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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Camp Walt Whitman located?
Camp Walt Whitman is located in Piermont, New Hampshire, 2 1/2 hours from Boston
and 5 hours from New York. Nestled in the spectacular White Mountains,
our 300-acre site is situated on beautiful, crystal-clear Lake Armington. More information about our location...
Why choose Walt Whitman over a camp closer to home?
With warm days and cool nights, the weather in New Hampshire's White Mountains is ideal for
summer activities. Your child will comfortably play tennis, soccer, baseball or any other outdoor
activity, and the fresh mountain air and low humidity enhance indoor activities such as cabin life,
theater, creative arts and dining. In addition, Walt Whitman attracts campers from throughout the
northeast as well as from other parts of the country. This allows campers to meet and become friends
with children from beyond their own neighborhood.
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What distinguishes Walt Whitman from other camps?
Walt Whitman provides a unique summer experience with an emphasis on excellence. We are proud of
our well-rounded program which combines required and elective activities with extensive outdoor
opportunities. Professionally trained specialty staff direct each activity area. Our staff
training programs go far beyond the typical one week, pre-camp orientation to include
weekly training sessions for all of our staff throughout the summer.
Most importantly, there are two full time, college age counselors who live in every cabin.
Their entire responsibility throughout every day is to spend all of their time with their
campers. They do not become "specialists" teaching an activity, but rather they participate
in all of the activities with their cabin group. Your child's cabin counselors are there
for their kids all day long knowing when to cheer them on or when to put an arm around their
shoulder if that's what is needed.
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How safe is the location?
This is one of the most frequently asked questions that parents have. We know your child's
safety and security are most important to you. It is reassuring for our parents and campers
that Walt Whitman is down a little-traveled dirt country road. We are not close to
a city, main highway or thoroughfare. We are securely set back in the woods. However,
we are only four miles from an emergency facility and 35 minutes from Dartmouth-Hitchcock
Hospital, Dartmouth's excellent medical school teaching facility.
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Who are the directors of Camp Walt Whitman?
Jed and Carolyn Dorfman are the directors of Camp Walt Whitman. Jed's Great-Uncles started Walt Whitman in 1948, and Carolyn and Jed
are the third generation in the family to run camp. Jed was both a Camp Walt Whitman camper and counselor.
Jed is a graduate of Emory University and earned a Masters in Business Administration from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management.
Prior to becoming a director Jed worked at CWW for 10 years, serving as the Assistant Director for five years. He is a former middle
school and high school teacher, and is one of the founders and a director of America's Camp.
Carolyn graduated from Dalhousie University with a degree in Recreational Management. Prior to becoming a director, Carolyn worked as
the Executive Director of the National Law Enforcement and Firefighters Children's Foundation in New York City. Carolyn spent seven
years in Knoxville, Tennessee first graduating with a Masters Degree in Sports Management and then working as Assistant Athletic
Director for the Women's Athletic Department. Carolyn played four years of collegiate basketball at Dalhousie University where she
graduated with a degree in Recreational Management. Carolyn's prior camp experience includes working as the Director of Glencoe
Day Camp and many summers coaching at basketball camps throughout the US and Canada.
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How many campers and staff does Walt Whitman have?
There are 300 campers equally divided between boys and girls in Main Camp, comprised of
children who have completed grades 2 through 7. Senior Camp, our separate teen program,
has 90 boys and girls.
Our low camper/staff ratio is important; there are more than 200 full-time staff members. Our
counselors are all college-age or older. Many of our staff return each summer, and
many are former Walt Whitman campers.
Most of our campers are from the middle and northeastern states. We also attract
campers from the mid-west, Florida, Texas, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia,
Georgia, California and Canada.
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How do you select the staff?
Walt Whitman takes pride in providing mature, professionally trained staff. We employ
numerous teachers and coaches with extensive experience working with children. Our
cabin counselors are all college age. We personally interview every staff member, and
we take pride in the rigor of our interview process. Staff members must have excellent
references, impressive experience working with children and a willingness to dedicate their
summer to the care and supervision of our campers.
