Blue Star Blog

Conservation Generation Art Projects!

IMG_9388Check out this amazing slideshow documenting the art projects made by our campers and staff this past summer as part of our participation as the pilot camp for the Conservation Generation program! Read on to learn more about these art projects, which highlight water conservation and speak to our camp’s deep commitment to environmental stewardship.

This summer at Blue Star, our campers created….

Rain barrels –Senior Girl campers designed and painted rain barrels to be used for rain water collection at camp.

Rain chains – Andrew “Pottery” made collection pots out of clay and our Pioneer Girl campers painted and glazed the items. Members of our staff purchased chain material, connected the pots together and hung them.

Two of the barrels were used with the rain chain to collect water for the purpose of watering our camp’s living wall. 

Water Colors Paintings – Campers used collected rain water to do abstract and landscape paintings of our camp’s beautiful scenery.

Photo-collage triptych – Jaime “Photography” and campers in her option took pictures of water on camp and then photo-collaged them on wooden boards.

Screen print water drop tees with corresponding personal statement piece (Multi-media collage).

Teen Village campers screen-printed tees (a single rain drop design) with the help of a visiting artist, Lia Naor. Campers also wrote their own personal “statement” about water conservation (why it is important, what it means to them, ways to conserve, etc). The drop on the tee is the symbol of that statement; when they wear the shirts, they represent that idea to the world. Statements were documented in a collage piece (on wood) that is currently hanging in Joe’s Place.

Art Installation…Water drops and Umbrellas

An interactive “public art” installation was created by campers with help of visiting artist, Lia Naor and members of our staff. The goal was to create a beautiful and thought-provoking, “statement piece” that would grab the attention of our camp community, encourage all of us to see the world from a different perspective and to feel inspired and empowered about conserving our natural resources.

PB Public Service Announcement about Water Conservation (video project), created by Pioneer Boys. Pioneer Boy campers made wonderfully funny and cute “PSA’s” to encourage good practices regarding water conservation at camp and at home.

Our campers and staff can and do make the world a better place, a core value of the Conservation Generation program and Blue Star. We are so proud of our Blue Star family for helping to “heal the world” with these acts of conservation and creativity!

 

 

 

 

Why Camp?!

Carpe diem. Lauren & I hope everyone had a meaningful High Holidays and is having a wonderfully sweet fall season. As we continue to explore different ways we might connect more with our camp families during the school year (our “off season”), we wanted to weave through our Directors’ Blog a series of posts that pose difficult questions around the “point” of the summer camp experience. Of course, Lauren & I believe passionately in the transformative possibilities of the Blue Star experience, and we know there are many parents who are not quite sure of the value of a summer at camp. Rather than “preach” one side of the debate, or worse yet shy away from it completely, we choose to embrace it.

Should we send our children to summer camp? There it is.

Last summer we came across the article posted below. It centers on an ongoing dialogue between two friends and colleagues (both active parents!) about the merits of a part of the summer away from home. While I will let both writers speak for themselves, I will offer my brief take.

In short, Lauren & I believe that the Blue Star experience is an integral part of a child’s whole education. At Blue Star we believe that children can and must make their own choices as it relates to what pursuits and activities they want to explore on a deeper level. We believe that children growing up today, including our own Eli, need to learn how to interact face-to-face with other children, reading social cues and navigating peer dynamics. We believe the pure fun that campers enjoy at Blue Star, in addition to the strong community they help build each summer, is essential to their positive growth. *Now see what some others think…

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/07/07/should-you-send-your-children-to-summer-camp