Episode 80: The Magic of Camp (Happy Campers Book Excerpt)
This week on the podcast we’re featuring a short excerpt from the introduction to Audrey “Sunshine” Monke’s book, Happy Campers: 9 Summer Camp Secrets for Raising Kids Who Become Thriving Adults.
Learn about the research-based, intentional practices behind the “magic” at Gold Arrow Camp in this episode, The Magic of Summer Camp.
About Happy Campers
Why are kids more optimistic, resilient, independent, and competent
after just a few weeks at summer camp?
Why do they feel less depressed, anxious, and disconnected at camp than they do anywhere else?
Why are so many campers heartbroken when it’s time to go home?
Veteran summer camp director Audrey “Sunshine” Monke, psychologist and parenting expert, shares what she’s learned from three decades of creating a summer camp that kids call their “happy place” and “second home,” a culture where research has proven kids become happier while gaining important social and emotional skills in just two weeks.
Based on thousands of interactions with campers, camp counselors, and parents, and on academic research in positive psychology, Happy Campers introduces a framework of intentional strategies to help parents create the same kind of transformational culture that kids experience at camp. Instead of raising a generation of kids who are overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, and unable to function as independent and responsible adults, parents can create an environment at home that promotes the growth of important character traits and social skills that kids need in order to have meaningful and successful lives. Complete with specific ideas to implement these summer camp secrets at home, Happy Campers is a one-of-a-kind resource for parents wanting to raise happy, socially intelligent, successful kids.
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Episode 79: Creating a Happier World – The GAC Philosophy
Join Sunshine, Chelster, Gem & Delta for a chat about Gold Arrow Camp’s Vision, Mission, Goals. Learn about the positive habits and character traits we want our campers and staff to take with them far beyond their time at camp. Learn WHY Gold Arrow Camp exists and about the vision we have of creating a happier world, one camper at a time.
Watch a video about Gold Arrow Camp here.
Learn more about the Gold Arrow Camp philosophy here.
Hear what campers say about GAC here.
Podcast Credits
Music by Henry “Dobro” Johns
Narration (intro & outro) by Henry “Bravo” Pederson
Produced by JRS Production Creative Audio
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Episode 78: Creating a Happier World with Speed
This week on the Gold Arrow Camp Podcast, Sunshine chats with Armando “Speed” Negrete about the lasting positive impact of his experience as a GAC staff member in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The communication and leadership skills he learned at GAC are professional skills Armando uses today as a Lead Public Safety Dispatcher (9-1-1), a track and cross country running coach, and a sports photographer. Armando also shares about how the skills he learned and practiced as a Group Counselor are ones he still uses and benefits from as a parent.
“I remember how incredibly in awe I was of the camp ground,
of all the different activities that Gold Arrow Camp offers.
I was just completely awestruck.”
Armando “Speed” Negrete
Article about Armando’s return to Fresno State to get his Bachelor’s Degree
Podcast Credits
Music by Henry “Dobro” Johns
Narration (intro & outro) by Henry “Bravo” Pederson
Produced by JRS Production Creative Audio
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Shop GAC’s Online Store Now Through April 18
Shop GAC’s online spring store now through April 18th!
We have created some great options for you to purchase online now that will be delivered before summer. Very few apparel items are offered in our camp store during the summer so this online store is a perfect opportunity to get yourself outfitted with GAC apparel!
After the online store closes on April 18 at 11:59PM, all purchased items will enter production and you can expect to receive your order between May 16-30th.
If you have any questions, please give us a call at 800-554-2267 or send us an email.
SHOP NOW
Episode 77: Creating a Happier World with Bagel
This week on the Gold Arrow Camp Podcast, Sunshine chats with fourteen-year veteran camper and staff member, Ben “Bagel” Bronstein about the community and positive culture that keep pulling him back for another summer at good ol’ GAC!
Bagel shares about what he enjoyed about being a camper and what he still enjoys today as a staff member.
“Especially when I came back on my own, I really realized the community I could build on my own at camp and how special it was a place to do that.”
-Bagel
Podcast Credits
Music by Henry “Dobro” Johns
Narration (intro & outro) by Henry “Bravo” Pederson
Produced by JRS Production Creative Audio
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Episode 76: Creating a Happier World with Chelster
We’re continuing our podcast series on Creating a Happier World with Sunshine’s chat with our beloved Director of Camper and Parent Services, Chelsea “Chelster” Rowe. Chelster shares her GAC story and many insights about camp. Chelster has been on the Year-Round team at GAC for almost four decades and has experienced being a camper, staff member, director, camper parent, and staff parent!
