Traditionally the Hi-Hills Teen Travel Program creates a great deal of excitement with our oldest  campers.  Besides the obvious appeal of action packed day trips and water parks, The Teen Travel Program has become a rite of passage. Many campers join our Hi-Hills community from an early age (as young as 3 years old) and wait patiently  for this opportunity and privilege.

Awesome Day Trip Fun

Our Teen Travel program is unique in a number of ways, but above all for our scheduling. Teen Travel Campers spend 3 days a week (Tues-Thurs) traveling on exciting day trips.  Monday and Friday they experience our Traditional Day Camp with a special schedule geared toward them.  At Hi-Hills we feel  campers at this age can and should be able to make more choices.  So we provided them with options and they create their day under the watchful eyes of our trained counselors.  Whether it’s participating in a dance class or creating a challenging game of gaga.  From arts and crafts to swimming and hiking Hi-Hills has a facility to deliver a fun day rain or shine.

We used feedback from our 2011 Teen Travel staff and campers to develop our 2012 program, that we recently announced, click here to view our 2012 Teen Travel Schedule. We are very excited about EVERY trip this summer.

 Teen Travel Overnight Trip

Back by popular demand we are heading to Connecticut for another round of ClubGetaway as our annual overnight trip. Each year ClubGetaway develops a range of new programs and activities for our campers. Parents can expect their children to participate in everything from, zip lining and sports tournaments, to water sports and Bouncy Boxing, Club Getaway has it all.

2012 Day trips include Six Flags, Mountain Creek, Dorney Park, CBK a Safari, NY Sightseeing, and a trip to Broadway, Surf Lessons, the Jersey Shore, Karting, Climbing, Camping, Paintballing, and much much more. 

Week 8 Teen Travel Camping Trip

One of my favorite trips of the summer has to be the overnight camping trip in week 8. This is an opportunity for children to experience a “residential” rustic camp . We build a camp fire, cook S’mores, bring a guitar and tell stories. We have the best capture the flag game of the summer and “hang out”. After spending the summer together it’s a great way to end the program and reminisce about all the fun and great memories we made together.

Teen Travel Camping Trip 2011

If you have any questions about our Teen Travel Program please feel free to contact Jack in the camp office 908-234-0067 or email him at info@hihills.com

Have a great weekend

Jack

The first thought that comes to mind as I reflect on the past month is where did it go?? January and February are very busy months in the summer camp calendar because it’s the time of year also known as the Camp Fair Season.

We kicked off January and the Season with our first Supervisors meeting. The Team joined me for a delicious meal at a local bistro. We used the time to catch up, talk camp and make plans for the upcoming year.  I always enjoy spending time with this particular group. I sent them away thinking about their specific personal goals in their role, for the upcoming summer, in preparation for our next meeting on March 3^rd.  

January 8^th marked our first Summer Camp Open House of the season. Cindy and I, with help from the Supervisor Team spent the day giving camp tours to families. Children and parents are always very excited about camp after seeing the Gill St. Bernard’s campus. (If you missed it, be sure to see check the schedule for upcoming Camp Open House Events at our Somerset County NJ campus.)

We spent the remaining weekends of January and into February at Camp Fairs in various locations across New Jersey.  Those cold winter days indoors always get everyone excited for the summer days outside at Hi-Hills!

Camp Fairs also provide the opportunity for parents to find information about our camp and summer programs for kids; to meet the Directors and Staff; and to ask questions in search of the best camp for their children.

We find that parents are always interested in the unique qualities that set Hi-Hills Day Camp apart from neighboring camps. There are many, but I will share 5 with you.

1. The Hi-Hills Philosophy, which emphasizes the overall development of the camper. 
2.  Our Unbeatable Facilities: Gill St Bernard’s School is a beautiful 73 acre “New England” style setting with  facilities that allow us to offer numerous programs in all weather conditions. (And for days when the summer heat gets out of control; parents love the AC!).
3. We provide Flexible Scheduling options to suit the ever-changing needs of parents. Whether parents request a shorter day, week or require extra care, we are able to tailor our program to accommodate.
4.  Our extensive (and health-conscious!) Food Menu, provided by Flik Independent School Dining Services. (Click here to view a sample menu.)
5.  Convenient Door-To-Door Transportation options. We provide services throughout Morris County and areas of Somerset, Middlesex, Hunterdon, Warren, Sussex, Union and Essex Counties.

