A Joyous Journey

The Floating Hospital’s summer camp season is off to an exceptional start, with a successful inaugural run of Journey, our new day camp for 10-11 year olds, and the second season of SOAR, our day camp for Spanish speakers. Although our sleep-away Camp Rise Up is still a few weeks away, we are gearing up, refining our wishlists and coordinating volunteers.

Journey, which occurred from July 1-3, had an enthusiastic group who learned about topics such as self-esteem/identity, communication, bullying, healthy living (including stretching and exercise sessions) and puberty in the morning and then took off for various adventures in the afternoon. These included a ninja course in Brooklyn, the flying trapeze in Manhattan and Rockaway Beach in Queens.

Zaraya, who is 10, said she learned that “if someone says to you ‘you're ugly or you're this and that,’ if you have a good mindset inside… you don't have to believe them. I already know who I am.’ ”

When it comes to healthy eating, Dante, 11, learned “I have to eat my grains. Fruit, protein, fruit and vegetable, fruit, vegetable and dairy all the time. I'm gonna keep that with me forever.”

Both loved the activities, even though the trapeze was intimidating. “I was scared, but after a while it felt fun,” according to Dante. Zaraya noted that "When you climb up, it's kind of scary, but just don't look down… If you believe you can do it, you can.”

Dante said he would recommend the camp to his friends. “Everybody here, they're really understanding. There are people who are also going through the same thing as you. So if you're struggling, some people might be able to help you… and the teachers are awesome.”

In addition to breakfast and lunch, including a chicken dish made in the teaching kitchen by health educator Natalia Aguilar one day, the campers received Journey-branded tees, water bottles, towels and book bags as well as a new pair of sneakers. Health educators led the classes with the help of interns from Columbia University’s Teachers College.

Even in the space of a couple of days, bonds were forged in Journey that we hope will continue in the first year of CRU, which takes place each year at the end of August in Rhinebeck, New York.

Last week’s SOAR day camp had a similar format over five days. It began on Monday and finished on Friday. Our health educators presented the first year of Camp Rise Up’s three-year curriculum entirely in Spanish. The classes prepared them for year two at CRU. Three teens who attended last year’s SOAR plan to go to Rhinebeck for “Climb,” the second-year curriculum, having reached a level of English proficiency needed to safely enjoy sleep-away camp and its activities.

Our biggest season of CRU yet begins August 24 and lasts for six days. Applications from returning campers have broken records alongside high demand from first-year campers. With a goal of 100 this year, there are double that number who have shown interest in coming.

CRU has different tracks for each year of attendance. The first focuses on life skills and sexual health. The second year is devoted to social and emotional learning. Third-year campers can expect to cover topics such as empathy, critical thinking and behavior management as they learn leadership and professional development skills. Learning takes place on a 250-acre property with a lake, pool, zip lines, hiking trails and more that students make use of when they’re not in class.

“We really are educating and nurturing the whole teenager, making sure they have self-esteem and they are empowered to make healthy decisions and lead really successful, healthy lives,” said Dr. Meghan Miller, our director of health education who designed the program.

We’d like to thank our sponsors and donors, present and past — including NewYork-Presbyterian, the Wolf Family Foundation and Arabella Advisors for an anonymous donor — as well as our volunteers, whose efforts every year make this undertaking possible. With the CRU countdown fast approaching, we still need volunteers in the city and in Rhinebeck to help us prepare student manuals, sort and organize supplies, distribute clothing and supplies, load buses, offer assistance and enthusiasm onsite and then sort and store returned items for next year. Our wishlist is active on Amazon and cash donations of any kind are greatly appreciated as well.