Author Archives: Jack Buechler

ROGA Blog: Camp ROGA: Magic and Illusion

A little mystery, a dash of misdirection, and a whole lot of magic filled the air this week as Camp ROGA conjured up its Magic and Illusion week! Whether we were practicing levitation and wall-climbing spells, or pulling rabbits out of hats, our little magicians were pulling out all the stops for a grand magic show! So come one and come all as we give you a peek behind the curtain and show off just a couple of the spellbinding moments of this week!

Of course, before the magicians could cast any spells, they needed to craft their magical focuses. When making their magical implements, our magicians had a lot of options, and not just about what kind of spells they wanted to cast. On the one hand, you can not go wrong with a good old-fashioned wand. A quick implement, meant for speed of light casting, these wands were embedded with the powers of shooting stars! Made from popsicle sticks and sticker stars, these wands fit easily into the magician’s hands and would imbue them with abilities wrought in starlight. All they needed was a couple of magic words and a little belief to set them off. Of course, this also made for a lot of loud noise and flailing arms, as the magicians cast battle magic at each other, speaking gibberish and wildly gesticulating. Truly, it was a sight to behold.

Aside from just wands, campers would also come across two other tools to add to their arsenal. One was the Spinning Disk. This magical instrument was meant to beguile their foes and audiences alike with its rapid and mysterious spinning, and strange, arcane symbols carved on each side. The campers got very creative with this one. Some designed their Disks with spirals on one side to hypnotize any unwary passersby and get them to do their bidding. Some drew “terrifying” creatures on the sides to drive off any annoying mortals in fear. One student I saw also drew some actual Norse runes they had looked up before class on their disk, which were so far beyond my comprehension they made my head spin (he wouldn’t tell me what they meant). Another student would also use the seashells in the Camp ROGA flower bed to commune with the creatures of the ocean and ask for their wisdom. When they answered, though, the sea creatures sounded suspiciously like the Camp ROGA staff (who were whispering over their shoulders).

When it came down to practicing magic, we decided to stick with the classics, and you don’t get any more classic than levitation spells. We are also, luckily, very well acquainted with airtime. Above, you can see some of the magicians’ early attempts to get themselves up in the air and flying around. One technique we practiced was the classic flying broom. This involved campers mounting up on one of the bars, usually the ones near the rec floor, and using them to fly through the air. This magical, propelled flying required focus and a great deal of dexterity, as well as the ability to avoid falling off their brooms mid-flight. When that happened, they had to hang on tight with their arms or legs to stop themselves from plummeting off their broom!

Another spell our campers practiced was levitating objects instead of themselves. This technique was not as intuitive, and our magicians had to explore a couple of different pathways to success. In one method, they switched out their wands for magic staffs, using them to propel balls through the air in a mighty display of magical prowess. These worked by using air spirits hidden within the staffs to suck the balls in then spit them out with great force. Other campers tried using telekinesis to hold up objects in the air with nothing but their minds. While initially unsuccessful, after much practice using the power of their minds, the magicians figured out that they could use their minds to control their bodies to go and pick up the objects, so we called it a win. And finally, one magician decided to conjure up some rings to hold up his objects. This was very successful, but required an incredible amount of patience and dexterity to accomplish. Above, we can see him in the depths of concentration on his levitation ritual, working with the skill of a long-practiced master to give the power of flight.

Of course, no magic show would be complete without mastery over one of the most classic tricks of all: pulling a rabbit out of a hat. In order to accomplish this, our magicians felt it was best to get into the mindset of a rabbit. Above, you can see the magicians’ efforts to understand their little furry companions, as they transmute themselves into rabbits and conjure themselves out of hats. One game where the magicians did this was called “Rabbit in the Hat,” where the transmuted rabbits would run underneath a hat, trying to escape before it came down around them. When the hat was lifted back up again, any rabbit still trapped had mysteriously disappeared, and the hat seemed to have gotten a little bigger. One pair of siblings decided to take the experiment a step further. They procured a mat and, with a wave of their wands, transformed it into a hat! Then they hopped in and made themselves disappear (from where the coaches could see them).