For more information on Hi-Hills Day Camp feel free to contact me at the camp office: 908-234-0067 or email, jdinwiddy@gsbschool.org .

Throughout February I will meet with returning staff and focus on program planning. Stay tuned for more news to come soon!

Jack

Hi-Hills’ new camp tradition, our CAMP REUNION.

Originally scheduled for October but due to the unseasonable snow the reunion was moved to December.  This turned out to be a great way to kick start the holiday season. It was such a delight to see so many of our “summer” friends again. GSB’s Bruckner Hall was crammed with holiday craft activities and games, Mr. Nature brought along some of his animals, including Dalmatian the rabbit. Hi-Hills’ Athletic Duo John and Marc were on hand to lead camp games in the old Gym and we even had a 5 in one inflatable castle, outside. That’s correct, “outside” on December the 4^th!  We made snowflakes, had face painting, lucky dip and guess how much candy was in the candy cane.  It’s tough to decide which of the games was more fun: “pin the Nose on Frosty” or “fill Frosty’s hat with snow balls”. I have uploaded a few picture highlights of the afternoon.  Next year and weather permitting, we will revert back to our original theme, the Hi-Hills Halloween Party.  

Our First Ever Camp Reunion

December is a busy month here at camp. We are planning for January 8th Open House and New Jersey Camp Fairs in Bridgewater and East Hanover. I want remind all parents that our “referral” offer is still available into 2012, so be sure to tell your friends and colleagues to stop by at one of our camp fairs and many summer camp Open House events, (1/8,  2/12,  3/4,  4/1, 6/3). I would be more than happy to lead a private tour also.

Camp Calendars and Teen Travel Update-

In early 2012 we will announce on our Day Calendar and Teen Travel Schedule with details of our overnight trip on hihills.com

Kids Zone –

A big announcement at the reunion was the unveiling of our new “kids zone” on hihills.com. This area of the website is packed with year round camp games, craft projects you can take on at home, competitions, Birthdays, a camp countdown (coming very soon) and more. The kids zone will be updated monthly with more fun than you can handle.

Calling All Staff!

If you are interested in working at camp, whether you are new to Hi-Hills or looking to return for the summer of 2012, please fill in the following application form and send them to the camp office. We will be interviewing from January.

Please stay tuned for more exciting blogs including some special guest bloggers!

Take care,

Jack

Hello Hi-Hills,

Here in the GSB Summer Programs Office we are busy re-planning our first ever Camp Reunion, after the wacky October snow storm forced us to cancel first time around. The rescheduled afternoon will now take place on December 4^that 2pm.  I want to remind families to RSVP as soon as possible. Details for the reunion can be found here.

Our Very Own You Tube Channel.

In other news, I have set up our very own, Hi-Hills Day Camp ‘You Tube’ channel that is now available!   Be sure to check out the video highlights from the Summer of 2011, more to be added soon. Our aim is to capture tons more next summer, so watch this space.

Kids Zone.

Do your children wish camp was year-round?  Then look no further!  Coming soon to hihills.com is our NEW ‘Kids Zone”, where campers can interact and take part in camp games, activities and competitions for all ages all year long.

Splash Pad.

As most of you know we are extremely excited about our latest addition to Hi-Hills Day Camp 2012: the Splash Pad! Check out these pictures, the foundations have been laid!!!

Digging the foundations

Lastly, Happy Thanksgiving from all at Hi-Hills. Have an incredible time with your family and loved ones.  We certainly have a lot to be thankful for here at Hi-Hills Day Camp.

See you at the Reunion,

Jack

Dear Hi-Hills,

I certainly had no idea what I was signing up for when I moved to the USA. Snow in October? What an out of the ordinary Halloween. I hope you are all safe, well and with power.

GSB finally had power restored yesterday afternoon and once I had packed away the remains of what would have been our first ever camp reunion, I was able to catch up with camp correspondence and find time to write this blog.

No Pumpkins Were Harmed

Hi-Hills Holiday Party!

