The Alvernian - Session 2, 2026

From The Camp Director

A Day in the Life at Camp Alvernia

Super excited for another day at Camp Alvernia! Morning dropoff brings the sights and sounds of playful campers throwing a beachball around with their group’s JC, playing tag with a new friend, or sitting in a circle chatting about their newest resin animal find (we love the winking dog!). Morning announcements, the pledge of allegiance, and joke of the day finished, the campers count off to line up and head to their first activity of the day.

First stop: pool! Bubbles on, the campers, JCs and counselors jump in and start a whirlpool going. Lifeguards whistle for buddy check and everyone climbs out, counts off–all safe! And in they go again for more time to swim and splash around.

Arts and crafts time! Everyone gathers their towels, goggles, shoes, water bottles…don’t forget anything! After changing, they head down the steps towards waterfront as Brad helps the campers learn how to make the coolest bracelets on the planet. A peek out the window shows the younger campers paddling at the waterfront, life jackets in place, while other campers throw a football around and splash around in the sprinkler on shore.

Fiver, one of the camp goldendoodles, makes his rounds, stopping for camper pets and trying to eat the horseshoe crabs that wash up at low tide, while supervisors walk in and out of activities, making sure all is well. Campers walk by carrying bomb pop cups and Gatorade from the canteen as a rousing game of ping pong has everyone cheering for their favorite JC.

Lunch time rolls along as campers line up for Mama G’s delicious Italian chicken sandwich and chocolate milk. Grape tomatoes and cucumbers on the plate, they head back to their group’s table, chatting and laughing together with friends. Dance, music, nature journals at nature center, and World cup soccer…whew, the day begins to wind down. Campers carefully make their way to Dismissal A or B where moms, dads, grandpas and grandmas, aunts and uncles and family friends line up to wait. JCs and counselors move in and out of cars, making sure all the campers are safely buckled in. Smile and wave, everyone! Time to sleep now!

-Sarah, JC Supervisor

Badyr’s Quote of Session 2:

“You are the sum total of everything you’ve ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot - it’s all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive.”- Maya Angelou

Pool Staff

The campers have been making amazing progress with their swimming this session. The Sandpipers have been working on their front crawl and back floats, strengthening the skills they need to become safe and independent swimmers. It has been so exciting to watch their confidence grow as they learn to move through the water and float on their own. Our older campers have also been impressing us with their skills. The Herons have mastered the butterfly stroke, which is no easy accomplishment! A special shoutout also goes to Plovers Gabby and Conner for reaching zero bubbles during their swim lessons. Their hard work and determination have truly paid off, and we are so proud of them! Every new skill is an accomplishment worth celebrating at the pool. Whether campers are learning a new stroke, swimming without a bubble, or simply becoming more comfortable in the water, it is incredibly rewarding to watch their hard work pay off. We cannot wait to see what they accomplish next!

-Amelia, Assistant Pool Supervisor

A Letter To Our Camp Families

Dear Camp Alvernia Families,

As Session 2 comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to thank you for trusting us with one of the most important parts of your child’s summer. We know that camp is about so much more than filling the days. It is about creating friendships, building confidence, making memories, and giving children experiences they will talk about long after the summer ends. We are truly grateful to be a part of that journey. As the Activity Supervisors, our role is to support and train our activity staff to create engaging, creative, and memorable games for campers of all ages. Behind every activity is a great deal of planning, teamwork, and enthusiasm. We work closely with our counselors to help them develop fun ideas, encourage camper participation, and create an environment where every child feels included, encouraged, and excited to play. Watching our staff grow into confident leaders while seeing the joy on campers’ faces has been one of the most rewarding parts of the summer. One of the highlights of this week was a water relay race that quickly became a camp favorite! Campers worked together to fill a water bottle that was balanced on top of their counselor’s head. The counselors got soaked by their campers and everyone had lots of fun! It took teamwork, determination and plenty of laughter to complete the challenge. Of course, as often happens at camp, the game took on a life of its own. After the game was completed, it turned into an unforgettable water fight with counselors happily joining in the fun. The sounds of campers laughing, cheering, and screaming with excitement echoed throughout camp as everyone embraced the moment. It was one of those experiences that perfectly captures the spirit of Camp Alvernia—where laughter is contagious, memories are made, and everyone gets to be a kid. Thank you for allowing us the privilege of sharing these moments with your children. It is a responsibility we never take for granted. Every smile, every new friendship, every challenge overcome, and every burst of laughter reminds us why camp is such a special place. We hope your campers come home each day with stories that make you smile and memories they will carry with them for years to come.

With gratitude,

Julie, Katie, and Jess

The Power Of Friendship from The Herons

One of the best parts of camp is watching friendships grow through teamwork, and this week’s Heron activity was a perfect example of that.

On Wednesday, our Herons cooled off with a series of water challenges that required campers to work together to be successful. In the first event, teams had to pass cups of water down the line, carefully transferring as much water as possible from one bucket to another. It wasn’t about who was the fastest, it was about communicating, encouraging one another, and working as a team. Zach’s group showed great teamwork, taking home the first two rounds.

The challenges continued as counselors laid on the ground holding water bottles overhead while campers carefully poured water into the narrow openings. Every camper played an important role, cheering each other on and celebrating every successful pour. We wrapped up the Heron Activity with a water balloon toss, where partners had to trust one another and work together to keep the balloon from bursting. Congratulations to campers Reese and Makayla, who won the camper competition, and to Zach and Grayson, who also came away with victory.

