Dear Ghostlight Staff,

We have 47 days until our first campers roll the gates for 2024! I have heard from a few parents that their camper is feeling nervous about the summer ahead. The number one reason for these nerves? Making new friends. One parent shared with me that the dynamics at school have been particularly hard for their camper in the latter half of the year, and the thought of making new friends is daunting.

Moment of truth. I'm 43, and I relate. This last year, I found myself in a situation where I, too, needed to make new friends, and it took great courage. I'd give myself pep talks, reminding myself to get curious about my new pals' interests and experiences, but the butterflies in my stomach were very real. 

Our campers are still learning even the basic skills of what it means to make new friends. That's where we come in. Though we may think that teenagers and pre-teens just want to be left alone by adults, camp is a space where we intentionally engage to teach, model, and affirm growing life skills in our campers. We teach from when they wake up to when they go to bed, and it is a team effort!

During staff training, we will focus on techniques and skills we can use to encourage friendships between campers. But I'd love to hear one tip you might give to a camper who is nervous about making friends. So, please click the link here or the button below and answer the one-question survey. I hope to share your answers with our families in an upcoming email!

Thanks, and have a great rest of the week!

Chris

Forms Reminder

This is your gentle reminder that some forms are due May 15th, and others are due June 1st. We appreciate you taking the time to complete them and the pre-camp training. 

Please upload a photo to your profile if you haven't already done so. We will soon be sharing staff announcements on Instagram!

Did you miss last week's email? Just joining the Weekly Call? Check out the Staff Updates page to catch up anytime!
Bookmark: http://www.ghostlighttheatercamp.com/staff-updates