Camp is now in full gear with all of our swim, sports, and arts programs, as well as specialty activities and special events.  Campers are in their instructional swim groups, sports leagues are in motion, as are theater rehearsals, arts and crafts projects, and so much more.

Last week was highlighted by the following special events:

• On Monday, 5^th year campers attended a special party, enjoyed ice cream cake, and received a Camp Hillard pillow.
• Junior campers enjoyed some exciting boat rides at the pool.
• On Tuesday, the INA boys headed out to the ballgame, taking in a Rockland Boulders Minor League Baseball Game.
• On Wednesday, campers who have been here for 6 or more years, celebrated with a special breakfast; pancakes, french toast sticks, tater tots, eggs and turkey sausage. They also received an extra special gift, a beautiful Hillard golf umbrella.
• On Thursday, we had our Annual Festival of Fun. This year’s theme was Super Heroes and Cartoon Characters.  Campers and counselors alike participated in a festive costume parade after morning assembly to kick off this exciting day.  There were Supermen and Wonder Women, Annas and Elsas, some famous Flintstones, and even some Minions!  Rumor has it The Flash made an appearance on the Upper Field, but he was here and gone in such a flash, we can neither confirm nor deny this rumor!
• Senior camp boys and girls all had fun on Friday with the Senior Camp boat races.
• The Senior Camp Challenge continues, with Grey currently in the lead but there is still many weeks left of fun competition!

Camp Hillard’s Swim Program is off to a great start.  In Junior Camp, the Pawnees, Chickasaws and Hurons have been assessed and placed in their appropriate swim lesson group. The campers have been assessed based the American Red Cross Learn to Swim Program and the Camp Hillard Aquatic Groups  by certified Water Safety Instructors. Afternoon swims are for play and fun. Campers swim with their friends and are able to use different pools throughout the week. Many campers enjoy a ride on the water slide, while some have fun playing with rings, beach balls or noodles. The deep water challenge is offered to any Junior Camper that is interested. Once campers have passed the deep water challenge they can use the diving board.

The Middle Camp swim program is also off to a great start! After being skills tested, all Cheyenne and Comanche campers are completing their third week with their swim groups. They are already learning new skills and refining old ones. Our instructors are working diligently with your children to help them achieve their swim goals for the summer.

Campers are taking a break from the summer heat during afternoon free swims and enjoying all that the Camp Hillard pools have to offer! Every Cheyenne and Comanche group has taken at least two trips down the “Great Green River,” the water slide located at South Campus. At Main Complex, the campers who have passed the deep water test jump off the diving board, go down the slide, and swim in the deep end.

A lot was accomplished at Senior Camp Swim during these first three weeks of Camp. Many of our campers have taken and passed the Deep Water Challenge.  We continue to offer the challenge every single day of the summer.  All campers have been placed in swim classes, we have had many full days of swim instruction, and all campers are progressing nicely.

In the afternoons, many fun activities are well under way.  Campers have had the opportunity to play in a structured game, enjoy the cool water of the Hamptons (ask your kids about this) and all groups have now experienced the Great Green River water slide.  In addition, this Friday campers participated in Boat Races.  It was a relay race by letter group, and campers had a wild time paddling their boats across the pool.  We also had “Music at the Pool” the last two Fridays.  It’s a joy to watch swimmers and counselors alike grooving to songs as they relax and play in the water.

Camp Hillard’s Performing Arts program has gotten off to an illustrious start.  In junior camp, the Huron Girls are celebrating the 50^th anniversary of The Sound of Music while the Huron Boys are learning about the all America’s favorite sport in their production of Take Me Out to the Ballgame. The Cheyenne Girls are learning what is like to live in a world full of ice and adventure, in Disney’s Frozen while the Cheyenne Boys are learning how a little “magic” goes a long way in Aladdin.

In middle camp, the Comanche Boys and the Cherokee Boys Theater Club are learning how to have “soul” in their show Blue Brothers. On the other hand, the Comanche Girls are learning what is like to live in a world full of adventure, in Disney’s classic, Beauty & the Beast.

