Our Philosophy
We believe in the power of camp to change lives and are committed to positively influencing the lives of the girls by providing them with skills, support, and opportunities needed to grow into healthy, productive, and responsible women.
WEHGC is an inclusive, diverse, supportive, fun-filled community. We strongly believe that diversity fosters strength and adds beauty to our camp and therefore we encourage girls to be who they are! All staff, including campers, may not discriminate against or treat disrespectfully anyone based upon race, religion, ethnicity, geography, economic status, sexual orientation, gender expression, family situation, or other similar characteristics.
Our programming is centered on 10 characteristics we believe are the keys to success and want campers to develop.
These characteristics are:
All campers are encouraged to keep their personal areas neat and to treat others in a respectful manner. Campers are taught that showing respect is more about what the other person feels is respectful, than about themselves.
We encourage our campers to foster a love of learning. From new activities at camp, to friendly critters and new friends, a love of learning is a camper’s best friend!
We love to recognize positive change in our girls, but we also take time to appreciate those campers who have achieved consistency in positive behavior and who embody our core values. The Unsung Hero characteristic is for those campers that take the time to help fellow campers, fully and positively participate in camp activities, and who generally exemplifies the camp's core values without seeking recognition.
WEHGC is a tight-knit community where campers and staff act and live as a family. Community members are encouraged to share responsibilities such as cabin cleanup.
WEHGC campers are expected to take responsibility by fulfilling their roles at camp with a positive attitude whether they are acting as meal waitresses, firewood collectors, or score keepers; as well as taking ownership and responsibility for their actions and their action’s effects on others.
WEHGC maintains a consistent team atmosphere where all of our campers are encouraged to be supportive of one another in individual pursuits, and to be excellent team members by actively listening, staying engaged, sharing ideas, and making compromises. Team building is a primary part of the WEHGC program; whether girls are playing team sports, solving team riddles, or working on a camp project, girls are always being guided on how to be an exemplary team player and are given the opportunity to earn recognition.
Campers are encouraged to show compassion to others through supporting one another in their individual growth as well as through community support opportunities. Throughout the summer girls support one another as they advance in swimming and other athletics, creating a comfortable environment to try new skills and overcome mental obstacles.
At WEHGC we want all of our campers to learn to push themselves to try new things and to achieve their goals. We value the process of achievement as much as we value victories. Our girls are encouraged to try everything that we offer at camp under the guidance of expert staff members who can cater to each individual’s skill level and need. Our swimming and sports programs are prime areas where our campers can show drive as they learn new skills and sharpen their abilities.
At WEHGC we view leadership as the ability to encourage and guide a group in a constructive direction while maintaining positivity and compassion.
As a traditional West End House value, Spirit of the House is one of the most sought after characteristics. A camper who embodies the Spirit of the House is one who is enthusiastic about camp activities and shows camp spirit, who actively embraces the camp traditions such as color war, rip rip rips, and evening campfire.