Shark Tank and Day 4
Dear Skyline Parents,
We can hardly believe that we’re almost halfway through camp! It’s been such an exciting week so far and we can’t wait to see what the rest of Second Session has in store for us. Though we had some rain today, it hasn’t stopped us from enjoying everything that camp has to offer.
Advanced Horseback got a taste of equestrian today by practicing jumps and cone weaves. We were so impressed by these girls and their connection with the horses. Other riders began to learn to trot today, and it was very rewarding to see them try something new and accomplish it!
In Circus, the girls didn’t go up because of the rain, but they found a way to practice their skills and technique by doing skills on silk or making up brand new tricks.
Speaking of rainy weather, our minis have taken the camp experience “by storm.” In Archery, they impressed me with their persistence in every shooting attempt. If they couldn’t get an accurate shot the first time, they made sure to ask a counselor to help them adjust the bow correctly so that they could do better on the next try. I was so proud of how far they’ve come since the first day. Many of them even made it on the target! The minis also excelled in Arts and Crafts. Today’s assignment was to make a cupcake out of candy wrappers and cotton balls. I loved seeing their ideas come to life as they created their confectionery creations in many different colors and styles.
In a similar fashion, our Painting classes excelled with different creative projects. One class had a “free paint” day, where they could paint whatever their heart desired. I like observing as each girl took a different route with their creative freedom. Some girls painted landscapes, while others painted people. In another class, the girls were paired up and tasked to create a night sky landscape using their partner’s eye color. I really enjoyed how they made the assignment their own by choosing between acrylic paint and watercolor, and adding all sorts of details like shining suns and splattered stars.
I also frequented many of our Dance classes today as they’ve been preparing their performances for Show Time. One class is learning a high-energy pop dance routine to “All Around the World” by Justin Bieber. When watching their dance, you can clearly see how much they are feeling the music because they are adding in some sass! Another class is learning a musical theater style dance to “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” I loved their collaboration on the different roles that appear in the dance and how they show off their skills in a solo 8-count across the floor. The oldest dancers are learning difficult choreography to “Beat It” by Michael Jackson. They are working so hard in class to perfect each move, and I can’t wait to see how they progress!
Musical Theater and Set Design is also hard at work preparing for the debut of this summer’s play: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. We have some great young actresses here at camp, and even though I was only able to stay and watch one scene, I was so impressed with their acting skills from facial expressions, character voices, and leaving no awkward space between each line. While the actresses were rehearsing, Set Design created props for the show using paint, cardboard and glitter. I spied glittery candy canes and chocolate chip cookies, and one camper showed me how she made chocolate bars that doubled as golden tickets when you flipped them around! I love how the girls put their all into every activity at camp.
Tonight’s nighttime activity looked a little different due to the weather, but the girls were thriving all the same. In lieu of Get Skyline Back, we hosted our very own edition of “Shark Tank.” Each cabin worked together to devise a pitch for something that they believe would benefit Camp Skyline. They had 12 minutes to draft posters, scripts, or skits to sell their pitch and convince our admin “Shark Tank” judges that their idea was worthy of becoming a reality at Camp Skyline. Their ideas included:
- Cereal dispensers in the Dining Hall
- A Camp Skyline song book in each cabin for new campers to learn the songs
- A water obstacle course on the river
- “Riverside Round-Up” PSA system in Riverside
- “Dog Patch Disco” for Hut Row campers to party during showers
- The “Scraper and Passer” to more efficiently Scrape and Pass
- Dri-fit clothing in the T-Shirt Corral
- The “Donation Station” for new campers to pick out old gear for Club Competitions
- “Frannie’s Corner” to make bouquets for your friends during Beli Deli
- A hair-braiding station during Camper Choice
And so much more! The best part about Shark Tank tonight was seeing how each cabin put their own special twist on the assignment. My favorite moments included hearing little voices from Hut Row taking the mic to say “Hi Sharks” before their pitch, seeing the silliness and giggles on stage from the girls in the Lodge, appreciating the thoughtfulness of the Summerplace girls, and observing the fun-loving Riversiders put all the humor into their pitches. At the end of the night, Ivy announced the first place winner: Dog Patch Disco! The girls were also delighted to hear that a lot of their second and third place pitches (such as the hair-braiding station) might even be making an appearance in future summers.
After Shark Tank, it was off to bed because we have another big day tomorrow! The girls can’t wait to visit all of their activities again are looking forward to the dance with Camp Laney. We’ll fill you in on all the best details from the day soon enough! But for now, feel free to check out today’s video!
With love,
Sydney
