Summer Camps & Programs

Program Description

Killooleet

Summer Program
Hancock, Vermont

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For More Information, Contact
winter
Kate Seeger
Killooleet
70 Trull Street
Somerville, Massachusetts 02145
617-666-1484
800-395-2221 (toll-free)
Fax: 617-666-0378
http://www.killooleet.com
summer
Kate Seeger
Killooleet
Hancock, Vermont 05748
802-767-3152
E-mail: kseeger@killooleet.com

Type of Program: Traditional summer camp
Participants: Coeducational, ages 9–14
Enrollment: 100 campers per summer
Program Dates: June 29 to August 23
Heads of Program: Kate Seeger and Dean Spencer, Directors

Location

Located on the edge of the Green Mountain National Forest—which extends for hundreds of square miles to the north, west, and south—Killooleet’s 300 acres feature woods, meadows, rolling hills, and a private lake. Most campers bring or rent bicycles to explore Killooleet’s expansive ½-mile campus. Camp is just 35 miles northeast of Rutland, in the center of Vermont.

Background and Philosophy

Killooleet is run by educators who believe that a supportive environment emphasizing community, group dynamics, and respect for individual freedom promotes happiness and helps everyone achieve more. Killooleet campers find an atmosphere in which they can invest their energy in growth, learning as they explore new challenges. They come to value their contributions, believe in themselves, enjoy life, develop close friendships, and, ultimately, stand on their own two feet. Self-confidence blossoms as campers acquire skills and discipline in activities in which they are personally interested. Through its noncompetitive program, Killooleet removes winning as a motivation and replaces it with the pleasures of participation, challenge, and accomplishment. Killooleet has little need for hierarchy and has only a few educational rules: scapegoating, rudeness, put-downs, and breaking group concentration are not allowed.
    Killooleet is coeducational, understanding that, in childhood, youths need to define their own masculinity or femininity. Realistic relationships between the sexes, rather than segregation, are nurtured at all ages in camp. While cabin groups are assigned by age and gender, girls and boys share meals, hikes, and activities.
    There is respect for the value of work. Days begin with cabin cleanup, and periods include time for getting out and putting away materials. On overnight trips, campers do everything to make a campsite livable. During Crew Time, campers work in the kitchen, garden, and horse barn or bike to town for the mail. The oldest campers assist the staff and run tables, games, and activities.
    Founded in 1927, Killooleet has been under the direction and ownership of the Seeger family—John, Eleanor, and Kate—since 1949. The camp is accredited by the American Camping Association.

Program Offerings

Killooleet believes in the value of a full camp season, which enables children to face issues and work through them. Summers at Killooleet begin slowly, as each child becomes a respected member of his or her cabin group. During the first ten days, each group is scheduled for every activity. Middle weeks find campers developing individual interests through afternoon choice periods or “checking in” to a favorite activity. The final week is full of performances and closing activities.
Visual Arts The camp provides facilities for woodwork, stained glass, jewelry, silversmithing, batik, drawing, painting, silk screen, sculpture, sewing, weaving, knitting, and ceramics.
Performing Arts The dramatics program is based on improvisation and creative dramatics, and each summer features a musical and several cabin productions. Campers use Killooleet’s video studio, cameras, and editing equipment to produce essays, skits, parodies, and short movies. Music is an integral part of camp. Singing and lessons on guitar, five-string banjo, bass, drums, and harmonica are offered. The R&B band and various music ensembles practice regularly.
Sports and Skills Killooleet offers horseback riding, soccer, tennis, basketball, bicycling, swimming, canoeing, sailing, archery, riflery, Ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, and softball. Dance, gymnastics, windsurfing, fencing, karate, lacrosse, and track are often available. The nature room has an array of tools for collecting and examining finds. Electronics and rockets are also available.
Outdoor Exploration Campers explore the beauty of Vermont during day hikes and overnight trips. On these days, everyone is out of camp, climbing a mountain and enjoying the view, bicycling, caving, canoeing, horseback riding, rock climbing, exploring a local brook, or strolling with frequent stops to sketch and photograph the scenery.

Enrollment

Children of every faith, race, and nationality are welcome. Although the majority of campers come from metropolitan New York and Boston, campers and counselors represent many parts of the United States and, normally, six to eight other nations. Killooleet works to dispel prejudices, as every camper finds respected leaders and friends among people of different backgrounds.

Daily Schedule

Killooleet features four hour-long activity periods each day. Half-hour “recalls” between periods help keep the pace slow and allow campers to learn to use their free time wisely—swimming in the lake on a hot day, finishing a ceramics project, taking a guitar lesson, or just having time to get ready for the next scheduled period.
    Ending times for evening programs vary with the activity. Bedtime includes time for winding down, chatting, independent reading, and reading aloud or singing.
    Killooleet punctuates the week twice, with hikes on Wednesday and a Town Meeting on Sunday. The season features two 3-day camping trips.

Extra Opportunities and Activities

Cabins take turns planning Sunday afternoon’s all-camp game or special event. Evening activities include sings, campfires, cabin evenings, and one or two evenings a week for special interest clubs such as cooking, dance, cartooning, and juggling.

Facilities

Killooleet’s grounds include a private lake, tennis courts, softball and soccer fields, a basketball court, archery and riflery ranges, a garden, barns, and a horseback-riding ring as well as a theater, a band room, the Main House, and five arts buildings. The center room of the Main House features a library filled with books and music. Campers live in wooden cabins with screened, shuttered windows and doors. Groups of 8 to 12 live with 2 or 3 counselors. Campers eat in groups of 4 (with 1 counselor) on the screened porch of the Main House.

Staff

Counselors run their cabins and activities in a manner consistent with their individual personalities and beliefs. From this, campers learn the value of individuality. Teachers anchor the staff; most staff members are in college or are recent college graduates (the minimum counselor age is 18). Each summer, about one half of the staff members return. Counselors are equally divided between men and women, and the camper-counselor ratio is 3:1.

Medical Care

A registered nurse oversees health care, and a doctor is on call. The nearest hospital is just 25 miles away. The state of Vermont inspects and licenses Killooleet and approves sources of water and food.

Religious Life

Killooleet’s philosophy is partially based on Quaker principles, which teach that each person has an inner light and balance. Everyone is encouraged to speak specifically of their own faith and philosophy freely as occasion arises. There is no all-camp devotion.

Costs

Camp costs in 2008 were $6800 for the full season. This fee covers all camp expenses except travel to and from camp and transporting campers’ luggage and bicycles to camp. After the deposit, which is due upon enrollment, two payments are usually made to cover the remaining balance; other payment plans are available.

Financial Aid

Some scholarships, based on need, are available. On average, 24 percent of campers do not pay full tuition.

Application Timetable

Killooleet is glad to answer questions about camp over the phone and will arrange a personal interview with parents if possible. Applications are accepted until the program is full.