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Welcome

We invite you to join us for a summer of friendship exploring lakes and mountains becoming strong and independent being part of a community with time to create and space to be yourself.

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Location

Treetops is a residential summer camp for

boys and girls ages 8 through 14. Our seven

week program offers a wide range of creative

and challenging activities in a simple, unhurried,

child-centered environment.

Treetops sits within the Adirondack Park

which includes millions of acres of wilderness,

ample space to experience the beauty of lakes

and mountains. Our 200-acre campus includes a

lake free of motor boats, a large organic garden

and a working farm. Treetops offers a summer

unplugged —in which children experience the

natural world and grow in self-confidence,

independence, creativity, and physical skills.

In a world saturated with technology, Treetops

offers instead the sound of early morning

birdsong, the challenge of canoeing across a

windy lake, the satisfaction of creating something

beautiful with one’s own hands.

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Camp Treetops. A place for children to explore their imagination, develop strength and gain self-con dence.

“The essential experience Treetops offers is TIME. Time to walk up a hill, to look at the stars, to have a conversation, to notice the woods and to watch a garden grow. I am so so so happy my son spent this summer with you.”

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Camp Treetops. A place for children to explore their imagination, develop strength and gain self-con dence.FI

A Sense Of Self

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“What are your hopes

for this summer, Sarah?”

a counselor asks her

camper. “What I really

want to do is make a

canoe paddle.”

“Okay. Let’s make

sure that happens.”

Because our ratio of staff to campers is 1:3, children can realize their goals

and express their individuality. One child may be very involved in drama

while her tent mate excels at sailing.

At Treetops a sense of community suffuses all we do. Is it your week to

wake early, walk to the barn and care for a horse? Is it your turn to sweep

the floor for morning tent clean-up? The fresh vegetables we eat

at meals are picked by the children and counselors on each week’s garden

harvest crew. We eat family-style at small tables so that conversation

can be meaningful. On trips children pitch in to establish a campsite,

cook meals, and carry gear. One period each week is set aside for an all-

camp community project. The money saved from eating a light meal of

soup and crackers once a week goes toward The Fund, and the proceeds

are donated to a charity of the campers’ choosing. The oldest campers

participate in a summer-long community project: cutting a new trail,

creating a mosaic for the side of the boathouse – something they can

point to years later with pride. “I helped make that.”

A Sense of Community

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Some campers take every opportunity they can to hike in the mountains while

others want to perfect their horseback riding skills. All children swim daily and

have the opportunity to ride at least once a week. All are encouraged to sample

a wide variety of activities, but children also pursue their passions.

A Day Unfolds

A day at Camp unfolds in a rhythm. Children are

awakened not by a bell but by the quiet words of a

counselor telling them the day has begun. Each week a

different group of campers has early morning chores at

the barn or garden. After breakfast and tent clean-up, a

morning council plans activities. “Who wants to climb

Giant today?” “In the pot shop I can take two people to

work on the wheel and four more to do hand building.”

“Who wants to do wet canoe safety 2nd period?”

Two morning activity periods are followed by lunch,

another council, and rest hour—a time for children to

read or draw or write letters and take a breath before the

afternoon begins. Two more activity periods are divided

by Juice and Crackers at 4 o’clock when everyone from

both camps gathers on the hill for a snack. Five o’clock

is chore time for all. Fresh flowers are picked for the

tables; a canoe needs some repair; shops are tidied and

swept; camping equipment is sorted and put

away. Each work crew does meaningful

tasks that help the community run.

Supper time, evening games or reading

by the fire, bed time, the silence of night

in the mountains, and another day is done.

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“I was so thrilled that Jack loved this camp. I could tell this the moment I

saw him when we came to pick him up. The only word I can think of that

really described his whole energy was ‘centered.’ He seemed so much more

confident and mature. And most important . . . happy.”

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Activities at Treetops

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Music and Drama

Activities at Treetops allow children to grow in knowledge, skill, creativity,

and competence. Children begin at their comfort level and progress to more

challenging levels. We encourage children to get involved in many areas of

camp life, to broaden as well as deepen their experiences.

Our well-designed craft shops allow children to learn many skills: weaving,

woodworking, pottery, blacksmithing, dyeing and batik, felting, puppet

making, knitting, bead and papermaking and more. Nothing is made from

a kit. Some projects take one period to complete; others take much longer.

Children will return home proudly showing off their accomplishments: the rug

they wove on the large loom, the stuff sack they sewed for their hiking gear,

the book shelf they made in woodshop. Learning to center a pot on the wheel

or see a project through to completion gives a child a sense of competence

and faith in his abilities.

Crafts and Art

A garden skit may teach fellow campers about why we mulch. More

complex dramatic productions may involve many children for many weeks.

Performance areas include our Pavilion near the riding ring, the quonset-

gym where we also have our square dances, and an outdoor stage surrounded

by a natural amphitheater. We sing before councils and around campfires.

