Q&A in PDF format - Skylake Yosemite Camp

Why Skylake Yosemite Camp?Camps are similar in many ways, but also verydifferent. Our strongest advice is to research only AmericanCamp Association camps which are also members of theWestern Association of Independent Camps. Then, do yourhomework to find the subtle differences.Our strong points:• Continuity •Only 3 Directors since 1945• Location •Driving distance to Yosemite NationalPark and the only California summer camp on a5-mile long warm-water lake.• Cabin Groups •our bunk cabins house a smallnumber of campers with their Camp Counselor,they become a family unit.• Activities •Our campers select their own activities, from waterfront,to land activities -to out of camp trips.• Tradition •we are a camp which looks, feelsand functions like an East Coast style summer camp withdecades of traditions.What doesit mean whenyou say… Skylake is like atraditional East Coast style camp?Skylake is just like the picturesque, charming and sentimentalcamps you see in movies. We are not a one-focus kind of camp,like sports camp, science camp or computer camp. We are acamp with rustic cabins in a pine forest in the mountains on abeautiful warm-water lake. . .where singing, nightly campfiresand playing with friends is our focus. Our philosophy… Skylakeis a place for kids to unwind and not compete.How do I know if my child isready for sleep-away camp?If your child is bringing up the topic and/or is excited by theidea, then he or she is ready. If you bring up the topic and donot get positive feedback, then your child may not be ready.W here is Skylake?Skylake is located on Bass Lake, approximately1 hour east of Hwy 99, almost equal distance from LosAngeles & San Francisco. The Fresno International Airport is onehour from camp. We are 20 miles from the southern entranceinto Yosemite National Park. The camp is located at an elevationof 3600 feet in the Sierra NevadaMountain Range in abeautiful Pine Forest.

W ill I be able tostay in touch with my child?In-season, Skylake’s secure “Parent Log-In” section onskylake.com offers parents a daily glimpse of a “day in thelife” of your child’s stay at camp. Everyday we upload dozensof photographs of the campers in the midst of their manyactivities. Reading the Director’s chatty, daily website newsarticles will make you feel as if you are there! And you can evenlearn what your child is eating ~ Our breakfast, lunch anddinner menus are posted daily.I’m afraid my child might gethomesick- how is this handled?Being away from home is a huge step.Almost all campers experience at least a little homesickness. It’scompletely normal and to be expected. Skylake staff membersare trained to deal with homesick campers compassionately.Although campers do not phone home, our staff will contactparents at the first hint of an “out of the norm” problem, workingthrough strategies to resolve a camper’s homesickness. Outof 800 campers each summer, only 3 or 4 go home earlybecause of homesickness.C an my child receive anyspecial recognition?While Skylake is not an awards-based competitive camp, thereare numerous little recognitions handed out each session. Thehighest achievement is our long time Skylake tradition of the“Camper of the Week” award. The colorful award plaqueshang in camp for future generations of campers to see.Awarded weekly, we recognize one camper in each age groupin both Boys Camp and Girls Camp. It is awarded to thosecampers who exhibit the highest qualities of a “happycamper” – friendly, smiling, cooperative, helpful andinteractive.D oes Skylake have aswimming pool?No. We think swimming pools belong incountry clubs, backyards and health clubs. A big lakeis essential to a special camp experience. Skylake is located onfive-mile long Bass Lake in the Sierra National Forest. We haveour own large private dock with an enclosed swim area for ouryounger swimmers. The lake is always at a warm temperaturefor swimming and perfect for waterskiing, wakeboarding andtubing activitiesWhat Session length do you recommend?We still refer to our Four-week sessions as aW“traditional camp session.” Four-week sessions provideenough time for projects to be completed, adequatetime for out-of-camp trips (such as 3 day backpacktrips) and for campers to develop deep friendships.However, we understand that our world hasbecome much busier and a greater majority of ourcampers come for two weeks. Sadly, our two-weekcampers cannot take part in everything that Skylake hasto offer. There simple isn’t enough time. And while mostfirst-time campers comefor at least two weeks,we also offerone-week mini-camp.Mini- camp is brokeninto two sessions forour youngest first timecampers to accommodatethose with a busy summerschedule. However, the vast majorityof our first-time campers comefor at least two-weeks.S ince Yosemite is only ashort distance fromSkylake, will my child havean opportunity to go?Skylake offers day trips to Yosemite. As with all of theactivities, the campers decide if Yosemite is something theywant to do. A Yosemite day trip might include stops atGlacier Point gazing down on CurryVillage, a hike up the mist trail toNevada and Vernal Falls, or a tripto the Big Trees just insidethe Wawona gate.IIhearcamp food is traditionallypretty bad… what about Skylake?We truly believe our food service is second to none. We offer a complete salad baralmost every lunch and dinner and vegetarian alternative meals whenever theprimary entrée is a meat dish. We offer at all times, fresh fruit, vegetables andmilk. The owner/director has culinary academy training and six years in therestaurant business. The menu and recipes are revitalized every year bringingcontinual improvement and originality.