Even magicians need food, so Camp ROGA conjured up some healthy and energizing snacks to keep their mana bars full and ready to keep casting spells. Here are just a few.

For one of the snacks, we decided to give the magicians another wand. The only difference was that this one was made of fruit, and the only spell it could cast was Power Word: Hunger be gone. For another snack, we designed a couple of magic carpets using fruit, yogurt, and Graham crackers to fly the campers all the way to Flavortown and back.

This week, some wicked witches cast a weather spell on us and told us to BEWARE THE IDES OF–Thursday, so we had water day on Tuesday instead. This did not stop our magicians from taking control of the elements, mainly water, and harnessing them to their whims. They used their power over water to accelerate their magic carpets, riding them at breakneck speeds while still letting them off safely when they were done flying. They also harnessed their water elements into Battle magic, tossing compact balls of water to and fro, determined to hunt down the evil witches who had cursed the camp with inclement weather, though, they might not have gotten the right people in the end.

And with that final spellbinding spectacle, Camp ROGA’s Magic and Illusion week drew to a magical close. From the magic wands to the sleight of hand tricks, it’s weeks like these that remind us that summer is truly magical. We hope you’ll join us next week for Camp ROGA Beach Bash week!

ROGA Blog: Camp ROGA Amazing Race Around the World

This week, Camp ROGA transformed into a high-energy global adventure. From obstacle courses to creativity challenges, campers raced across continents, tackling strength tests in every nation on Earth. Each day brought new destinations, skills, and nonstop action. Whether our racers were climbing through the Alps or on a stealthy trek through the jungle, they embraced the thrill of the journey. Here are just a few highlights from this whirlwind week around the world.

For Camp ROGA’s Amazing Race Around the World week, many preparations had to be made by our racers to ensure they were ready for the journey ahead. One of the biggest needs was transportation, so throughout the week, they prepared vehicles for every occasion, whether it was by land, air, or sea.

Here we see our racers in the beginning stages of constructing their racing airplanes. These airplanes would be made from sturdy straws, construction paper, and tape, all designed to have the minimum possible weight to ensure maximum airtime. In designing these airplanes, the name of the game was aerodynamics. Before any vehicle construction began, the racers knew that Camp ROGA would be holding a race for each of the vehicles they made during the week to see just how fast the ingenuity of our racers could take them. This lit a fire within the competitive spirits of the racers, and every effort was made to increase the flying capabilities of their aircraft. Many designs were tested, with test flights occurring regularly, to see which design would give the racers that competitive edge. Under the advice of the coaches, racers attempted to reduce the drag of their aircraft as much as they could. Racers discovered that many small things made a big difference – rapidly rubbing at the tape of their aircrafts to try and sand away any creases in the adhesive, meticulously straightening any crumpled paper, folding the paper edges of their craft to make a more rounded and less air resistant front end. All these micro adjustments would prove to be for good reason as the coaches would have a surprise for our precocious racers come racing day.

a collage of all the different crafts made during the week

All the focus on the speed of the aircraft left each airplane sorely lacking in endurance, but never fear, we had just the solution for the long rides over open water. For the next leg of their journey, racers needed to outfit a boat to take them across the many oceans they would need to cross during the race. Here, style and elegance took precedence over speed (at least for the body of their boats). Racers chose between a variety of gemstones they found on their journey to decorate their bows, trophies of lands seen and conquered as they went, and reminders of fond memories. When it came to the sails, though, the racers’ competitive spirit rose again. An intense discussion was held over the benefits of stickers covering the sails of the ships. One side suggested that by using stickers to cover the sails of the boats, racers would be weighing and slowing down the mechanism by which their ships were meant to speed along. The other side claimed that putting stickers on the sails was cool, and that lamer ships would travel slower. The debate wore on, along with a promise to settle things on racing day.

