At Camp Scatico on Visiting Day, the Road Path comes alive with the sights and sounds of reunion. Roughly 200 cars line the driving range in neat rows, creating the illusion of a parking lot without a single painted line. Picnic blankets and lawn chairs line the Road Path while some families gravitate to off-the-beaten-path spots, perhaps under the tree by the Girls’ Social Hall or in the Pagoda. Relatives sit in clusters catching up, family-member alumni walk familiar paths, and campers proudly show off creations they’ve made in crafts or ceramics. Younger siblings sport green and white in anticipation of the day they’ll be campers too. The lake becomes a scene of summer joy, with adults launching children off the Rave, sending them flying with shrieks of laughter. Parents laugh, hug, and sometimes have to gently pull themselves away as teary-eyed campers cling tightly.

But Visiting Day is more than just a day of candy and activity. It’s a marker in time. It divides the summer in two, creating a distinct “before” and “after.” The first half of camp, filled with anticipation and adjustment, gives way to a second half shaped by a renewed confidence and the knowledge that time is ticking. For many, it’s the emotional core of the summer—a reminder of how much has changed in just a few weeks and how fast the rest will fly by. It’s a day that holds joy, nostalgia, and sometimes a few tears, signaling the shift from early summer innocence to the full-hearted sprint toward the end.

While the family-facing portion of Visiting Day can present its transitional challenges, once families say goodbye the day is filled with jam-packed fun to bring campers back into the swing of things.

Legends:

Created in 2016 by Head of Arts Ken Vallario, Legends has become one of Camp Scatico’s most imaginative traditions. Now in his ninth summer leading the event, Vallario’s vision remains rooted in storytelling, teamwork, and a sense of magic. Each summer, campers are divided into four teams, the Alchemists, Harbingers, Guardians, and Seers, each with its own identity and symbol. Much like a Hogwarts house, once placed on a team, campers remain part of it for the rest of their camper years, building loyalty and legacy over time. While the athletic events vary slightly from year to year, the spirit of Legends stays the same: a celebration of creativity and camp-wide connection.

This year’s Legends kicked off with a pickleball tournament on the new courts on the Hill. The Alchemists faced off against the Guardians, while the Harbingers took on the Seers in the opening round. The competition was spirited and fun, with the Harbingers ultimately emerging victorious over the Alchemists in the championship match. Following pickleball was the relay race. Teams rotated between eating dinner at the BBQ Deck (counselors man the grill– the only time Head Chef Ricardo lets this happen!) and participating in the relay, creating a relaxed and social atmosphere on the hill. The Lower Hill campers kicked things off by solving a puzzle that showed their team’s symbol. Once completed, a runner went down to the waterfront to tag in Upper Hill campers. There, the challenge involved filling a bucket with water until a ping pong ball floated out. Campers who weren’t actively racing spent time shooting hoops, playing catch, or simply enjoying the summer evening with teammates.

Once the athletic events wrapped up, the true essence of Legends began: the storytelling. Each team’s Seniors had full creative freedom to craft and present an original story, weaving in their team’s identity in any form they chose. These stories could be anecdotal, mystical, magical, humorous, or heartfelt, but all shared a common thread by having an underlying moral lesson. The entire camp was captivated, pulled into other worlds as the Seniors showcased their imagination, writing, and performance skills. It was a moment for each team to shine, not through scores or competition, but through creativity and self-expression.

The day concluded with a general swim and s’mores. Campers splashed in the lake under the evening sky, toasted marshmallows, and reflected on the stories they had just heard. Legends doesn’t end with medals or rankings. It ends with the memory of a day where imagination reigned and every camper felt a little more connected to something bigger than themselves.

Scatapalooza:

Scatapalooza is a vibrant and ever-evolving tradition at Camp Scatico and typically revolves around strengthening the bond between camp sisters. This year’s event kicked off with a wildly fun game called Organized Mass Chaos, featuring two concentric rings of counselors: the outer ring made up of Lower Hill staff and the inner ring of Upper Hill staff, guarding materials like pool noodles, shaving cream, and kickballs. Camp sisters paired up to navigate the rings, traveling from counselor to counselor collecting slips of paper with wacky tasks such as, “Tell five people you lost your compass and can’t find your way north,” or “Get two more pairs of camp sisters and form a human pyramid.” With each completed task, a counselor checked off their slip, and the goal was simple: complete as many tasks as possible before time ran out.

After the high-energy chaos of the challenge, the camp sisters wound down with a relaxing general swim. The swim served not just as a cool-down or a chance to laugh about the game, but to turn everyday camp activities into lasting memories, strengthening the sisterhood that Scatapalooza celebrates.

As night fell, the energy shifted to the evening activity: Salmagundi. While usually hosted on the tennis courts, this year’s event embraced a more rustic mood, taking place across five fire pits on back campus. Around each fire pit were different stations offering a mix of activities, each one designed to keep the spirit of fun and togetherness alive. One fire pit station was for “novleties” (little challenges like eating a cracker and whistling, or getting an oreo from your forehead into your mouth without using your hands). Another fire pit station was “entourage rock, paper, scissors” (in which campers cheer on rock paper scissor matches). The flicker of firelight, the buzz of laughter, and the excitement of trying new activities made the night feel magical, closing out Scatapalooza with warmth, creativity, and that special Scatico sense of community.

While Saturday was a particularly special camp night, we must not forget other standout moments from Week 3…

Week 3 Highlights:

Hikes and Overnights: The last of the camper hikes went out, with the Junior girls heading to Mills Mansion and berry picking. Several groups also headed to the campfire site for overnights! Headed by the dynamic duo of Nature Will and Nature Mike, overnights consist of cooking dinner over a fire, storytelling, s’mores, and of course… sleeping in tents!

Co-Ed Activities: This summer we have added weekly, division-specific co-ed activities during the day. Lower hill groups do their activities on Wednesdays, and Upper Hill on Fridays. Some lower hill co-ed activity highlights from this week included the Inter girls and Sub Junior boys having a graduation ceremony– complete with diplomas– and the Centers and Juniors doing a Scatico-themed Scavenger Hunt.

Girls Scatico Softball: Camp Scatico hosted four camps for the 8th Grade Softball Tournament and went an impressive 3-0 to clinch first place. The team faced off against Lenox, Schodack, and Wah-Nee, delivering strong performances in each game. Ruby Elkin led the way on the mound with excellent pitching, while every player on the team got on base, Annabelle Noe also crushed a key triple and on defense, Ryan Thaler and Emma Fabian anchored the infield with standout plays at shortstop.

Boys Scatico Baseball: Camp Scatico’s baseball team put up a strong showing in their tournament, finishing in second place with a 1-1 record. In Game 1, they defeated Wah-Nee 4-0 behind three scoreless innings from Chuck Wachalter and closing performance by Levi Gross. In Game 2 against Greylock, Ezra Elkin provided a spark by stealing third and scoring on an overthrow. Although Scatico ultimately fell 8-1, this hardworking group proved themselves to be a cohesive and determined team, and they should be proud of all they accomplished.

Co-ed Scatico Tennis: Scatico Tennis had an outstanding showing this summer, with strong performances across both the girls’ and boys’ brackets. On the girls’ side, Scatico swept the finals. The boys also had a strong showing. Aaron Taubenfeld won the singles championship 6-2, earning back-to-back titles!

Week 3 at Camp Scatico was packed with unforgettable moments, from the emotional highs of Visiting Day to the creative magic of Legends and Scatapalooza, and there is so much yet to come.

Summer Week 3

Legends:

Scatapalooza:

Week 3 Highlights:

Summer 2025, Week 2