Children bring their musical instruments to Camp and play for others. Or

they learn to drum or play guitar on instruments that we have here.

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Hiking, Rock Climbing, And Overnight CampingTreetops is situated in the middle

of the Adirondack Park, the largest

publicly-protected area in the

lower 48. Of its six million acres,

almost half are designated “forever

wild.” This is our backyard. Ask

an ex-camper what she remembers

most about Treetops and it may

very well be that five-day trip

she spent hiking in the High

Peaks Wilderness Area or three

days of paddling on Lows Lake

and the Bog River Flow. Our

campus has its own outcrop for

rock climbing practice as well as

an indoor climbing wall. Children

go off campus to more extensive

climbing opportunities. Trips are

geared to the ability of the child.

The youngest may find adventure

in hiking up Balanced Rocks right

from Camp and exploring the

cave and blueberries on top. Avid

swimmers may hike into Copperas

Pond or explore the cold waters of

the Boquet River. Children learn to

pitch tents and tarps, use a map and

compass, cook over a camp stove

or an open fire. Older campers meet

the challenge of climbing multiple

peaks over the course of several

days. They may choose to work

toward Treetops Guide certification,

either Mountain Guide or Canoe

Guide. (In order to attain this status,

they must show mastery of a wide

variety of skills. Upon completion

they “guide” a trip into a rarely

visited mountain or canoe area.) We

always practice “Leave No Trace”

camping. Group size is kept small

with a maximum of eight children

and two staff members on all trips.

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Horseback Riding

On the way to the waterfront, you might encounter several campers shooting baskets

while two more play a tennis match and a soccer game fills the ball field. Although

Treetops is not a sports camp, we do have plenty to keep active bodies engaged.

Evening games may be as energetic as Ultimate Frisbee and Capture the Flag

or as quiet as a chess match in front of the fireplace.

Sports and games

Our horses are our own, not rentals. We know them

well and can match horse with rider. Well-qualified and

experienced instructors make sure that riding lessons

are safe, fun, and educational. All children have

the opportunity to ride at least once a week

either in one of our two outdoor rings or on trails

around Camp. Skilled riders who can canter with

ease and have learned to bridle and saddle may go

on overnight trips experiencing the joys of long

trail rides.

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Every child is enrolled in an American Red Cross swim class based on

his or her abilities. In addition campers must pass swim tests to engage in

boating activities. Especially skilled swimmers may take on the challenge

of swimming for endurance or help out teaching younger children.

Children who adore the water may choose to take a pre-breakfast polar

bear swim. Daily general swims give even the least skilled swimmers a

chance to have fun in the water and paddle about in little boats. After a

hot day, a swim for evening activities cools us down.

Campers learn canoe and kayak safety and paddling on our lake and then

take day and multi-day trips on which they use those skills. Beginning

sailors progress from learning the basics on small boats to sailing bigger

ones. Having attained the status of captain, they test their knowledge on

larger lakes in the Adirondack Park, camping on an island overnight.

Swimming and Boating

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Swimming and boating classes are small, and although safety is

of paramount importance, we also want children to have fun in

and on the water.

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Children help to harvest vegetables that appear on

the table that day. Our greenhouses mean that even

at an elevation of 2000 feet in northern New York

State, we relish home-grown tomatoes. Our farm

is just that, a working farm. Our chickens produce

eggs and are harvested for the pot. We help raise

turkeys that are enjoyed by North County School

children at Thanksgiving. The flowers that we grow

grace our tables or make crowns for a special event.

We teach the lesson of sustainability. Our food

scraps go to the pigs or to the compost heap, which

in turn nourishes our garden soil. Our experienced

farm and garden managers and well-trained farm

interns instruct children as to the whys and where-

fores of composting, weeding, thinning, mulching,

and companion planting.

Farm and garden

“My child had the time of her life. She experienced great freedom but received support as well. Activities were structured enough to frame learning about responsibility and one’s place in the community”

Our gardens have been

farmed organically since

the 1950s. They supply our

kitchens both at Camp and

School with wholesome

produce.

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Camp Treetops was an early pioneer in progressive

childhood education. At a time when most camps

enrolled only older children and were segregated by

race, sex or religion, Treetops was revolutionary.

Since its founding in 1921, it has enrolled children

from a wide variety of geographic, economic,

religious, ethnic and family backgrounds. Typically,

18% are ethnic minorities. Campers come from

approximately 25 states and 10 countries. Our

extensive scholarship program means we are able to

enroll children who might otherwise not be able to

attend camp. Because we have no extra fees, every

program is open to every child. Our well equipped

hike house means that all children go on trips with

good packs and sleeping bags. Children come to

admire each other not for superficial reasons, but

because of traits that are innate in an individual.

And children themselves find new reasons to be

proud of who they are.

