Flagship Experience

Our vision at Fitch is to provide your son or daughter the highest quality resident summer camp experience where your child will make friends, discover accomplishment and become a part of a century-old tradition. To meet this goal, we invest heavily in outstanding counselors, a gorgeous and well-maintained site on the shores of Lake Erie, safe and exciting age-appropriate activities, and a loving atmosphere where kids from all walks of life grow together in body, mind and spirit.

Our campers say it best: “The people here make me so happy . . . it’s like a second home!”

 

 

Camp Fitch offers a wide range of fun, purposeful activities that facilitate the kind of character growth that lies at the heart of our mission. This innovative suite of activities is always evolving as we pursue our goal of offering the highest quality summer camp experience on the planet.

 

In a typical day at summer camp there are two kinds of activity sessions: the first are goal-oriented, instructor-led activities we call “The Ropes”, and the second are Exploratory activity periods that allow kids to sample and have fun without making a commitment. This balanced approach has proven very successful to both encourage kids to attain a level of accomplishment and have the freedom to follow their often changing interests with their friends. On Sunday, campers work with their Skippers to choose two Rope Activities to pursue. Each day, campers get to choose which two Exploratory Activities they will attend: one after breakfast and one after dinner.

 Outriders

The Outriders Focus Experience is for kids who want the best of both worlds: spending half the day improving their riding skills and the rest of the time in our  Flagship activities makes for a week to remember.

Outriders learn to ride, groom, and tack our herd of about 12 trained horses. The boys and girls in this Focus Experience form a strong bond not only with the horses, but also with each other as they work together in the barn and on the trail. The program helps boys and girls ages 11–15 build empathy and trust—crucial skills when working with animals and people.

Our Centofanti Equestrian Center is a state-of-the-art facility that includes stables, a rising arena for rainy days and controlled-environment lessons, and a great hangout spot for the Outriders. Staffed by our CHA-certified Equestrian Coordinator and a qualified staff of riding instructors, the Outrider Focus Experience is perfect for beginning to intermediate riders. Campers will be assessed and enter this progressive-challenge program at one of six skill levels.

Sessions are limited to 12 campers, check our availability page to learn more.

All of our Focus Experiences are designed to provide a healthy balance between the Focus Activity and traditional summer camp activities: in fact, that is what sets our these Focus Experiences apart from other focused activities for kids (such as sports camps). The vision for all of our summer camp programs is to help kids make new friends and work toward achievement in areas for which they have passion. These two outcomes are intended to help kids grow in empathy, build grit and determination, and emerge from a week of camp as a more self-confident and emotionally intelligent kid. Specifically, kids in the Outriders Focus Experience spend about 1/2 of their day with horses and the equestrian staff; the other half of the day is spent with their shipmates participating in our traditional suite of Flagship activities.

 

Health Focus

Kids with Epilepsy and Diabetes can have a Fitch experience, too!

For children living with diabetes or epilepsy, we have two Focus Experiences that enable these kids to have a great sleep-away camp experience under the watchful eyes of dedicated medical specialists. Designed to emphasize educating these campers on how to manage their health challenges, these Focus Experiences have a transformative impact on each camper’s journey toward independence.

Diabetes Focus

Operating at Camp Fitch since 1977, Dr. Barclay’s Camp For Children With Diabetes is supported by Medical Director Dr. Luis Aparicio, Board Certified Pediatric Endocrinologist from Erie. Dr. Aparicio is assisted by a staff of nurses and a dietitian/nutritionist who both care for and lead education activities during this Focus Experience. All campers with diabetes check-in with these medical staffers at all meals and several other times throughout the day.

Campers with diabetes live with other Flagship Experience campers and have the opportunity to participate in all of the Flagship activities. Each Skipper who will be supervising a camper with diabetes receives special training to recognize the symptoms that require immediate attention. With this extra attention, kids with diabetes are able to have a complete and fulfilling sleep-away camp experience.

Epilepsy Focus

Camp Fitch partners with Camp Frog, a nationally-recognized program, to place extra supportive medical services into existing YMCA summer camp programs, allowing children who have seizures to enjoy summer camp just like their peers.

