10/11th Grade Girls Soccer vs Poyntelle, August 1

The girls hosted Poyntelle August and made quick work of reaching this year’s tournament final.  Starlight took a while to get going, blasting a number of chances high and wide of the goal.  However, once the first goal went in, it was one-way traffic for the remainder of the game in which Starlight ran out winners 9-0.

Jessica R. had very little to do in goal, while Marni C., Marlena G., Rebecca B. and Tori F. were rarely troubled at the back. Molly B., Lauren R., Brooke L., Arli M. and Samantha B. kept Poyntelle busy as did the forward line of Erica L., Julia G. and Allison E.  A good overall team performance and the girls now face Wayne in the final.

Boys Basketball vs. Camp Lavi, July 31

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

The 8th grade boys played an outstanding game at Camp Lavi winning 65-32 and becoming Wayne County Champions! The boys played amazing defense causing turnovers for fast break lay-ups on the other end. Dylan T. led the team in scoring with 25 points. Owen B., Dylan H. Danny S., Ryan K., Zach R., Zach C., Spencer W. and Noah J. also added to the team’s large score. The team played great together as a team and the coaches couldn’t be happier! Great win and a great season for the 8th grade boys basketball team.

Final Score 65-32, W

Coaches Dan Mutz, Kyle Galin

Girls Basketball vs. Camp Chen-A-Wanda, July 31

Starlight brought home another win with great defense and wonderful offense. Sam B. scored 16 points and Tricia L. led the team with 10 steals. Championships, here they come!

Final Score 43-8, W

Coaches Janelle Floyd, Kendall Minta

Girls Lacrosse vs. Camp Blue Ridge

The 7th grade girls had a terrific match against Camp Blue Ridge. The final score was 15-1. Emma R. led the team with 7 goals. Lily K. played wonderfully at defense and offense. The game was a total success.

Top Scorers Emma R. 7, Lily K. 3, Ava H. 2, Maddy G. 1, Maia K. 1, Jamie M. 1

Coaches Devon Himelman, Daniela Delgado

Girls Lacrosse vs. Camp Bryn Mawr, July 22

The 8th and 9th grade lacrosse played a great match against Bryn Mawr, with a final score of 22-6. Starlight’s talented goalie Abby S. had more than 6 saves. Almost every offensive player and midfielder scored a goal. Leading the scoreboard was Olivia R. with 7 goals and Amanda L. with 5 goals. Marni K.’s defense led to Starlight keeping the ball for most of the 50 minutes.

Coaches Devon Himelman, Daniela Delgado

Girls Lacrosse vs. Tyler Hill, July 20

The 10th and 11th grade girls lacrosse took a trip to Tyler Hill for their first Wayne County Game. After a close match, Starlight took the win 13-7. Olivia R. scored 7 goals. Samantha B. scored 5 goals and Meredith B. scored 1. Marlena G, held the score close with her amazing saves.

Coaches Devon Himelman, Daniela Delgado

Corpuel Cup  Lacrosse

The Corpuel Cup held at Camp Wayne was a true teaching experience for the boys of Starlight. The tournament was for 11th grade and under. This was a 10 on 10 tournament, which differs from Wayne County games of 7 on 7. The first game was against Camp Equinunk. Starlight had a slow first half only scoring a single goal. The game ended with a final score of Starlight 3 Equinunk 9. Spencer G., Josh B. and Griffin S. each scored a goal.

Starlight regrouped, talked strategy and prepared for the next test. Starlight was pitted against Westmont, who brought many older players and a heap of size to the table. The first half started well. Starlight had early goals from Noah G. and Owen B. By halftime, the score was tied at 4. The skill of Starlight overtook the stature of Westmont. Starlight outscored Westmont 9 to 3 giving a final score of 13 to 7. Noah G. ended this game with 4 goals and 1 assist, Ethan E. 1 assist, Josh B. 2 goals and 2 assist , Griffin S 2 goals and 2 assist, Own  B. 3 goals and 1 assist, Alex S. 1 goal and 1 assist, Ryan K. 1 goal.

The semifinals put Camp Starlight against their rival Camp Wayne. Griffin S. scored the first goal 2 minutes into the game. Camp Wayne answered with a quick 2 goals. The game went on, but the heat and amount of game proved too much for the boys of Starlight; they were outscored 8-2.

