Building Unity
Camp is humming.
On Saturday, 300 girls arrived from across the country and even across the Atlantic and Pacific (shout out to Spain, United Kingdom, and our furthest travelling family from Hawaii). Nervous smiles turned to laughter, and pretty much instantly the sound of camp returned to the shores of Echo Lake.
It’s an epic transformation.
Just a few days ago, camp was obviously much quieter. Now it’s filled with paddleboards crossing the lake, tennis balls bouncing across the courts, horses getting to know their riders, counselors learning the ideal pace, and campers (re)forging deep bonds.
For us, these first few days are always a reminder of what makes camp so special.
Every summer begins with a bit of uncertainty. Some are excited. Some are nervous. Some soak it in, and some jump right in. Yet surprisingly quickly, those differences begin to fade.
By living together, trying new activities, cheering one another on, solving little problems together, and simply spending time away from the routines of home, they begin building something much more meaningful than a summer schedule. They begin building self belief, unity, and a sense of belonging.
Life at camp always has a wonderful way of becoming refreshingly simple. The past few years of staff orientation we’ve tried to answer the question for staff: “What is camp?” We’ve come to the conclusion that “camp is life”. It’s a place created to provide kids an environment to hone their life skills.
The conversations happen face-to-face. One of the most beautiful things about camp is that girls begin to realize how much control they have over the kind of day they experience. Every interaction is an opportunity to build someone up, show empathy, include someone new, express gratitude, or simply choose kindness. Those small decisions have a way of making camp better for everyone, especially the person making them.
Many years ago we came up with and adopted the slogan, “the most exciting thing a girl will find at Vega is herself”. While it may sound cliché and it is impossible to quantify, we have been able to witness moments of self-actualization and remarkable growth. It happens through thousands of ordinary moments: encouraging a friend, taking a chance on a new activity, laughing until your stomach hurts, discovering a hidden talent, helping someone else succeed, and in the end realizing you’re capable of more than you thought.
Those ordinary moments have been the heartbeat of Camp Vega for 90 summers.
As we walk around camp, we’re reminded once again that what makes this place extraordinary isn’t any single activity, building, or tradition. It’s the vibe our community creates together. A place where kindness and effort are celebrated, friendships grow organically, and girls are encouraged to become the very best versions of themselves.
Thank you parents for all of the trust you put in us and effort you put in to preparing your daughter, and in turn our community, to be in a position to reach both new heights and also become even more grounded. We’re deeply grateful that you and your daughters are part of our lives, and we look forward to sharing glimpses of their summer in the weeks ahead.
Here’s to an incredible beginning to Summer 2026!!!
Kyle and Emily