Junior Camp 2026 is officially here! We’re kicking off the summer with a week made just for our youngest campers, and we can’t wait to make it one they’ll never forget.
We opened our gates to smiling faces this morning, with the majority of campers arriving for their first summer camp experience. Over the past couple of months, our staff have been preparing action-packed activities and thrilling plans for Junior Camp, aiming to show campers just how fun a summer at Pinnacle is! Now the day is finally here – counselors couldn’t wait to meet their campers as they crossed the bridge, making sure they settled in comfortably with the rest of their cabin, unpacking and getting to know one another through games on the front lawn.
Once we welcomed in our final few, everyone made their way up to the dining hall for a delicious lunch of chicken tenders, fries, and green beans, prepared by our excellent kitchen staff! We also took some time while eating to learn dining hall standards, some of the songs we sing at camp, and how to tidy up once everyone was full and fueled for the afternoon.
After lunch, campers headed to the Shadium and gym for even more introductions to camp life, learning the 5 R’s we teach at Pinnacle; Respect, Resilience, Reasonable Risk, Reaching Out and Responsibility. These aren’t just words we teach; they’re values we hope every camper carries long after they leave. Campers learned about our safety mindset and the three most important words at Camp Pinnacle: ‘safety, safety, safety!’ – completing swim tests with their cabins, joining in on team building exercises and learning how to use camp equipment correctly.
After lots of fun decorating name tags and learning cabin clean up, campers swiftly gathered back in the Shadium for… fruit break! A chance to grab a mid afternoon snack and catch up with all of camp.
After an hour of cabin ‘gym and swim’ where cabins bonded over fun such as playing ‘putt putt’ mini golf and swinging into the lake on the rope swing, we enjoyed a hearty dinner of Chef Connor’s classic spaghetti and meatballs, with tasty garlic knots and broccoli on the side.
Our junior campers finished off their busy day with an evening program – ‘Goose is Loose’. This is an interactive program to allow campers to explore each space around camp, find clues and wear lots of funky flair!
To end the night, each cabin had their first evening circle: a nightly opportunity to reflect intentionally about the day, share gratitudes, acknowledge areas for growth moving forward, and emphasize ways in which we can continually approach our experiences with a safety mindset. Evening circles create some of the most memorable moments at camp, and our counselors cherish their role in fostering a safe and sacred space for campers at the end of the day.