Chelster talks about the importance of the GAC community, how much she enjoys getting to know campers and their parents, and how meaningful her career at camp has been. She also talks about some of the benefits of camp, including the increased confidence campers gain from trying new things, being independent from parents, learning to advocate for themselves, talking to adults other than their parents, and making decisions on their own.
Podcast Credits
Music by Henry “Dobro” Johns
Narration (intro & outro) by Henry “Bravo” Pederson
Produced by JRS Production Creative Audio
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Episode 75: Creating a Happier World with Airborne
Welcome to the Gold Arrow Camp Podcast’s 2025 Season! We’re kicking off the season with a series on “Creating a Happier World,” because our vision at GAC is to create a happier world, one camper at a time.
In this episode, Audrey “Sunshine” Monke chats with Aaron “Airborne” Johnson about many topics related to creating and being part of positive communities for kids. Airborne’s GAC story started back in 1999, when he joined our staff as a Group Counselor. This summer (2025), he’ll be at our Shaver Island outpost camp during Session #2, serving as our Shaver Host. In the role of Shaver Host, Airborne provides leadership and support for our campers and staff while they’re on Shaver Island, which is about 20 minutes from our “Main Camp” location on Huntington Lake. When he’s not at GAC, Airborne serves as principal of Ironwood Elementary School in Tucson, Arizona.
Resources Discussed
Sunshine & Chelster’s Parent Orientation that includes information about parent expectations, reviewing camper standards of behavior, camper medications, communication during your camper’s stay at GAC, and more!
5 Steps to Help Kids Resolve Conflicts, Sunshine Parenting:
Conflict Resolution Wheel
How Big is My Problem?
“Effortful Fun” Laura Vanderkam
Podcast Credits
Music by Henry “Dobro” Johns
Narration (intro & outro) by Henry “Bravo” Pederson
Produced by JRS Production Creative Audio
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Spotify | Email | RSS
2025 Theme: Try Something New
While we always want our campers to Have Fun, Make Friends, and Grow at camp, we also put a focus on one specific character trait or skill each summer by having a Summer Theme. Over the years, we’ve covered a variety of themes. In 2012, we focused on gratitude. In subsequent summers our themes have been: Cool 2B Kind, Creating Connections, Give a Hand, Growing Grit, The Energy Bus, Find-a-Friend, Filling Buckets, Be You, Better Together, Choosing Kindness, Count on Me, and Building Empathy, which was our 2024 theme.
We chose this year’s summer theme, Try Something New, because we want our 2025 campers to challenge themselves to get outside their comfort zones and try new activities and experiences while at camp. For our first-time campers, coming to camp is a great example of Trying Something New!
At GAC this summer, we’ll practice setting goals and taking safe risks by trying new things. And we’ll encourage and cheer each other on while doing so. We want all of our campers to build confidence in their abilities and to understand that it’s normal to feel some discomfort when trying new things.
Our “Try Something New” theme builds on the work we’ve done with campers over the past few years as we’ve talked about getting outside our comfort zones, putting fear in the backseat, and challenging ourselves to try new things.
We’ve noticed more campers in recent summers who are hesitant to try camp activities they haven’t done before, and we want campers to experience the increased fun and confidence that comes with learning and practicing new skills. It is our sincere hope that our 2025 GAC campers will take this theme to heart and continue to explore new activities and grow confidence outside of camp.
During the summer, we’ll talk with campers about all the different ways they can TRY SOMETHING NEW at camp, including:
- Trying an activity they’ve never done before, like water skiing or rock climbing.
- Trying a new food or salad bar item.
- Practicing a new friendship skill, like introducing themselves to someone they haven’t met or asking a friend three questions to get to know them better.
- Challenging themselves to build a new skill in an activity they’ve done before. For example, they might try sailing a bigger boat this summer or signing up for the Will-O sailing trip.
- Learning a new camp dance (like “Tragedy” or “Foot Loose”).
- Overcoming a fear of heights by going up on the ropes course or zipline.
- Overcoming a fear of speaking or being in front of a large group by singing a song with their cabin group or acting in a skit at Big Campfire.
- Telling their cabin mates a story around the campfire.
