Category: Camp News

Dear Nakanawa Family and Friends,

We are delighted to announce that Karen Rathgeber Hale (TR 80) has agreed to serve as the next Director of Camp Nakanawa. Karen’s long tenure as Head Counselor and deep connection to camp, combined with her business experience, make her an ideal choice. The next years will be ones of transition and change as we retire and camp segues to a non-profit. It is incredibly reassuring to us to know that Karen will be the person to guide camp through these coming summers. She will officially begin her transition to directorship in the fall of 2021, and plans to make camp her permanent residence. 

Karen first came to Junior Camp from Houston in 1974. During her Tent Row summer, she was elected Captain and then selected as Lady of the Cup, an award presented to her by “Mitch.” A graduate of Texas A & M, she returned to Senior Camp as a cabin counselor intermittently from 1982 to 1999, and led many activities including Softball, Climbing Wall, Horseback Riding and Sailing. Since 2000 Karen has served as Head Counselor in either Junior or Senior Camp, making her one of the longest tenured head counselors since “Wally” Hall. During this time she has led both Two-Week and Four-Week sessions. She has provided continuous, strong leadership in Senior now for 14 summers, helping guide us through challenges that include dealing with technology, enrollment, staff, and COVID-19.   

Karen, with her late husband Chris, operated a successful business in Salado, Texas, for over twenty years. Karen also served as property manager of their own 17-acre property and her family’s 500-acre ranch. She has worked on numerous boards and was a civic leader in her community. Her background in marketing, graphic design, social media and photography are yet another asset. She has acquired an intimate working knowledge of every aspect of camp operations, from the location of fuse boxes to the recipe for frozen fruit salad. She knows the history of Nakanawa from A to Z, understands the lineage of our four-generation camp families, and has been a key part of TIES and our great alumni volunteers. A section on leadership in the Centennial History reads: “Karen, valued for her upbeat personality, always takes time to listen. She works to ensure camaraderie between the Junior and Senior staffs. An avid outdoorsman, she encourages a love of nature and adventure. Karen brings a sense of fun and playfulness to Senior Camp to counteract the pressures that fill the lives of today’s teenagers. She values the transformative nature of camp and the role Nakanawa plays in shaping the characters of young women.”

After working so closely with Karen for over 40 years, we know that she will provide that rare combination of warmth, humility and strength. She inspires us and those she leads with her caring attitude, wise counsel and sensitivity to the needs of others. Her dedication to the values of camp and her generous and giving personality shine brightly to all. Rest assured that Karen is committed to the continuation of “Nakanawa being Nakanawa.”  

We would like to send a special “Thank You” to the Search Committee led by Donya Boylston Rose, Shelly Duer Landau and Margaret Hawkins Matens, with Holly Ivey, Kelsie Costello Wagner, Barbara Keith Brown Payne, and Lizzie Mills Murthy, all Nakanawa alumnae. The committee spent countless hours reviewing applications to help find the person who would lead Nakanawa into its second century. We are grateful for the professionalism and inclusiveness of the search process and the high standards that were set. We were awed by the number and strength of the applicants, especially given the short time frame of the search. The common thread among those who applied was their abiding love for this camp and the desire to see Nakanawa transition successfully to new leadership and governance. It is indeed a testament to the impact Nakanawa has had on so many lives that such an impressive group of women were willing to consider undertaking the unique challenges and way of life that come with being camp director.

Nakanawa’s 102nd summer was a wonderful, memorable one. We feel blessed that we were able to complete our sessions safely. We look forward to starting work on our new camp home and to keeping in touch with all of you who have been a beloved part of Nakanawa and of our lives. One of the benefits of Karen Hale’s many years at camp is her multitude of lifelong camp friends. We know that many of you who have come to know and love Karen will be celebrating with us as you receive this news. We trust that Karen will be able to count on the same outpouring of support that we have received over the last four decades.  If you would like to contact Karen, her email address is: karen.campnak@gmail.com

Sincerely,

Ann and Pepe Perron
Directors

Please complete every item on your Counselor Checklist prior to arriving at Camp Nakanawa. We look forward to a wonderful summer together!

