Category: Blog

Introducing 2018 Westhampton Scholarship recipients, Deborah Afolayan, Stephen Hotlz, Danielle Afolayan, Dorcas Afolayan, and Amber Gutierrez The Westhampton Scholarship Fund aims to support former Camp Alkulana campers in attending college or vocational training. This year's awards totaled $7,000 spread among 5 recipients. Interested in contributing to the scholarship fund? Contact campalkulana@gmail.com.          

For those of us old enough to remember that special blue wooden building up a hill and in the woods, the name CAPS means relief. A little dread might mix in, if it was dark and no one around, or if you were assigned to scrub. It also brings a smile and that warm feeling of nostalgia for a time and rustic simplicity that has been flushed away by modernization. In that warm frame of remembrance and humor, a small group of Camp Alkulana enthusiasts joined forces to establish the Camp Alkulana Preservation Society (CAPS). Our initial mission was to seek and find as many Camp Alkulana alumni, volunteers, supporters, past and present, as possible to be able to connect, reconnect and communicate information for the 100-year celebration in 2015.…

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…