- Reading a book (if they don’t normally read for fun) or reading a book in a different genre than what they usually read.
- Learning a new craft or hobby, like crocheting, juggling, or guitar, by signing up for a free time activity that you’ve never done before or learning from a friend.
- Starting a gratitude journal or a journal about what you’re doing at camp.
Facing challenges, acknowledging big emotions, overcoming discouragement and frustrations, and learning how to get comfortable pushing ourselves to try new things are all skills that help us – and our kids – grow our resilience and our confidence. These are traits that will help our campers thrive both at camp and in life!
Resources
Homesickness – Gold Arrow Camp – California Summer Camp and Traditional Sleepaway Camps for Children
Helping GAC Families
With the recent Southern California fires, we’ve had many people from the GAC community including current families, alumni, and staff reach out to us asking how they can provide support.
We have heard from 36 camp families who lost their homes in these devastating fires, and we have been gathering information from them about how the GAC community can help.
In addition to replacing camp supplies and memorabilia, we are also offering tuition aid to families who need financial support. The Caldwell Foundation, which facilitates camp scholarships for campers to attend Gold Arrow Camp and other camps every summer, has set up a special fire fund for the GAC families who lost their homes in the fires. All donations to the GAC Fire Fund will go towards replacing camp supplies and covering camp tuition for the families who lost their homes.
You can pledge your support (which is a tax-deductible donation) here, and we will add the amount to your next camp invoice (for families currently enrolled) and forward the funds to the Caldwell Foundation.
Alternatively, you can donate directly by:
- Using this PayPal link. Be sure to include “GAC Fire Fund” in the space “Add note to your donation.”
- Mailing a donation check with memo “GAC Fire Fund” to:
The Max and Marion Caldwell Foundation
PO Box 1653
Capitola, CA 95010
You will receive a receipt of your donation directly from the Caldwell Foundation. All funds received will be distributed by need to families who have lost items and/or their homes in one of the fires.
Thank you for your consideration in supporting our camp families!
Helping Our Kids Process Trauma & Loss
When scary things happen, communities help each other. Some people in our community are helping by checking in on their friends, offering a place for evacuating families to stay, and helping at shelters. Many people outside of California are also thinking of us and hoping that we all stay safe.
Kira Bender, MS OTR/L
Center for Connection, Pasadena, California
We have many camp families, staff, and alumni who live in Pacific Palisades, Altadena/Pasadena, and the greater Los Angeles areas who have suffered the loss of their homes, schools, places of worship, and businesses. We join our entire GAC community from outside of the Southern California area in expressing our deepest condolences for the devastating losses so many of our cabin mates, co-workers, and friends have experienced.
This interview (watch the video here or listen to audio only here) with Dr. William Lacey is a resource for families and other adults who want strategies for helping kids process the trauma and losses many families in our community have experienced.
About Dr. Lacey
Dr. William Lacey is a Licensed Psychologist who specializes in neuropsychological assessment of children, adolescents, and young adults. His clinical expertise for neuropsychological assessment includes diagnosis, academic and treatment planning for individuals with neurodevelopmental concerns (e.g., learning disorders, AD/HD), traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, complex emotional difficulties, and other complex medical conditions. Domains of psychotherapy expertise include depression, anxiety, borderline personality disorder, behavior difficulties/ADHD, trauma and grief, transgender care, and peripartum depression. Dr. Lacey has training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Trauma & Grief Component Therapy for Adolescents, Parent Management Training, Parent Child Interaction Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
Dr. Lacey was born and raised in Detroit, MI and lived in Houston, TX and Boston, MA for extended periods of time. He uses a whole child approach and focuses on the context and culture surrounding our children and how that effects the way they interact with the world.
In addition to this interview, here are some additional resources for families who have been impacted by the recent fires:
Here are ways for the families to contact and reach out to Dr. Lacey:
website: https://www.cfcsantabarbara.com/will-lacey
email: william@thecenterforconnection.org
Twitter: DrLaceySB
Instagram: CFC_SantaBarbara
Resources
Tips and scripting to help caregivers navigate conversations with children.
Talking to Children About the Fires, The Center for Connection
Need support? Want to offer support?
If your family has been impacted by the fires or you are interested in supporting others in our GAC community, please fill out this form.
We are grateful for the love and connection that define our community during both the happy times and the difficult ones, and we are committed to helping our campers, staff, and families stay connected and supported during these difficult months ahead.