Testimonials

Thoughts on High Meadows Camp

“When I first found High Meadows more than 21 years ago, I was looking for a day camp experience for my older son who was four at the time. I could not believe what I saw when I visited the school and camp. Farm animals for learning experiences, ponies to ride, organic gardens to plant, and a recycling program to boot — all on 40 lovely acres!

At High Meadows there were so many people who really seemed to care about everything; certainly children, and a child’s confidence and success, but also about other people, about the earth, and about history and native Americans who lived on this land before us. Camp was all about honor and respect. They didn’t just talk about it, but they believed it and lived it. They were loyal to their philosophy, and after all these years, that hasn’t really changed much. People have changed, but not our goals to make children feel loved, respected, and successful.”

— Susan Brown, Mother of 2 former campers & employee since 1990

“The entire staff at High Meadows was on the Knight journey with my daughter. It was exciting to be part of the goal setting and watching in awe as she nailed those requirements! My daughter planned and she executed! As parents, it is so amazing to watch your child grow into a young adult through this amazing program. What’s so cool about the Knight program at High Meadows is that it teaches life skills that will last forever!”

— Susan Radermacher, Mother of a summer 2013 Knight

“I have had the joy of being part of the High Meadows family for more than 35 years as a parent as well as an employee. One of my dreams for my children was to be able to give them the gift of the High Meadows experience. I was blessed to be able to have both of my children attend High Meadows Camp as campers from age three through serving as counselors during their teenage years. High Meadows is a huge and integral part of my life and that of my family. There is something about High Meadows that is beyond words. There truly is no other place on earth like it.”

— Karen Pickens, Preschool Director at St. Catherine’s Cathedral, mother, and High Meadows Camp Pool Director since 1978

“High Meadows! Our family treasures the magic of this unique human community bonded by the privilege of time at this sacred place on Earth. The invitation many decades ago to teach as “Mother Nature” transformed my life as I’ve learned far more than I’ve taught. Now our family’s fifth generation is encountering the people and values of High Meadows, and we’re looking forward to when he is old enough to be a full participant.”

— Bunny Sheffield, “Mother Nature” for more than 45 summers

“As a camper, my participation in High Meadows camp and its Knighthood program served to afford me with a variety of skills, experiences, and friendships to which I never could have been exposed in a school setting. As a counselor, I am truly honored to be able to share these things with a new generation of campers. As a High Meadows parent, I am comforted that my daughter will continue to be provided with the same quality of enrichment and acceptance that my brother and I received when we were campers. I couldn’t imagine what life would be like without High Meadows in my family’s lives.”

— Matt Edelstein, employee, HMC Knight, father of a 2nd generation HMC camper

“High Meadows Camp is a place where you can be yourself, whom ever that may be at that time. It is a place where you grow as a person and it molds you for the rest of your life. Much of how I live my life today was shaped by my days on the meadow. Everything I think of camp, I smile. Some of my closest friends were campers and later counselors with me and it is a friendship to last a lifetime. Many of us joke that months can go by without seeing each other and then when we do, we pick up where we left off. It is a place where you can choose to be a part of the Knighthood program or not. To reach the level of Knighthood takes hard work, dedication and commitment. Becoming the first Knight all of those years ago has made a positive impact on my life. I apply that same hard work, dedication and commitment to my professional life, wanting to see how far I can go. I enjoy coming back when I can to watch others pull the sword Excalibur and become a Knight.”

— Katherine Pebworth, Ph.D. Lincoln Memorial University, The First Knight of HMC

“When I first came to High Meadows in the early seventies as a counselor, I knew by the way that the owners treated me and the campers that I had arrived at a unique place – unlike any camp I had seen. Our common denominator was honor. I knew the worth of honor in working with young people. Through books I had recently delved into two arenas of honor – namely the mythical stories of King Arthur and the histories of the Native Americans. Both subjects had become important to me, and both were destined to become vital working parts of High Meadows. Both subjects offered templates for advancement in personal evolution; that is, improving oneself. The Native Americans met personal quests and standings within their tribes. They embraced challenges. The exact same can be said for the road to knighthood. Ultimately, what made me adopt the medieval theme was Merlyn. The idea of magic gave the camp outlets for magical events. The children were captivated, elevated, and filled with hope and magic. The quest to become a knight became a perfect ladder for campers to climb while having fun and learning and realizing self-worth at their accomplishments. From Page to Squire to Sentry to Knight. Our “Stonehenge” was ringed with signs that commemorated each camper who had earned a title. And that Knight plaque stood like a Holy Grail that we stood beneath every day. There is a reason that legend’s like King Arthur’s last through time. There is so much goodness and inspiration embedded in the stories. All of them were fuel for self-esteem. These same noble qualities passed from antiquity through High Meadows and its many special leaders into the children. I know for a fact that these came ethics of honor still live in those campers that I once knew. These former campers make their way through their adult lives passing on that same legacy to their children.”

— Mark Warren, Medicine Bow & creator of the HMC Knighthood Program