Classes

CJL campers get to choose three classes to attend each day. Girls can choose from a wide variety of activities that focus on outdoor recreation and developing new skills, including archery, canoeing, sailing, swimming, diving, crafts, campcraft skills, hiking, horseback riding, ropes course, backpacking, and more! Campers will attend classes with others from their unit cohort (no mixing of units in classes).

Archery

Campers learn safety, terminology and technique at the archery field. Whether a novice or an expert, campers will enjoy playing games and challenging themselves to hit the bullseye.

Canoeing

Campers who want to take classes at the lake will start with a Canoeing class, where they will learn basic strokes and safety. They will work with a partner to navigate the lake and play games to build their skills. Once they’re comfortable with a paddle, canoers will also have access to kayaks and standup paddleboards.

After a camper has taken Canoeing at CJL, she can sign up to take Sailing the following summer.

Sailing

In Sailing, campers learn the parts of the boat, sailing knots, how to raise and lower the sail, how to right the boat after capsizing, and how to read the wind to make their Sunfish sailboat "tack" and "run."

Water Fun and Diving at the Pool

Campers who love to swim will enjoy taking a Water Fun class at the pool! We also offer a diving class for campers who want to improve their diving skills. During the 2021 summer, all units will have a seperate hour spent at the pool each day. Best way to beat the summer heat!

Crafts

Campers have free choice in the craft house. They have access to many different projects, supplies and materials meant to spark the imagination. Campers can paint canvas, pottery and wood, design jewelry, pour candles, make tie-dye t-shirts and more. During 2-week sessions, campers are also invited to work with clay, either hand-building or on a pottery wheel. Campers pay a small amount for each project they choose, which comes out of their trading post deposit.

Outdoor Living Skills (OLS)

OLS is a popular class that covers the basics of outdoor living. Campers will practice campcraft skills like fire-building, outdoor cooking, knife safety, orienteering, shelter-building, and more.

Hiking

Campers who take Hiking will get to visit many of the landmarks located on CJL's beautiful mountaintop property. Hikers will explore camp while they learn and have fun along the way!

Horseback Riding

Campers of any age and riding ability may choose to take Horseback Riding as an optional 4th class. Campers are grouped according to their riding experience and attend class with their group 2 times per week, weather permitting. Campers will learn skills in the riding ring and go on trail rides.

We provide riding helmets, but campers are welcome to bring their own. Boots for horseback riding should have a 1” heel and a smooth sole. The barn has about 20 pairs of riding boots that campers can borrow.

Campers who have completed the 7th grade and attend a 2-week session can also take our Challenge Ropes Course class and/or a backpacking class called Extreme OLS.

Challenge Ropes Course

CJL's ropes course offers high-ropes and low-ropes challenges for campers who have completed the 7th grade and attend a 2-week session. Campers taking the class for the first time participate in group problem-solving activities, low-ropes team-building exercises, and beginner high-ropes challenges like the two-line bridge. The next year, campers push themselves to new heights (literally) with the Tarzan swing, lily pads and zip-line. Our indoor climbing wall is a popular destination for campers of all ages to visit as a unit. Of course, all climbing and other ropes course activities are supervised closely by highly trained, experienced, and certified staff.

Extreme OLS

Campers who have completed the 7th grade and attend a 2-week session can take Extreme OLS (outdoor living skills). Campers will learn how to pack a backpack, pitch a tent, cook with a camping stove and set up a campsite. They'll also learn some wilderness first aid and basic survival skills. The class culminates with a hike and overnight camping trip at a nearby state park! Space for this class is limited, so only the 10 oldest campers who sign-up each session will be placed in the class. Extreme OLS will not be offered this summer. Campers will still get plenty of opportunities to hike throughout camp and sleep under the stars at their unit overnight.

And that's not all!

Often, members of the staff teach classes that reflect their interest and expertise like Drama, Rec Games, General Merriment, Photography, Tennis, Sewing, Nature Crafts and more! Click HERE to see our classes in action!

Our goal

At CJL, we want our campers to have fun, be safe, make friends, learn new skills, and engage in new challenges so that they continually grow in the awareness of their abilities and successful experiences. Many campers will even choose to take the same class year after year, so we strive to continually challenge them and build upon their knowledge.

During classes, CJL campers will learn to live in, enjoy, and fully appreciate the outdoors, they will cultivate life-long outdoor interests, and they will develop valuable life skills such as perseverance, resilience, and problem-solving. And of course, they will have a lot of fun, too!