Director’s Reports

Old Timers (6+ years at Kingswood) celebrating this year’s gift

By every metric and every measure, Kingswood’s 2026 summer was an incredible success. But perhaps most importantly, we feel that we continue to deliver on our mission. Allow us to describe the ways.

First Consider: At Kingswood, our mission is to create a happy, close-knit community that treasures kindness, the natural world, and the joy of play; a place where boys develop confidence, make independent choices, value true friendship, and grow into responsible, caring young men. 

So, let’s break down this Mission Statement so that all can see we really mean what we say!

Creating “a happy, close-knit community”

Central to the success and well-being of any community is making sure that all members feel a strong sense of belonging – that everyone at camp is afforded the same respect, treatment, and opportunities, and that we are all part of the same, singular camp experience. While we have campers of different ages, years at camp, tenures, and backgrounds, none of those distinctions change the care and status boys receive at camp.

Secondly, in order to thrive, campers need to feel psychologically safe at camp. Boys new to Kingswood soon realize what everyone else knows — that they will not be punished or humiliated for making mistakes. Whereas some groups of boys seek to tease and belittle their peers when they struggle, or even fail, at a new activity, Kingswood campers are taught to see these moments not as an opportunity to put someone down, but instead to help lift someone up…by recognizing a friend’s courage to try something new or their grit to persevere through difficulty. 

Another element that helps Kingswood create its close-knit community is its size, which we believe is the Goldilocks size for a summer camp. Kingswood is large enough that we can offer a huge array of activities, but small enough that everyone knows each other. Our entire camp community can fit in our dining hall, which allows us to eat our meals together. Meal time at camp also provides plenty of bonding through shared moments  – through announcements, kudos, skits, bits, and chants.

The benefits of our Goldilocks size – and our ability to build community through shared experiences –  extend beyond the dining hall. Our entire community gathers most nights – at the council circle, Pines Stage, or Great Room – for musical performances, skits, or stories. And we often have full camp activities, such as the Egg Drop, 4th of July celebrations, or counselor participation games. 

From a program perspective, we provide lots of opportunities for campers from different cabins and age groups to work and play, side by side. Many hikes and fishing trips are open to all age groups, and lots of our afternoon and evening games open to all age groups. Kingswood classics with both unique names and clever rules such as Escape (a variation of Capture the Flag) Schtick (a tag game involving frisbees) and J-Ball (baseball with tennis racket and ball) draw large numbers of campers. So too are our more artistic or cerebral offerings – arts and crafts, woodworking, chess, board games, and card games. 

And while some may think the small size of Kingswood (by acreage) is a weakness, in many ways it is also a huge strength. When B-Block commences at 4:30, campers are free to use any supervised area of the grounds, so campers of all ages are constantly crossing paths and interacting. 

By having our campers constantly mixing – with boys from different age groups and different cabins, we succeed in minimizing distinctions, help campers “get discovered” and feel known, and successfully build one happy, close-knit community. 

Treasuring kindness

Kindness is the most important virtue at Kingswood, and our expectation is that all members of our community strive to be considerate of others in their comments and actions. But just because we expect kindness does not mean we take it for granted. Importantly,  time is set aside at the end of each week and each session for campers and staff to acknowledge those in the community who have gone above and beyond as cabinmates, friends, citizens, or teammates. There is no greater honor at Kingswood than this recognition. 

Appreciating the natural world

The beauty and splendor of the natural world washes over everyone who calls the shores of Lake Tarleton home, and we make sure our community takes time to savor our pristine surroundings… whether that be on a sunset paddle, at an evening council fire, or while on a summit of a nearby mountain. We also try to tap this wellspring of appreciation to make our campers and staff active stewards of our environment – practicing Leave No Trace principals on the trail, composting in the dining hall, and turning off cabin lights whenever possible. This summer we hope to deepen our Flora and Fauna program, as we believe the more a person knows about their world, the more they’ll be amazed.

Embracing the “joy of play”

A common Mr. Wiff refrain is,  “The fun is in the doing.”  Sure, when we play other camps, compete in the Kingswood football tournament, or battle throughout Bow and Arrow Week, we play hard and want to win. But the outcome should not be the sole factor in determining whether or not we enjoyed the day. Rather, we should relish the challenge, the teamwork, and the opportunity. In a similar vein, many Kingswood games are played just for the fun of it. No prize or award goes to the winner of these games. The prize is the action itself; the opportunity to be outside, active, among friends, and working to be our best.

