Camp News

Hye Camp Day 7

The last day of Hye Camp is always unique with Soorp Badarak service in the morning, no classes, extra free time, Hye Camp Olympics competition all afternoon and the Hye Camp Talent Show in the evening. Fr. Tavit Boyajian celebrated Badarak in the morning and we all took communion before embarking on our last day together.

A fun evening of singing, dancing, and acting lasted until a bonfire was lit and we all ate smores and looked back on a memorable week and a successful Hye Camp 2008. Tomorrow, we’ll be up bright and early to meet parents, board our busses, and head home looking forward to when we meet again next summer.

Hye Camp Day 6

Hye Camp was brimming with excitement this morning. The Hye Camp Dance would be in the evening, the John Paklaian Band would be performing, and we all couldn’t wait to try out our brand new dance step called The Chi-town Glide. 7:30 couldn’t come soon enough, but before it did here’s what happened. In Arts & Crafts, campers created icons of the Assumption, while in Religion class Fr. Tavit shared the meaning and significance of the feast day.

“Uncle Harry” Kezelian led Culture and Heritage class, teaching campers how to play the dumbeg using our empty drinking water jugs.

Sports featured the Fr. Tavit Home Run Derby. Two campers, Hunter Muckel and Troy Farsakian, managed to eclipse Fr. Tavit’s display of strength while three staff also bested our powerful Hye Camp Director.

Dinner time featured a rising swell of anticipation for the big dance, along with a second edition W-HYE Hye Camp News.

At long last, as campers began to emerge from their cabins cleaned up and ready to dance, the clarinet and oud and dumbeg could be heard from one end of camp to the other. Soon, the dance floor was packed and it was kef time at Hye Camp!!!

Campers Kyle Paklaian and Michael Babowice, along with Troy Farsakian and James Rabjohns, created a brand new dance step this week that they call “The Chi-town Glide”. After practicing all week and teaching everyone in the camp, it was finally time for the world premiere of The Chi-town Glide set to live music.

As the evening came to a close, tired campers made their way back to their cabins for a good nights rest before our last full day at Hye Camp. All of us at Hye Camp offer our thanks and gratitude to the John Paklaian band for the entertainment they provide Hye Camp this year and every year.

Hye Camp Day 5

Hye Camp was lavished by some very special treats today, courtesy of the Chicago area churches. We indulged in choreg & cheese for breakfast, donated jointly by the Womens Guild from both the St. Gregory (Chicago) and St. James (Evanston) parishes. Surpazan led us in morning prayers, and took a final tour around camp to see our campers in their classes, before heading back to New York.

Armenian Language classes continued to use the new laptops, and campers made “Eyes of God” in Arts & Crafts. Yn. Tirouhe Boyajian taught religion classes & Debbie DerAsadourian led Armenian dance instruction with Megan Jendian during Culture & Heritage.

Hye Camp is also blessed to have a number of accomplished Armenian dancers as campers and staff, primarily from the Arax dance group in Detroit and the Sardarabed dance group in Chicago, and their assistance and participation in Culture & Heritage classes has been a great addition. All the campers have been practicing their steps so they can show off their moves tomorrow night at the Hye Camp Dance.

In the afternoon, campers competed in the “Closest to the pin” Frisbee toss during their sports sessions and everything was running smoothly until a full blown water balloon fight broke out, creating a slight distraction. Unfortunately, yours truly was offered no media immunity so the camera was unavailable at that time. As sports wrapped up, the familiar smells of Kef Time wafted across campus. Haig Pedian had the grills stoked and a couple hundred kebabs cooking for our second special treat of the day. The Knights & Daughters of Vartan (Chicago) served up the kebabs, salad, and pilaf for our traditional Shish Kebab Dinner.

Full on good food, it was time for our second Hye Camp Olympics competition, the Hye Camp favorite Capture The Flag. The eight Olympic teams are joined into two groups, and over 150 campers and staff battle to steal the opponents flag and safely recover it back to their home base. The Red Team, consisting of teams Supa Hye, The Hills Have Hyes, Hye School Musical, and The Hye Knight, won a close competition, giving all four teams first place points. After two events, The Hills Have Hyes and Hye School Musical are starting to distance themselves from the rest of the field. To calm down before bed time we had Hye Camp Movie Night, before finally turning in for the night. Hye Camp would like to thank the Womens Guild from both St. Gregory and St. James for their delicious choreg, John Paklaian and Haig Pedian for cutting all the lamb for our Shish Kebabs, and the Knights & Daughters of Vartan for providing everything we could ever wish for a great Armenian cookout.

