Daily Life
Daily Life
A camper's experience at The Heart is made up of so many things. Perhaps most important is the friendships she makes. Or perhaps it's the confidence she gains by mastering new skills. But it's also the day-to-day things, like her cabin, her sisterhood, and her shared meals. And parents can be comfortable knowing that The Heart is safe and meets the high standards of a recognized national accreditation body.
Accommodations
At The Heart, campers are placed into cabins based on their age and grade level. Younger campers reside in smaller cabins with a five-to-one camper-to-counselor ratio, a single bathroom, and a closet. As campers get older, the cabins become larger, with our oldest age division accommodating up to 12 campers and three counselors, and featuring bigger bathrooms!
We have five age divisions: Minions: 6-8 years old; Sophomores: 9-10 years old; Juniors: 11-12 years old; Seniors: 13-14 years old; and Teens: 15-16 years old.
Abiding in the Abrigos
Abrigo 1 and 2 are in the middle of camp near our tennis courts. They are side by side and share a swinging door in the middle.
Each cabin sleeps ten Seniors (13 - 14) and two counselors. The girls have three sinks, toilets, and showers in each Abrigo. They each get their own bathroom cubby and shared closet space.
Home in Adobe Village
Our Teens (15 - 16) live in Adobe Village 1 and 2, near our aviary and office. They are back-to-back cabins that sleep 16 — three or four counselors with 12 or 13 campers.
The setup is similar to the Abrigos, with four sinks, toilets, and showers. Larger cubbies are for storage and each cabin has two closets. The Adobes have an outside fireplace and petite patio on the side for evening devotionals among the cabinmates.
Residing in The Dwellings
The Dwellings is home to our older Juniors (11 - 12) and younger Seniors (13 - 14). Located above our Art Studios and Garage, they consist of three large cabins: Agarita Attic, Buckeye Bunk, and Cactus Flower Cottage.
These cabins feature eight sets of bunk beds. These bunks each have two or three showers, toilets, and sinks and a spacious drawer for each camper. There are also additional cabinets for storage above the drawers, and a small amount of room for hanging clothes.
Life in The Lodge
The Lodge holds our Minions (6 - 8), Sophomores (9 - 10), and the younger Juniors (11 - 12). These cabins were originally hotel rooms. There are three outside floors and one inside hallway.
Each cabin generally holds five campers and one counselor. They have their own bathroom and closet. The Lodge is convenient for the younger campers as it is attached to our Dining Hall and Orenda, the wellness center.
Sisterhoods
Campers love their Sisterhoods! Their enthusiasm is infectious!
On her very first day at The Heart, each new girl is sorted into a Sisterhood by drawing a bead from a basket. If that bead is blue, she becomes a member of the Powerful Thunderbird Sisterhood, and if it’s green, she’s with the Sisterhood of the Strong Crossed Arrows. The “T-birds” and “Arrows” are a part of the greater Heart Sisterhood, to which the counselors also belong.
Big and Little Sisters are assigned within each Sisterhood. Throughout the term the Sisterhoods compete in friendly games and contests, and the coveted cup is awarded to the Sisterhood that accumulates the most points.
Campers earn points not only in athletic competitions, but also by completing self-assessments of their personal habits, and all other aspects of camp—from good table manners to individual skills achievements.
"Heart O’ the Hills provides a perfect blend of adventure, learning, and fun. My daughter’s summer was full of new experiences and lasting friendships. We’re grateful for the impact this camp has had on her.”
Meals at The Heart
Food at The Heart is served family style. Two counselors head each table with eight campers. Everyone rotates to a new table each week so they are able to sit and enjoy meals with new friends. In addition to what is served at the table, there are supplemental breakfast and salad bars to provide extra choices.
The active lifestyle of campers calls for lots of protein and energy producing carbs, which camp menus reflect. While there is no guarantee every meal will be a favorite, diverse likes and dislikes, allergies and dietary restrictions are taken into consideration in the planning.
We try to make each meal from scratch and not mixes. Every day we have homemade bread and homemade ice cream (a tradition we adopted from our brother camp, Stewart). Many ingredients are locally sourced in the farm-to-table manner.
Campers are encouraged to try three bites of everything. Campers earn tribe points for good table manners.
After lunch and dinner, the entire dining hall joins in song from our cherished songbooks (and, as it turns out, group singing has proven psychological benefits). Even if it’s your first time at camp, you’ll quickly catch on to our quirky tunes.
Menu items are selected to provide nutritional meals that appeal to campers. When feeding many people, we understand that it’s important to provide choices. We often present different entrees for vegetarians, and many vegetarian choices are available on the salad bar at each meal.
Some of the daily options, in addition to our regular menu items, include King Ranch chicken, spaghetti and meat sauce, fajitas, chicken tetrazzini, macaroni and cheese, meat loaf with gravy, chicken pot pie, seafood jambalaya, taco salad, sweet and sour pork.
Worship
On Sundays, we gather as a camp on the banks of the Guadalupe for all-faith worship. We sing inspirational songs together, or hear the songs of our Volunteer Voices (campers and counselors who love to sing, and practice in their scant free time). A series of prayers became part of worship the very first year The Heart was established—and we repeat those same prayers today.
Birthday girls are recognized, and we make wishes for them as they toss pebbles into the river, and a brief message of inspiration or encouragement is given.
Girls come to The Heart from a wide range of religious backgrounds. We are not affiliated with any particular religion or denomination and we do not proselytize. We want girls to become better people, and we think that in the short time that they are here, we can reinforce the best values and virtues that they bring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that come up frequently among campers and parents, especially among first-timers.