How Summer Camp Builds More Than Just Memories: Skills That Last

November 6, 2025

For many parents, sending their son off to summer camp feels like a leap of faith. You pack his duffel, label his socks, tuck in a note, and hope the experience gives him something special — independence, joy, maybe a few new friends. But what boys take home from camp often goes far beyond those things.

At Camp Winaukee, we’ve seen how the right environment; one designed just for today’s boys, can unlock personal growth that school and sports alone can’t always reach.

Learning to Live with Others

In a cabin full of peers, boys learn quickly that life runs smoother when everyone pulls their weight. They make their beds (usually), keep track of their gear (mostly), and navigate differences with bunkmates. It’s early teamwork in action with laughter, small disagreements, and the occasional shared flashlight conversation late at night. These moments teach empathy and perspective-taking, skills that help boys thrive back home in families, classrooms, and teams.

Discovering Real Confidence

Winaukee isn’t about winning every time, it’s about what it takes to get there. When a boy finally nails his swing, reaches the top of a mountain, or speaks up in front of the community, he experiences confidence built on effort, not perfection. This kind of growth mindset is powerful. It teaches boys to see challenges as opportunities rather than threats; a lesson that stays with them long after the summer sun fades.

Building Emotional Independence

Being away from home gives boys a healthy chance to test their wings. They learn to navigating homesickness, to advocate for themselves with counselors, and to find support from friends instead of family. It’s a small but meaningful stretch toward emotional maturity. At Camp Winaukee, we’ve watched even the most hesitant campers grow into boys who can navigate their emotions with greater confidence.

Rediscovering Simple Joy

Camp reminds boys that happiness doesn’t come from screens or gadgets. It comes from cannonballing into a lake, laughing around a campfire, and being fully present in the moment. In a world that moves too fast, that simplicity is a gift. Summer camp doesn’t just fill time — it fills boys with life skills they carry forward: responsibility, resilience, empathy, and joy. Those are lessons that last well beyond summer.

Ashleigh Jackowitz

Ashleigh grew up in Boise, Idaho and got her first taste of sleepaway camp in 2006 when she was hired to work on the waterfront at Camp Walt Whitman. She spent 5 summers there before joining the full-time team. Ashleigh attended Williamette University in Salem, Oregon as a college athlete in Volleyball. Prior to starting full time in camping, she took the chance to travel around the world, to every continent, over the course of 3 years. Teaching English in South Korea for a year was definitely a highlight! She has been involved with the American Camp Association as a Tri-State Conference Program Track Chair and is a speaker at multiple camp conferences. She also is a passionate advocate of Project Morry, an organization that helps youth from under-served communities attend summer camp, having served for many years on their Dare to Dream Committee. Her favorite role is as mom to their sons Cooper & Henry. Ashleigh, Matt, Cooper & Henry currently live in Ridgefield, CT.