PARENTS’ GUIDE

Welcome to Sierra Adventure Summer Camp!
Below are some important things to know before arriving.

Dates/times:

Camp is usually the last two weeks of June, with Boys’ Camp the first week and Girls’ Camp the second week. Come back in 2024 to get details on the next Summer Camp!

Check In on Monday is at 9 am
Check Out on Friday is at 1 pm

Boy’s Camp: Monday June 17^th – Friday, June 21^st, 2024

Girl’s Camp: Monday, June 24^th – Friday, June 28^th, 2024

Monday check in is at 9:00 am (no earlier) and Friday pick-up is 1:00 pm

There is NO CHARGE for Summer Camp, but since the cost per camper is around $300, we are accepting donations to offset the costs for our school districts who help fund this program. If you cannot afford it, just choose the scholarship option on the registration form. No child will be turned away for inability to pay!

Facility:

The Bernasconi camp is located on a beautiful 91-acre site leased from LADWP. There are playing fields, meadows, a stream, hiking paths, and our own Camp Mountain. There are separate dorms, bathrooms, and shower facilities for girls and boys. Because there are no private changing rooms, many children feel more comfortable showering in their bathing suits. We serve three tasty, well-balanced, “kid-friendly” meals a day from our dining hall on-site.

Staff:

The Camp Director is Amanda Adams, Outdoor Education & Science Specialist for the Inyo County Office of Education. The Director will be on-site at all times (or at “base camp” on the all-day hike) and is the main contact for the camp. The instructors are all experienced outdoor educators and/or classroom teachers. They are trained to provide a safe, respectful, and fun camp experience for all children. They are first aid certified and will also be on-site at all times during the week. The high school counselors are students who excel in and out of school and who also attend extensive training. There is at least 1 adult instructor and 1 high school counselor supervising every 10 campers.

Activities:

Students’ days will be filled with fun activities and getting to know their instructors and trail group. Students explore the surrounding area, learn about local plants and animals, create art, make things, practice archery, go fishing, collect and identify insects, read maps, and play games. At night we have campfires, stories, songs, and a talent show. Students also help with dining hall, dorm, and camp chores.

On Thursday, students will take a bus up to the Glacier Lodge Trailhead and hike either the North Fork or South Fork of Big Pine Creek. Students will pack their lunches and be on the trail all day with their Instructor and Counselor. On the last night, the students will sleep out under the stars on the lawn at camp – this is often one of their favorite parts of the week!

Safety

Safety is emphasized throughout the week, and safety instructions are given and enforced for every activity. Any camper not following safety rules will be removed from the activity for their own and others’ safety.

Students may be using small camp-provided whittling knives during specific activities under the close supervision of adult instructional staff and with safety instruction based on Boy Scout knife safety rules. Knives will be used for carving tools and making crafts from wood and natural materials. Please note that students are not allowed to bring their own knives.

Archery is taught and closely supervised by adult instructional staff following the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) safety standards, using their 11 Steps to Archery Success. No unsupervised archery is allowed and the equipment is put away after each instructor-taught lesson.

Slacklining is also sometimes taught by adult instructional staff, during specific instructional times and is not ever done without close supervision. The slackline is set up and taken down by the instructor for each lesson. This activity is done on a grassy area, and the slackline is only about 2 feet above the ground. Rules (no jumping, stay back when observing) are given and enforced.

Phone Contact:

Students are allowed to make calls home only with an adult (usually the camp director) and only in the event of an emergency or extreme homesickness. If there is a special reason you need to speak with your child during the week, please make arrangements with the Camp Director beforehand. In the event of an emergency, parents may call the camp office phone at 760-938-2936. Messages will be checked throughout the day and those left after 10 pm will be checked in the morning. The director checks email and text messages more frequently, so if you need to contact us during camp, please email Amanda at [email protected] . Please note that students are not allowed to bring cell phones.

Homesickness:

To help your child have a fun and successful week, tell your child ahead of time that you expect them to stay to the end and that you are very proud of them for spending a week away from home. Everyone suffers from homesickness at some point and the best way to help it is to focus on the present time at camp, their friends, and how much fun they are having. Parent visits and phone calls remind them of home and sometimes make the homesickness worse. This is their chance to become more self-reliant and is an important growth experience for most children. Click here for more information on preventing homesickness

Parent Visitation Policy:

Children develop self-reliance during this week that can be diminished by a parent visit, so we discourage parent visits. If there is an extraordinary reason you must visit, please contact the Camp Director. If your child is very homesick, injured, or ill, you will be contacted immediately.

Directions to Camp:

Bernasconi Education Center, 941 Sugar Loaf Rd, Big Pine, CA 93513. In Big Pine, turn west onto Crocker Ave. at the Mobil Station. Drive about 1.5 miles up and take a right onto Sugarloaf Road, just past the green sign for Sierra Adventure Center. Continue straight on the paved road through the “Sierra Adventure Center” arch, and park across the street from the big red Dining Hall.

What to Bring:

Look over the packing list carefully, and contact Amanda if you have trouble providing any of the items.

Hiking/Outdoor Gear:
- Backpack
- Hat with brim
- Sunscreen
- 2 Reusable water bottles (1 quart/liter each)
- Poncho, rain jacket, or 2 large heavy-duty trash bags
Bedding:
- Sleeping bag (provided if you said you don’t have one on the registration)
- Pillow
Clothing:
- Sturdy shoes for hiking
- Old sneakers, Teva-type sandals, or water shoes for wading and swimming
- Swimwear (we will swim, and also for showers as there are no private changing rooms)
- 5 pairs of socks
- 5 shirts
- 5 changes of underwear
- 2 sweaters or sweatshirts
- 2 pairs of pants
- 2 pairs of shorts
- Sleepwear
1 laundry bag & plastic bags for wet clothing
Toiletries:
- Toothpaste, toothbrush
- Towel
- Washcloth
- Soap
- Deodorant (NO sprays, please)
- Comb or brush
- Shampoo
- Lip balm
- Sunscreen
- Sanitary napkins, if needed

Optional and convenient:

Flashlight
Book to read during FOB time
Camera (no cell phone, though)
Hand lotion

Do NOT bring:

NO Snacks (they will be provided)
NO Candy, gum (NO food allowed in cabins – do not invite mice and bugs in!)
NO Jewelry, make up, gels, hair dryer, curling iron
NO items with inappropriate words or images that anyone else might find offensive
NO Electronics such as iPod, cell phone, games, etc.
NO Aerosol sprays of any kind (hair spray, bug repellent, deodorant, etc.) You may bring non-aerosol versions of bug repellent, deodorant, and sunscreen, and we also have repellant and sunscreen available.
NO item of any kind for pranks
NO Expensive clothes, shoes, or items (they will get dirty or lost!)
NO knives (we will provide whittling knives during certain activities)
NO personal archery equipment (also provided)

Sample Daily Schedule:

7:00 am	Rise and Shine
7:30	Breakfast set up
7:45 a,	Breakfast
8:30	Cabin cleanup/camp jobs
8:45	All camp meeting
9:00	Morning field activities
12:00 pm	Lunch
12:30	Feet on Bunk time (read, nap)
1:00	Prepare for afternoon activities
1:15	Choice Activity 1
3:00	Choice Activity 2
4:30	Trail group meetings
4:45	Recreation/showers
5:45	Dinner set up
6:00 pm	Dinner
7:00	Evening activities, campfire
9:00	Prepare for bed
9:30 pm	Lights out