Behind the Smiles: A Former Staff Member's Honest Account of Camp Wawenock for Girls"…read more
An open, first-person reflection on what really goes on behind the image
Camp Wawenock for Girls presents itself as a joyful, nature-based haven -- a place where girls grow strong, friendships flourish, and traditions are lovingly upheld. That may be the case for some. But in my personal experience as a former staff member, what happens behind the scenes often tells a much different story -- one defined by emotional control, physical and mental exhaustion, ethical red flags, and a culture that demands smiling compliance at all costs.
Mental Health and the Breakdown Culture
During my time at Camp Wawenock, my mental health deteriorated rapidly. The long hours, emotional pressure, and lack of autonomy took a daily toll. If you became ill -- physically or mentally -- there was rarely time or space to recover. Taking a day to rest or asking for support was often met with scrutiny or subtle judgment, as though struggling meant you weren't "tough enough" for the job.
What's worse is that emotional breakdowns were normalized. I watched many staff members cry, burn out, or completely shut down. This was sometimes even joked about or acknowledged in meetings, as though it was just part of the experience -- an expected phase of staff life. It wasn't healthy. And it shouldn't be normal.
A Culture of Control, Surveillance, and Paranoia
One of the most oppressive aspects of camp life was the constant emotional and physical surveillance. Staff were questioned about where they were, who they were with, and what they were doing -- even during personal time. If you stepped away for five minutes, someone would likely ask, "Why are you over there? Who told you to take a break?"
I often felt paranoid, like I was being watched even when I was off the clock. Real rest didn't exist. "Optional" events were never really optional. Socializing with certain staff members was discouraged. Saying no to a task or expressing discomfort led to isolation or punishment in quieter, more subtle ways.
Animal Welfare: Horses Worked While Lame
One of the hardest things I witnessed was the treatment of the camp's horses. Parents pay for their children to participate in horseback riding, and because of that, horses were often worked in visibly lame or injured conditions -- sometimes used in five riding lessons a day, five days a week, regardless of their physical state.
Access to a vet was extremely limited, and in my experience, by the time any real help arrived, the horses had already endured weeks of overuse and pain. It felt like their well-being came second to preserving the riding program's image and delivering what had been promised to parents.
Forced Traditions and Cultural Insensitivity
One of the most unsettling aspects of the camp culture was the way "traditions" were treated as sacred, even when they felt spiritually manipulative or culturally insensitive. Staff and campers were expected to stand silently in the dark, sing together in choreographed moments, or smile on cue, in rituals that were said to honor Native Americans.
But for new staff especially, these events could feel deeply uncomfortable -- even eerie. There was no meaningful education, no respectful engagement with Native culture, just symbolic reenactments that felt shallow and theatrical. To me, they felt more like a performance of reverence than real understanding -- and questioning it was not welcome.
No Boundaries, No Breaks
Work at Camp Wawenock never truly stopped. Staff meetings ran until 11 p.m., and days began as early as 7 a.m. Many nights we were awake until 2 or 3 a.m., comforting campers or managing cabin issues. There was no dedicated rest time, no system for recovery. Even mealtimes were "on shift," with assigned seating and even suggested conversation topics.
If you dared to take five minutes to yourself, you had to be ready to justify it. Every part of the day was scheduled, monitored, and policed -- even if it meant sacrificing your well-being.
Final Thoughts: This Isn't "Just Camp Culture" -- It's Harmful
Some people leave Camp Wawenock with great memories -- and that's valid. But others, like myself, leave feeling emotionally broken, morally conflicted, and haunted by what we saw but weren't allowed to question.
This is not just "camp culture." It's a deeply flawed system that normalizes emotional collapse, overlooks animal suffering, demands constant performance, and discourages authentic human needs.
I share my experience not out of bitterness, but out of hope -- that future staff, parents, and community members ask better questions, that camp culture can evolve, and that we stop equating silence, control, and "tradition" with excellence.
