The magic of Camp Pinnacle can be summed up with 1 C and 4P’s
• Place
• Philosophy
• Program
• People
• Culture
Less important than the others is PLACE. We believe that you could give us your camper and we could not leave a grassy field for14 days, and parents and campers would still believe Camp Pinnacle to be a worthwhile experience! The fact that we have a spectacular campus that is currently undergoing a significant renovation is merely icing on the cake. This magical place and facility is the reason that generations of alumni hold special ties to Camp Pinnacle. Tall trees, a private lake, a sweeping view from the dining hall, wildlife, and simple and rustic living close to nature creates the magic of a formative camp experience.
The new Camp Pinnacle is laden with an overarching PHILOSOPHY that drives both our program and culture. Our four directors have combined over a century of their individual experiences to create a philosophy which begins with a belief in summer camp as a formative educational experience in a child’s life. This is followed by an excitement to partner with parents in order to maximize the effectiveness of the two-week camp experience. Camp Pinnacle begins with massive amounts of fun in order to capture a child’s complete participation. Kids learn when they are having fun! Our philosophy blends our five R’s – Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, taking Reasonable Risks and Reaching out to Others and a focus on building life skills for 21st Century success. The 21C skills we focus on are Communication, Collaboration, Leadership, Creativity and Critical Thinking. We temporarily escape from the technology that dominates kid’s lives, forge a connection with nature, and let campers realize they can have the time of their lives without materialistic or technological stuff. We develop increased confidence by creating opportunities for campers to improve their competence in a variety of outdoor and life skills. The result is a camp experience that makes an incredible impact in just two weeks.
The key to implementing our Philosophy is CULTURE. This begins with a culture of kindness, inclusion and respect which permeates all that we do. We place a high value on creating a community where every camper and counselor feels valued, needed, and important. Here, people are heralded for what they individually bring to the camp community. The Camp Pinnacle community experience is the most palpable and powerful part of camp.
From a campers’ standpoint the PROGRAM is key. This is the part of camp that makes a child smile. We know of no other camp where a camper can both accomplish more and have more fun in just two weeks. Whether its opportunities for free play in nature, our fabulous VENTURES, where campers get to do a variety of age appropriate off campus trips in the stunning NC mountains, over 30 different exciting in-camp activities where campers balance choice and a schedule to maximize their participation, our creative and exciting evening activities, or something as simple as nightly milk and cookies, Camp Pinnacle has devoted intensive thought into creating an effective, fun and unique program.
The most important key to Camp Pinnacle is its PEOPLE. Our Counselors are role models and friends who understand how their leadership can have a lifelong impact one a young person’s life. With a leadership team renowned in the camping industry (Steve is on the executive board of American Camping Association and has received its National Leadership Award), we have developed a training program for counselors that is unparalleled. Virtually every counselor was a former camper in our Adventure Treks program, and almost all are veterans of our intensive 26-day leadership training program in the Pacific Northwest and our 29-day leadership Course in Alaska. This training comes before almost two weeks of specific Camp Pinnacle training held before our first camper arrives.
From a camper’s perspective, camp is fun and friends and exciting outdoor activities. We see it as an opportunity to have a powerful, positive impact on a young life. We exist to serve your family as we work together to create an indelible experience for your child. We are excited to see you this summer.
Best, Dock