Dear parents:

Hope you are enjoying the pictures we are posting on the Bunk1 web site. I know there have been some bugs but they seem to be getting ironed out. If you haven’t seen your son yet, don’t give up and keep checking.

It has been a great two weeks. The weather has cooperated, except for the heat, and we are now in a stretch of cool days and chilly nights...typical camp weather! By now, you have heard from you son’s counselors and received his schedule. Please don’t hesitate to call his counselors or me if you have any questions.

The new pottery program has gotten off to a great start and it looks like we have some potential artisans. We have fired some projects and they turned out really well. And none exploded in the kiln!

--Kit Barger

Here are some of the activities that have taken place since the beginning of camp.

Rock Climbing

A group of rock climbers went to The Gunks. The climbers thought the climb was rated as a 5.4, on a scale of 5.0 to 5.14. However, the climb turned out to be a 5.8, and was very difficult. All attempted the climb, and some were able to make it to the top! Good job, guys!

Jared Schwartz, cabin 2, recently went to the national rock climbing championship in Oregon on July 4th. He placed 5th in speed and 16th in difficulty. He is second overall in the Eastern Region for his age group, 11 and under, boys.

11-Under Basketball

11-U basketball had both a Pike County tournament and a regular game this week. The team, consisting of Alex Piperis, David Noble, Matt Rumack, Sam Selub, Marshall Rader, Juan Manuel Jimenez, Nate Storb, Aaron Fine, Dan Cimera, Joe Von Schmidt, Chris Woods, Juan Jose Jimenez, and David Schneider, fared very well in both games.

The team came away with second place in the tournament. Led offensively by Alex Piperis and Marshall Rader, the team defeated Lake Greeley Camp in a thriller. Nate Storb hit the last shot for the win.

Our team played against Pine Forest Camp in the final round of the tournament. Unfortunately, they were outscored by 20 points in the first half. The team fought back during the second half, and only lost by 10 points.

The team played New Jersey Youth Camp the next day in a single-game match. They won by 15 points, with David Schneider and Chris Woods playing big roles in the victory. Juan Manuel and Jose Jimenez both played very well in their first official basketball game.

Lower Camp Soccer

The Adidas played the Nikes this week in a real arm wrestle. After 60 minutes of play, the score was locked at 5 to 5. The game was pushed into a penalty shoot-out, in which Hector Vazquez put the game out of reach for the Nikes. ‘Man of the Match’ was Max Steinberg for unselfish attitude and intelligent play.

Basketball

I take part in an inner camp activity of basketball (NBA). I am one of the four captains of the four teams. We all play each other two times of the course of the summer. This activity brings the camp together. Campers play this activity if they are good at the sport or not. Everyone plays and we have fun through wins and losses. If you miss a shot, so what, you’ll try again. The camp cheers and plays hard. In the end, we all win.

--Eli Edwards, working senior

13 Under Softball

Team members: Matt Schnall, Marshall Rader, Eli Colman, Paul Schneider, Tyler Woods, Eric Insler, Zack Frankel, Myles Koven, Will Poznansky, Mike Karp, Lucas Muller.

This team lost the first game to Lake Owego Camp, 2-0, but then won their second game against Lake Greeley Camp, 4-0. Nice win!

13 Under Softball

Team members: Mike Karp, Alex Piperis, James Geoghegan, Lucas Muller, Tyler Woods, Marshall Rader, Sam Tercek, Eli Colman, Zack Frankel, Matt Rumack, Charles Babalola, Paul Schneider, Eric Insler.

This team defeated Lake Owego Camp, 8-5. Way to go!

Water Skiing

Amid the start and stops of a very rocky beginning, we have had several sucessful days on Lake Wallenpaupak. The campers have been cooperative, and respond well to instruction. Although the climate has been hot and humid, the campers weren’t always able to enjoy the cool water of the lake! Even so, they have behaved well, as well as skied well.

Pottery

All of the campers have completed at least one project on the wheel and we have fired all the artwork for the first time. We will put glazes on the pieces and then fire them more. Many campers built things by hand, as opposed to the wheel.

