Daily schedule — full day framework from reveille to lights out
Every day starts with reveille. Many campers choose to take a morning dip in Panther Pond. After breakfast everyone reports to their cabin for a team effort to clean. Camp splits up by program for the morning session. Morning free time is an active time for most campers. Rest hour is the best hour — everyone is in their cabin with two options: sleep or read. The afternoon session is the second main activity period of the day. Everyone gathers around our big campfire for an evening of camp songs, awards, readings, dances, and competitions. Taps played from the trumpet on the dock marks the end of the day. Fall asleep to a classic story read aloud to the entire cabin.
Traditional summer camp on Panther Pond lake in Raymond, Maine (Maine woods / lake waterfront setting).
Founded
1987
Enrollment
Coed
Activities
Waterfront
Swimming
Kayaking
Sailing
Fishing
Land Sports
Basketball
Archery
Volleyball
Baseball
Arts & Creative
Painting
Theater
Dance
Outdoor Adventure
Hiking
More activities
Archery Tag
Arts & Crafts
Badminton
Battle Rockets
Bocce Ball
Capture the Flag
Chess
Cross Country Running
Dodgeball
GaGa Ball
Gel Blasters
Golf
Kayak trip
Kickball
Newcombe (catch volleyball)
Pole Vault
Singing
Spike Ball
Trail Running
Ukulele or Guitar lessons/practice
Weightlifting
Wind-Surfing
Clues to fit
Community — coed programs, siblings and friends across ages and genders
Most of our periods are coed. Siblings or friends of different ages and genders still can play together many periods of the day. Many days we have one period that is assigned by cabin, and another period that is split by gender. All the programs, including cross country and pole vault, come together for the evening activity period and for campfire. Dining and free times are all together as well.
Homesickness — advance preparation advice for parents
Consider talking to your child about the feelings they might have and strategies for dealing with them. Mentioning homesickness in advance does not make a child more prone to the experience, and it can help children prepare for strong emotions when they have them. We have found that the well-intentioned strategy of telling campers in advance that you will pick them up if they get homesick has not worked well.
Cabin life — lights out, trumpet taps, story read aloud
Taps played from the trumpet on the dock marks the end of the day. Fall asleep to a classic story read aloud to the entire cabin. After reading a few chapters, the counselor too goes to sleep, and the waves, loons, and breeze become the only sounds left.
After breakfast everyone reports to their cabin for a team effort to clean. Each camper needs to clean up his own area, and then pitch in on the cabin-wide chores like sweeping the floor and emptying the waste bin. The head counselors inspect and rate the job for campfire points.
At Slovenski Camps, evening campfire is the highlight of the day for many campers. Campers participate in a variety of dances, contests, and songs before heading off to bed. Campfire is held on five of the seven nights of each week. Everyone gathers around our big campfire for an evening of camp songs, awards, readings, dances, and competitions. At the end of the night, campfire points are totaled to determine the winning cabins. Parents are invited to the campfire on the final night of camp.
Staff leadership — Directors' backgrounds and credentials
Director Peter Slovenski or "Coach" graduated from Dartmouth College in 1979 with a B.A. in English. He was the coach of men's and women's cross-country and track & field at Bowdoin College for 34 years. He has been running educational, fun, and safe camps for over 30 years. David Slovenski, Director, is a graduate of Princeton University where he broke the Ivy League Pole Vault record. Dave coached track & field at RPI before teaching math, physics, and robotics at Choate Rosemary Hall and then Franklin Road Academy. Mike Slovenski, Assistant Director, is a 2015 graduate of Harvard University.
Financial aid — no camp scholarships, but external programs exist
No. We price our camps competitively while running the best camp we can. We have early season pricing at the end of June, along with referral discounts. Many independent agencies and towns offer scholarships for summer camps. We recommend searching the web for scholarships for which you may be eligible. Some that we have seen over the years include the Maine Community Foundation and one through L.L. Bean.
Fourth of July week — fireworks over the lake, smaller enrollment, daily rate option
On the evening of the Fourth, we have campfire at the cove and watch a fireworks show across the lake. We have a few readings from the nation's founding, and sing a few patriotic songs. The week's enrollment is usually rather low — as low as 40 campers and as high as 90. Some campers prefer a smaller week, and this is a good one to choose. It is a good opportunity for younger or hesitant campers to try out camp for 2 or 3 days without committing to a whole week away from home.
Cabin sleeping — boys and girls in separate areas, cabins by gender and grade
The boys cabins and the girls cabins are in separate areas of the campus. Cabins are sorted by gender and grade, but there could be campers from vault, dodgeball, and XC in the same bunk house.
A hearty breakfast with hot and cold options served in the dining hall. Main entrees include classics like scrambled eggs, waffles, and french toast. Hot sides like bacon, muffins, sausage, oatmeal and home fries are available almost every day. Everyday options include bagels & cream cheese, toast with butter, jam, or peanut butter, fresh fruits, cereal with milk, and yogurt with granola and berries. Picky eaters are welcome here — our menu includes sundry basics and most items are served separately.
Food allergies — labeled dishes, nurse and cook at check-in, epipens on site
We have many campers with food allergies. The cooking staff is well prepared to provide plenty of alternatives and a safe dining environment. Campers & parents meet with the nurse and cook at checkin to discuss details. We label all dishes with allergens, and try to choose simple recipes & products that do not contain unnecessary ingredients. We have a nurse or wilderness first responder on staff, along with many counselors certified in first aid and the use of epipens. We do have epipens on site in case of an emergency. Camp is not a nut-free environment.
Friday Night Campfire — parents invited, no RSVP required
On Friday night of each week, parents are invited to attend campfire. Parents are NOT required to RSVP in advance to attend campfire. Parents may attend campfire whether they are picking up their camper or not. Parents should try to arrive at campfire five to ten minutes before 8pm unless they are picking up their camper in which case we recommend that they arrive 15 to 30 minutes before 8pm to help their camper pack up.
