Overall, our experience with Schodack was negative. In all fairness, we chose this camp because we knew quite a few people who had a very good experience there and who had recommended it to us. This made our experience even more shocking and completely unexpected:
• New Camper Day: We were surprised to see how small the cabins were. There were puddles of water everywhere, on the floor and on the mattresses. We were told that cabins were just washed. Were they hosed down? There were also a huge (over an inch) gaps between the doors and the door frames. We were concerned about the draft and mosquitoes. We were told it can’t be fixed. The facilities in the cabin were very basic. We were surprised how many kids will be in one bunk. Seventeen to be exact plus 3 counselors . We were told “there will be about 12 kids” when we were signing up for camp. We were not shown the lake, nor did we see many of the facilities. We spent most of the visit in the meeting hall. After lunch at the cafeteria, we went to use the bathrooms only to find out there were no locks on the doors. When we brought it to the director’s attention, we were told it will be fixed before the camp starts, but really it showed no respect for the parents or kids visiting on new campers day.
• Clothing and Packing list: Schodack was the second camp for our son as we wanted a camp closer to home. Compared to the first one, I found the packing list extremely excessive. Overall, I spent over $500 for mandatory and suggested Schodack clothing, and another $200-300 for other clothing and trinkets. Considering kids were wearing 10 mandatory Schodack t-shirts every day, why do you need another 18 regular t-shirt? And what’s up with 18 pairs of socks? When I got his bag back, his clothes was soaked wet! So many items were missing, and there were numerous items of clothing that didn’t belong to my son, so the issue is widespread.
• Food, according to my son was mediocre.
• The lake is a drive away and it’s usage is limited to twice per week
• There were no pictures taken and shared with parents on everyday basis at Schodack compare to other camps. We were told that pictures would be posted at the end of the summer to see in bulk. Imagine my surprise that there was only one visible picture of my child. If I would want to keep it, I had to buy it! We also received the post season book with pictures and other information. It was black and white and pictures were 2x2 inches. Why even bother?
• The original plan was for my son to spend the whole 8 weeks at the camp. He only stayed for the first session. The decision to cut the stay short was mutual. Schodack found him to “have a hard time following the rules”. The office called us twice to complain. What exactly did he do? He didn’t want to participate in one of the activities. He was hitting the trees with a stick during the hike. This was it! Nothing else! We asked : Did he physically hurt someone? The answer was No. Did he get in the fight? No. Was he rude to someone? No. Did he do anything against camp rules? Nope again. I agree his behavior may have been very annoying to the counselors, but to call parents because of it? The whole ordeal was very surprising to us, as our son never had any issues of sorts at school, nor at his previous camp where he went for the first two years. Our son spent the remainder of the summer at his old camp without any issues or concerns. Granted, we had no problems with refund. They sent us the check promptly, which we appreciated.
Camp should be a happy place for a child. Out of 17 boys, at least 3 left for one reason or another before the first session was over. What does it say? The whole experience was so negative and traumatizing to my son, I feel compelled to share it in a hopes no other child will be effected in...
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