Stained Glass

Almost all of the campers have finished one project and are working on a second.

Silver Shop

Most campers made twist jewelry: rings, necklaces, and bracelets. Some have started to make silver rings. Many of the projects have been polished to a high shine and enameling has been started.

Nature

We’ve had an incredible number of animal sightings this session, and have been lucky to capture and give temporary homes to some unusual specimens. Some of those are: a four-inch long Dobsonfly, a very sleepy little brown bat, baby sunfish, crayfish, red eft, red-backed salamander, wood frogs, and toads

This year, we ordered “Painted Lady” butterfly larvae (caterpillars). All ten arrived safely and have already begun metamorphosis into winged adults. We have purchased a butterfly pavilion to keep and feed them throughout both sessions.

CommTech

The Camp Shohola Communications and Technology Program (CommTech) is off to a great start this year. There are two new activities, General Technologies, taught by Mark Baier, and Advanced Technology Design and Innovation, taught by Dave Love. Most of the traditional CommTech activities have been improved with new equipment and better instruction. The radio classes now have two MiniDisc players and two new CD players. The computer has new programs for news, sports and weather gathering, audio editing programs and a Live Web Camera so parents can see radio classes and announcers broadcasting radio shows live on the Internet.

Another new CommTech activity this summer is Digital Photography. With more campers bringing digital cameras to camp, we are now offering a class with instruction on the correct use of the cameras and how to edit the pictures using popular computer editing programs.

The Videography program is very active this summer with three counselors teaching campers how to plan, storyboard, shoot, edit and product a variety of video projects. We are producing music videos, dramatic programs, news sports and informational broadcasts, and finally feature programs. We are also recording some of the other camp activities.

Basketball 13-U

By Paul Schneider, cabin 12

Basketball 13-U is during period one on “A” days and “B” days. In this class, we do many drills to help improve our basketball skills. For example, we do full court lay-up drills. This helps you improve your shots from everywhere on the court. We also play knock-out. This is a fun way to practice your free throws and mid-range jumpers. Also, in this class, we scrimmage. This helps us practice our skills at everything and we learn how to play our best position. Basketball 13-U is one of the best classes you can take if you like basketball.

Ropes

By Andrew Schiff, cabin 13

The ropes course, as always, is an excellent class for any camper to participate in. In this class, campers are able to climb and rappel on many different courses. You will learn trust, teamwork, and cooperation, as well as develop a passion and skill for rock climbing.

As a two period class, it is packed with entertainment and fun for all ages. After climbing on one of four walls, you can ride the zip line back down to the ground. As a member of the ropes class, you are entitled to participate in fun-filled trips to Shohola Falls, The Gunks, and the Delaware Water Gap. There you can climb mountains, rappel, and traverse high across the rapids below.

On a daily basis, the Ropes course is a great activity. Campers can experiment with the “spider web”, the zip line, swinging wall, and the suspension bridge. These obstacles provide excellent training and experience for when you climb the real mountain.

The Ropes staff cannot be forgotten, either. This year, consisting of about ten members, the instructors are always fun to be around. They teach you well and prepare you for tougher courses that lie ahead. Not to mention, they are also there for your safety and protection.

This class is one of my personal favorites and I would recommend it to all campers that would be interested in this type of activity.

Golf

By Zach Stone, cabin 16

I am in the only golf class offered in Camp Shohola. Although not the most liked sport in camp, the 5A-golf class is one of my favorites. We go to clinics, where we are taught by the pros to swing like a pro. In the class, we improve our skills in accuracy, putting and driving. We are also taught when to use each club and why. You can sharpen your skills and develop a better swing.

Shohola’s golf class has made me want to be a better golf player. We go on golf trips all the time to play nine holes. We also learn some of the rules of an actual game in the class. The instructors have taught us everything, including the definition of ‘par’, the average amount of strokes needed to get to the hole, and how to properly set up the ball.

