Camp Philosophy	Typical Day	Bunks	Food Service
Campers Age	Health	Special Events	Birthdays

Camp Philosophy

Spending time away from home with friends and counselors while having fun and enjoying exciting activities is the essence of Resident Camp. Since 1946, we have welcomed children from all over the world to our beautiful site in the redwood forest of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Life at camp revolves around the cabin group. A counselor leads his or her campers in their daily routines, Family Hour, and in special trips and events. The friendships made in a campers' home away from home can last a lifetime.

Our camp is operated as an inclusive community and offers opportunities for social awareness and development, gaining friend making skills, independent living and decision making, group and individual responsibility, and positive interactions between campers and young (and not so young) adults.
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Typical Day

A session at Resident Camp is divided between Activity Days and Special Days.

Activity Days

Before the summer starts, campers choose from over 40 activities where instruction is available for all levels. Favorite activities at Kennolyn include Horseback Riding, Ropes Course, Climbing, Fencing, Swimming, ceramics. You can also choose to enjoy many recreational activities such as Tennis, Volleyball, Archery, etc... We also offer KC Select, our professional level activities that combine our traditional camp experience with in-depth skill development in a chosen activity. KC Select options include: Trapeze, Surfing, Soccer, and Adventure Camp. Equestrian and Fencing are special in that they are both activities that are available within our normal program and as KC Select options. Click here for more information on KC Select.

Special Days

On these days we take a break from the daily schedule, let loose a little, and have fun. Outpost camping (on our own redwood filled property), Beach Trips, Water Carnival, a day at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, 4th of July, Founder's Day are just some of our Special Activities.
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Food Service

Not only do Kennolyn campers keep coming back year after year, but so do our chefs. We currently have a kitchen staff of three cooks and twelve kitchen assistants. Our Food Service Coordinator Laurie Somps is an experienced chef, is Servsafe certified in the state of California, keeps our kitchen sanitary and safe, oversees all of our wholesome food production, and was a camper at Kennolyn in the 1960s! Our staff is knowledgeable about food allergies and sensitive to "picky" eaters. Our regularly scheduled meals vary daily and weekly. Each day for breakfast we have a regularly scheduled meal along with fruit, yogurt, cereal, and toast. For lunch we have the scheduled meal along with a full salad bar, and an assortment of fruit. Dinner is served in the same manner. We always have fruit and an extensive salad bar for the campers who do not want to eat the scheduled meal.

Typical scheduled meals include Breakfast: Pancakes served with bacon, Eggs served with Ham or Sausage and Coffee Cake (Fruit, yogurt, and cereal available.) Lunch: Pizza, Burrito Bar, Chicken Sandwiches (Full salad bar available) Dinner: Spaghetti, Turkey Dinner with mashed potatoes, Chicken BBQ (Full Salad Bar available.)
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Health

Located in the heart of camp is the Health Cottage. Staffed with two live-in registered nurses, the Health Cottage is a comfortable place where campers receive professional medical care and treatment and can take a respite from normal camp life when deemed necessary.

We are proud of the way our nursing staff helps all sick campers feel at home and the way our facility represents a commitment to the health and safety of the entire Kennolyn family. A physician works with us on-call and if it were necessary to seek medical attention, Dominican Hospital is located just fifteen minutes from camp.
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Evening Activities

The evening activities at Kennolyn are a great way to end a day full of fun and excitement. The evening activities can range from Campfire, to Dance and Movie Night. Sometimes we enjoy an all camp event such as Egg Drop, Gold Rush, or Counselor Dress-Up!

Campfire is a special time during the session, we have 5 campfires in a two week session. Each cabin is given time to plan and prepare a "Cabin Skit". We meet at the Campfire stage and sit as a cabin on the log benches while a cabin lights the fire and we all join in a camp sing-a-long of old camp favorites... "Today", "Puff The Magic Dragon", as well as modern camp songs like "Princess Pat" or "Banana's Unite". Not forgetting the "Kennolyn Song" of course!
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Camper Age Groups

We welcome campers who are entering 1st-9th grades. Campers entering 10th grade can start our Leadership Training Program.

We offer a wide range of activities for all ages. We see pretty equal numbers of kids from 5th grade through 9th grade. Our numbers of 1st through 4th grade campers varies by session. We are always happy to let you know if we have campers of a certain age in your preferred session. Just call or e-mail us. We have two age specific programs which are detailed below.

Junior Campers - grades 1st & 2nd

Our youngest campers have special needs and we meet them in a variety of ways. Two counselors live in the cabin with up to six campers. The ratio of 1 counselor to 3 campers provides the extra support and attention they need. Counselors also provide the reassurance parents need by calling them once each week with a "progress report". We also reduce camper anxiety and confusion by building a "Junior Camper" community. Junior Campers and their counselors get together to start each activity day so they campers can become more familiar with others from outside their cabin and other counselors that understand their developmental stage. They play games, practice skits, and review their individual schedules to ensure that everyone knows where they are going. Counselors also gauge which campers may need a little extra help getting from activity to activity. This same group comes back together at least once each session for a special evening activity as well.

Senior Campers - grades 8th & 9th

Like all campers, Senior Campers are a part of a cabin family with a counselor and will take part in regularly scheduled camp activities. But unlike other campers, they are teens that need some time to be only with other teens. So, we give them that time, Kennolyn style. Senior Campers may choose from "Senior Camper Only" activities, an extra "Senior Camper Only" day at the beach, an extra half hour after other campers have gone to bed just to hang out in the lodge, and a special barbecue at the Hilltop Hacienda (one mile away). Along the way our specially trained staff provide the type of roll models too many teens lack. The program has become so popular and so many friendships grow that most return for our three-year Leadership Training Program.
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Birthdays

We always make a camper feel special on his or her birthday. Kennolyn is a great place to celebrate your special day. To start, bunkmates and counselors create a huge birthday sign for the Caldwell Lodge wall of fame. At the end of dinner, the camper's is presented with a cake while the entire camp sings "Happy Birthday". Camp is a great place to celebrate a birthday!
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