In their own words
The class of 2011 at Camp Jewell
A lighter moment from Camp Jewell
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The students describe their experiences in their own words. click on the pictures for larger images.
Jess DeFelice
Shelton High School
On Saturday night we ended the day with the bonfire. I went in thinking it was
just going to consist of the group roasting marshmallows around the fire pit,
but boy, was I wrong! Our group leaders Vincent, Alan, Monique, and Pat
entertained us up on the stage, performing skits and calling several of us up to
participate. Each of the skits had a clever punch line that I didn't expect and
kept me laughing for the rest of the night. It was so funny to see how we each
reacted and it was the highlight of my day.
Afterwards, we all headed inside and sat in a giant circle, ready to answer
questions and give our opinions on the matter. At first it was nerve-wracking to
state your opinion in front of the group, but then I realized no one was here to
judge you. By the end of the night, I was more than comfortable with the people
sitting next to me, feeling like I had known them forever. All in all, Saturday
night had exceeded my expectations.
Samantha Kalafut
Derby High School
When we arrived at Camp Jewell, we unloaded the bus and put all our belongings
in carts. The boys and some girls pulled the luggage up some decent size hills.
Our belongings were brought to the Senior Lodge, which was nicer than I
expected. The bunk room was huge and the beds were comfortable. The bathroom was
pretty nice too! Then, everyone got their bunks and belongings situated and
started getting more acquainted with each other. Camp Jewell far exceeded my
expectations.
Dan Mott
Oxford High School
We all awoke at the crack of dawn, and once we were all ready, we headed out to
the nature-filled hike. You could feel the brisk air flowing through your hair
and all of the amazing scents embedding themselves in your nose. Birds were
chirping, kids laughing, it was just spectacular. With a great group leader and
the guided path, there was no worry of getting lost. All you needed to focus on
was the amazing hike and people around you. What an outstanding feeling we got
once we reached the top! Then came the breath taking view at the top of Sunrise
Mountain. Everyone was snapping pictures and admiring how beautiful it was. On
the way back to the cabins, we were able to play a game, and had lots of laughs.
This was one of the most, if not, the most liked event we did in my opinion. It
gave us a chance to bond with each other, and it gave us the opportunity to get
close with nature and enjoy the great outdoors!
Elia D’Onofrio
Derby High School
My stay at Camp Jewell was amazing. One event that simply blew my mind away was
the Vertical Playpen. This apparatus is nearly the height of a full grown Oak,
and is composed of nothing but ropes, hanging tires, and wooden ladders. At
first it was an obstacle that seemed almost impossible to conquer but tackled,
the gauntlet became completely surmountable. The Vertical Playpen was my
favorite event and moment at Camp Jewell because it required you and a partner
to work together as a tag team to achieve the goal of reaching the top. Not only
does it demand teamwork, but it calls upon communication and cooperation from
both partners. Literally at certain points the obstacle is impossible to climb
without the help and motivation of another partner. I was partnered with my
friend, Sukhmeet, who along with me was dying to tackle this monstrosity of an
apparatus. Only until we hit the first beam and were up off the ground,
suspended by ropes, did we second guess our efforts to reach the top. With close
calls, and a few moments of unbelievable determination, Sukhmeet and I conquered
the course after one final pull from Sukhmeet bringing me over the top. Once at
the top, not only was the view amazing, but the feeling of just accomplishing
such a rigorous and physically and mentally exhausting task was absolutely
overwhelming. It was truly the most savoring moment of Camp Jewell and I can
definitely say the same thing for Sukhmeet.
Travis Pyka
Oxford High School
The zip line looked really fun, but scary too. Once you got under it, you saw
the true height. Some leaders did not want to go on because they were scared,
but by the support from their friends they were motivated enough to give it a
try. After they did it, they loved it.
The scariest part for me was getting to the tree from the rope. I will never
forget when Emma got off the rope. She literally hugged the tree in relief. She
had every right to because the rope moves and does not stay still when you were
walking on it, making it hard to keep your balance on the rope.
After the camp advisor hooked you up, you were ready to go. Another hard part
was getting off the tree platform. Some people like myself were scared, but
others like Zach jumped off backwards! Once you were off, you were soaring like
a bird. This was the most fun part.
Overall, I think this was a really good experience. It’s not like every day you
have the opportunity to zip line. It also taught me a special lesson – to try
something even though it looks scary because you may really like it.
Hudson Boles
Shelton High School
The ride up to Camp Jewell was quiet for me as I didn't know anyone. Friday and
Saturday, however, the more we did team-building exercises and spent more time
with one another, I began to feel more at ease as I got to know everyone. The
activities we did brought the group together and I am looking forward to working
with everyone in community service projects and towards allocations.
