Here at Jacobs Camp, we have a lot to be proud of: our campers and staff spend their summers developing new skills, nurturing their Jewish identities, and creating meaningful relationships with one another. Camp becomes our oasis, our home away from home; our time at camp is limited, and we want to make the most of it! As electronics have become much more commonplace for children and teens over the last few years, we must take a look at our Jacobs Camp policies and assess what’s best for our camp community.
We have had an electronics policy in place for a number of years. After much feedback from campers, staff and parents alike, we are adjusting the policy for Summer 2016.
Our campers’ emotional well-being is one of our highest priorities, and this summer we will be unplugging from our devices in order to maintain camp as a healthy and safe place for every member of the community. We are confident all will feel the positive effects of being unplugged and fully immersed in camp life! We want to encourage campers to spend more time off their beds and indoors, promote socialization, remove the “haves and the have-nots” that occur when some camper have certain devices. Most importantly, in today’s crazy world, we all need a break from technology!
What makes Jacobs Camp so special is the community that we create each summer; it’s different from the world we live in the other 10 months of the year, and that contributes to our campers’ growth and development each summer. Like our partners at camps across the United States, we have given tremendous thought to this policy, and look forward to experiencing a summer where we are all “plugged in” to the connections we are making at Jacobs Camp, rather than our devices!
Below, you will find find a list of permitted devices. In short, we welcome digital cameras and music playing devices that do not have WIFI connectivity. If your camper needs music to fall asleep at night, we have looked up many options for mp3 players, and we suggest you check Amazon (see below). There are no laptops, gaming devices, e-readers, or portable DVD players allowed. Please bring your summer reading in the form of books! A full explanation of our cell phone policy is below, but there will be a zero tolerance policy in place for cell phones this summer, even with the sim card removed.
We know unplugging will have positive effects on the Jacobs Camp community. We encourage parents to be our partners on this endeavor. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call us at camp.
Allowed Devices:
iPOD/MP3 Players:If your child must have his/her music at camp, either for fun or Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation, please send a(n):
- CD player and CD’s,
- Inexpensive mp3 player, (like the one found here)
- Older generation iPod that does not have a touch screen.
Please Note: We will not allow any mp3 players/mobile devices with touch screens. This way we can ensure that our campers cannot watch videos, TV shows, movies or access the internet. As such, campers may not bring any smart phones or itouch devices, even if the SIM card has been removed
DIGITAL CAMERAS: We encourage you to send an inexpensive digital camera or disposable cameras (make sure you pack enough memory cards and batteries.) Please discuss proper handling of the camera and how pictures should be taken of bunkmates only with their permission. Again, this is camp, so please leave expensive cameras at home.
Devices that are NOT allowed:
GAMEBOYs, PSPs, NINTENDO DS: No electronic hand-held game devices will be allowed in camp. Each cabin has a box with board games and card games. These games, not hand-held electronic games, allow our campers to socialize, interact with one another, and build community within the cabin.
LAPTOPS, NETBOOKS, iPADS, KINDLES, NOOKS: Campers are not permitted to have these, or similar electronic devices, in camp. Please make sure you purchase, and pack, any books your child might be required to read from his/her school’s summer reading list.
CELL PHONES: It is our long-standing policy that campers may not bring cell phones to camp. We believe that being at camp is an opportunity for your child to experience a world beyond home and a chance for you and your child to practice “letting go.” Our campers develop autonomy, independence, and a stronger sense of self by unplugging from the world around them. It allows them to make new friends, take responsibility for themselves and their bunkmates, problem solve, and mature a bit. This growth cannot be achieved when parents are only a phone call away.
While this has always been our policy, it seems each summer we have campers arrive to camp with data-enabled cell phones, leading to a multitude of challenges for our camp community, such as:
- Conflicts within campers in the bunks,
- Putting the focus on their friends at home rather than their friends at camp,
- Allowing campers to call parents when they need advice instead of turning to their peers or counselors,
- Preventing campers from problem solving
We feel cell phone use at camp is counter to the values we teach and uphold at Jacobs Camp and interferes with an important peer aspect of the overnight camp experience. Using a cell phone is not why you send your child to Jacobs Camp.
We feel very strongly about this no tolerance policy, and we ask that you partner with to ensure the most positive summer experience for your child by not allowing them to bring their phone to camp. If we find a camper has a cell phone at camp, the phone will be stored in the office for the remainder of their time at camp, and we’ll give you a call to let you know. Please take the time to discuss this policy with your camper. In the past, campers have hidden their cell phones in their bags without their parents’ knowledge.
ONE LAST WORD ON ELECTRONICS…
From our front-line experience over the years, we can reassure you that these policies prove themselves worthy and that campers are resilient. They adjust quickly, and we do our part to help them power down, unplug, and take a well-needed break from the world of electronics.
We ask that your child powers down, unplugs, and takes what we’re certain is a much-needed break from the world of electronics. Please be respectful of the usage and content limitations we have in place. If you have any questions or want further clarification, please contact one of the Directors at 601-885-6042.