 Finally, in senior camp, the Cherokee and Navajo Girls are having an “Aca-mazing” time with their show Pitch Perfect while the I-A girls as well as the INA Boys, are learning what is like to live in a world without dancing, in the Broadway hit, Footloose!

In music, the Pawnee and Chickasaw Girls and Boys are busy getting ready to perform for all of their family and friends on Visiting Day, which is right around the corner.

Speaking of Visiting Days and Evenings, the Cherokee Boys enjoyed a very successful Visiting Evening on Thursday. The original date was scheduled for Wednesday, but an unfavorable weather forecast necessitated a change to Thursday, and the weather was absolutely spectacular. While Visiting Days are always fun and exciting, there is something extra special about a Visiting Evening; campers get the opportunity to stay after camp has ended, where they get to enjoy a Tribe Dinner at South Campus before family and friends arrive for the evening program.  The Cherokee boys showed off their progress at swim before hitting the courts and the hockey rink to showcase their athletic skills.  The Comanche Boys are looking forward to another exciting visiting evening on Monday; they will be the first Tribe to hit the stage to perform for their family and friends.

There is never a dull moment on the fields at Camp Hillard. The Junior Campers have done a wonderful job playing baseball and softball. They have been working hard on the skills of throwing and catching, hitting live pitches, and running bases.  The Cheyenne Boys have also been working on their baseball skills. The boys have learned how to use pitch backs to not only work on their throwing but also their fielding skills.

The Cherokee Girls have also spent a lot of time on the softball field.  The focus for the last couple of weeks has been practicing situations. “You have the ball, now what?” Hitting skills and fielding skills have shown great improvement.

Soccer has been a major focus over the past few weeks for the Cheyenne and Comanche girls, who have been working on their throw-ins and trapping, shooting a moving ball, as well as honing and refining their dribbling and passing skills.

The Iroquois, Navajo, and Apache Girls have also been hard at work on the soccer fields.  They have been focusing on following their passes, shooting a moving ball, and dribbling.

The Iroquois, Navajo, Apache Boys as well as the Comanche and Cherokee have been working on their basketball skills. Shooting, passing and zone defense have been stressed by the sports counselors and the carry-over has been seen in game play. Their skills are getting better each day. The Sports counselors are very excited over the improvement.

Sports Leagues are in full swing and are going well. Exciting Intra-Tribal competitions take place daily on the hockey rink, the soccer fields and the basketball court, on the baseball and softball diamonds and on the flag football gridiron.At the Gymnastics Pavilion, the team of instructors has been as excited to participate in Fun, Fitness and Balance activities as the campers have. Junior Camp has been engaged in Exploration Activities while Middle and Senior Campers engage in an obstacle course designed specifically for Fun and Fitness. Middle and Senior campers have also been using all of our gymnastic apparatuses in a variety of activities promoting balance.  Zumba is a new addition to Individual Activity Choice, or IAC, this summer; this dance-fitness program, that incorporates hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue and mambo has been met with great enthusiasm and success.  Each day staff strives to hear our favorite phrases in the gym: “I DID IT!! And I WANNA DO IT AGAIN!!”

This week will again be very busy.  Here is what’s on tap:

• Our Annual Charity Event for Sunrise Day Camps begins.
• The Navajo and Apache Boys and Girls will be visiting Powerhouse Studios on Monday.
• On Tuesday, the Iroquois Boys and Girls leave for their Overnight Trip to Brookwood.
• The Comanche Boys Visiting Evenings will take place on Monday and Wednesday.
• On Friday, it is our annual Song and Cheer contest. The campers have been practicing every day for this big event.  Make sure to have your campers wear their Tribal T-shirt.
• Marshmallow Roasts and Ice Cream Parties continue, Talent Shows and our regular programming schedule continues!

For more details specific to your child’s group, please read our Weekly Tribal Newsletters which are found in the Enrolled Camp Families section of our website.