The Epilepsy Foundation of Western and Central Pennsylvania provides fully trained counselors in each cabin alongside of our Skippers. These specially trained counselors will help to provide seizure recognition and first aid, build confidence, and provide guidance to campers in a fun-filled atmosphere.

In addition, a pediatric neurologist and a nurse will be available on-site during the entire week of camp. This medical staff supervises medication administration and any seizure-related medical care required by campers with seizure disorders.

More detailed information is available from the Epilepsy Foundation of Western and Central PA.

Tech Focus

Who says summer camp and computers don’t mix?

For children who love the challenge of computer programming, outside experiences sometimes take a back seat in the summer. Our Tech Focus Experience presents campers with skill-appropriate computer science problems in our beautiful natural setting on Lake Erie so your child can have a well-rounded summer experience.

Facilitated by a committed cadre of programmers and computer specialists, your child will get individualized attention to grow their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) skills for half of a day in a state-of-the-art computer lab. The other half of the day, these campers participate in our social summer camp experience full of great recreational activities sure to satisfy a wide range of interests.

The Tech Focus Experience is offered in two sessions, and for those who choose both sessions, there is included weekend supervision, meals, and activities.

All of our Focus Experiences are designed to provide a healthy balance between the Focus Activity and traditional summer camp activities: in fact, that is what sets our Focus Experiences apart from other focused summer activities for kids (such as specialized day camps). The vision for all of our summer camp programs is to help kids make new friends and work toward achievement in areas for which they have passion. These two outcomes are intended to help kids grow in empathy, build grit and determination, and emerge from a week of camp as a more self-confident and emotionally intelligent kid. Specifically, kids in the Tech Focus spend about 1/2 of their day with the tech specialists, and the other half with their shipmates participating in our traditional suite of Flagship activities.

Farm Focus

Grow both food and friendships through the Farm Focus experience!

For kids who love connecting with both plants and animals, the Farm Focus experience is an excellent way to specialize their Camp Fitch adventure. Campers will learn about and help care for a fleet of heritage-breed livestock, including goats, rabbits, pigs, chickens, and turkeys. They’ll also learn what it takes to maintain a beautiful produce garden and help harvest heirloom crops like sweet peas, strawberries, and tomatoes. Other activities include spinning wool into yarn to make bracelets, collecting farm-fresh eggs, taking goats for walks around camp, and taste-testing the fruits and veggies they’ll help grow.

Learning about farming is a fantastic way for kids to connect the soil below their feet with the food they eat everyday. Children who have the opportunity to see where good food comes from are more likely to make healthier choices later on in life. Campers will also build their sense of responsibility towards the world around them through using regenerative techniques to care for plants and animals, and their sense of community through working alongside their peers. Our staff have real-world experience working on livestock and produce farms and can happily convert their knowledge into tasks that will sow the seeds of empathy and capability in their students.

Sessions will be limited to 16 campers (ages 8 to 15) per week. All Farm Focus campers will spend half of their day at the farm while still getting to enjoy traditional Flagship activities throughout the rest of their stay. If your child wants to experience the joy of raising baby rabbits and chicks while still having the opportunity to try their hand at archery, then this is the focus
experience for them!

 

Leadership Focus

Building empathetic leadership skills at the best place on earth

Camp Fitch is proud of a progressive leadership development sequence for teens age 15–17. Our friendly, non-judgemental culture solidifies the leadership lessons that teens learn at home, church, and school by giving them an opportunity to practice them. Under the observation of our Leadership Development Staff, each camper gets plenty of coaching to help them become the leader they want to be.

Leader-in-Training (LIT)

The LIT Experience for 15 year–old campers focuses on problem-solving, communication, and personal-development. This one-week experience includes an overnight hiking trip in our beautiful woods and a project-based challenge: both activities demand honest and open communication. Campers live in Boys’ and Girls’ Camp with one of their staff coaches.

Counselor-in-Training (CIT)

The two-week CIT Experience prepares 16 year–old campers to lead kids as a Skipper at Fitch or elsewhere. The first week of the CIT Experience is spent learning how to direct kids and lead activities. The second week is an apprenticeship week spent shadowing Fitch’s strongest staff who mentor each CIT. CITs get a performance evaluation at the end of the experience which helps them to continue to solidify the gains in empathetic leadership they’ve practiced at Camp.