Meghan Poole
Shelton High School
On Saturday, our group at Camp Jewell did the zip line. A few of us, including
myself, were afraid of heights and weren't sure if we wanted to participate in
the "fun" activity, or simply watch. With a lot of encouragement from the other
youth leaders, I finally decided to try it. I'm proud of myself for facing my
fear of heights and participating in the activity. Even though it was a bit
scary at first, I know that I would have regretted not trying to face my fear. I
know I can count on all the other Youth Leaders to help me become the best
person I can be. If given the opportunity, I would go on the zip line again!
Jake Lipinsky
Seymour High School
My favorite part of the team-building activities that we did at Camp Jewell was
by far The Wall! Our job was to get our entire group over a 12 foot wooden wall.
It was a culmination of all the team building we did that day. It required
communication, cooperation, perseverance, and most of all teamwork. We started
off with a game plan, where we were going to boost each other up on our team
mate Billy’s shoulders, and I would wait at the top and pull everyone up. I was
going first. I climbed up and began to pull my friends off Billy’s shoulders.
First came Lisette, who I pulled over easy, then Abby, and then Jen. We were
halfway there, and things were going smoothly. We were working together and
sticking to a solid strategy. Next we pulled over Travis and then Sukhmeet. We
were so close to finishing when we came to a problem, we were all up, but Billy
was still on the bottom, with no one to boost him to us. Our only plan was to
have him try and jump to us so we could pull him up, but no matter what we
tried, we couldn’t grab hold of him. Monique gave us the three minute mark,
before we had to leave, but we all new we had to finish this. Just as it was
time to give up Sukhmeet grabbed hold of Billy’s arm and held on tight. The
entire group reached for his arms and began to pull him up, his back facing he
ground. I was truly inspired to see everyone’s arm reaching for him, to see
everyone’s unity to achieve a common goal. We worked together and eventually we
did it. Doing the wall I learned the true meaning of teamwork, we couldn’t have
completed the wall will out each other and in the end we succeeded.
Tim Garrity
Derby High School
While at Camp Jewell, I had to overcome one of my biggest fears... conquering
the rock climbing wall. At first, my heart was beating very fast and i was
beyond scared to start climbing; but the cheers and support from my fellow youth
leaders was what boosted my confidence, to help me get to the top. Once I
reached the top, I realized how much it helps to have people supporting you,
especially through the most difficult situations. Although I nearly catapulted
the advisor when I jumped from the top to make my way back to the ground, I
still felt on top of the world for overcoming my fear. If it weren't for the
great people helping me through the climb, I doubt that I would have made it up
the wall. It truly showed me that sometimes a small amount of encouragement can
make a huge impact on a person's confidence.
Louis Nicoletti
Ansonia High School
Throughout the weekend Camp Jewell served three delicious meals each day. For
breakfast, whether it was waffles or eggs they both were delightful. Then, for
lunch and dinner we were served a nice hot meal such as tacos or soup. The food
at Camp Jewell was great. I would highly recommend it for future experiences.
Billy Holt
Derby High School
On Saturday morning at the early hour of seven, the group ventured out on a
mountain hike. Still half-asleep as a group, we began our hike observing the
beautiful nature Camp Jewel had to offer. As a team, we all managed to push each
other up the mountainside. After what seemed like hours, we eventually reached
the top. To our surprise, we were welcome by a gorgeous view that overlooked the
whole landscape of Camp Jewel. The hike was a difficult yet rewarding
experience. It was not easy to get up the mountain especially that early in the
morning but in the end, we all made it. The hike was the first of many
challenges that we were all faced with as a group. The hike was a perfect
example of how with teamwork and determination that we could all accomplish
anything.
Brienne Marks
Shelton High School
Being at Camp Jewell really makes you grow as a person and for special bonds
with the people that are around you. To start off the whole experience is the
awkward bus ride up there. There’s very little talking and no one really knows
anyone. But what some kids didn’t know was that this was only the beginning.
When we got to Camp Jewell the first thing we did was to start the ice-breakers.
Our camp counselors slowly worked us into getting to know everyone’s name and a
little bit about them. Even though they were small games, they worked and we
were able to understand each other more and more. Once we got back to the cabin
we had some down time to hang out with each other and talk. It was still pretty
quite but there was more talking than on the bus. The best was yet to come.
Saturdays are known as the tough but, fun days. We were split up into groups and
each given a counselor. Trust and encouragement I felt were one of the key
points that they were trying to teach us. Each group worked on trust falls and
being able to communicate and trust each other to achieve their goals as a
group. Once we finished with this, we moved onto one of the more challenging
obstacles at the camp, the zip line. I was able to learn that once you have the
encouragement and trust of others around you than you are able to accomplish
anything that you want to do. We worked as a team to push each other to our
limits and put our minds to new things. By the end of Saturday night everyone
was talking to each other and we formed friendships with each other. After the
bonfire, the counselors set us up with boundary breakers. As a group we looked
deeper into each other and really reached in to see the real person in each
other. That’s when the worst part of the weekend came, the last day. The
activity that they gave us was the most challenging of the weekend I believe,
the vertical play pen. This is where we put everything that we learned in one
weekend into one event. When I first started was beyond scared and was put to
the test. Climbing up was a challenge. It was hard to use your physical ability
to achieve what you want. With the help of one person, including your group
encouraging, you can do whatever. You walk out of this camp learning so much
more about yourself than you thought. You realize you have people that you trust
and care about you behind you every step of the way.
