Camp Sternberg | Imamother

amother

Black

Tue, Oct 10 2017, 8:57 pm

My daughter wants to go to camp Sternberg for first half, but I don't know anything about it! I don't feel comfortable sending her unless I have more info...what's the scene like? What type of girls go there?
Thanks!

allthingsblue

Tue, Oct 10 2017, 9:10 pm

A huuuuge mix. You will literally find every type of girl. It's mostly jpf, though, whatever that means. You won't find that majority are kollel -family type girls there (although there are plenty). It's also very big, so if you're worried about your daughter's first time in camp, You might want to choose a smaller place.
It's lots of fun. What I love best about it is that it's not fake, hyped up fun like most of the camps today. It's good, old fashioned, healthy fun, not fancy ridiculous overdone themes.

amother

Black

Tue, Oct 10 2017, 9:13 pm

allthingsblue wrote:

Thank you! So I guess it really depends on who she goes with if it's such a mix?

33055

Tue, Oct 10 2017, 9:22 pm

The girls love it. My daughter loves it.

The place is not clean. It is old and run down There were mice on other girls' luggage when I was picking up my daughter's. They were right there in the room with us! I used the staff toilet in the office, and I thought it needed quite a bit of attention. The whole place smelled of mildew. They charge $1 each email to give it to your daughter. My daughter can call me for about one minute once a week before Shabbos.

My kids have been to other camps with much nicer facilities in the same price range. And they don't charge to give emails to the campers.

I am told there are different types who go the different halves.

amother

Slateblue

Sun, Mar 17 2019, 9:22 pm

What type of girls go second half? Is it a Bais Yaakov camp? What schools do they come from? My daughter wants to apply as staff. She’s currently in 11th grade. What are girls that age like? Thanx

Rappel

Mon, Mar 18 2019, 12:24 am

Squishy wrote:

I haven't been there since 2013, but one of the things that attracted everyone to Sternberg was the rustic feel. Wooden, older structures, and yes - no email. I learned to write letters in camp, and very much enjoyed the immersion in nature.

The other thing that attracted everyone: the overall feeling was one of warmth and chessed. Everyone was accepted in camp. You could taste the friendliness in the air.

amother

Blue

Mon, Mar 18 2019, 6:09 pm

amother wrote:

What type of girls go second half? Is it a Bais Yaakov camp? What schools do they come from? My daughter wants to apply as staff. She’s currently in 11th grade. What are girls that age like? Thanx

Second half has a reputation as being slightly more to the right than first half although staff is screened both halves so not sure there’s such a difference between the staff each month (as opposed to between the campers).

They come from schools all over America (and outside America)!

amother

Blue

Mon, Mar 18 2019, 6:18 pm

ectomorph wrote:

I had a terrible experience in Sternberg. You can pm for details. I would not send any camp that restricts and discourages calling home, as Sternberg does.

Not arguing one way or another but just pointing out I don’t think there’s any restriction on staff members calling home.

ectomorph

Mon, Mar 18 2019, 6:36 pm

amother wrote:

Not arguing one way or another but just pointing out I don’t think there’s any restriction on staff members calling home.

The issue is the campers being able to call parents when they want and need to.

33055

Mon, Mar 18 2019, 6:37 pm

amother wrote:

Not arguing one way or another but just pointing out I don’t think there’s any restriction on staff members calling home.

There was restrictions on the girls calling home. They were lined up on Fridays to call and wish good Shabbos. My daughter was rushed right off the phone. She barely would have 3 minutes.

LeahDevorah

Mon, Apr 22 2019, 10:42 pm

I went to sternberg and so did my daughter.
I personally wasn’t a fan cause I guess I am to girly for wilderness.
But my daughter enjoyed it.
Look I feel like you got to be a type.
If mouse/mice and bears and squirrels and BUGS don’t scare you.
Also the camp doesn’t have so much activity
You have to keep your self busy and that what my daughter liked.
She liked the chill camp feeling
Sleeping under the starts and fresh air swimming in lakes.

Not like the fancy camps that feels more like a hotel then a camp.
Also about the phone
Ya you might only have a couple of minutes but your having fun and you will see in visiting day.

A mother knows the daughter of she the type to get homesick.
If she is woke up to sleep away camp with the start of sleeping by friends house for shabbosim.

GOOD LUCK