Where Our Roots Grow 2026

This summer we want to return back to the roots. For a generation of Blue Star campers Lauren’s parents, Rodger and Candy, framed camp’s mission in a metaphor of “roots and wings.” Camp is a space where children and teens feel supported to strengthen their roots, both in discovering their most authentic self and in how they are so interconnected with others in community. Layered with our own roots are those who came before us and passed down our Jewish history, traditions, and larger purpose. At camp Lauren & I envision all campers and staff exploring who we are and how we can most meaningfully connect with each other and our natural surroundings.

Lauren was recently featured on the podcast The Social Dialogue, hosted by a former camper, staff member, and parent. They discussed the power of finding our roots at camp, especially as we put down our phones and Ipads to really connect with the world around us. One of the co-host’s core memories from when Rodger and Candy were the directors at camp was their use of the “roots and wings” symbolism. To this day, she attributes growing into her best self, becoming deeply connected to her Judaism, and gaining the confidence and courage to move beyond her comfort zone to her time at Blue Star. As an added bonus, her lifelong closest friends, her “people,” remain from their summers together at camp. Camp is the connective tissue deepening her spiritual and communal roots.

How do we create the conditions at camp for campers to uncover their roots? Blue Star is a uniquely child-centered universe where campers are allowed to choose their own adventures. From selecting their own activities (i.e. Blue Star camper-choice Options) to taking the time to sit in silence with their thoughts at the Chapel on Shabbat, we encourage campers to learn more about their true selves. Through our Living Judaism framework, campers get to sign up to help lead services; leading camp in prayers from the bima, playing guitar with our song leaders, and sharing their Original Thoughts tied to the summer theme. Our Juniors, Pioneers, Seniors, and Teen Villagers look forward to and love the collective joy they experience every Friday night at the Chapel. In cabin and unit groups, our counselors and unit leaders also guide campers in reflective practices designed to build community. In weekly “circle ups,” Friday night bonfires and “warm fuzzies,” cabin meetings, and at key log ceremonies, our staff model how to deepen connection with others.

Let’s double down on goodness this summer, be kind to each other and kind to the planet, and experience the joy of being at our forever summer home…where our roots grow!

This time of year opens space for internal and collective reflection. For that, I always feel a deep sense of gratitude as we move through one year to the next. Of course, one of the primary themes of the High Holidays is asking forgiveness. Our ancestors were way ahead of their time in prioritizing this profound act of mindfulness coupled with openheartedness. To identify a wrongdoing, face it head on, and ask for forgiveness can be a radical act of transformation. How can we each be a better version of ourselves so that we might help our communities heal?

Before the High Holidays I found myself on a leadership retreat in the mountain west. After meeting a Blue Star alum during the orientation walking tour (the first person I met on the retreat, randomly and/or serendipitously), one of the co-facilitators introduced the concept of forgiveness. To that end, she played a song entitled, Forgive, by Trevor Hall and Luka Lesson. The lyric that I have played over and over again goes like this…

“Forgiveness is for giving, so give yourself this gift from time to time.”

https://open.spotify.com/album/7LInWgnlGzdaGS8neaQoR3?si=_O0A0wzTTWK9a24R1iaaLA

Asking for forgiveness AND granting forgiveness are part of the work of repair. In all relationships we flow through cycles of harmony, disharmony, and repair. When we talk about and put into practice at camp the core outcomes of being our best selves, building community, and doing good…we are modeling for and guiding our campers through these cycles (with their cabin mates, best friends, and counselors). In order to move out of disharmony and back to harmony, we have to engage the uncomfortable and even awkward practice of repair. To ask for forgiveness when we mess up AND accept someone else’s authentic apology when they mess up are the two most direct routes to repair. In fact, this past summer Fish led our entire staff through a continuing education session on how to make an authentic apology at one of our all staff meetings. Counselors were then even better able to model the process for our campers.

Here is an invitation to all of our camp families: What if you practiced genuinely saying, “sorry,” to one another and accepting one another’s apologies? As an example, this could be part of a family “circle up” at dinner. Remember that forgiveness is a gift!

