Every fall, after the cabins are empty and the lake has gone quiet, we ask families one simple question: how did we do? This year, the answer was loud and clear, 98.5% of surveyed parents said they’d recommend Camp Jewell to another family. That number means a lot to us, but the real story is in why families feel that way.
Confidence Comes Home With Them
Over and over, parents told us the same thing in different words: their kids came home more sure of themselves. Not because we handed out trophies, but because camp gave kids room to try, fail, and try again, climbing a wall, riding a horse for the first time, or just introducing themselves to a stranger in their cabin. One parent put it simply: their son “learned new things and got to build his independence and sense of self-efficacy.” That’s not an accident. It’s what happens when kids are given real responsibility in a safe, supportive setting.
Friendships That Outlast the Summer
If there’s one word that shows up again and again in our survey responses, it’s friends. Parents describe kids who count down the days until they can see their cabinmates again, who track their counselors on Instagram all winter, who’ve made friends they’ve traveled across state lines to visit. Camp has always been about relationships first, activities are just the vehicle.
The Screen-Free Difference
We hear this from parents almost every summer, and this year was no different: families notice the shift when their kids come home from a place with no phones, no tablets, no scrolling. Parents describe their children as more present, more talkative, more there, qualities that don’t show up in a spreadsheet but matter enormously to the people who filled out our survey.
A Place Where Every Kid Belongs
Several responses this year came from families whose kids have unique needs — including a foster parent whose son has autism, who told us how much they appreciated the staff’s care and communication. That kind of feedback tells us our commitment to being a place “where every child feels at home” isn’t just a tagline. It’s something families are actually experiencing, and it’s something we intend to keep building on.
What This Means for Next Summer
Survey feedback doesn’t just sit in a folder, it shapes what we do next. The consistent praise for our counselors reminds us why staff training and retention matter so much. The comments about independence and confidence reinforce why our LIT and CIT leadership programs are core to what we do, not an add-on. And the recurring theme of belonging keeps our tiered pricing and financial assistance programs a priority, because a 98.5% recommendation rate only means something if camp stays within reach for the families who need it most.
To every family who took the time to fill out this year’s survey: thank you. Your honesty helps us stay the place your kids can’t stop talking about, long after the bags are unpacked.
Thinking about summer 2027? Learn more about our programs or arrange a tour to see it for yourself.