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Does Walt Whitman offer a 4-week option for first-time campers?
Because some very young first-time campers and their parents may not be comfortable with
the full summer program, we do offer both half and full summer cabins for children currently in
2nd and 3rd grades. To ensure a better experience for all children this age, four-week
campers in grades 2 and 3 are housed in separate cabins from full
summer campers. Although they all are friends and enjoy activities together,
this enables us to provide individual planning and appropriate closure. More information here...
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How do you provide the "right" Cabin Placement for my child?
Before we make cabin assignments, we take great care to get to know your child's needs
and interests. We really listen to what you and your child tell us. In addition, every
camper (with help from parents) fills out a camper biography form before arriving at camp.
This biography form is very important to us because it lets us know your child's favorite
activities and special goals for the summer. It also offers parents an opportunity to share
their concerns with us. We review this form with your child's counselors and Area Director
and use it to help place your child in the best cabin situation. We arrange beds so that
campers are near others with similar interests to ensure that from the very first day your
child will connect easily with other kids.
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What are the benefits of having a heated swimming pool
at a New England camp?
Walt Whitman is on Lake Armington, an unusually beautiful mountain lake, on which campers enjoy
our extensive boating program. However, unlike a heated pool, clear mountain lakes are not
the best place to teach kids to swim. It's difficult to keep children in cold water for any
significant length of time. Our heated Olympic-size pool enhances our recreational, instructional
and competitive swim programs. Campers never complain about instructional swim and stay in
the water as long as they possibly can at free swim. Of course, they always have the option
to swim in the lake as well, and many do, particularly in hot weather.
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How is the food and what choices will my child have?
Our food is excellent and draws compliments from our campers. We provide a wide choice of
foods including home made baked goods; lots of fresh fruit; a daily grill, including chicken,
hamburger and veggie burgers; a twice daily salad bar; pasta, soup and sandwich bars and
many other tasty, healthy options. Gluton-free options are also available.
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Is the program scheduled by group or individual choice?
Campers have 3 scheduled activity periods with their cabin or age group, 2 elective periods
and free swim each day. We carefully balance group activities with individual electives.
Scheduled Activities: Campers join in 3 scheduled activities a day with campers in their
age group. The activities combine both instruction and play enabling campers to have fun
while developing skills. Boys and girls are scheduled separately.
Elective Activities: Campers participate in 2 elective periods each day. One is chosen
daily and the other is chosen for a whole week. Campers are assisted with their choices
by our staff. They are always able to change their selections.
The 2:00 elective is selected weekly. It is called a Special Interest Group (SIG) and is
a favorite with campers since it is the time for them to choose an activity each week in
which they would like to specialize. There are some offerings that are not found in the
usual daily schedule such as cooking, photography, self-defense, model rocketry and
guitar, to name a few. For those who want intensive instruction in tennis, land sports,
water sports or the arts, the weekly elective resembles a mini-specialty camp.
The 4:00 elective is selected daily. Campers love this time since it allows them to return
to any of their regularly scheduled activities or to choose among the special offerings
available that day. This is a time for sports practice, windsurfing, private tennis lessons,
arts projects and the list goes on and on!
Horseback riding is available one or two times each week at a nearby professional riding school.
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What is the right reason to choose a camp?
The single most important word to keep in mind is QUALITY. This means quality of care; quality of
facilities and their maintenance; quality of staff, programs and instruction; and quality of
the directors. Experienced leadership is a key ingredient found in the best camps.
People who care and who couple thoughtfulness with expertise define excellence at
Walt Whitman.
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How can I get more information about camp?
We want to get to know each of our campers before they enroll at camp. Some families take the
opportunity to visit and see camp in action during the summer; most do not. We are happy to
schedule appointments with you in the fall.
Please call with any questions or to schedule a summer visit or fall get-together.
Winter:
Camp Walt Whitman
3 New King Street
White Plains, NY 10604
914-948-9151
Summer:
Camp Walt Whitman
1000 Cape Moonshine Road
Piermont, NH 03779
603-764-5521
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