Knight Life

At Camp Stonewall, everyone belongs to a color team. Once you receive your team designation, it's your team for life - whether you're here for one summer or for twenty! We believe that working towards common goals and belonging to something bigger than oneself fundamentally improves the connection and experience of every child - at camp, and in their lives overall. Even (especially?) for the child who generally doesn't love to compete, the program allows every participant to focus on developing a growth mindset and joining a collaborative, engaged effort to succeed as a team. The best part? They get to do it alongside nurturing adults who role-model the hard work that goes into trying with character, winning with sportsmanship, and losing with grace. It's life lessons in 90-minute increments - and some of the most unforgettable fun at camp.

How it works:

• Every week at Camp Stonewall includes a Color Wars competition, during which all three teams earn points towards their summer total. Competition types vary; previous events include Cupcake Wars, Obstacle Course, Trash Fashion, Puzzles, Relay Race, and more.
• Points are added up from Week 1 to Week 7; whichever team has the most points at the end of the Week 7 event, wins for the summer!
• The winning team gets bragging rights - always a big deal! - as well as their team color as the official flag color for the following year.
   

Why it works:

• The three team model allows participants to focus less on "us vs. them" and more "us vs. this challenge."
• Throughout the summer, CSW staff recognizes individuals with particularly outstanding color wars sportsmanship and leadership in front of the whole camp.
• Points from every week "count," so participants who may not be present for Week 7 are still very invested in the outcome for the summer!
• The varied nature of competitions allows different kids with diverse skill sets to be assets to their teams week to week.