Camp Rockmont for Boys facts for kids
Strength and Gentleness, Force and Refinement, Mastery of Body, Servitude to God
|
|
| Location | Black Mountain, NC |
|---|---|
| Established | 1956 |
| Coordinating Director | Austin Ashcraft |
| Associate Director | Daniel Weatherby |
| Program Director | Justin Bennett |
| Assistant Director | Elias Longenecker |
| Website | |
|
Black Mountain College Historic District
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Nearest city | Black Mountain, North Carolina |
| Area | 586.9 acres (237.5 ha) |
| Built | 1923 |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/craftsman, International Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001281 |
| Added to NRHP | October 5, 1982 |
Camp Rockmont for Boys is a Christian summer camp for boys. It is located in Black Mountain, North Carolina. The camp started in 1956 on the old campus of Black Mountain College.
Every summer, Camp Rockmont offers different sessions. There are four longer "classic" sessions, each lasting 13 days. You can also choose a shorter one-week session if you're new. For campers who want to stay longer, there are options for three or four weeks. About 400 boys can attend each session.
Contents
History of Camp Rockmont
Camp Rockmont started in 1956. George Pickering founded it on the land where Black Mountain College used to be. It was always a Christian camp just for boys. For many years, the camp had a theme that honored Native American cultures. This theme changed in 2000, but the camp still has a special ceremony called "council".
How the Camp is Organized
Age Groups at Camp
Camp Rockmont is a big summer camp. Around 400 boys attend each session. Boys from ages 6 to 16 come to the camp. Campers are put into groups based on their age. Each boy stays in a cabin with 7 to 14 other boys his age. One or two counselors also stay in the cabin.
Campers spend a lot of time with their cabin group. They sleep in the same cabin and eat meals together. The cabins are numbered from youngest to oldest.
Each cabin is part of a larger "tribe". A tribe usually has 6 to 8 cabins. There are six tribes, from youngest to oldest: Buckeye, Birch, Hickory, Hemlock, Poplar, and Sycamore. Tribes often do activities together. Sometimes they play games with or against other tribes. Each tribe has a Tribal Director. This person plans and runs activities. They also support the cabin counselors.
Each tribe also belongs to a bigger camp section. The camp is split into three main parts. There is Bear Camp for younger children. Deer Camp is for intermediate ages. Mountain Camp is for the oldest boys. The Buckeye and Birch tribes are in Bear Camp. Hickory and Hemlock tribes are in Deer Camp. Poplar and Sycamore tribes are in Mountain Camp.
Camp Sessions
Rockmont is open for five sessions each summer. This adds up to a total of nine weeks. The shortest stay is Starter camp, which lasts 6 days. Younger or first-time campers often choose this session. The four "classic camp" sessions are Classic 1 through 4. You can choose a three-week option called Base camp. Summit camp is the longest stay, lasting four weeks.
What Campers Do
Camp Rockmont offers many different activities. Campers can try traditional sports like soccer and basketball. They can also learn shooting skills such as archery and riflery. Creative activities like ceramics and rocketry are also available.
Before coming to camp, boys sign up for six activities. Each day, they attend two of their chosen "skills". Every day also includes one or two "tribal activities". These are usually big group games. Examples include Gladiator (like Capture the Flag) or Battleball (Dodgeball). Campers also get a free period each day called Free Swim. There is also a Rest Period after lunch.
Rockmont also focuses on Christian beliefs. Counselors lead devotions for their cabins every night. They might talk about a Bible verse or share a personal story. Every morning, each tribe has a "Morning Watch". During this time, the tribe sings camp songs. The Tribal Director also gives a devotion to the tribe. The "council" system is also very important to the camp's Christian focus.
Council
Every Sunday, each camp section gathers for "council". This happens at their special "council ring". During council, campers are recognized for how they grew closer to God that week. A traditional rule of silence is kept during council. Campers usually stay silent until they are back in their cabin.
Council includes Tribal Directors, Camp Directors, and Paladins. All of these leaders have special "council names". Paladins are a group of older campers from Mountain Camp. They are chosen to serve in council and receive a special ring. Paladins are known to serve for life. Even if they return as counselors, they still keep their Paladin name and ring.
Becoming a Paladin is a secret process. The men who serve as Paladins promise to keep it a secret. One known challenge to become a Paladin is 24 hours of silence. During this time, the pledge cannot speak or make any purposeful sounds.
Camp Registration
The cost to register for camp is about $1700 per week. This amount can change depending on the session chosen. Campers do not need to carry money at camp. Parents can set up an account for their child. This money can be used to buy items at the camp store.
Related Groups
Rockmont Alumni Association
The Rockmont Alumni Association (RAA) is a group for former Camp Rockmont campers and staff. R. David Bruce, a former Camp Rockmont Director and current CEO, started this group. In 2006, the RAA held a reunion to celebrate the camp's 50th summer. This event was very successful. Because of this, the RAA now hosts similar events every five years. These events started in August 2010.
Camp Diversity Foundation
The Camp Diversity Foundation (CDF) is a non-profit organization. It is based in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Its goal is to help children who might not be able to afford it. They want to give these children a Christian summer camp experience. The CDF uses Camp Rockmont's facilities. They host their one-week "Adventure Camp" after Rockmont's regular camp season ends.
The Rockmont Alumni Association helps promote the Camp Diversity Foundation. Its members also give money to support the CDF.
