On Sunday, counselors, teachers, and The Center for Gifted Studies staff welcomed 216 residential campers to VAMPY 2015. Luck was on our side and we managed to finish check-in minutes before a downpour. Thankfully, the weather cleared up for student orientation and campus tours.
Once tours were completed, the campers and counselors met on South Lawn to cycle through a series of icebreakers led by the counselors. Icebreakers on the first day of a camp are a VAMPY tradition and a great way for VAMPY campers, or Vampers, to meet peers and counselors. Vampers played blob tag, duck duck goose, and unwound themselves from a human knot until the bad weather returned and we had to retreat inside.
The transition was a little chaotic at first, but all of the campers were patient and calm as counselors led them inside and reorganized their icebreaker groups. Some games were adjusted to accommodate the indoor space, but overall the shift was incredibly smooth, and a reflection of maturity and respectfulness that I have seen so far in this year’s group of VAMPY campers.
During indoor icebreakers I particularly enjoyed Paul and Alex’s lively take on rock-paper-scissors. This icebreaker included a version of the game in which the losing players cheer for the winners, ending in a final, epic match with two large cheering squads.
Though the weather conditions for the first day of VAMPY 2015 were not ideal, camper and counselor enthusiasm and optimism were impressively high, and I am confident that this positive attitude will continue for the next three weeks!