There’s something special about the second day of camp—the moment when the nervous energy of arrival begins to shift into something richer: discovery. Today marked our first full day of activities, and it was brimming with quiet courage and bold beginnings. Everywhere you looked, campers were stepping into something new—not just new activities, but new versions of themselves.
For one camper, it was the first time shooting a gun at riflery. For another, it was conquering the Crow’s Nest that they walked past last summer, unsure they’d ever try it. One camper confided that this is the first time they’ve ever spent a night away from home—and this morning, they woke up smiling. It’s in these small, meaningful milestones that we see the real heart of camp.
Camp Highlander isn’t just a place to try new things—it’s a place to be yourself as you discover a new you. To be brave. To be independent. To figure out where your water bottle is without a reminder. To laugh with someone you just met yesterday and already feel like you’ve known forever. Whether your child is a first-time camper or a seasoned returner, every cabin group is embracing a brand-new world as they adventure and explore, embracing the opportunity for connection and growth.
Tonight at dinner Bryan opened the mic for shout-outs in the dining hall! I LOVE shout outs! My heart melted with each camper that came forward to shout-out their cabin for being awesome or the best cabin on camp. I was beaming with pride as I heard campers shout out friends who conquered their fear of the blob or the giant swing or hit a bullseye at archery. My favorite shout-out was from a precious little girl who had the confidence to give a shout-out to herself for doing the blob when the rest of her cabin was afraid. THIS is CAMP confidence, and THIS is what makes camp life changing for our children!
Favorite Details of The Day
- Reflect at the Rock: This morning at Reflect, I shared a riddle about a superpower we all have with the ability to start a chain reaction of kindness that spreads all around Camp Highlander. I was so impressed with your smart and creative kids as they guessed the answer to the riddle. The answer…a smile. A smile doesn’t cost anything—and you never run out of them! The more you give, the more joy you create, not just for others, but for yourself too.
- Weather: We woke up to cooler temperatures and overcast skies. We enjoyed a beautiful day of fun activities. The sun came out late morning and made for the perfect camp day. As we finished our last challenge in EP tonight, the clouds rolled in and the rain fell. We all raced to the gym to watch the finale of EP, then headed back to the cabin for warm showers and a cozy bed. There is nothing like rain on a tin roof to soothe us all to sleep.
- Meals: For breakfast we had french toast sticks, scrambled eggs, sausage links, grits, oatmeal and a fresh fruit bar. For lunch we had hot dogs, mac and cheese and a salad and sandwich bar. Dinner was a camp favorite - chicken fajitas, black beans, cilantro rice, chips, queso, homemade guacamole and delicious cinnamon and sugar churros for dessert. YUM!
- EP: Tonight’s evening program was Cabin Challenge. The theme was Space Cowboy so cabins dressed up in everything from aliens to superheroes to cowboys and then competed in various challenges against brother or sister cabins. The challenges were musical ice buckets, Pictionary, limbo, hula hoop lasso, human wordle, sponge relay and more. In the finale, Cabin 27 won in a tie-breaker to claim the EP trophy. It was such a fun night!
We are watching confidence take root, one brave “first” at a time. There’s something remarkable about the way kids grow when they’re doing camp on their own—navigating new experiences, making their own choices, and discovering just how capable they truly are. If today is any sign, this summer will be filled with empowering moments that build a kind of confidence only camp can grow—the kind that stays with them long after they leave this mountain home.
About Melissa Fitzgerald
