Dispatch from Camp Squanto

For 37 years, Hanover sixth graders have performed a rite of passage; spending a week at Camp Squanto in Plymouth. Throughout the week, the middle schoolers enjoy games, crafts, sports and other activities that their sixth grade teachers have spent months planning. But Camp Squanto is about more than just archery, boating and fishing. Hanover's children spend those five days on a voyage of self-discovery. For the child who has never slept away from home, it's learning to overcome homesickness. The child whose parent does everything for him learns to clean up after himself and others. A child who typically follows others may emerge as a leader. The lessons that are learned at Camp Squanto are all about team building, relying on yourself, and doing things outside of your comfort zone.

Longtime resident Brenda Maver missed this experience by a matter of weeks. Brenda and her family moved to Hanover the summer before she entered seventh grade. Some of the first friends she made in Hanover regaled her with stories of their Camp Squanto experience. Brenda can't help but wonder how her life would have been different had she had that experience herself.

And now, 31 years later, Brenda finally made it to Camp Squanto. Mother to 12-year-old Mitchell, Brenda, along with several other parents, volunteered to put family and work aside for a week to assist the teachers with this year's trip to Camp Squanto. Brenda and I talked about her week over coffee and it was clear from the beginning of our conversation that the event had a profound impact on her. As the mother of a fifth-grader, I was eager to learn what my child had in store for next year.

Brenda explained that long before the bus leaves for camp, the sixth graders have chosen a tent mate, someone who is their buddy for the week. These tent mates then chose other kids to be part of their campsite groups, approximately 35-40 kids per site. This way the children are able to surround themselves with other kids that make them feel comfortable. The campers are not limited to choosing friends within their homeroom or academic team. However, when it comes time for activities, the groups are then broken down into other groups that have been predetermined by their teachers. This way the kids are with their friends yet also making new friends throughout the week.

A typical day at Squanto can begin as early as 5:30 a.m. should a camper decide to try fishing. Breakfast is at 8 with morning activities following from 9-12. These might include crafts, archery, rock climbing, boating, or a number of other activities that have been developed by their teachers. Lunch follows at noon, with a 45 minute "siesta" afterwards. Kids participate in a series of structured activities such as yoga, self-defense, and swimming throughout the afternoon, returning to their campsite before dinner. Evening events include Beach parties, "Squantonian Idol" and games like Bingo and Capture the Flag.

One of the things that impressed Brenda the most was the tireless devotion of the teachers who work non-stop to make the Camp Squanto experience a memorable one for their students. It's not uncommon for a teacher to work 18 or more hours over the course of a day. The teacher who's there to supervise fishing at 5:30 a.m. might very well be the same teacher that comforted a homesick child just a few hours earlier. The sixth grade teachers spend months planning all aspects of the week. Having them in the role of camp counselor allows the children to be supervised by someone who has nurtured them for nine months throughout the school year, rather than by an unfamiliar camp employee.

The most amazing aspect of the week for Brenda was watching the children reach inside and achieve things they would have not thought themselves capable. Her voice broke with emotion when she spoke of kids in her group who started the trip scared and very tentative and by week's end were voted Campers of the Week for their homeroom. While some may question the lack of academic component, she feels that the lessons of inner growth and teamwork are invaluable. "The kid who returns on Friday and rates the experience a 6 will then rate it an 8 by Monday morning", Brenda says, 'and by the time that child is 18 years old, he'll rate it a 10."

Brenda wonders whether she would have been a stronger, more independent person earlier in her life had she gone to Squanto as a sixth grader. Calling one of her childhood friends from Hanover she was asked, "Did all your dreams come true?" Brenda admits that the experience is changing the way she parents her children, making her less likely to do something for them in an effort to save time and letting them have greater responsibility.

For the 225 kids who went to Camp Squanto this year, it was the experience of a lifetime. And for Brenda Maver, it was the chance to finally fulfill a dream.