City Style: Pick Your Poison Ivy


The days of one-size-fits-all summer camps are long gone. So are the days of shipping off Junior with minimal research. Send your kid to an overnight camp that fits his or her niche—whether it’s sports, soliloquies, or anything in between.


THE CLASS CLOWN
Camp: Circus Smirkus, Craftsbury Common, VT
Ages: 6–18
Activity of choice: Pie toss
Counselor bio: Professional bozo
Selling point: You’ve always threatened to sell him to the circus…
Boy-to-girl ratio: 1:1
First-kiss probability: High. Admit it: Cirque du Soleil is kind of hot.
Retention rate: 70 percent
Cost: $395 for two days; $1,895 for two weeks.
802-533-7443, circussmirkus.org.

THE VIRTUOSO
Camp: New England Music Camp, Sidney, ME
Ages: 12–18
Activity of choice: Diction for Singers
Must-pack accessory: Video iPod
Counselor bio: Ph.D. holder
First-kiss probability: High. You know what they say about band camp.
Boy-to-girl ratio: 9:11
Retention rate: 60 percent
Cost: $2,800–$5,500 for three, four, or seven weeks.
860-767-6530, nemusiccamp.com.

THE PURIST
Camp: Camp Schodack, Nassau, NY
Ages: 7–15
Activity of choice: Wakeboarding, rock climbing
Counselor bio: Former camper who just can’t say goodbye
Selling point: With two heated pools, it’s like the Four Seasons—with go-carts.
Boy-to-girl ratio: 1:1
Retention rate: 90 percent
Cost: $4,875 for three and a half weeks; $7,725 for seven weeks.
518-766-3100, schodack.com.

THE TECHIE
Camp: Emagination Computer Camps, Waltham
Ages: 8–17
Activity of choice: Video-game design
Counselor bio: Ivy League mathlete
Selling point: Your camper will bring home robots and RC cars—way cooler than macramé and tie-dye.
Under-the-bunk contraband: PCs for Dummies, camera phones
First-kiss probability: Low. The only things heating up here are hard drives.
Boy-to-girl ratio: 4:1
Retention rate: 50 percent
Cost: $2,245 for two weeks.
877-248-0206, computercamps.com.

THE DRAMA QUEEN
Camp: Long Lake Camp for the Arts, Long Lake, NY
Ages: 10–16
Activity of choice: Musical theater
Must-pack accessory: High School Musical soundtrack
Selling point: Swanky facilities and weekly laundry service make for a starlet’s dream.
Boy-to-girl ratio: 1:2
Retention rate: Over 50 percent
Cost: $4,450 for three weeks.
800-767-7111, longlakecamp.com.

THE NATURALIST
Camp: Earth Camp, West Greenwich, RI
Ages: 9–13
Activity of choice: Snorkeling
Counselor bio: Clipboard-clutching kid who accosts you on the sidewalk
Selling point: Hot showers are advertised. Read: This is as luxurious as things get.
First-kiss probability: Low. Scientific experiments distract from experimenting.
Boy-to-girl ratio: 1:1
Retention rate: 60 percent
Cost: $520–$675 for five nights.
401-397-3304 x6043, altonjonescamp.com.

THE JOCK
Camp: Dan Duquette Sports Academy, Hinsdale
Ages: 8–18
Activity of choice: Baseball
Must-pack accessory: Game face
Counselor bio: College athlete or aging pro
Under-the-bunk contraband: Summer reading
First-kiss probability: High. Competition gets hormones racing.
Boy-to-girl ratio: 3:2
Retention rate: 65 percent
Cost: $900 for one week.
800-745-1012, duquettesports.com.