REGISTER AND COMPLETE THESE ITEMS:

1. SELECT YOUR COMMITTEES AND ACTIVITIES
2. EMERGENCY INFORMATION FORM
3. ELIGIBILITY FORM AND TAX FORM
4. MEDICAL FORM 2021 – MUST BE SIGNED BY A DOCTOR
5. PLEASE READ YOUR 2021-COUNSELOR-TRAINING-MANUAL

THE MANUAL COVERS A LOT OF IMPORTANT INFORMATION PLEASE BE SURE TO MAKE TIME TO READ THIS BEFORE PRE-CAMP 🙂

Pre-Order your 2021 Staff T-Shirt (Optional!)
Every counselor will receive one free white staff shirt upon arrival at Camp Nakanawa. This is a different t-shirt – designed by our counselors – that is available for you to purchase. Again, this is not mandatory, just a fun option you may want to think about. The shirts will be shipped to camp and given to you there. THANK YOU MARGARET MATENS for the wonderful artwork that you created! Please place order by June 7th.

Click Here to Order a Short Sleeve Staff T-Shirt

Click Here to Order a Long Sleeve Staff T-Shirt

*READ EACH OF THE FOLLOWING TUTORIALS:

1. Meet Ann Perron
2. Pepe says hello!
3. Meet Annette Hall
4. Meet Karen Barlow Parrish
5. Meet Your Head Counselors
6. A brief history of Camp Nakanawa
7. How to be a great role model
8. Child development and Camp
9. Counselors as teachers
10. Our Focus is the campers
11. Devotions and bonding with your cabin
12. Cabin life tips
13. Homesickness
14. What to expect as a brand new counselor
15. Transitioning from Camper to counselor: please watch this 20 minute video prior to camp!
16. Rest Hour Etiquette
17. Extras that you may want to bring to camp…
18. Social Media & Going Unplugged
19. The new “reality” for girls
20. Taking care of YOU!

AND NOW, A FEW MORE COUNSELORS HAVE SOME ADVICE TO SHARE…GET TO KNOW THEM ALL!

Margaret Leatherbury – We wear many hats
Caroline Harris – Life as a Counselor
Mop’s 30 Plus Summers
Casey’s Life of Adventure
Tiny tells about Nakanawa legacies
Val is ever returning

We all think of schools as the place where “bullying” is discussed and addressed.  But what better place to reinforce and deal with this topic, than at camp.  Here at Nakanawa, we always pride ourselves in the ideal “Nakanawa girl.”  Basically, girls are usually on their best behavior at camp.  I said usually….but not always.  And what about outside of camp?   Cyberbullying definately can take place outside of the hallowed shores of Lake Aloaloa.

The Anti-Bullying Policy of camp can be found on the Nakanawa website. Here is an exerpt of the policy:

Our camp philosophy, which dates back to its founding in 1920, is based upon the ideals of friendship, love, honor, and truth.  At Nakanawa, we strive to ensure that all young women gain self-confidence, make new friends, leave with cherished memories and friendships that last a lifetime.  Bullying, in all of its forms is not tolerated, and stands counter to Nakanawa’s fundamental goals.

So how can we as counselors help our campers meet the ideals of Nakanawa, without bullying while at camp or away? This tip sheet, created by the American Camping Association, gives some good advice on how to spot the behavior and deal with it.

And talking with your campers helps to reinforce your views toward this behavior.  (Your campers look up to you and want to follow your lead. So you can set the tone on this.) Cyberbullying (which is not a behavior we will see at camp) is growing because it its easy.  The trend for girls to communicate face-to-face and over the telephone is getting less and less.  This is especially true at Nakanawa since our campers are spread out over the U.S. and the world!  But it is very easy to hurt someone and be indirect through texting.  In this case, you don’t see the reaction to the bullying and the consequences of your action are not immediately visible.  The cyberbully can be bold, brash, and very mean with her insults or conversations. It can also be done anonymously.  This is a recipe for an ugly, growing problem, that even Nakanawa is not immune to. So yes… we will try to address this through our cabin meetings whenever possible.

