Slovenski Camps

Raise the bar this summer in a unique outdoors
environment at High Standards Vault Camp

At High Standards Vault Camp, campers will engage in thrilling activities offered only at High Standards Vault Camp. High Standards Vault Camp will emphasize 1) pole vault fundamentals, 2) competition pole vault skills, and 3) strength & conditioning for vaulters. Campers will have extensive vault sessions on the runway every morning and afternoon with low vaulter-to-coach ratios. Vaulting groups are limited to 15 or fewer vaulters. Campers will have the opportunity to watch their vaulting on videotape throughout the week. Camp coaches will help vaulters break bad habits, and improve technique.

The High Standards Vault Camp staff believes that a successful vaulting career begins by learning and repeating drills that teach vaulters the basics of advanced vaulting technique. After the basic drills are covered, Coach Dave will show athletes how to progress from fundamentals to advanced technique which includes acceleration at the takeoff, high plants, dynamic swing-ups, and bar clearances that maximize height.

Coach Dave Slovenski has been instructing high school vaulters for over ten years. Before coaching, Dave was a national high school champion in the vault jumping 16-9 indoors, and held the Ivy League indoor record in the vault while competing for Princeton.

Campers will also have the opportunity to develop skills and participate in activities such as Sailing & Windsurfing, guitar & ukulele, dodgeball games, and capture the flag.

Slovenski camps is a coed campground. Girls' cabins are separate from boys' cabins, but most activities, free time, and meals are coed.

Read more about our old school camp philosophy below. Check out our "experience camp" page to see what a day of camp can be like or to go on a virutal tour of our beautiful campus and rustic accommodations. The FAQ page has a wealth of commonly sought answers. If you still have questions, you can get in touch with us using the contact info at the bottom of each page, or chat with a counselor instantly using the chat box in the bottom right. We'd love to hear from you!

Camp Philosophy

Slovenski Camps are guided by the Liberal Arts traditions of Western Civilization. We believe in helping campers learn what we call the Liberal Arts for Children: swimming, dodgeball, capture the flag, singing, dancing, paddling, sailing, manners, thoughtfulness, reading classics, and cleaning up after ourselves. Summer camp should be a place free from the distraction of glowing screens. Campers will learn to have fun the way their parents and grandparents did — playing outside. They will engage in unique, exciting activities that teach real-life skills such as mental toughness, how to work alone and in teams, how to quickly adapt to new rules and conditions, and how to defend yourself with Battle Rockets and dodgeballs.

Our talented staff is trained to inspire fair play, good sportsmanship, bravery, and exercise. We play a lot of active games. We use exercise for fun, and exercise for consequences. Similar to an old school athletic team practice, our activities often include running, push-ups, or swinging a lap. Counselors, campers, and even camp directors participate in the active games and exercise. In the fun of competition campers will create new friendships.

A day at camp includes games, education, and exposure to the arts including classic literature, music, dance, and poetry. Campers hear and often learn to memorize poems such as "No Man is an Island" by John Donne, "If" by Rudyard Kipling, "The Happy Warrior" by William Wordsworth, and "The Walrus and the Carpenter" by Lewis Carroll. Camp also includes free time periods similar to the freedom children have during school recess or while playing with friends in the neighborhood.

Each evening concludes with a campfire that features contests, singing, dancing, recognition, stories, and encouragement for good standards of self-reliance and friendship that we remember from our Protestant Sunday school classes. "Thoughts for the Day" are read aloud at campfires each night, and include wisdom of the ages such as George Washington's "It is better to be alone than in bad company", and "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" from Jesus in the Book of St. Matthew.

Children's Mental Health

Our summer camp program has been positive for childhood mental health. We stayed open all through summers 2020 and 2021. Our camp helps children enjoy childhood, while also learning a lot of things that are good for mental health. Learning activity skills and how to clean up after yourself are excellent elements of childhood self-confidence.

Our counselors coach campers in character development activities such as meeting new people, welcoming new people, overcoming challenges, dealing with the adversity of not getting what you want all the time, being brave (in a safe setting), embracing high standards of conduct, and learning the joys of self-reliance. Our program emphasizes mental toughness and grit.

2024 Rates and Dates

rates are per week

2024 all-inclusive price: $1020

Half Summer Discount: $450 off of 3 weeks
Full Summer Discount: $1200 off of 6 weeks
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$200 referral discount for referring a friend.
Military discounts available.

Ages

For Boys and Girls entering Grades 6 through 12

Please note that camp is a co-educational environment
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Each session runs Saturday afternoon to Saturday morning, July 20 to July 27, July 27 to August 3, and August 3 to August 10.
Campers may come for one week, consecutive weeks, or multiple non-consecutive weeks attending this or other Slovenski Camps.