Another reason I like to play golf is because I get to wear cool shoes. It is one of the most relaxing sports I have ever played and you can play it all throughout your life. All people from every age can play the sport and you do not need to be very physically active or strong to play.

Outdoor Games

By Arlen Caplan, cabin 1

Outdoor Games is fun. We play street hockey, baseball, dodge ball, world cup, twenty-one, king of the mats, capture the flag, and gaga. My favorite is world cup. In world cup, you cannot shoot inside the penalty box. To win the game, you must score goals before the other teams. If all the other teams score before your team, you must sit out and play in the next round. The counselors are Jon G., Kevin W., and Kris. My friends and I love to play outdoor games. And we do a lot of the games in our free time. I think that everyone should take outdoor games. I think “we will, we will… rock you!”

Skateboarding

By Philip Ayers, cabin 5

In skateboarding the counselors are Jamie Ayers, Jon Bookstein and Kevin Powell. During work camp they made lots of ramps and Jamie also donated some of his ramps from home. We have a quarter pipe, a box, a bank, and a rail. They are also going to make two launch ramps in the future. On the box, you can do lots of grinds and you can do tricks off the side of it. On the quarter pipe, you can do stalls, airs, and grabs. On the bank, you can do lots of flip tricks. And on the rail you can do grinds too. The class is relaxed and you get a lot of time to skate. If you have any question about learning how to skate, you can ask Jamie Ayers for advice. It is always very frustrating learning the basics. But once you learn them, it is very fun!!!! Skateboarding is a lot of fun and if you didn’t take it this year, you definitely should take it next year!

Conditioning

By Bryan Hill, cabin 9

During Conditioning, we exercise to develop muscles and self-esteem. In the first class, we took tests to see how many crunches and push-ups we could do in a minute and how many pull-ups we could do. After that, we had to run a mile. We did these tests so that we would know if we had improved at the end of the month. At the beginning of each class, we run two laps around the soccer field. Then, each person does different exercises instructed by Rob, the counselor. That about wraps it up for explaining conditioning.

Roller Hockey

By Philip Ayers, cabin 5

In roller hockey, we learn how to shoot, pass, puck handle, and play together. The main counselor is John Gushman and a lot of the time we just scrimmage. Sometimes in roller hockey, we have competitions like ‘Who can aim the best’ or ‘Who can deke out the goalie’ best. We also learn how to set up for a game in all of the positions, such as goalie, right defense, left defense, right wing, left wing, and center. Gushman is a great hockey counselor and he is a fun guy to be around. Roller hockey is a lot of fun and if you didn’t take it this year you definitely should next year!

Tennis

By Morgan Blanchet, cabin 16

Tennis is one of the greatest times I have during the day. Our instructors are not only good at what they do and good at making the class fun, but they also like hanging out or joking around with all the campers too. Already, after only a few lessons, the entire class has improved greatly. In tennis, the beginner classes learn the first fundamentals of playing. The intermediate class practices what they have learned and perfect their play. In the advanced class, the players further perfect their strokes and their game strategy. In the tennis class, you not only become a better tennis player, but you have a whole lot of fun.

Riflery

By Noah Meissner, cabin 16

I have taken riflery every year I have been at Camp Shohola and it’s always a lot of fun. We start off learning basic rules for safety on the shooting range. Some of the important rules are: always point a gun in a safe direction, remember that a gun is not a toy, don’t point a gun at someone as a joke, and that a gun is always loaded. Another rule is that if you shoot an animal you have to eat it. After learning rules and basic techniques, we start shooting. Out initial goal is to have a good grouping. Then, we work on centering our shots on the bulls-eye. But riflery isn’t all work. We also have a lot of fun shooting cans. In my opinion, riflery is one of the best courses offered at Camp Shohola.

Street Hockey

By Colin Steinberg, cabin 1

Hi my name is Colin and this is my article on Street Hockey. My counselors in the class are John, Jamie and Mike. First we have drills in passing, receiving and shooting. Then we have a scrimmage. When we play, Steinburgs’ are always offense because they work very well together. They make great setups and always score, even on Gushman. We also have Gabe Hanna, who can really play the game, but everyone does great. The game of street hockey is unpredictable. Sometimes you score and sometimes you hit the post, just missing the goal by an inch and this is my report.