Having been so excited about the Hi-Hills reunion since we announced it back in August, cancelling Sunday was a real a shame. The Pizza’s had been ordered, the 5 in 1 gigantic inflatable bouncy castle was packed into a van ready to be transported from Staten Island, Mr. Nature had prepped the animals for their day out, 60 Pumpkins were laid out waiting to be painted, decorations were up, staff were excited to see all their summer friends and then….oh well, I was sad to see this extreme weather prevent our celebrations. But my sadness didn’t last too long, because…. we are delighted to announce a new reunion date, December 4th, between 2pm-4pm. The Hi-Hills Halloween Party will now be the Hi-Hills Holiday Party!

We hope you will join us in celebrating the Holidays early, in true Hi-Hills Day Camp style!

More details to follow on hihills.com

Best wishes,

Jack

Sportsmanship Week at Hi-Hills Day Camp

Each year at Hi-Hills we dedicate Week 6 to Sportsmanship week. Sportsmanship week is part of the camp culture and goes way back. The Directors introduced this concept to educate and promote Sportsmanship, teamwork, fairness and respect in healthy competition.

How Sportsmanship Week Works

Each camper is assigned to one of two teams and throughout the week within their bunk group compete and work together in various activities to earn points for their team. Each team develops a team name, a flag, a team chant/ song and with the help of their counselors discuss the meaning of teamwork and sportsmanship.

At various points during the week, teams come together for all camp events. These include, the Pasta Hunt, Apache Relay, Tug’o’war and of course the final event (The chant off and the Flag awards). This year was a huge success. I have uploaded some short highlights from this years Tug’o’war event. It’s a real gem, Enjoy!

Early Bird Discount- Extended!

I have great news for all un-registered parents. Our Early Bird Enrollment has now been extended another week and is open until November 4^th. See our website for further discounts.

I hope to see you Sunday, at the reunion.

Jack

info@hihills.com

Keep up to date with Hi-Hills Day Camp on Facebook.com/hihills . Simply ‘like Us’ and updtes will appear on your newsfeed.

Many people assume the camp office is extremely quiet in October and there is little to do until next June. I am often asked the question, ‘what is it you do the rest of the year?’ I usually laugh and say, ‘well, I take a 10 month vacation’.

Truth of the matter is, although I live 10 months of the year for 2 months of summer, we are incredibly busy (good busy) and it feels like June here in the camp office, (June is probably the busiest month in the camp calendar).

We have many exciting things happening and I wanted share with you some of the projects we are working on.

We are currently planning the FIRST EVER Hi-Hills reunion, we are evaluating the summer of 2011, reading through all your camp feedback and planning the program for 2012. We are asking ourselves all sorts of questions, like, how can we make Carnival be EVEN better next year? Which Teen Travel trips should we consider? Can Sno Cones be EVERY DAY? Along with this, we spend time meeting with new parents and giving camp tours and we are beginning to meet with staff to coordinate who is able to return to camp next summer.

Away From Hi-Hills Day Camp,

My Mum (as we say in the UK, not Mom) visited from England. She had never been to the USA before and we had a great time. We spent most of our time in NY, NY sightseeing and doing all kinds of fun stuff that you forget to do when you live so close to the city. We went to the top of the Empire State building, we took a cruise around Manhattan Island and visited the Statue or Liberty, we walked through times square at night, had lunch in Central Park and she even wanted to take a ride in a yellow Taxi. I was also able to share all my stories from the summer with her and she wishes she could be at the reunion. 

Mum's visit (Central Park, NY)

The Hi-Hills Day Camp Reunion

Speaking of which, each of you should receive an invitation for our Hi-Hills Halloween Party in the mail shortly.  The Hi-Hills Day Camp reunion is on October 30^th between 2-4pm at Gill St Bernard’s. There will be prizes for the best Halloween Costume.  Please RSVP to the camp office before October 20^th

Hi-Hills Halloween Party

The Hi-Hills Herald

I am in the process of editing the Fall edition of the Hi-Hills Herald. If anyone would like to share a story from summer or update the camp community on what you have been doing since camp, we would love to hear from you.  Please email your article to info@hihills.com

In the meantime I hope you are enjoying the beautiful month of October and I hope to see you at the Reunion.

All the best,

Jack

The new school year is underway and so is planning for Hi-Hills Day Camp, 2012!

As you find your stride for the next few months, I wanted to take a second to wish you well for this academic year. Good luck, work hard and have fun!

July 4th Celebrations

I am so excited to turn my attention to the summer of 2012 this week and wanted to keep you posted on a number of updates in our camp community.

