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Short Histories of Our Programs
Camp Kieve for Boys
Camp Kieve for Boys first opened its doors in 1926,
the brainchild of Donald Kennedy, a Philadelphia schoolteacher.
His idea was to create a summer camp with a minimum of rules,
balanced by a large number of understanding counselors and a
program downplaying competition between individuals; rather,
the goal was encouraging campers to set and surpass personal
goals. This remains as true today as it was more than seventy
years ago.
Wilderness tripping has always been an integral
part of the Kieve experience. Younger boys may spend only a night
or two camping out; older boys may be away from camp as long as
many as 23 days during a session.
For the first four-and-a-half decades Kieve remained
under the ownership of the Kennedy Family; however, in 1974 it became
a not-for-profit educational foundation governed by a self-perpetuating
Board of Trustees. The current CEO, Henry Kennedy, is the grandson
of the founder.
Today’s camp enrolls approximately 500 boys
between the ages of eight and sixteen divided into two separate
26-day sessions. In addition, there are two 10-day sessions for
Junior Kievers, boys eight through ten years old, who wish a
shorter exposure to an overnight environment.
Wavus Camp for Girls
Begun in 1922 by “Chief” and Emma Andrews, by the 1960s Wavus had grown into the brother/sister camps of Damariscotta Camp and Camp Wawanock, lead by Harold & Shirley Westerman. The camps focused on progressive achievement and skill development. Four program levels culminated in the Gold Medal, earned over the years by over two hundred children. The Wavus Camps closed in 1976, was sold to a private owner, and lay dormant for almost 20 years. In 1992 the Wavus Foundation and alumni purchased the ninety-five acres and in 1995 Wavus reopened as a summer day camp.Opened in the Summer of 2006, the Wavus Camp for Girls had a fabulously
successful first two years with 226 girls attending from all over the world in '06 and over 300 girls for the summer of '07.
See more by clicking the Wavus link below. The campus is stunningly beautiful with new cabins and upgraded facilities that make for a perfect summer camp!
The Leadership School (formerly Leadership
Decisions Institute)
In 1981 Kieve expanded its programs designed to
serve children and adolescents by establishing the Kieve Leadership
Decisions Institute (now called The Leadership School), certified by the State of Maine as a
non-traditional limited purpose school. The Leadership School's mission is: to help
students improve self-confidence, develop the capacity to make wise
decisions, raise aspirations, and enhance group cooperation.
Today The Leadership School works with more than 8,000 Maine children
annually, both at its Nobleboro campus and in the schools themselves.
The curriculum teaches decision-making skills in areas such as human
relationships, drug and alcohol use, conflict resolution and collaborative
work within a group. In addition to working with the students themselves,
the program believes strongly in "teaching the teachers"
and also works with parents and other community members to help
them develop strategies to manage and solve the challenges facing
youth today.
Kieve West
Inaugurating in the summer of 2002, Kieve West
is a 25-day coed summer wilderness experience set in Colorado’s
Rocky Mountains. Backcountry skills such as off trail navigation,
small group travel, wilderness first aid, river crossing, and rock
climbing are taught in a wilderness setting unavailable on the
East Coast. In addition to backcountry skills, a major focus of
Kieve West is leadership development. Participants, aged 16 to
18, study, observe, and most importantly, practice leadership skills.
The course is designed for young men and women with some wilderness
experience who desire to become outdoor leaders. Those who successfully
complete the program will find themselves strong and qualified
candidates for many leadership positions, both at Kieve and elsewhere.
The Kennedy Learning Center
The Richard C. Kennedy Learning Center was conceived
and constructed in 1994 to provide a place where adults, parents,
educators, and community and business leaders can gather for
retreats and workshops in a comfortable, hospitable and serene
setting. In addition, the facility serves the needs of each of
Kieve’s
programs by providing meeting space and training facilities. While
not it’s primary mission, the Learning Center also hosts a
number of social functions, including family reunions,
and birthday parties.
The Learning Center has a well-deserved reputation
for its excellent cuisine and its beautiful accommodations and equipment.
It is positioned directly adjacent to Lake Damariscotta and provides
a wide variety of seasonal recreational activities. With the completion
of the Cutler Annex in 2002, the Learning Center can accommodate
as many as 31 guests overnight.
9/11 Family Camp
In our 6th year, this camp provides rest, relaxation and lots of fun for families affected by the events of September 11th, 2001. Families are from FDNY Ladder Comapny 3, FDNY Battalion 6, Cantor Fitzgerald and The Pentagon.
Alumni & Family Adventure Camp
Kieve and Wavus are pleased to invite alumni and
families back to camp during the summer
for our Alumni and Family Adventure Camp. This is an opportunity to rediscover the home of childhood summers, to reconnect with old friends and a chance to meet new friends with whom common experiences were shared. This is also a wonderful time to relax and play in old stomping grounds and to experience a little bit of what it’s like to be a camper all over again or for the very first time. As campers there are opportunities to try different summer camp activities, go on various local trips, explore both of the Kieve Wavus camps, or simply share a morsel of time with friends on beautiful Damariscotta Lake.
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