We are so happy to introduce the option for campers to scan letters home to you this summer. For sure, we are excited that you will be able to hear from your camper(s) in closer to “real time” and are looking forward to the myriad benefits that will offer. With those benefits, there likely will be some challenges that arise for us. Working together, we are calmly confident this all will be a “net positive” toward the best outcomes for your camper(s).

• A letter is just a moment: Like with the photos we post, a letter home from camp reflects a single moment out of many in a camp day. As we shared in the recent “SETHtalk,” one of the things that makes camp hard is that campers have hundreds of social interactions every day, and navigating those moments is difficult. Often, after a difficult moment, campers will write letters home expressing those challenges and feelings. Of course (and totally appropriately), you will only be getting your camper’s perspective on those moments, and there is often more nuance than they can express in a letter. Reading letters with that context – knowing that is one moment, and soon after, they are likely on to the next moment – has been helpful for us as camp parents. As we often share, campers rarely stop engaging in “camp fun” to tell their parents the positives, but often let them know when things are more difficult. This is very much developmentally appropriate.
  
• Self-advocacy is a key to success: Your campers are (wonderfully) used to you, their parents, being their “go-to” people in the world. When they are away from home, sometimes it can be difficult to know who can or should fill that void. Of course, we encourage campers to write letters that authentically reflect their feelings. Just like we want them to tell you about the fun stuff, we also want them to let you know the things they are having to work a little harder at navigating. AND we want them to come to a trusted camp adult – their counselor, unit leader, camp leader, directors, or another trusted staff member. Part of growing and having an independent experience is learning who you can go to in real time when you need extra support. One way you can help us is to encourage your campers to share those challenges with our staff at camp AND let you know at home. Letting them know that they have the power to get help from our staff will give them agency in their own success!
  
• Homesickness and making the transition to camp: Sometimes, we talk about challenges in the transition to camp as “homesickness.” Being independent and in a new place (or even back in a familiar place that still is not home) can be a challenge, and that transition can be difficult for campers – even returning campers. In the “old days” of snail mail, by the time the first few homesick letters reached home, most campers had made significant progress in the adjustment to camp. As scanned letters will get home far quicker, your camper might still be struggling in that transition to camp. There are lots of great tips for how you can help your campers navigate this in our parent handbook, so we encourage you to check those out. The other thing we can offer here is that the “cure” for “homesickness” is the time to make the adjustment to feeling comfortable at camp. While scanning letters will get the communication home faster, it will not speed up the adjustment process. Remember, it is totally “normal” to take a few days (even a week or more) to adjust to being in a new place. Better communication technology does not change that. Please be assured that our highly trained staff will be there to support each camper through this process, and we will contact you if their transition is taking longer than is typical.

So, what do we suggest when you get a letter that gives you pause? 

• First, pause and take a deep breath. Your camper can do it, and sometimes they just need to let you know how it’s going – both the ups and downs. Remember, we have a full staff working tirelessly for positive social-emotional outcomes for your campers. 
• When you write your campers back, validate their feelings by letting them know that you “hear them” AND let them know that you know they can navigate that challenge and succeed at camp. Encourage them to stay positive and to seek out support from trusted adults at camp for help in real time.
• Then, if you feel you need to get more information, please do not hesitate to give us a call (like always). We will listen openly and actively, in addition to sharing our authentic feedback and perspective on what we think is going on.
  • Please give us some time to get you the best information. When you call the office, you will talk to a staff member who works on our communications team. They are not your camper’s counselors or leadership team and will need a little time to communicate with the staff who work directly with your campers. We will do everything in our power to get you transparent information from your camper and their counselors within 24 hours. 
  • The information your camper will now be sharing with you will be close to “real time,” which means they may have shared information with you that we don’t yet have regarding their feelings. We are happy for you to give us a call if you receive information from your camper that you feel may be helpful for us to have. As part of our partnership with parents, it may take us some time to look into the details shared and resolve any challenges. We are here and ready to work together to do that, and please know it will not be instant.

