New Horizons – An Exciting Summer Day Camp Program Launched by Camp Horizons Veterans
When Camp Horizons announced that it would be closing down after 28 wonderful seasons, many campers and staffers were deeply disappointed. But Camp Horizons Sports Director Chris Purdue and Director of Special Need Camper Services Seth Blender viewed this as a challenge and an opportunity to launch an exciting new summer camp program. Leveraging their vast experience from many summers at Camp Horizons and as educators in local school districts, Purdue and Blender have launched the New Horizons Day Camp program, offering a “choice” program which allows 2nd through 9th grade campers to choose their schedules and a traditional, structured program for children entering Kindergarten and 1st grade.
While most summer day camps offer sports, and some offer performing arts or arts and crafts, New Horizons offers something more – a choice of indoor and outdoor activities in sports, technology, performing arts, arts and crafts, science and nature, academic tutoring, and other areas of enrichment. These activities will be discussed and displayed at New Horizons’ next Open House on Saturdays, April 13th and May 11th from 1 to 3 p.m. at the camp’s location at Pope John Academy in West Orange. Blender, Purdue and many staff members will conduct tours and talk with parents and campers about the summer program at the Open House events.
New Horizons is open to campers entering kindergarten through ninth grade. A less than three to one camper-to-staff ratio ensures an intimate, family-style atmosphere. The Kindergarten and 1st grade (K/1) program, under the direction of Jillian Blender, a Language Arts and Special Education teacher who worked at Camp Horizons as a K/1 counselor for eight summers, provides younger campers exposure to many of the diverse activities offered at New Horizons in a small, traditional group setting. K/1 campers are closely supervised by their counselors throughout the day while they visit specialty counselors who introduce their talents and interests. A shadow counselor program is available to support special needs campers. Campers entering 9th grade are eligible to participate in the Counselor-in-Training program to educate them about the responsibilities of camp staff and to prepare them for Assistant Counselor positions.
Door-to-door bus transportation to camp is available from many areas of West Essex, Union and Morris counties. Please join New Horizons at their Open House on Saturday, April 13th or May 11th from 1 to 3 p.m. at Pope John Academy, 8 St. Cloud Place in West Orange. For additional information, visit the website at ww.newhorizonsdaycamp.com or call (973) 850-6640.