Emma Bee Schwarz
Oxford High School
I have to say that the zip line at Camp Jewell was a great experience, with a
memory that will last forever. I was absolutely terrified at just the idea of
doing it, that I almost didn't! But my friends convinced me that I would regret
it if I didn't, so I decided to give it a try. I was confident that I would be
bawling by the time I got over the rope bridge to the platform from which the
zip line went off of, but I actually didn't! It felt great to have everyone so
proud of me for getting that far. I was also very proud of myself. If I could do
that, I could do almost anything! The actually zip line part was not that scary.
It was actually really fun! This experience taught me that even if I'm not
inclined to do something at first, I may want to try it, because I may end up
enjoying it. Camp Jewell was overall an amazing experience, and I'm really glad
I attended!
Kelsey Sullivan
Shelton High School
This weekend at Camp Jewell, we participated in many fun team building
activities, but one that I particularly enjoyed was the bonfire and the boundary
breakers on Saturday night. We started with the bonfire and got to watch our
counselors perform skits and sing songs that we all enjoyed. A crowd favorite
was the “I’m a Little Teapot” song. Then we roasted marshmallows and made
s’mores. After that we went inside and did boundary breakers where the
counselors read us questions and we had to read them as honestly and sincerely
as we could. It was amazing to hear everyone be so open about their feelings and
everyone was very comfortable with sharing with the group. Those questions
brought us together and were one of the most important parts of the team
building activities!
Abby Lynch
Seymour High School
The Dutch Auction was just another great way to break out of our shells and get
to know each other better. We got to see different kid’s talents such as singing
and dancing. It also provided the opportunity to get competitive and be very
creative. I sang on stage for the first time and I wasn’t even nervous because I
knew the environment around me was supportive and I trusted all my new friends.
Besides that, it was another of the many activities we did to display good
leadership ability. We all listened to everyone’s ideas and put them together to
have the best skit. I learned it works better to stop and listen to everyone
first and then figure out what to do instead of screaming over each other. I had
a great time along with the rest of the weekend!
Ola Szczesna
Shelton High School
After Saturday morning’s hike to Sunrise Mountain, we started the day off with
new groups for our team building activities. Despite not yet knowing everyone
well, the object of all the activities was to learn to communicate, trust and be
patient with one another. First we participated in the rope swinging event,
during which each member of our team had to swing from one side of an area to
the other. When every one completed the task without touching the ground our
team was finished. Next, we did the line labyrinth during which the whole team
had to create a human chain and walk through a series of lines without touching
any of them, if one person touched a line while trying to move through the maze
the whole team had to start over. We did this activity easily the first time,
second time around was more hard when some of our members had to wear blindfolds
and everyone else had to direct them. All these activities not only helped us
develop communication skills, but also helped us get to know one another better
and feel more comfortable around each other.
Jennifer Mezzapelle
Notre Dame, Fairfield
After arriving and playing a few ice-breaker games on Friday night, the group
sat down in the Deeds Room to make our pro-note bags. We were each given a brown
paper bag and then used magazines, markers, and glitter to decorate the bag in a
way that expressed who we were as individuals. Once done, the bags were hung up
on the wall so that throughout the weekend people could fill them with
pro-notes. Pro-notes are positive notes written to others, whether they're about
someone becoming a better leader, reaching a goal, or just telling someone that
you're glad you met them. When Sunday comes and we hit Waterbury on the bus ride
home, the bags are given back to their owners and each youth leader can look at
all the positive messages. It's an incredible feeling to read all the wonderful
pro-notes and it's a Camp Jewell ritual that no one will ever forget!
Lisette Garcia
Derby High School
Before coming on this bus trip there were literally a thousand fears filling my
mind. I worried about how others would treat me right off the bat and how we
would all react to each other from the beginning. I knew I would sit with
someone I knew as soon as we were on our way to camp Jewell, as I did this I
realized how many of us we would actually get to meet, and wondered how well we
would actually go upon that. Once we went through all of our team building
experiences all of those fears withered away. I was able to meet so many sincere
people and I knew I had nothing to worry about.
Christina Buswell
Oxford High School
After spending an entire weekend with kids who at first I didn't know, the bus
ride home was fun but sad at the same time. Once you build friendships with the
other youth leader's it's hard to say goodbye. It is however, a lot of fun to
sit with your new friends and laugh and joke about the weekend; you feel like
you've known them for your whole life. It's a great feeling knowing that the
people who at first you knew nothing about, became your closest friends!
If you have questions about the Youth Leadership Program call Pat Tarasovic at Valley United Way at 203-926-9478or e-mail at Patricia.Tarasovic@valleyunitedway.org.
The Youth Leadership Program is made possible through the generous support of the Raymond P. Lavietes Foundation which provides core funding.
