Audrey an assignment after hearing this from her while on a walk. Audrey said to her Mom: “She would never forget this pandemic, […]
There is an added bonus to going to camp, gifts that will keep on giving throughout a child’s life. Camps that intentionally weave into their mission a commitment to teach and practice skills that will make their children “Life- Ready” is that gift. Being ready for life means that campers will possess the grit and […]
The challenge in front of us isn’t that our world has been turned upside down; the challenge is how we choose to respond to that reality. A tall order to ask a group of campers aged 7- 15 that were only looking to go to camp in 2020. As with all setbacks at Danbee we […]
“True self-discovery begins where your comfort zone ends.” -Adam Braun The journey toward self-discovery is different for every child. Each person comes to camp with their own unique experiences and understandings about reality. Our premise – Reality can be relative. We all have filters which impact the way we interpret and respond to the world […]
The impact of “Dancing Like No One Is Watching” is alive and well in our Mess Hall at Danbee. This daily ritual allows girls to let loose, be themselves and to simply having fun. In the book Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh of Zappos, Hsieh talks about the DJ parties he threw for his friends: […]
As this rollercoaster of a year comes to an end, perhaps we should all take a moment to ponder the good things that happened to us amidst the chaos. There is usually a silver lining that can be found if you look for it. Start with positive thinking, a glass half full mentality and an […]
By design, single gender camps for girls, focus their efforts on empowering girls by teaching them those talents and role modeling how those skills can be utilized in real world situations. Mastering the skills associated with empowerment is the greatest gift a camp can offer its campers. Summer camps that plan with purpose can and […]
We’ve all experienced it at some point — you leave the comforts and ease of home to embark on a new adventure and are left missing your once familiar surroundings. Homesickness is very real and can be a hard feeling to overcome. It can be especially hard for new campers who may find themselves missing […]
From the moment your daughter steps off the bus, she will be welcomed with open arms to Camp Danbee! New campers can integrate beautifully into our camp family. With the help of our returning campers, our dedicated counselors, and our leadership team, we make sure the transition into camp is as smooth as possible. It’s […]
You’ve done your research and narrowed down your camp search, now what? Sending your kids away to summer camp can be stressful for parents, but with a little due diligence, the experience doesn’t need to cause stress. The best way to proceed with your comparison and to narrow your choices is to take a careful […]