Diversity

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Treetops StaffOur staff members are skilled and love children.

Many are former campers and roots go deep.

A staff member may have first come to Treetops as

a nine year old and discovered hiking. Now many

years later he leads children into the mountains he

still loves. Older staff, many of whom are teachers

during the school year, provide the wisdom of

parents who have raised their own children. Young

counselors infuse the summer with energy. Staff

members from foreign countries expose children to

a diversity that we all value. Counselors have four

children of their own, their “group,” and also teach a

skill: riding, swimming, weaving, sports, sailing, etc.

We choose staff members carefully. Intensive staff

training and weekly staff meetings make sure that

even the youngest counselors are held to a high level

of professionalism.

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“He was so proud of all the things that he accomplished and how he was actually

a functioning part of the camp. Working in the garden, helping with the horses,

feeding the chickens. Not to mention testing his limits with some serious hiking.

He even gave me a list of all the new foods he loved and wanted me to make. And

this is a very finicky kid!”

“My daughter returned a

few shades darker, a few

inches taller and leaner,

and a disposition that

made her seem healthier

and content. So many

people in the family and

at school have commented

on how she has matured.

It shines through in the

way she stands and carries

herself. She seems more

at ease with being on her

own and is more willing

to challenge herself. All

of this from 7 weeks at

camp!”

Treetops has two registered nurses on staff and an infirmary in each camp.

The nurses are part of the daily camp program, and children know when and

where to find them. The Adirondack Medical Center is only 6 miles away

in Lake Placid. Each program area has its specific set of safety standards.

All trips go out with well-stocked first aid kits and counselors trained in

Wilderness First Aid and CPR. All waterfront staff are certified in American

Red Cross Life Guard Training. We eat fresh, wholesome food including

organic produce from our own garden. Bread is baked in our kitchens using

whole grain flour. Each meal has a vegetarian option. We make sure that

children get enough rest. We pay attention to details: to mosquito nets, sun

screen, blisters, and even fingernails.

Health and safety

Camp Treetops is accredited by the American Camping Association which

holds camps to high standards of excellence covering all areas of camp

life: program, administration, staff, facilities, camper health and care.

Every three years we are visited by a trained ACA accreditation team that

evaluates our work. We have always received superior marks from the ACA

and continue to be highly regarded in the camping community.

Accreditation

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Roots that Run DeepWe span generations. A return to Treetops for adults who were once campers is

like going back to the small town of one’s youth. There is the tent you slept in

at age 12 and the fireplace where you warmed your toes after a chilly morning

barefoot walk to the dining room. Additions get built, equipment updated, and

more boats added to the fleet, but in spirit the place is unchanged. In a world in

which so much does not last, it is heartening to be part of place that endures.

Treetops was founded by Donald and Dorothy Slesinger. Helen and Douglas

Haskell joined the staff soon after and became directors in 1929. They believed

that an overly structured day based on a military regimen of reveille, uniforms

and competition stifled children’s creativity and growth. From the very

beginning children at Treetops helped plan their day, did community work,

and spent time in the wilderness. Leonora and Walter Clark, who were equally

committed to the ideals of progressive education, founded North Country

School in 1938. In 1957 Treetops and North Country School were organized

into a not-for-profit educational institution governed by a board of trustees.

The two institutions continue to share the campus and its facilities.

“Did you know my mom when she was a camper?”

“Yes, she was in my swim class when she was ten.”

“You’re that old?”

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“For me, a lot of the

values that I hold

dear are values that I

learned to understand at

Treetops: Our roles as

stewards and custodians,

understanding your food

supply, understanding

being alone and in a

group. And living a

simple life. One of

my favorite quotes is

from Ghandi: ‘Satisfy

your needs and reduce

your wants.’ Treetops

helped prepare me to

understand that.”

Tuition and EnrollmentEnrollment forms and tuition information are available on our website,

www.camptreetops.org. Treetops is a not-for-profit organization dedicated

to providing a unique camp experience to as many families as possible. The

generosity of donors allows us to provide need-based scholarships to about

25% of our families. Applications for financial aid are available on our

website. We can also email you these forms or send them by regular mail. .

For children who wish to learn or improve their English, English as a Second

Language offers up to ten hours a week of instruction and practice in reading,

writing and conversation coupled with a full camp experience. Classes are

taught by experienced English teachers. Totally immersed in an English

speaking environment, children make rapid progress in fluency. Please call

our camp director, Karen Culpepper, for more information about this program.

English Enrichment Program

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Camp Treetops Phone: 518 523-9329Karen Culpepper, Director Fax: 518 523-4858P.O. Box 187 email: karenc@nct.orgLake Placid, NY 12946 website: www.camptreetops.org

To learn more about Camp Treetops or to receive additional information and forms, we invite you to contact us. If you have questions, ask to speak to our Camp Director, Karen Culpepper.

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