Camp 2010: Letter from Nick

Hello Aranu'tiq "Family" and Friends,
What a success 2010 was! I could not have hoped for a better result.We had 41 campers and 26 staff in 6 different cabins; three were "transmasculine-spectrum" and three were "transfeminine-spectrum". The weather was iffy for the first part of the week but it never once kept us out of regular activities (or from fun), which included low ropes, swimming, canoeing, dance, drama, arts & crafts, a host of sports, and creative writing. During the evenings we had two campfires complete with songs, stories, and s'mores. We did "Minute to Win It" for an evening activity, in which we watched campers rolling each other up with toilet paper, balancing chocolate snack cakes on their foreheads, and trying to complete other fun tasks within a minute. We had a glow-in-the-dark capture the flag game with glowsticks on our wrists. Our final evening activity was the talent show which featured magic, singing, playing instruments, a drag show, and more. It was topped off with an impromptu dance party at the end. We had one hurt knee and one broken pinky by the end of the week--but both campers were in great spirits. We had the presentation of a leadership award to one of our oldest campers who had shown exemplary leadership over the course of the week. Besides the daily grind (and our great meals and desserts), I saw incredible things happening as I looked around. I saw trans and gender-variant kids, some of whom had never met someone else like them, beginning to open up and be themselves. I saw campers using new pronouns and names that they never before felt like they were able to use. I saw thousands of smiles throughout the week. I saw kids getting more comfortable dressing in what made them comfortable, not in what society tells them to. I saw staff learning from campers and campers learning from staff. I heard great singing, including our brand new camp song written by our campers (words posted at the end of this post). I saw campers who had known each other only three or four days putting their arms around each other while singing about camp. It seemed to me, and them I am sure, that they had known each other for years. Some bunks started referring to each other as "sisters" or "brothers." Everything just happened by itself--everything moved into place so smoothly--and the connections between people will last a lifetime, I am certain. During the final campfire, the seniors (the oldest group, 15) gave short speeches about what they were taking with them and what they were leaving behind. Some were funny, some poignant; all were meaningful. The seniors each received a Camp Aranu'tiq compass that will help point them to camp when they find themselves lost in the outside world. The tears shed at that campfire that showed the incredible gift that Aranu'tiq was to both campers and counselors. Leaving was hard for everyone, but I am happy to report that camper parents and guardians are letting me know that their kids are settling into school, many with a new-found sense of who they are, and that can only be a positive thing. Aranu'tiq kids are incredibly strong, resilient, smart, and caring. It struck me how caring the older kids were with each other as well as with the younger kids. As cliche as it sounds, we became an instant family. We have heard some positive stories about parents being able to see their children so happy and "in their element" when they picked them up at camp, or at the airport at the end of camp. Though I am not yet a parent, I imagine that feeling to be one of the most satisfying in the world. So, I'll take satisfaction in it as well. I am so proud of our campers and staff. This quick blog post is only a tiny piece of how wonderful I feel after camp. So many thanks to our staff and especially our board members at camp, Melissa, Julie, Marissa, and Morgan. I am counting down the days until next summer!
All the best,
Nick Teich
President, Founder, and Camp Director!

"Aranu'tiq, a great place to be!
I love this camp, I love this camp, 'cause I can be me!
It's easy to be yourself at camp, it's all in your hands
we can wear what we want, we can be who we are,
everyone understands.
Canoeing, playing in the dirt,
arts and crafts, mud on your shirt;
frogs, toads, spiders too,
Aranu'tiq loves you......woooooo!
Aranu'tiq, a great place to be!
I love this camp, I love this camp, 'cause I can be me!"