Q&A in PDF format - Skylake Yosemite Camp

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.