The final game for third place was a rough one. Owen B. and Max S. both scored and Jared B. added an assist. The final score was 10-2. Starlight added to its endurance and perseverance during this tournament. At the end of the day, the team was all smiles and hopeful of avenging their tough loss.

Head Coach Jason Robinson

Our Parent Liaison and Tour Director Jessica Hochman was treated to a special birthday surprise at evening line up. The senior boys presented Jessica with what  David Miller called “the largest tutu ever made” and the Lower Debs presented her with a beautiful tiara.  Jessica donned the white fluffy tutu and tiara, locked arms with the senior boys and skipped around the flagpole while the whole camp cheered her along. Camp Starlight is lucky to have Jessica on our staff for her warm personality and spirit.  Happy Birthday, Jessica!

Our Senior Girls learned some life skills on Friday as they spent some time making matzah balls for the Friday evening meal with Chef Kary, Allison and Lucy Rosenberg.  They also developed an appreciation for what it takes to prepare a delicious meal for our wonderful camp.

 

 

On most mornings, as the sun rises over Camp Starlight, all is quiet and almost everyone is still sleeping. There is one annual event that brings the campus alive bright and early, however, and everyone is there to celebrate the one thing that spells DELISH! (as in delicious) in the minds of every Starlighter. That’s right. We’re speaking of Camp Starlight’s favorite (Dare we say official?) melon: cantaloupe. Cantaloupe is more than just the tasty conclusion to Friday evening meals at Camp Starlight. It’s also the theme of the annual Slope for Lope, a (roughly) 2K walk/run to celebrate cantaloupe.

The Slope for Lope is no small affair. This year, in fact, 462 staff members and campers made their way to the Main Office on the morning of July 31^st to pick up their numbers before being escorted to the starting line at the end of the camp road. Upon being given the queue to start, participants make their way back up the road, and  traverse a specially designed course that takes them around campus before they arrive at the finish line which is, naturally, in front of the Dining Hall. And what’s the reward for their efforts? Cantaloupe, of course, and a bracelet marking their accomplishment in finishing the “race.” As an exclusive souvenir that can only be obtained by participating in the Camp Starlight Slope for Lope, the bracelet is a much coveted item.

As much as it is a fun activity, the Slope for Lope is also a way to promote healthy fitness habits to campers. Possibly the most impressive aspect of the efforts of the campers and staff who participate in the Slope for Lope is that “slope” is the operative word when it comes to this particular run/walk.  The first half of the race is uphill and, once on campus, participants make their away over a course that slopes downward and upward all the way to the finish line. Even those who are unable to run the race enjoy walking it with their friends and counselors and crossing the finish line together. What better way to begin your morning than a refreshing walk/run with friends and a yummy piece of L-O-P-E!

The Gordon Cup is possibly the most coveted trophy in summer camps hockey. Two weeks ago, Camp Starlight learned it had received a much sought after spot among some of the most competitive camp hockey programs in the Northeast in this summer’s tournament. As the roster of 15 was finalized, we began to practice with only a week to go before the big day. July 30^th was the day every player on the team had been eagerly anticipating.

In the initial seeding, Starlight was placed in a bracket with Camp Wah-nee andCamp Seneca Lake. The first goal in the first game against Wah-nee was scored by Wah-nee, giving their players an early confidence boost, but the Starlight players began gaining momentum after the first period. The score remained 1-0 after two periods. In the third period, Wah-nee managed to score again, bring the score to 2-0. With just 7 minutes left on the clock, Coach Liska called a time out, and the Captain Jackson S. got the team riled up by scoring our first goal with 5 minutes left on the clock.  Just a few minutes later, he had an assist with a long pass to Max K. who buried the biscuit to tie the game at 2-2. With less than a minute to go in the game, overtime looked inevitable. But with just 13 seconds left on the clock, Michael H. found himself in the perfect position to put home the rebound off a shot from Jackson S., winning the game for Starlight. The players celebrated being one step closer to the championship game.

