Activity Descriptions

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Archery: campers enjoy improving their archery skills and keeping up with their progress as they work through the archery ranks.
Arts and Crafts: campers of all ages will love our projects which include jewelry making, basket weaving, copper enameling and paper making.
Basketball: a mixture of drills, fun games, and scrimmages designed to help campers improve their skills on the court.
Campcraft: a great new Illahee activity for adventurous girls in the outdoors. Orienteering and geocaching, emergency first-aid, fire-building, outdoor cooking, backpacking and camping skills will leave participants ready to spend more time in the great outdoors.
Ceramics: through various projects, campers will learn techniques to increase their skills in hand-building, wheel throwing and glazing.
Canoeing: campers enjoy the canoe lake and learning different aspects of canoeing through instruction and games. Campers may have the opportunity to try out their skills on a nearby river or lake.
Cooking: favorite camp recipes are shared and practiced in cooking classes where girls make camp desserts, salads and rolls.
Dance: campers learn different steps and put them together for a dance routine they perform at the end of the session.
Diving: improving and learning new dives are the focus in diving. Campers must be in Red Cross Swimming Level 5 or above.
Drama (Behind the Scenes): an activity that focuses on improvisational, pantomime, and monologue skills through games and exercises. Stage make-up, set design, and casting techniques help campers explore the world of theater.
Drama (Production): campers work on acting techniques while interpreting roles in a musical theater production which they perform at the end of the session.
Field Hockey and Lacrosse: includes basic instruction with development of both field hockey and lacrosse skills through drills and games for entering sixth graders and up.
Fitness for Fun: a new activity to develop strength, cardiovascular fitness and coordination through fun games and exercises. Recommended for campers through 6th grade.
Fitness for Life/Aerobics: develop strength and cardiovascular fitness through strenuous aerobics- including step aerobics and the Illahee circuit. Recommended for campers in the 7th grade and above.
Gymnastics: campers move at their own pace developing strength and flexibility through tumbling skills and working on the balance beam.
Nature: exploring the natural world around camp, nature crafts, animals, and field trips to the Pisgah Wildlife Center for Education are all part of the nature program.
Needlecraft: cross-stitch, sewing, and needlepoint projects are the focus of this activity.
Puppet Theater: campers make their own puppets, props, and scenery and perform a puppet show for the end of the session. Offered in the August session only.
Riding: any camper may register to take riding. Helmets are provided, but each camper must bring her own pair of boots with at least a half-inch heel, which may be ordered from The Tack Shop (864)277-0303. Hiking boots with lug soles are neither safe nor appropriate. Campers also need to bring long pants for riding; blue jeans are acceptable. Riding consists of three mounted lessons each week. (For additional ground lessons, see our activity “Horsing Around ”) Please estimate your daughter’s riding level on the activity form. She will be assigned accordingly after classification at camp.
Horsemanship: horsemanship is a course for advanced riders and is offered during two consecutive class periods daily during the June and July sessions for campers entering 6th grade or older. Campers are involved with the total process of the horse experience; learning about riding, horse care, training, etc. Girls need to be able to do some jumping. Final class selection will be subject to the equestrian director’s evaluation during the first few days of the session. Helmets are provided, but campers need to bring breeches, paddock boots, and tall boots if possible. Girls in horsemanship are not eligible for additional periods of riding instruction unless there is space after the session has opened.
Horsing Around: a great class for any level rider interested in building skills and working through the Illahee riding levels. During these unmounted lessons campers learn about feeding, grooming, veterinary care, and other areas of horse management. A camper may sign up for both Horsing Around and Riding.
Vaulting: a form of gymnastics on horseback; campers learn balance, grace, and teamwork as they perform gymnastic moves first on a stationary mount and later at a walk and trot. Breeches and/or leggings are the most comfortable attire, but are not necessary. Boots are not needed. A camper may sign up for both vaulting and riding.
Riflery: an Illahee favorite, riflery emphasizes gun safety as girls improve their shooting skills using air rifles and .17 caliber competition rifles and earn riflery association awards.
Soccer: a popular sport with campers who enjoy scrimmages and drills to help them improve their game.
Swimming: this activity follows the American Red Cross program and is designed to improve stroke coordination and proficiency, build endurance and confidence in the water, and teach basic aquatic safety skills. Campers are required to participate in instructional swimming unless they have passed the Red Cross Level 6 course. Please send a copy of certification to camp if Level 6 is completed at another facility. The YMCA equivalent to ARC Level 6 is Flying Fish. Returning Illahee campers will have the last swimming level they passed noted on the activity form. If you are not sure of your daughter’s level, an estimate is fine; campers are classified within the first few days of class. All new campers should sign up for swimming or send a copy of their level of certification if they have completed Level 6 skills or equivalent.
Splash : for those campers who love the Illahee waterfront! Splash is a period of free swim and water games with a chance to enjoy the water slide, Tarzan rope, and trampoline. Campers must be in level 4 or above. Offered in the August Session only.
Synchronized Swimming: a traditional camp favorite, campers learn water ballet and a swim routine which is the highlight of the camp swim show. Campers must have passed the Red Cross Level 6 or equivalent.
Team Sports: a fun combination of softball, kickball, volleyball, and other team sports and field games.
Tennis: tennis skills and confidence are increased through individual instruction, fun drills and games. Camp tournaments are a highlight in the June and July sessions.
Trips Climbing: for campers entering eighth - eleventh grades; campers will participate in fun and instructional climbing trips for three days each week (campers will take their other activity choices on the alternate days). Campers in Trips Climbing are unable to take horsemanship, which meets daily and conflicts with the climbing schedule.
Trips Kayaking:for campers entering eighth - eleventh grades; campers will participate in fun and instructional kayaking trips for three days each week (campers will take their other activity choices on the alternate days). Campers must be in Red Cross Swimming Level 5 or above in order to take trips kayaking. Campers in Trips Kayaking are unable to take horsemanship, which meets daily and conflicts with the kayaking schedule.
Trips Training: for campers entering sixth and seventh grades...an introduction to kayaking on the lake, climbing instruction on the climbing wall and tower, and outdoor cooking and camping skills. Trips out of camp are offered as skills increase. Campers must be in Red Cross Swimming Level 5 or above in order to take trips training. (Eighth graders in the August session may also take trips training.)
Watercolor: watercolor is a great way for campers to learn painting techniques and to enjoy expressing themselves creatively.
Weaving: campers explore fiber arts through lap looms, inkle looms and floor looms as well as other weaving projects.
Woodworking: campers design and build projects such as birdhouses, CD organizers, and wooden baskets as they learn basic woodworking skills; for entering 7th graders and up (entering 6th grade in August session).

To download a pdf file of the Red Cross levels, please click here.

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