HHow does a camper get to and from Skylake?Most of our campers arrive and depart on chartered, air-conditioned buses. The buses arescheduled from both the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. Campers who choose tofly are greeted by camp staff at the Fresno International Airport (Just 1 hour from the camp). Ourrecommendation is to take the 4 hour bus ride because most friendships begin before camperseven arrive! While many campers also return home by bus, we invite parents to come see Skylakeon Closing Day to observe our traditional closing ceremony and enjoy our buffet lunch.(We are located approximately 4 hours from San Francisco and 4.5 hours from Los Angeles.)W ho are the campers at Skylake?About 90% of the Skylake campers comealmost equally from the San Francisco Bay Area and LosAngeles. Our International and out-of-state campers makeup about 10% of our camper population. The genderbreakdown is half and half, usually 105 boys and 105 girls.While many campers start at age 7, most are age 8 - 13.W here do Skylake staff memberscome from?Skylake employs about 70 camp counselors everysummer. All of our staff must be enrolled in or graduatedfrom a four-year university. Many of our camp counselorsand administrative staff were campers at Skylake whenthey were younger. We enjoy a high rate of return onstaff- many return year after year! We also hire a fewinternational students for cultural diversity.HHow can I be sure Skylake is Safe?Safety starts at the top. Jeff Portnoy, owner/director,is a former attorney, father of two grown daughters andnow a grandfather who has been the on-site and hands-ondirector since 1995. In addition, our staff-to-camper ratioexceeds all accreditation standards. All the staff also attends aone-week onsite training program and are required to haveFirst Aid and CPR certifications. Over 90% of our staff are alsocertified Lifeguards. We have a registered nurse who lives onsite and a Doctor who is “on call” 24 hours a day. Every year wereview our procedures to continually improve all phases of ouroperation. We have no rifle range, jet skis, motorcycles,or rock climbing. This doesn’t mean that the camp is riskfree,any outdoor activity carries a small risk- but we workvery hard to control them. Skylake history speaks for itselfhaving been in continuous operation since 1945 as a leader ofCalifornia camps.W hat kind of activities can my childtake part in at Skylake?Skylake offers over 20 activities on a daily basis. Over thecourse of the summer, over 75 different activities take place.The lake offers swimming, kayaks, paddleboards, canoes,and opportunities for special events such as regatta dayand Olympics. Most important, Skylake campers choosetheir own activities. Because the campers eat, sleep andplay together- incredible bonds of frienship are formed. Ournightly campfires create memories for a lifetime.W here do Skylake campers sleep?Skylake has 19 cabins on the girls’ side of camp and18 cabins on the boys’ side. Each cabin has 4 doublebunk beds accommodating 6 or 7 campers and1 or 2 counselors. There is no electricity inthe cabins! Besides, flashlights andcandles make the camp more fun!

Does Skylakeallow parents tocontact their childby telephone?Parents are free to call camp at any time and may request thatcamp counselors call home occasionally with reports. But yes,“NO telephone calls and NO cell phones” is a Skylake “rule.”We strongly believe in the traditional concept of camp- anenvironment where children grow and find their own identity.They are forced to work out situations without their parentsthere for them. It is simply amazing how fast children learn toresolve issues on their own when their parents are not instantlyavailable. And of course, our “no phoning home” policy is not“carved in stone.” There are special circumstances when staffcan arrange for parents and children to speak.WWWhat is a typical day at Skylake?Variety is the spice of life but the generalformat of the camp day is as follows:7:15 Reveille8:00 Breakfast9:00-12:00 Three separate activity periods12:00 Lunch1:15 Siesta2:30-4:30 Cabin group activities (or swim calls)4:30 Shasta Call & Shower Hour5:45 Flag Retreat6:00 Dinner7:00 Twilight Sports (open choice of activities)8:00 Campfire9:15 TapsHow soon do Ineed to make a decision?HEvery year, we offer an “Early Bird”savings signup period for the following summer.(From October 15th to December 1st). Following those earlysign-ups, each year varies with regard to the morepopular age groups and sessions. But those most popularage groups and sessions definitely fill by the end of March.Returning campers have priority on all available openingsuntil December 2nd. New campers are eligible for thediscount but are not guaranteed space.W ill my child be able to stay in thesame cabin with his/her best friend?Most likely, but not absolutely. If the friends are in the samegrade level we can almost 100% guarantee they can betogether, provided both children make the request. If thechildren are different grade levels, they might not be housedtogether. However, our campers do choose their own dailyactivities. This allows campers who do not share the samecabin to still spend time together.HHow do I enroll my child?You have three choices:1. On our website www.skylake.comclick on the “Register for camp” icon2. Call our Camp Registrar (year round)at 559.642.37203. Complete the application and mail to thecamp (address on form or below)37976 Road 222 • Wishon, CA 93669Phone: 559.642.3720Fax: 559.642.3395Director: jeff@skylake.comRegistrar: Natalie@skylake.comwww.skylake.comIf we didn’t answer every one of your questions here,we welcome more! Please don’t hesitate to call.