We will work to create empathy and understanding with our campers.  You will help lead devotions and discussions around these topics. I especially love a program called Bullies2buddies, which is used in the school where I work.  This article about the Golden Rule, is pretty telling. During pre-camp, we will help you come up with some strategies on how to help girls come face-to-face with each other, so that the bully and her buddy can come together.

One of the easiest and most difficult, best and worst aspects of Camp Nakanawa is that it is a place that is all about girls.  It is a place that girls can be themselves, away from the influences that exist in their everyday lives.  It is a place that we can ALL get away from those petty, yet grueling pressures of the real world.

Imagine a place ……where girls can really be themselves.  Nakanawa is that place.  The article (which is summarized at the end of this section) warns us as counselors to be careful about our words and our messages when  it comes to body image.  One of the long-standing traditions at Nakanawa was the “three bite rule” at meals.  (the rule was that every person had to eat at least three bites of every food offered in the dining hall.)  Well, based upon research telling us never to make food an “issue” or battle, we have modified that charge.  Instead, we suggest that every child try the food.  We suggest that three bites is a great way to give it a try.  But we don’t hold the camper to this rule.  Another “tradition: that we no longer do is the weekly (and somewhat public) weigh-ins at the infirmary.  Again, it is placing too much emphasis on the power of food.

So our message to you, our counselors is to be thoughtful in your discussions, and careful in your actions when modeling for young women.  They will pick up on (and place importance on) every word you say.

The following section is a summary of key points from a wonderful article in Camping Magazine.

The most important “job” you will have as a Nakanawa counselor is that of cabin counselor.  You will be responsible for 8 to 10 girls, acting as big sister, friend, confident, and even “surrogate mom” at times.  At Nakanawa, we call the girls in our cabin our “bunkies.”  (They sleep in “bunk”…..get it?)  These girls look up to you, their counselor, in ways you may never know.

• Pay special attention to how campers make mistakes — both in activities and in relationships — because it reveals how they think. Knowing this will help you be a better counselor.

• Provide opportunities for challenge and exploration. Most growth occurs when campers are faced with new, and even somewhat difficult circumstances. (Do you really think I can become an American Archer?)

• Encourage effort without putting a premium on winning or perfection. Help campers understand that the process of learning involves more failing than succeeding. Remember to value the process, not the product. Nakanawa is a perfect environment to practice this.  Though we celebrate the accomplishments, we value sportsmanlike conduct over everything.

• Be sensitive to younger camper’s concrete ways of thinking. It takes years to learn to think hypothetically and abstractly. This is one reason why younger children are impulsive and why they take what counselors say so literally.

• Teach age-appropriate skills. Although it may be trendy to push kids ahead, Piaget cautioned, “Children have real understanding only of that which they invent themselves, and each time that we try to teach them something too quickly, we keep them from reinventing it themselves.”  At Nakanawa, we try to let young girls stay “young.”

• Allow campers to be self-directed in some activities. Like many animals, children can be trained to perform. A nobler goal is to teach them to think for themselves and act responsibly. Some selfdirected play helps nurture children’s independence. And we have noticed that in today’s world, learning this selfdirected play is difficult for girls whose lives have been so orchestrated by their parents.

• Pair challenge with support. Push campers’ skill limits while exposing them to expert instructors (that’s us!) and peers. This practice promotes proper child and adolescent development.

• Design an environment where campers experience some mastery, not just constant challenge or constant hollow praise. A genuine sense of accomplishment, after some real effort and failure, is the only thing that increases self-esteem. There is no evidence to suggest that simply telling a child she is special will make her feel special.  At Nakanawa, our activities, reinforced by recognitions and clubs help support this genuine sense of accomplishment.

• In terms of the activity you teach at Nakanawa, make sure you explain the goals of your activity to campers in advance. Then, at the end of some activities, discuss whether and how those goals were met. Play is your most powerful teaching tool.

• And finally, Nakanawa is a unique utopia where each girl is celebrated for her own individuality.  Your support, care, and concern for each camper will help her grow and develop more than you will ever know.