Teen Adventure Trips

Take a Road Trip!

Teen Adventure Trips are designed for those campers who want to explore more.  They are where friends become best friends.  Trips can feel refreshing like water from a class IV rapid hitting you in the face!  Whether it is backpacking, paddling, caving, or climbing- there is a new adventure out there for your child to discover.  Trip dates and descriptions are listed below.

 Level II (12-14 year olds) Perfect for 12 year old Schooners or any camper thinking about trips!

PENNultimate 
Based locally in Western Pennsylvania/ Northeastern Ohio, this trip will consist of a few day trips with one or two nights spent away from Camp Fitch. Activities include river canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, climbing on real rock, rafting, and hiking with a GPS. While at Camp Fitch, campers will tent-camp every night!

 

Level III (13+) Perfect for Clippers – 12-year-old campers can register by permission of Adventure Program Coordinator.

Mountain Momma 
This is the classic West Virginia trip that started all of this fun! Campers will be glamping at ACE Adventure Resort in West Virginia where they will experience two days of white water rafting, climbing and walking under the New River Bridge on a historical tour. Ziplining and playing in the lake at ACE will be evening programs.

 Jersey Journey 
Travel to the Northwest corner of New Jersey where we will take a two-day backpacking trip in the Delaware Water Gap. During that backpacking stretch we will stop for some rock climbing and swimming at Crater Lake! On the return back to Fitch we will stop in the Lehigh Valley of Eastern PA where we will white water raft and mountain bike.

Potomac Power 
This mighty historic adventure will start out with backpacking in Southern Pennsylvania. After this we will venture to the Old Line State of Maryland where we will kayak the Antietam Creek that flows near the historic Civil War battle site. We will then end the trip by rafting or canoeing down the Shenandoah River in Northern Virginia. Both the Antietam Creek and Shenandoah River flow into the Potomac River along the Maryland/West Virginia border- which the trip is named after. Potential stops in Harpers Ferry, WV and Antietam Creek Battlefield may be part of evening programs.

Level IV (14-17) Perfect for Older Clippers and Galleons

(Both 10 day trips can be coupled with a traditional camp experience to make a perfect 2-week session)

Sweet Carolina  
Journey to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and do it all! This ten day action-packed trip is perfect for teenage thrill seekers. Phase one of the trip will start with some team building and rock climbing as we travel to two iconic state parks — Pilot Mountain and Stone Mountain. Our next adventures will involve canoeing the NC section of the New River. Bald eagles and river otters await us! Our third phase will be about discovery as we go backpacking in the Pisgah and end with us visiting the famous sliding rock (bring your jean shorts!) We’ll round out our trip crawling through a cave in Tennessee and white water rafting in WV as we slowly make our way back to Fitch. Please note that travel will be involved almost each day.

 Explorers: Southwest Virginia  
The explorer trip changes every year. This year the Explorer program will head to Southwest Virginia and visit the Grayson Highlands! This trip will test the adventure camper with a multi-day backpacking trip with a day of climbing thrown in. The rest of the trip will highlight some features from the Sweet Carolina Trip such as caving and white water rafting. We will also bike the famous Virginia Creeper Trail! 

Activities for Flagship Experience

While some of our activities vary each year due to staff talent and camper interest, here are two lists of the types of activities offered as Ropes and Exploratory Activities.

Artisan

Cartooning, Advanced Paracord, Advanced Gimp

Hair Braiding, Friendship Bracelets, Painting

Piñata Building, Glee, School of Rock, Steampunk Jewelry Making

Wooden Cross-Stitch, Hand Lettering, Wood Art, Dance, Cool Crafts

Athlete and Marksman

Basketball, Rugby, Yoga, Soccer, Lacrosse, Field Games, Golf, Advanced Archery, Riflery

Voyager

Canoeing, Lake Erie Sports, Sea Kayaking, Equestrian Lessons, Swim Lessons, Rock Climbing,Sailing, Snorkelin, Hiking

 

 

 

 

Naturalist and Philosopher

Creative Writing, Brazilian Cultural Games,Outdoor Cooking, Survival

 

 

Deposits are non-refundable, but you can switch weeks and/or programs at any time (based on availability) and transfer all fees.