Hi Hills Day Camp Office Life

Here in the camp office, the pace of life has slowed, slightly. I moved back to the Summer Programs Office, above Founders (Dining Hall). Perch House (Camp Office) is now a space used for GSB students to master the art of music, buses report to a different part of the campus (I noticed two things this morning, as I walked past the buses. The first, no one leaving the bus was anywhere near as excited as those who hopped off the bus on a summers morning and two, there were no awesome counselors greeting them as they arrived!) Sorry, I felt the need to share that.  And all the camp equipment is packed away in the barn for another year. And so the only traces we have left that camp ever happened, are the pictures, the newsletter (see achieved editions of our camp newsletter the Hi-Hills Herald), and of course the wonderful memories for all those involved. I often find myself gazing into space with a smile on my face, reminising of summer.

Throughout the year I will publish frequent blogs, full of highlights from the summer and keep you updated on camp news via Twitter and Facebook.

Other Camp Updates

• Our Camp Reunion, The Hi-Hills Halloween Party, will take place on October 30^th See the Website for further details.
• The announcements section of our homepage (see the right-hand Column) will also detail camp news and updates.
• Parents, please see the parent notices section of our website for information and updates about camp.
• The Hi-Hills Herald will be published during the year.

I hope to see you all at the reunion.

Good luck with the semester, enjoy!

Jack.

What’s been happening in and around camp?

It’s hard to believe I have been in the USA almost three months. Time has flown by and camp is less than 4 days away!

Here in Perch House (our summer office) we are busy finalizing plans and getting everything ready for the first day of camp!

Much of my time this week has been spent answering parent calls, speaking with staff, sending out last minute paperwork, writing schedules and setting up the final parts of camp. Everyone here is enthusiastically awaiting the arrival of our campers.

Last weekend we finished our 2011 Staff Orientation. The three day training session included games, interactive themed workshops, camp tours and, of course, physical camp set up. We had a blast! The picture below shows staff competing in the ‘crocodile race’

Crocodile race

Early June marked the move to our summer office. Two weeks ago on a warm spring morning, Aaron (Assistant Camp Director) and I, with the help of Head Counselor Ryan Milanaik moved our offices across the Gill St Bernard’s campus into Perch House, where we will be stationed for the next 8 weeks. We will also be joined by Lorraine our Office Manager and Mike Trapani. If you pass by be sure to pop in and say, hi!

Ryan getting the camp ready for opening day.

Another highlight of past few weeks was our Open House. I enjoyed the opportunity to speak with parents and meet some of our campers prior to camp. Cindy informed me it was our most successful Open House in the history of Hi-Hills! Chuck Hogan, our Nature Director, even brought along some of his friends for the day.

Chuck Hogan, aka Mister Nature

There we go, come Monday this silent and empty Gill St. Bernard’s campus will be filled with energy, excitement and happiness. I should head out and check our new heated pool!

See you bright and early for the start of your BEST SUMMER EVER!

Be sure to ‘Like US’ on Facebook (www.facebook.com/hihills) and see more pictures.

Jack

Hey, Hi Hills,

Jack Dinwiddy and Cindy Wyatt - making this summer your child's Best Summer Ever!

My name is Jack Dinwiddy and I will be the new Camp Director this summer! You have no idea how excited I am to be here, I cannot wait to meet you all. We are going to have the BEST SUMMER EVER!!

Okay, a little bit about me. I was born in London, England, and grew up in a small seaside town on the South Coast. I moved to New Jersey this year. I have two younger brothers, Adam and Simon, and a wonderful fiancee named Stacie. I studied for my BA (Hons) degree in Sports Studies with Business at Southampton Solent University. In my spare time I like to travel the world, play soccer and surf.

I never went to camp when I was young, so when you see me acting like a camper it’s because I’m making up for lost time. When I was 19 I spent a summer as a soccer coach and bunk counselor at a residential camp in New Jersey. It was an incredible experience that changed my life. So much so that I continued to return to camp for four more summers before joining a day camp full time in the UK. I absolutely love everything about camping, from playing in the sunshine and making all types of awesome friends, to laughing all day and trying new activities!

Only 46 days until camp. We are counting down the days!

See you soon,
Jack

P.S. Remember to keep up to date with the latest Hi-Hills news via our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/hihills. Simply click the “like” button and the most recent updates for parents and campers will appear in your news feed.