Directors’ Welcome

Dear Families,

Welcome to Camp Emerson! We are excited that you are considering joining our community. Every session at Emerson is full of joy, creativity, and a whole lot of fun. And while kids often come for the fun, they insist on returning summer after summer for many other reasons.

When kids first come to camp they begin to make decisions for themselves and feel self-sufficient. They learn to balance their own individual needs with the needs of their bunkmates and the larger camp community. Living with others in such close quarters leads to unique and deep connections, a greater sense of empathy, and provides our campers the opportunity to navigate small problems and learn how to compromise. And they do this without their parents and under the supervision and guidance of our wonderful staff. All of this leads to a feeling of empowerment and increased resilience. When they return home, parents often share with us that their kids just seem “different”. That’s the magic of summer camp.

At camp, kids feel safe. They feel the safety to embrace new modes of self expression. They feel safe within a community that emphasizes collaboration over competition. They feel safe amongst a group of supportive peers and counselors who all are rooting for each other’s success. They feel safe to take healthy risks, try new activities and make new friends. It’s remarkable what emerges from this place of comfort and strength.

At Camp Emerson, it’s important to us that we know your family. We spend a large part of our year connecting with our new families on the phone, video, and in person. Please contact us any time – we look forward to hearing from you.

For over 50 years Camp Emerson has been providing incredible summer camp experiences for kids from all over the world. We hope you choose Camp Emerson for your child, and we look forward to a future summer in the mountains of Berkshire County.

Positively,

Zachary Friedman
Camp Director

Tony Oyenarte
Camp Director