Helping boys develop confidence

One of the most popular affirmations to build self-esteem and self confidence is, “I can do hard things.” Saying it to yourself is a good starting point; but proving it to yourself is where confidence is built. 

Camp life is full of “hard things.” First and foremost, campers are living apart from their parents and must adjust to sharing a rustic cabin with many other boys. Learning that they possess the inner fortitude and personal responsibility to care for themselves (with the help of their counselors) provides a huge boost to boys’ independence and sense of self. The Kingswood program is also full of opportunities for boys to get out of their comfort zone and test their mettle – psychologically, by being brave and trying something new, such as learning to waterski or playing guitar in front of the whole camp, or physically, by pushing their bodies on a difficult hike, giving their all in a sporting event, or participating in the lake swim. 

As child psychologist Ned Hallowell says in his book, The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness, “You can no more bolster a child’s self-esteem by telling him he is good than you can bulk up a muscle by telling it it is strong…The roots of self-esteem lie not in praise but in mastery.” When campers push themselves out of their comfort zone, persevere through difficulty, and prove to themselves that they can do hard things, their confidence – along with their enduring desire to work hard – blossoms. 

Modeling and celebrating true friendship

  In today’s society, many people, especially boys and men, are spending more time alone and isolated. Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, says boys and men are suffering from a “friendship recession,” with 15% of men reporting (from a 2021 survey) that they have no close friends and 28% of young men reporting that they did not have someone they “talked to within the last six months about an important personal matter.”

Camp is a great antidote to the isolation and loneliness many boys feel. At camp, campers are surrounded by peers of similar ages and interests, and with no screens to distract their attention, they have hours upon hours to enjoy shared experiences and make connections. 

But the depth, quality, and impact of friendships can vary significantly. The great Greek philosopher Aristotle identified three types of friendships, each based on different purposes.  The first two types of friendships are common: “Friendships of utility” benefit both parties in some way, while  “Friendships of pleasure” are based on shared humor and interests. 

There is nothing wrong with these friendships. In fact, all friendships probably begin in these ways. At Kingswood, many friendships are forged through a shared love of an activity.

But we hope that some of those initial friendships mature into Aristotle’s third category – True Friendship, bonds that form when two individuals share the same values and moral character, where you care for your friend because of who they are as a person, not for what they can do for you or how they make you feel.

Few things in life stir the soul as much as when a boy publicly recognizes the good in another person, explains how their kindness and thoughtfulness influenced their summer, and thanks them for their friendship… a common occurrence at our final council fire of the session. 

Supporting boys as they grow into responsible, caring young men

Life is full of rhythms and routines, norms and expectations. All of us fall into patterns, dictated by the culture, standards, and modeled behavior found in our environment. 

At Kingswood, we prize kindness and thoughtfulness, and we expect that those values will guide all actions and interactions. 

Boys live in cabins with 6-12 other boys, and in order for those cabins to happy, safe spaces, boys must learn to listen to each other, to respect one another’s feelings and preferences, to work together collaboratively, to be patient, to pull their own weight, and to sometimes place the cabin’s preferences above their own desires.

Boys also share a campus with 150 other boys, and in order for everyone to have the best summer possible, each camper needs to think beyond themself and recognize how their actions impact the larger group. Putting away equipment on the waterfront, letting the person who doesn’t eat the main course go to the salad bar before you, and sitting quietly and attentively during announcements are all examples of traditions of expectations we have for campers in our community.

Many campers return after their sophomore year of high school to partake in Kingswood’s Counselor-in-Training program, a leadership program designed to help CITs not only make the jump from camper to counselor, but also to help them be successful in their jobs and relationships in the future. CITs meet with camp leadership to reflect on their experiences as campers and to consider what approaches and actions counselors use to build safety, connection, and community. After learning more about Kingswood’s philosophy, policies, and best practices, CITs are given opportunities to try their hand as an assistant in cabins, clinics, and camp activities. CITs also get hands-on experience in the dining hall, helping serve and clean after meals; not only does this give our CITs an opportunity to demonstrate their work ethic, it also opens their eyes to – and furthers their appreciation of – the work that happens “behind-the-scenes” to make camp run smoothly. 

A huge number of our CITs return as counselors, eager to give back to the Kingswood community that helped raise them, and to serve as role models for the next generation of Kingswood leaders.

While we want to make sure each and every Kingswood day is filled to the brim with fun, we never lose sight of our ultimate goal – to help boys grow into responsible, caring young men.

Quick Links

Inquiries

Registration

Directions