Nature

By Kyle Schiff, cabin 3

I like nature in many ways. We go on nature trails and find different types of animal trails and bugs. We sometimes do research on the bugs. We also catch things from the lake and the creek.

Our instructors are George and Eric. They are very funny too. I like them both. They are very kind and helpful. There is also a nature secret that I cannot tell you.

If you ever come to Camp Shohola, sign up for nature. You would love it. It is the best to me. Every year I come, I sign up for nature. If you do not sign up for it, you would regret it.

Riding

By David Noble, cabin 6

In my opinion, riding is the best activity at Shohola. You advance through four levels. You start as a beginner, just trying to walk around the arena and maybe trot a few times later at the end of the month. When you reach the intermediate level, you perfect the trot, which is very fun. After that, you become an advanced intermediate, which will let you start cantering. Cantering is when your horse leaps while running. The last level you can achieve is ‘horseman level’, where you really get to the fun stuff. You learn to jump and trot for long periods. When you become a Horseman, you use one of your activity periods to help clean the barn, tack horses, and feed the horses.

There are also a lot of other fun events you do in horse back riding, like swimming with the horses (that’s where you ride the horses in the water). You also go on trail rides to horse paths. I think the most fun event is the Netimus Horse Show. That is why horse back riding is the most fun class at Shohola.

Advanced Lacrosse

By James Geoghegan, cabin 15

Advanced Lacrosse is a very useful and helpful period. Jamie Ayers, Kevin Wright, Kevin Powell, and Sarah Head run the class. In the class, we practice our basic skills, which include throwing and catching skills, line drills and scrimmaging. These teachings help to better our lacrosse game during the off-season.

Besides our usual class routine, we also have contests in and out of camp, which include playing with water balloons and various games against Lake Owego and Netimus. Other than the advanced class, there is also a beginner class that introduces the newcomers to the basics and gives them knowledge of the rules of lacrosse. Overall, lacrosse has come to be one of the favorite and most enjoyable activities.

Soccer

By Adam Gaynor, cabin 11

Soccer is one of my favorite sports. It is a very fun activity. You can do things like learn new skills and even play against other camps. Soccer is also divided up into age groups so you won’t be with someone twice your size.

There are also nice counselors. They will listen to what you say and play games. They will also organize evening soccer tournaments around camp.

Street Hockey

By Max Steinberg, cabin 6

Hi, my name is Max Steinburg. I have period 1B street hockey. The counselors who instruct the class are mostly Jan Balner, John Gushman, and Mike Stransky. We are a pretty big class of kids. We usually start out with some drills and then we pick teams for a practice game. The best part about street hockey is the NHL leagues in camp. I play in the lower camp league. It’s made up of four teams. They play each other and then play a championship game at the end of the four weeks. My team is undefeated. I have a lot of fun playing street hockey at Shohola.

Soccer

By Alex Nord, cabin 1

Hi. My name is Alex Nord and this is my report on soccer. In soccer, you do drills like pass, get away from defenders, and shooting. We practice making the goalie go one way and the ball go the other. After that, we usually have a scrimmage. I think Colin and Max are the best all-around players. The game of soccer is unpredictable. Sometimes you score, miss, or hit the post. That is why I'm telling you to join soccer.

Ropes

By Alex Steinberg, cabin 1

Hi my name is Alex and I am writing an article about ropes. My counselors in ropes are Sarah, Ben and Chris. We learn in ropes how to lower ourselves down Shohola Falls and climb rock climbing walls. I love going on the zip line; it’s so fun. Me and my cousins like doing flips. Right when I go, I scream funny words like, “I'm a flying pig!” or “I'm a man, not a machine!” I always say ‘hi’ to Jessica in Silver Shop when I pass there and go back. I drop the rope and lower myself down and run the rope back and I'm done.