Philosophy

Like most camps we are all about having fun, but what distinguishes Ponacka from many overnight camps is the emphasis we place on the boys’ development.

At Ponacka every day we strive to develop each boy with respect to:

1. Confidence – children develop confidence through acquiring new skills and abilities and this is what our program activities focus on. We encourage the boys to develop their skills through working towards award levels at our activities, many of which are provincially or nationally recognized (e.g. Lifesaving Society swimming, ORKCA canoeing, and CANSail sailing). Our canoe tripping program, sports leagues, arts, drama, and creative programs also provide many supportive opportunities for our boys to go outside their comfort zone and develop greater confidence in themselves.

2. Social skills – through living, playing, and tripping as a group, the boys who come back to Ponacka year after year learn how to build a rich social life through developing lifelong friendships, learning to be a leader, work as a team, take responsibility for themselves, and manage conflict.

3. Values – through our culture and the everyday examples provided by our staff, as well as teaching moments like our “morning talks” and non-denominational Sunday chapel services, we seek to cultivate Ponacka’s core values in the boys – kindness, generosity, humility, a spirit of forgiveness, and an appreciation of the natural world.

Ponacka can accomplish this because of how we are built:

1. We are a small camp – with only 150 boys each session, every staff member is expected to know every boy by name, and our directors know and understand each boy’s unique personality and development opportunities.

2. Our unique staffing – all of our counsellors are former Ponacka campers, so we know them well and they are steeped in our culture. We thoughtfully assign each of our counsellors to a specific cabin group, and they live with that group in the cabins and tents. Unlike many other camps, our counsellors also teach our activities and lead their cabin group’s canoe trip. As a result, our counsellors come to know their boys extremely well and are best positioned to ensure each boy has a happy and successful camp experience.

3. Dedication to knowing each of our campers – before each new boy starts at Ponacka they receive a visit from the Directors at their home so we can get to know him and his family and understand how best make his Ponacka experience a success. During the summer, our staff meet multiple times a week to review, discuss, and address each cabin group’s camper concerns, such as homesickness, interpersonal conflict, bullying, use of inappropriate language, etc.