We are excited to have the opportunity for you and your campers to communicate with each other faster. And all of the best outcomes of camp – growth, independence, real friendships, and many more – still take “slow” time. We look forward to working with you toward those meaningful and memorable outcomes…

JoyFully @ BSC 2025

As we step into our 78th magical summer on the mountain, Lauren and I have been reflecting on camp as an antidote- a place of healing and repair, individually and as a community. Growing up (and parenting) in today’s world feels overwhelming. The pressures are real, and we often find ourselves wondering what’s being lost in the rush. Without spacious, uninterrupted time to simply be, we risk forgetting how essential joy, play, and connection are to childhood—and to all of us.

Camp has always been a kind of medicine. Healing happens here in so many ways: by reconnecting with nature and the rhythm of the natural world…by learning how to live, play, and grow alongside others…by stepping outside our comfort zones, facing fears, and discovering we’re braver than we thought. Most importantly, healing happens when kids realize that their authentic selves are more than enough. That they matter; that they belong.

This spirit of tikkun olam has always been woven into Blue Star’s mission—and this year, we believe the very best medicine for these times is something simple: JOY. Joy might feel like an unfamiliar word these days. But we’re leaning into it—boldly and intentionally—because it’s what we believe is needed. Not the kind of joy that’s loud or performative, but the kind that’s grounded, expansive, and real.

A joyful path invites us to slow down, breathe deeper, and reconnect with what makes us feel truly alive. What happens when we’re given permission to linger in joy? What does it feel like to have time stretch out in front of us—with no expectations?

At Blue Star, we program with purpose to create that space. Campers dive deeply into their chosen Blue Star Options over multiple days to find their flow. Free swim isn’t just about cooling off—it’s about choosing what lights you up. For some, joy is found flying across the waterfront inflatables or in a game of four square. For others, it’s sitting in a crazy creek by the water with a close friend. The “what” matters less than the freedom to explore, express, and experience joy on our own terms.

And at camp…joy shows up everywhere:

In full-bellied songs in the dining hall.

In bouncing, laughing chaos on the lake.

In a spontaneous, spirited ping pong match.

In a quiet moment with the goats at farm n’ barn.

In the messy magic of pottery.

In a new card game shared in the cabin before lights out.

Every one of these moments is a chance to feel joy. So this summer, let’s keep it simple and live JoyFully @ BSC!

Let’s talk about bullying. Lauren and I, along with our long-time leadership team, think about this topic a lot. We approach it in a larger context of our mission: guiding kids and teens to grow into good humans who will affect positive change in the world. Every summer we seek to build an inclusive camp community where all campers and staff feel they can be their most authentic selves. Along the way, our leadership team is focused on teaching campers how to interact in healthy ways with their peers; of course, part of this focus is identifying and directly addressing bullying behavior. As educators, how can we best help our campers learn and grow from their mistakes? How can we instill in them the essential life skills of empathy, resilience, and forgiveness? How can we make sure every camper feels known, needed, and cared for as a valued member of our Blue Star family?

Jason Silberman, President of the Camp Owners/Directors Association (one of several professional organizations in which we are members), reflected on this past summer with this front of mind. Silberman writes, “there’s a prevailing culture that encourages removing children from situations that cause discomfort, rather than allowing them to work through their feelings. However, children thrive in environments that promote connection and resilience.” As parents, we too struggle with our own feelings around how best to parent our children. We are right here with you! When we are granted the awesome opportunity and privilege to look after YOUR child at camp, we feel for them and think about them as our own. Our educational philosophy is that real learning takes place in the context of relationships. Our work centers around leading campers towards a deeper understanding of themselves and learning how to interact inclusively in all of their social interactions.

Part of this work is acknowledging that kids and teens make mistakes, explore boundaries, and are trying to figure out who they are and how they fit in with others. It is messy; it can feel uncomfortable. When a camper says something really mean to another camper or blatantly excludes them from joining in with a group, we engage the work. Sometimes mean or exclusionary behavior can become part of a repetitive pattern. At Blue Star we define bullying as repeated unwanted aggressive behavior that involves a power imbalance (https://www.stopbullying.gov).

