Session 4 is in full swing. On Sunday, we welcomed campers with cheers, singing, and so much ruach (spirit)! This is our final session of the summer season, and the energy is electric.
Since arrival, Camp has been buzzing with activity as campers jumped into rotations to explore all that Tawonga has to offer, then worked with their bunks to chart out their own adventure paths for the session.
This session, 66% of campers are returners – bringing their Tawonga knowledge and helping newcomers learn the ropes. The best way to get acclimated to Camp, of course, is through bunk bonding. Here at Camp, the bunk is at the heart of the experience. Campers eat, sleep, and adventure with their bunkmates – forming tight-knit communities where deep friendships can grow.
This week, bunks have been bonding through shared experiences like Cabin Floats, unit-wide games, and joyful bunk cheers echoing through the trees. They’ve been getting creative at Arts & Crafts, celebrating swim test victories, and exploring the garden with all five senses.
Those adventures don’t happen by accident.
Less than 24 hours into each session, counselors, specialists, Jewish educators, song leaders, and program staff gather in the Dining Hall for a uniquely Tawonga tradition: Clearing House.
Counselors arrive carrying blank schedules and notes about what their campers are excited for. Staff specialists line the perimeter of the room, ready to help build each bunk’s schedule. Then, at the signal to begin, counselors eagerly fan out across the room, racing to reserve activities, locations, and specialty blocks before they fill up.
The process is exactly what it sounds like – organized chaos.
“It’s a bit hectic, but also really fun,” General Programmer Ace R. said.
While it may look chaotic, there’s thoughtful intention behind scheduling this way.
“Camp does this because they want counselors to be able to get to know their kids first,” Ace said. “Having input on what sort of activities they do leads to a better, more cohesive activity block and session in general.”
Rather than using premade routine schedules, counselors work with campers to balance familiar favorites with opportunities to try something new.
“They encourage counselors to make sure that there’s a variety of activities within their schedule,” Ace said. “That way you get something from each type of activity offered – a little taste of everything – but also keeping in mind what your kids are going to connect with the most.”
Camper Athena A. in G-6B noted just how much this process means to her: “Counselors listen to us and create the schedule based on what we want. It’s a small thing, but it makes me feel empowered. I have a say in what’s happening.”
Staffing Coordinator Quan, who has worked at other summer camps in addition to his four summers at Tawonga, said this approach is something that sets Tawonga apart. While many camps allow kids to navigate activities individually, Tawonga intentionally designs activities centered around the bunk community.
That community-first philosophy is central to Camp’s mission and encourages campers to discover activities they may never have chosen on their own while creating shared experiences that strengthen the entire bunk.
“If you give complete individuality to every single kid, they’re only going to stay in their comfort zone,” Ace said. “Getting them into the challenge zone, finding the things that they didn’t know they loved – that’s really important.”
As a former Tawonga camper, Ace remembers eagerly sharing ideas with counselors before Clearing House, but said some of the best memories came from unexpected activities.
“I think sometimes the most fun blocks are the ones that surprise you,” Ace said. “As a programmer, I’ll get special requests for blocks based on bunk themes or based on an inside joke, and those tend to be the most memorable of a session.”
By the end of Clearing House, every bunk leaves with a schedule that’s uniquely theirs, built together, shaped by camper interests, and designed to help everyone grow both individually and as a community throughout the session.
P.S. In case you missed it, get to know Tawonga’s 2026 Summer Staff here.
