A Typical Day
Good Morning Camp Highlander!
All of Camp Highlander wakes up each morning at precisely eight o’clock and campers get ready for breakfast, start their morning chores and join the rest of camp for Reflect at the Rock.
Reflect at the Rock
Campers and staff begin each day by reflecting on the Highlander Creed. Stories, quotes, and lessons are powerful tools for building character.
Make today better than yesterday, as good as you hope tomorrow will be, with courage, honesty, integrity and faith as you live the Highlander Creed.
Campers close our reflection time each morning with these words, and then everyone is off to breakfast! Campers enjoy a hot meal with a large selection of cereal, fresh fruit, yogurt and granola — plenty of options to fuel every child!
Adventure Awaits
Campers return from breakfast to their cabin to finish off their morning chores and make their way to the assembly court for morning assembly. Here campers raise the flag, say the pledge of allegiance, make announcements and share a good laugh to kick off the day. From there, everyone heads off for the adventure and fun of the first period!
Each cabin is given a schedule at the beginning of the week and, as a cabin unit, they travel to their assigned activities together. Campers set personal goals, push themselves outside of their comfort zone and discover new passions and talents. Success is measured by the individual and celebrated as a team.
At the Crow’s Nest, campers are challenged to push their limits. Tethered over 50 feet in the air, they face their fears and overcome obstacles with the help of their cabin mates. At Arts & Crafts, campers are encouraged to let their creative imaginations run wild as they dream up and create one-of-a-kind works of art!
Before lunch, campers enjoy some unscheduled free time. Free time provides the opportunity for campers to socialize and build relationships. It also gives each camper the down time they need to feel independent. Some campers play basketball or ping-pong; some campers visit the library or the camp store and others simply find a spot to visit with their friends.
Then comes lunch. As each cabin sits down, family-style, around their own table, they share stories of their morning adventures as they refuel for the exciting afternoon ahead of them.
The Gift of Rest
After lunch is rest hour, a much needed time to relax and recharge before we return to our fun-filled schedule. In our busy world, we rarely set aside time to simply rest. At Highlander, this is a priority. During this quiet time, campers enjoy the old fashioned art of writing a letter, spend some quality time with their friends or even lose themselves in a handpicked book from our library. And sometimes on those wonderful rainy afternoons, listening to the pitter-patter on a tin roof, you can’t help but doze off and dream as you find true REST.
And They’re Off
The bell rings at 2:15 and campers race to the snack bar before heading out for their afternoon activities. The activities are endless at camp. From the lake to landsports, arts and crafts to archery, there’s something for everyone here at Highlander.
In the middle of their fourth period, they hear someone screaming “Apple Cart.” Campers rush toward a Highlander golf cart loaded with boxes and boxes of apples. Staff and campers find themselves enjoying a crisp, refreshing snack under the bright blue Carolina sky. Then it’s right back to the fun and excitement of their afternoon activities.
Just before dinner, campers enjoy more unscheduled free-time. Some play tether-ball, some set-up their hammocks and relax, and some make one last visit to the camp store. This unstructured time is a wonderful opportunity for campers to make friends in other cabins and build meaningful relationships. Without the distraction of technology, campers are connecting with one another as they talk, share, listen, learn and laugh.
At dinner, the dining hall is alive and full of energy. As plates of hot food and pitchers of ice cold water are passed family style around the table, campers talk about all the fun they had that day and share their excitement for whatever the night’s Evening Program is!
Each evening between 7:30 and 8:00 o’clock the bell rings to announce the start of the Evening Program. In the cabin, the girls are coordinating costumes, planning their scavenger hunt strategy or practicing their talent show act one last time!
After an unforgettable night of musical performances and comedy skits or solving riddles and challenging their brother cabin to a rock, paper scissors war, everyone heads back up to their cabins to get ready for bed.
Back in the cabin, girls are brushing teeth, washing faces, swapping out their dazzling EP outfits for pajamas, each tired camper lies down for a restful night of sleep. As they quiet down, the counselors ask each camper to share her favorite part of the day and what she’s most looking forward to about tomorrow. The lights go off in the cabin as the sounds of crickets and the rustling of trees in the mountain breeze peacefully put each girl to sleep.