We also understand that testing the accepted social boundaries to establish one’s role in a group is developmentally appropriate behavior.  That said, while these behaviors are age appropriate, some of them are not acceptable in our intentional community.  Rather, the good work of camp is to scaffold and support all children in working with these challenges and learning from the experience to help them discover their best selves. Always we are working to root out exclusionary behavior and catalyze inclusive acts. We use the word, inclusion (and not tolerance), as inclusion requires the camper to go beyond tolerance, or simply putting up with someone.  The following are just a handful of examples of HOW we strive to accomplish this…

• Our intensive staff leadership training focuses on how our counselors can best create an inclusive cabin community, in addition to how best to handle when a camper is not acting in that way. Our unit and camp leaders are in the camper cabins every day and checking in with the counselors regularly to gather information on the internal cabin dynamics. Our leadership team then makes the decisions as to how to work with certain campers individually and the cabin as a whole.
• Weekly check-ins (one-on-one conversations) occur as a priority between our unit leaders and each of their campers. *Parents, as partners, can coach their children to share with their camp leadership how they actually are doing and feeling, especially within their cabin. Our unit leaders share their weekly check-in written reports with their camp leader and director. From there, our leadership team again is making the decisions as to how to work with certain campers individually, including when the directors will engage parents.
• Circle Ups & Key Logs are modeled and led by our unit and camp leaders. Lauren & I facilitate our leadership team Circle Ups as part of an ongoing training process. From there, our counselors are empowered to lead regular Circle Ups with their cabins. Circle Ups are opportunities for campers to share openly what is going well for them at camp and what is not going well (ie “Rose & Thorn”). Alumni will be much more familiar with Key Log ceremonies that happen on the last night of every session. All campers and staff from each unit share gratitude with each other, sitting around the camp fire and reflecting on their camp relationships. It is important for the adults at camp to model and scaffold for our campers that it is healthy to share their feelings.
• Camper Commitment policies are a newer addition to our social-emotional learning arsenal. This summer, all of our campers and their parents will receive our Camper Commitment policy to discuss at home before camp starts. At camp, our leadership team and counselors will review the Camper Commitments as part of our regular process of setting cabin guidelines with our campers at the beginning of each session. This way, all of our campers start the summer on the same page as to what behavior is acceptable and, clearly, what is not. To get campers to buy in, it is key that campers feel part of the process.

As always, Lauren & I invite all of our camp families to partner with us and support our mission in creating an inclusive community at camp where all campers feel known, needed, cared for and safe.

Shabbat Original Thoughts Shared By Fish and Dana on the 2nd Shabbat of 1st Session 2024

Shabbat Shalom! I cannot believe we have already reached the midpoint of this first session. This is my favorite week – it is the week we get to fully live in our camp experiences. I know Seth’s “thing” is that he often reads you a book – not quite my style. But I do love books – so I’m going to tell you about one. This past spring, my son Reid (Juniors) and I read and listened to The Wild Robot series. In the first book, Roz – the wild robot – packed in her crate and shipped with other robots, crashes into a desert island. A family of playful otters accidentally switch Roz on, and from there, the story unfolds. Oddly enough, this book about a robot crash-landing on an island and befriending wild animals teaches us what is it means to be human. What matters is the way we connect with each other and the world. 

1. To be human is to be kind. One of the feature’s of Roz’s programming is that she can’t use physical violence. At moments, this makes it hard for her as act aggressively toward her. She learns to use her kindness, her empathy and her intellect to navigate the world, rather than her physical strength. Even, in the third book, when a new update allows her to be physically violent, she resists the “easy out” of being aggressive and leans into choosing kindness. At camp, it is so easy to respond with anger – to get mad and lose control of our emotions. Remember, as you face challenges, you have the power to be kind. It doesn’t happen by accident. You (and the people you surround yourself with) control your programming. Be kind and surround yourself with others who are kind. 

2. To be human is to build an intentional community. In the book, Roz adopts an orphaned gosling and raises him as her own child. Together, as a family, they connect with the beavers and otters; predators and prey have moments of truce so they can work together towards common goals (saving Roz from the robots trying to get her back to the factory, for one). Here at camp, we get the chance to build our own intentional “families.” We have our cabins, our units, our camps, the friends we go to options with, and many more little communities within our big camp. I have always found deep and meaningful connections with this community – my chosen family. 