In game two, Starlight faced off against the Seneca Lake team, which had also won its first game. It was do or die. With a win, we moved on. With a loss, we went home. Starlight started slow again, though, and Seneca Lake took advantage by being the first to score. That was enough to wake the sleeping Starlight beasts. Michael H. and Jason S. both scored goals in the first period to bring the score to 2-1 in the first period. At the beginning of the third period, however, Seneca Lake tied the score at 2-2 and then scored again to put Starlight down one goal. Sam S. denied them the victory by tying the score. Thirty minutes of overtime wasn’t enough to decide a winner with both teams pulling off some great saves. In a 3 shooter a side style shootout, both teams came up empty with their first two shots. With all eyes on him, Jackson S., Starlight’s final shooter, took the puck from the center dot and moved in slowly. He pulled up at the bottom of the circle and sniped the puck top shelf where grandma hides the cookie jar. Goalkeeper Sam S. made a great save to deny Seneca Lake’s third shooter, giving the victory to Starlight.

In the semi-finals, Camp Starlight met Camp Westmont. Unfortunately, the story of the day continued with Starlight down 1-0 early in the game. Westmont’s second goal in the second period was immediately answered by Jason S., who came up with a big goal and keeping Starlight’s hopes alive. Westmont struck back, though, regaining a 2 goal lead, but Jeremy W. scored to keep Starlight in the game. Westmont was on fire, however, and with only 3 minutes left in the second period, Starlight was down 5-2. Coach Liska again called a time out to rally the team. Zach S. took Coach Liska’s instructions to “shut down his assigned defender and get every loose puck into the offensive zone” to heart. The rest of the team followed suit in the third period and with 5 minutes left in the game, the strategy began paying off. Jackson S. and Michael H. scored a combined 3 goals to tie the game at 5-5, sending Starlight into another overtime situation. Michael H. had no intentions of going to another shootout, though. The puck hit his stick and he found the back for his 2^nd game winning goal and his 1^st tournament hat trick. The comeback kids of Camp Starlight had done it again. It was on to the championship game.

Camp Starlight found themselves up against tournament hosts Timber Lake, who were hungry to bring the championship trophy back home. Camp Starlight was definitely the underdog in a match against a team that had played in the final game more than 20 times in the tournament’s 29 year history. Although Starlight came out strong in the first period, Timber Lake’s size and speed overpowered us. The final outcome did not reflect the effort, heart, and determination put in by all of the Starlight players, and a second place finish in their first run in one of the most elite athletic competitions in camping was still an accomplishment to be celebrated at the end of the day. The Camp Starlight family is very proud of Coaches Liska, Coach Martin, and the entire team. We look forward to making another strong run next year.

Team Members:

Offense—Zach S., Harris G., Austin W., Ethan E., Michael H. (Assistant Captain), Jared B., Max K. (Assistant Captain), Jackson S. (Captain)

Defense—Matthew R. F., Jeremy W., Noah G., Josh W., Jason S., Sam S. (Goalie), Jake M. (Goalie)

Coaches—Wade Liska, Elliott Martin

During a fairy-themed evening activity, division leader Dena Weiner challenged our lower junior girls to write a story beginning with  “Once upon a time deep in the forest in fairyland…”  See below how one eight years old’s imagination ran wild.

Once upon a time, deep in the forest in fairyland…there was a beautiful fairy named Starlight. She liked the colors blue and white. And she had two friends Emma and Sofia. They liked to see all the stuff in nature because that was their home. Every year when the juniors came the fairies would visit them. They might leave a little something behind. And that little something was light. The lights were pretty, just like the fairies. The fairies really liked the house because the juniors decorated then. They had lots of fun playing hide and go seek because they liked to play with people who came to visit. The fairies were very good at hiding. Sometimes they tricked us, but we won’t get tricked this time.

Leslie Schwartz is the woman behind the awesome Arts and Crafts projects campers are creating. Originally from New Jersey, she is spending her 7th summer at Camp Starlight. Leslie attended George Washington and New York University where she earned her masters degree in early childhood education. She spends the winter being a mom and preparing for the next summer, finding different projects for campers to make. Fun projects include birdhouses in woodworking, pinch pots in ceramics and candle making in Arts and Crafts. During the interview with Camp Starlight Blog, a camper reminded Leslie of an ice cream sundae themed project she still has on her nightstand from three years ago. “I love it because it is sometimes hard knowing what projects the kids will like,” Leslie says. At Arts & Crafts in the Carriage House, there is a project for every camper to enjoy.

Finish the statement

• If I weren’t Head of Arts and Crafts at camp I would be… head of cooking. “I like to bake,” she says.

• My most memorable moment at camp is when I made my debut in the Starlight Playhouse as a princess in Cinderella.

• My favorite thing about camp is… spending time with the campers and getting to know them.