Category: Blog

Camp Alkulana came into my life at a time where I felt lost in my own skin. At school I was an “Oreo,” what some African Americans call someone who appears “black on the outside and white on the inside.” I didn’t fit in with the African American kids or the Caucasian ones. In addition, I was that girl whose dad had cancer and died. I started to see myself as only those things, until I met Bright Eyes. When I was told that I was going away to camp for a week and got to be with one of my very best friends the whole time, 11-year-old me was ecstatic! I packed and repacked and packed and repacked, until finally it was time to go. As I approached the…

Take a look around at our newly revamped website, which launched earlier this week! The new website has: (1) A modern look, with large photos and quotes from Camp Alkulana campers featured prominently (2) Improved navigation, with a lot of ways to find the information you're looking for. (3) A photo gallery features prominently on the homepage, giving you immediate access to photos that capture the Camp Alkulana experience. (4) A beautiful new video on the home page captures the landscape of our camp grounds! (5) A calendar on the home page will keep you informed about upcoming Camp Alkulana events and deadlines you should know about. (6) A blog, with stories and current information about Camp Alkulana. (7) An inquiry form for new campers will help being the online…

“Why did you decide to become a teacher?” I get this question all the time, and my response always begins with two words: Camp Alkulana. I first started working at Camp when I was 18 years old, and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I had thought about acting, journalism, counseling, anthropology, and dance. But teaching? The thought never occurred to me. I had been home-schooled throughout my K-12 education, so I hadn’t been in a traditional school setting until college. It turns out I didn’t need a traditional school setting to find my true calling. I needed a camp. I needed a sanctuary of nature with green trees, a bubbling creek, and a cool mountain breeze. I needed camping, hiking, and tubing down…

In March of 2008, I was told that I would be going to summer camp. Naturally, I was nervous. I had never been to the mountains and the thought of being surrounded by people I had never met gave me chills. But nevertheless, I was excited about the prospect of learning new things and having a summer full of outdoor activities. As the school year came to a close and I learned more about what I would be doing at camp, my excitement grew and I even invited a friend from school. What I need to point out before I tell you about my camp experience is that I was a very shy twelve year old girl; I mean, I was painfully shy. I could go weeks without speaking a…