While the games were full of laughs and friendly competition, the biggest victory was seeing campers encourage one another, solve problems together, and strengthen friendships along the way. Moments like these remind us that camp is more than just activities… it’s a place where teamwork builds confidence, kindness creates connections, and friendships continue to grow every day.

-Jack, Heron Supervisor

The Magic Between The Activities With The Sandpipers

Oftentimes, the best parts of camp for the Sandpipers are the little moments between games and activities. Whether it’s forming new relationships, learning about each other, laughing together, or playing pretend during transitions, these in-between moments that are often overlooked actually make the biggest impact on the campers.

When the Sandpipers feel safe and secure with their counselors and fellow campers, they allow themselves to explore the emotionally-enriching moments at camp. As Hudson was getting ready to leave early on Thursday, he stopped and made sure he had a chance to hug his friend Katherine goodbye. He and his friends have built such a strong relationship through the past few weeks by indulging in the moments that aren’t explicitly on the schedule.

While the campers wait for snack time, they have a minute to connect with each other and talk about their day. As they see the snacks being brought to them, they immediately break out into a chant. “ICE CREAM, ICE CREAM, ICE CREAM!” rings through the area around our cabins. This spontaneous moment of community turns something as mundane as getting a snack into an exciting, memorable, connection-building event.

While these things might go unnoticed, they build the foundation of everything the Sandpipers learn and develop at camp. Enjoying the small moments creates an opportunity to grow and experience new things each and every day.

–Matty and Courtney, Sandpipers Supervisors

The Kind Of Summer We Hope They’ll Remember

As someone who has spent many summers on the shores of Camp Alvernia, both as a camper and a staff member, I know first hand that memories created here will last a lifetime. Here at the waterfront, we’re so fortunate to help to create so many of those for these campers. Whether it’s mastering how to turn in a power paddler, like our Duckling campers: Cameron, Ella Rose, Griffin, Julian, Olivia, Teddy, and Thomas; finally having the perfect windy day to land on Sand City (and forever have those bragging rights) like Ospreys Brooklyn, Savanna, Siena, and Sophia; or simply spending summer afternoons paddling on kayaks or stand up paddle boards with newly made friends.

The waterfront staff wants to give a special shout out this session to Heron campers who made an extra special memory this session: earning their sailing certification. Through dedication, persistence, and teamwork, they are now able to skipper their own sailboats when they come down to the waterfront for sailing. Congratulations to the following sailors: Chloe, Gianna, Lillian, Nathaniel, Sawyer, Reese, and Tallulah.

-Waterfront Staff

Renaissance Faire

Hear ye, Hear ye! This week in the Kingdom of Camp Alvernia, a Renaissance Faire rolled into camp. Campers were transported back to a time of knights, great thinkers, pirates, and most importantly, fun! Games included defending their own hula-hoop kingdoms in Castleball, a living game of Capture the Flag, and battling it out on the soccer field. At the waterfront, older campers took to trade routes in a boat race while pirates tried to conquer their fleet! The wee campers engaged in a treasure relay, where they worked together to get their gold. In the Bottega, or the arts and crafts studio, campers had a variety of options: from making maps, to practicing their portrait skills together, and finally painting their own frescoes. In the Nature cabin, campers found their place among the stars and searched for constellations. In total, a good time was had by all the citizens of Camp Alvernia as they explored the Renaissance!

-Tara and Anne in Special Days

The Soundtrack Of Camp

If summer could last forever, we would spend every single day making unforgettable memories just like the ones from this week! We took the fun on the road for an exciting trip to NY Axe, our campers and staff had a fantastic time putting their aim to the test. To top off an already incredible day, we cooled down with a sweet treat from Ralph’s, which was the perfect way to end our outing.

Back at camp, the high energy kept rolling right into this session’s fantastic pool party, complete with sun-soaked fun, music, and endless games. When we weren’t splashing around, our campers showed off their amazing artistic skills by recreating their favorite camp spots out of graham crackers, icing, and candy. It was a week full of creativity, big laughs, and sweet moments that made us wish these summer days would never end!

Our CIT Eagles had a great week hanging out with our Duckling campers. From jumping around and laughing at Music class to running their own activity on Friday during volleyball, they had the best time getting to work with our youngest campers. An extra special shoutout to our CIT Eagle Cristina Herbst, who came to camp early on Thursday to help set up for our special day! It was an ax-cellent week for our Eagles!

-Bree, Plover Supervisor

Osprey Session 2

Happy Friday Camp Alvernia families!

Can you believe we are halfway through the summer already? As a teacher, I’m always thinking about what’s ahead and what’s ahead for all of us is school in September. It’s only weeks away and the thought of being back in the classroom is looming over all of our heads. But the good news is that they’re still six weeks of summer full of fun and magic. Being able to come to a place, as special as Alvernia, every day and be outside with our best friends is why we all come back here year after year and year. In school, most students cannot wait to get to the end of the day to go home. But at camp, it is the complete opposite. Every day, I hear campers say they do not want to go home. They want to stay at camp forever and that they had an amazing time. The friendships in the connections made at camp are amazing and that’s what makes camp so special. Even though we are only here for a short time throughout the year, it is something that everybody looks forward to year after year.

-Talia, Osprey Supervisor