Director's Corner - Sunday, June 22, 2025
June 22, 2025
Roar
"I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter / Dancing through the fire / 'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar..."
As the sun set on another spirited day at camp, I found myself reflecting on just how much has been packed into the first full week here: energy, creativity, skill-building, and plenty of laughs!
I had the opportunity to join our youngest campers during cabin activity time as they worked on a meaningful and exciting project - creating a Beber 50th Anniversary Video. Campers will have opportunities throughout the session to contribute to this commemorative video, sharing what they love most about Beber and what makes it such a special place. It was such a great feeling to hear their stories and watch them express their joy, creativity, and love for this community.
Also today, the campers kicked off the last day of their first round of hobbies by putting the finishing touches on their art projects, some of which have been in the works since Day 1. From intricately painted ceramics to imaginative mixed-media pieces, it’s been incredible watching their visions come to life. Hobby week 1 was an exciting time of growth, and today was the perfect capstone to a week of creativity, exploration, and learning new skills.
On the courts and in the gym, determination was the name of the game. Whether it was nailing that perfect three-point shot or finally making it across the balance beam (or both!), the spirit of persistence and teamwork was everywhere you looked. The cheers could be heard across camp every time someone reached their goal, and there were many goals crushed today.
A particularly special guest arrived today and was at the heart of the artistic buzz: Brett Fromson, our very own artist in residence. Brett will be joining us for a week sharing his passion and talents for music and his love of Beber. While Brett now has a successful career in music, his journey started right here at camp, in none other than Crown Hall. That’s where he got his big break, singing a heartfelt song at his divisional talent show. This week, Brett will continue to inspire campers to find their own creative voices and passion for music. In fact, Brett and I had a sneak in with 0-1 and sang some classic camp tunes!
Speaking of talent, Ramot had their talent show tonight, and what a show it was! From acoustic covers and original songs to magic tricks and dance routines, our campers blew us away with their courage, talent, and heart. The crowd was all in, clapping, cheering, and sometimes even singing along.
The other evening programs were also buzzing across camp:
- Kesher took on trivia night, testing their knowledge in everything from pop culture to random camp facts. Spoiler: it turns out a surprising number of campers know way too much about breakfast cereal mascots.
- Makor launched into an exciting lower camp scavenger hunt. It was a blur of clues, giggles, and group photos as teams raced around camp solving riddles and hunting down hidden clues.
And during GA, several campers opted to watch Game 7 of the NBA Finals, catching the action and cheering on their favorite teams while enjoying some well-earned downtime.
And yes, it was hot today. But the campers handled it like pros. Between water hobbies and cabin activities, strategically placed sprinklers, and chilled-out hangouts in air-conditioned spaces, everyone stayed cool and refreshed.
Let’s not forget the food! We started the day strong with French toast at breakfast, refueled at lunch with a nacho and baked potato bar, and wrapped things up with an indoor BBQ dinner that hit all the right notes (especially that watermelon!).
I wanted to take an opportunity tonight to introduce our Area Director team. They are responsible for creating, facilitating and supervising the very activities that drive the heart of the camp day. They are an extremely hardworking and energetic group and their attention to detail including camper safety is very much appreciated.
Here they are:
Music
Hey, I am Brady Traugot, the music area director and head song leader this summer! This is my fourth year on staff and seventh summer overall at Beber. I am from NYC, just graduated from Vassar College (studied psychology and music and was a varsity fencer), and will be beginning my master's in social work at NYU this fall. What keeps bringing me back to Beber is the sacred community and the engagement and enthusiasm that each camper demonstrates daily across the summer.
Challenge Course
Hi, I am Thom van Keeken and I am the Challenge Course Area Director this summer.
This is my 4th summer at Beber Camp and my 3rd summer as the Challenge Course Area Director. I am from the Netherlands. I graduated 1 year ago as an outdoor sports instructor. At the moment, I work full-time in an outdoor store in Amsterdam. Besides my job, I love going on small trips into nature and challenging myself with outdoor sports. I love coming back to Beber because of all the amazing staff and campers. At the Challenge Course, campers and staff can move their boundaries and also support each other.
Fine Arts
Hello! My name is Victoria Schubarg and I am the fine arts area director this summer. This is my ninth summer at camp and my second year on staff. I am currently studying music at Mount Holyoke College and will be graduating next spring. As a student, I participate in the orchestra, flute choir, and dressage team. This summer, my goal is to support my staff with running memorable hobbies while also incorporating new ideas for the area. Fine arts encompasses so many fun activities, and I hope to spread as much joy and enthusiasm through them as possible.
Jewish Life
Hi, I’m Lara Zeigler and I am the Director of Jewish Life. This is my second summer at Beber Camp, and I’m so excited to be back! I currently live in a suburb of Chicago, and during the school year, I teach at a public school. I’m also a proud mom to two happy Beber campers, which makes being here even more special. As the Director of Jewish Life, my favorite part of the job is finding creative and meaningful ways to help campers explore their Jewish identity. I also love getting to spend time with campers of all ages—it’s such a joy to see how Jewish life comes alive in different ways across the Beber community.
Arts & Crafts
Hi, I’m Hannah Harris and I am the Arts and Crafts Area Director this summer. This is my third year at camp and my second year as arts and crafts director. I am from England and love to spend my summers here. At home I work full time running kids club activities which are so much fun. This summer I am looking forward to bringing activities from years ago back to arts and crafts and making it one of the best places to be. I'm so excited for the summer.
Athletics
Now then, my name is Luke Simpson I come from north east England. I'm the athletics director this summer. I'm looking forward to being active and sporty with the campers! This is my third year at camp and first year as athletics director. At home I have coached gymnastics for over 5 years. I also played semi-professional football and practice jiu-jitsu in my spare time.
Waterfront
Hi my name's Freya McDowell I’m the waterfront director. I’m from the lake district, England but I currently live in Canada working at a Bobsled track in the winter. This is my fourth year at camp and I am excited to teach many new skills on the waterfront. Over the winter in Canada I have fallen in love with Bobsledding as a sport and have begun to train in hopes of one day representing Ireland in the olympics.
Waterfront
Hey, I’m Charlie Jenner and I am from South Wales in the United Kingdom. This is my second summer at camp and I’m the windsurfing and sailing area director. Back home I have just finished my degree in Maths and Physics. I love coming to camp because the campers are hilarious and never fail to make me laugh. This year I look forward to seeing how we can develop the sailing and windsurfing hobbies now that they have a dedicated area director.
As we wind down the first full week of camp, we’re proud, a little sweaty, but mostly just grateful, for the friendships, the laughter, and the community we’re building together.
Here’s to a new week of more unforgettable camp moments to come!
Trivia Time! Yesterday’s question was: Who sang “Brave?” Answer: Sara Bareilles
- Heather Carp
- Caryn Finley
- Amy Bloomberg
- Sarah Factor
- Dana Saltzman
- Jessica Fonoroff
- Eric Ritvo
- The Millers
Today’s trivia: Who sang “Roar?” Send your answer to trivia@bebercamp.com for a chance to be featured in tomorrow’s blog!