3. To be human is to be a steward of the natural environment. In the third book, Roz and her island friends face an environmental disaster, and it is up to her to save her son Brightbill and her grand-goslings. Spoiler alert – Roz does save the day. While we may not, single handedly, be able to solve an environmental crisis, we each play a small part in preserving the world around us. One of the biggest improvements we made here at camp this past off-season was that we installed solar panels on the roof of the HeRo – this means we can power many of the Pioneer Boy cabins, the HeRo, and the electric pool heater with sustainable energy. You too can make a big difference – you can turn off the lights when you leave the cabin, you can turn of the water when you brush your teeth, you can take shorter showers (as long as you get clean!), you can compost (boom), you can “leave no trace” and pick up after yourself, leaving the natural world natural and beautiful. You can practice these things at camp, bring them home and make a difference in your world when you get back home. 

So, on this middle shabbat of second session – I encourage you to be like Roz – be kind to each other, build an intentional community, and be kind to our planet.

What’s NEW in 2024?!

Let’s make some MAGIC on the Mountain at Blue Star this summer 2024! Along with our leadership team, Lauren & I have been busy at work all year cooking up a magical summer. Plowing ahead with our summer planning has eased our own campsickness. Now that it’s springtime, we wanted to share a sneak preview of What’s NEW in 2024…

Most importantly, Lauren & I are so excited to announce our latest project as part of our GREEN eco-mission. Installed on top of our HeRo amphitheater are over 100 solar panels. These solar panels will allow us to power the central part of camp, including our heated pool, Rec Hall, and more key spaces. During the summer, our Green Team, led by Teen Village campers, will be sharing updates with our camp community about how much solar energy we are using and the positive impact on the environment. This will be a tangible way for our camp community to practice being kind to the planet!

Now for the updates you all have been waiting for…drum roll please! To keep innovating with our programming, we are adding a brand new mountain biking trail that will be for all riding levels (most campers, of all ages, who choose mountain biking this summer will be able to experience this brand new trail with sweet twists & turns and a new bridge component). This is just the opening phase of our larger plan to rebuild our entire mountain biking trail network. On top of that, we will be introducing a new official Blue Star option in Flag Football. Not only is flag football now the pinnacle of the NFL’s Pro Bowl weekend and a future Summer Olympics sport, but it also is about to kick off at Blue Star on our three full size athletic fields. And for our campers to enjoy when they experience their overnight camping trip, we have built a brand new camp site (now we have three brand new camp sites on property with more still to come). After building a campfire, cooking a delicious dinner with special sauce, and sharing stories while eating s’mores, more campers will get to sleep even more comfortably in another new camp site. And did we mention even more additions to our Waterfront Inflatable Park?! Boom.

For our 77^th season, Lauren & I want to explore what really creates that Blue Star Magic. We envision this exploration as a collective and communal effort. Along with our alumni, staff, parents and campers, let’s rediscover what the Blue Star Magic is all about. Together, we make the Magic on the Mountain!

We believe that inside of each of us, there radiates a spark. There is magic inside us all, waiting to be harnessed. So much of our good work every summer is creating a supportive environment for our campers to discover their best selves. Lauren’s grandfather and co-founder of Blue Star, Herman Popkin, used to talk about how every child has something unique within them to share with the world. The camp experience is focused on helping campers find that unique spark so that they can share it with the world. When our campers and staff share their magic with each other, the positive power of that collective magic is exponential. That positive power reminds us to interact with others from our most real and authentic selves, creating more and more kind interactions. Then we can channel that magic towards doing good and helping heal the planet.

This summer’s theme is meant to be even more interactive than in years’ past. As a whole Blue Star family, we will co-create its meaning together…on the mountain. What is YOUR definition of the Blue Star Magic?! We would love to hear from our fellow “BlueStar-iens.” Let’s make some super sweet Magic on the Mountain this summer 2024!