Hye Camp 4

Today was a magical day at Hye Camp, complete with a magician, a little fire, and a very special guest. Following breakfast and morning prayers, the campers received their Hye Camp 2008 t-shirts during Arts & Crafts class. Led by instructors Sue Mardoian and Jill Soghomonian, sisters that are Hye Camp alumni, the campers perfected their tie-dye technique to transform their shirts into colorful mosaics.

During Armenian Language class, instructors Anita Arslanian and Cindy Russell were helping campers take full advantage of the laptops that arrived from New York on Monday. There was even an opportunity to show off the benefits of the laptops when Archbishop Khajag Barsamian arrived to visit Hye Camp.

Surpazan arrived just after lunch and was able to see all of our classes as well as our afternoon sports & swimming activities. As is tradition at Hye Camp, the first of our staff vs. camper sports challenge was held this afternoon. Hye Camp Staff Director Lisa Mardigian sank 5 free throws and only two of our junior girls, Tara Mikaelian & Nicole Darian, were able to beat that mark. The fun was only just beginning because after dinner we were treated to a professional magic show including tricks, slight of hand, voice impressions, singing, and sword tricks.

As if that wasn’t enough fun for the evening, campers headed over to a roaring bonfire to sing songs, tell stories, and eat smores.

Tomorrow, Hye Camp Olympics will continue with a game of capture the flag. For those keeping score at home, Team 2 “The Hills Have Hyes” won the Team Cheer competition followed by Team 7 “Hye Jump” and Team 3 “Hye-School Musical”.

Hye Camp Day 3

Today was a day of surprises at Hye Camp. The first surprise came first thing when we woke up to clear skies that offered no hint of the rain we though we would see.

The second surprise came after breakfast as each age group had their Armenian Language class. 20 laptops, loaded with Armenian language tutorial software, had arrived at Hye Camp Monday evening and were setup and ready for all of Tuesday’s classes to use. The laptops, which had already spent the summer in use at St. Vartan camp in New York, provide a fun and interactive way for our campers to learn and explore the Armenian language.

The third surprise came after dinner, when we kicked off Hye Camp Olympics. All eight teams were assembled and the first competition was announced. Each team had an hour to come up with their team name and a team cheer, which were then judged by our esteemed panel of experts.

All our surprises made a typical Hye Camp day of learning, laughing, eating and being with friends all that much more special.

We can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow!!!

Hye Camp Day 2

Hye Camp awoke to cloudy skies and a rainy forecast, however we were blessed with the opportunity to complete our daily schedule with almost no interruption.

After breakfast, Fr. Yeprem Kelegian led our morning prayer service and inspired campers and staff reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Galations. He challenged all of us to follow in the footsteps of our Saints through joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, generous, faithful and gentle actions, especially during our time at camp. Campers began their first day of the camp class schedule, consisting of Religion, Armenian Language, Armenian Heritage & Culture, and Arts & Crafts.

After lunch, everyone had the opportunity to spend time on the sports fields playing with friends, as well as swimming in the pool. Through the morning and afternoon the rain came and went, but thankfully stayed away at all the right times. In the evening, long time Hye Camp treasured guest Maestro Khoren Mekhanejian led everyone in all their favorite Armenian folk songs until it was just about time for bed. Before the campers started to turn in for the night, everyone gathered for our evening prayer service with Fr. Yeprem.

He sought an update on the challenge he had presented earlier in the day, and took the opportunity to discuss the different ideas behind the concept of success. To illustrate his point, he explained the meaning behind the Armenian word for success, Hachoghootiun, which translates to “doer of the right thing”. To be a successful Christian, we all have to strive to do the right thing all the time. After a blessed and inspiring first full day at Hye Camp, we are all ready to embrace that challenge.

Hye Camp 2008 kicks off!!!

Cars, vans, busses and even a stretch limo converged upon Camp Hickory and, though it feels like just yesterday when we were last here, Hye Camp 2008 has begun!!! The afternoon was a scene of hugs & bacheegs, high fives, laughing and catching up until everyone was invited into the Fr. Haroutiun Dagley chapel for introductions and parents orientation.

Fr. Tavit Boyajian, the director of Hye Camp, welcomed all the newly arrived campers, introduced the staff, and led everyone in a short prayer service.

Afterwards, everyone was invited to the traditional Hye Camp opening day cookout where we enjoyed burgers & brats.

Time flies when you’re having fun and, before we knew it, it was 6:00 and it was time to say goodbye to all the parents and start the Hye Camp program.

After a full camper & staff welcome meeting, everyone dispersed to their assigned cabins where the staff & campers in each cabin got to spend time together and settle in. An evening snack wrapped up the first day of Hye Camp 2008 and soon everyone was in bed resting up for the first exciting day of classes, singing, dancing, sports, swimming and fellowship.