A collage of camper "training" in preparation for the races

Beyond vehicle readiness, preparations extended to the skills racers would need to pick up to brave the perils of whatever stood in their way. This meant much jumping and climbing of ropes, obstacle courses, and assorted blocks to ensure they had the strength and agility to climb over the mountains and through the jungles along their journey. Some concerns were also raised about what would happen should their airplanes malfunction while in the sky, so the coaches decided to run them through a practice simulation about how to use their parachutes. The procedure was taught, and the coaches made sure to run them through the gauntlet of what they should do if debris fell on their parachutes (foam blocks) and also taught them how to hide from any dangerous jungle cats they might encounter during their travels (played by their teammates).

The racers were also taught how to set up shelters for nightfall along their trek. Here we see a few of our racers using foam blocks to construct a fortified base camp at the center of the gym, which they would use to run a simulated defence of their fort against intruders. Many a woe and a foam block would befall any unlucky enough to step within range of their beloved fort. These temporary shelters would eventually need to be demolished and moved elsewhere in the gym, from the front floor, the TumblTrak, and into the red pit to simulate how the racers would need to move along as the race progressed. Eventually, the racers would come to love kicking down their forts as they prepared to move along, and it became somewhat of a competition to see who could do it the fastest.

image of camper guessing the flags on a wall

Also important for any journey was knowledge of where you are journeying to. Set up around the gym were various walls full of flags of all the countries of the world. The coaches would periodically quiz the students on every flag in the gym to make sure the racers would know where they were, wherever they might find themselves. Racers were initially hesitant to join in and do a little homework outside of school, but when coaches began offering them 10 seconds of extra free time for every correct guess, the race was on to see who could name as many flags as possible. It wasn’t long before the racers began quizzing the coaches on the flags, and it became a point of pride for the racers if they could trip a coach up on a particularly difficult flag.

A collage of all the snacks given out by Camp ROGA during the week

Racers worked up an appetite with all their preparations. Among the Camp ROGA snacks this week were banana sailboats, race car fruit, wafer airplanes, and cheese and apple pirate ships.

a collage of all the different race tournaments done during racing day

At last, it was race day. Racers geared up and readied their crafts for a day of nonstop racing and competitions as they each tested the ingenuity and mettle of their designs against each other. Lots of cheering was heard across the gym as racers goaded on their teammates as they competed in mini-tournaments against each other. But the racers were also in for a surprise as the coaches had made preparations of their own. When the time came for the vehicle races, the coaches unveiled massive behemoths of their own, vehicles made to crush the competition – airplanes made out of a hundred straws and with conical heads, and ships made with many masts. Our little racers had to team up against this threat and take them down for good. In the end, the plucky engines made throughout the week by the racers dominated the larger, slower engines made by the coaches, which sank or plummeted far too fast to outpace the light and agile engines of the racers.

Collage of campers participating in water day

When the racers finally eked over the finish line, with the race over and won, they had time to relax on the beach (ROGA Lawn and water slides) … and also to pelt the coaches with water balloons for ever daring to try and beat them at their own game.

And with that final climactic battle, the Amazing Race Around the World came to an end. Join us next week for Magic and Illusion week at Camp ROGA!

ROGA Blog: Camp ROGA Ninja Warrior Week

Summer rolled on this week at Camp ROGA, and our Ninjas in training rose to every challenge for Ninja Warrior week! From climbing ropes to crafting gear, every activity helped build strength, focus, and confidence. Whether they were swinging through the air or creating something by hand, these Ninjas were learning, growing, and having a great time along the way. Here are just a few highlights from another awesome week at Camp ROGA.

Activities and games at Camp ROGA summer camp. — Activities and games at Camp ROGA

This week, our Ninjas took on a different kind of warrior, the Samurai. Samurai Coach Payton faced the Ninjas during one of our end-of-day group games, playing Samurai and Ninjas. In this game, the Samurai stands in the middle of the team floor, guarding his treasure from any would-be thieves. The Ninjas would then try to sneak past the Samurai without being seen, standing still, or hiding behind a block or another Ninja whenever the Samurai turned to look at them. Any Ninja caught would have to return to their base to regroup and try again, but they had to hurry! There was only so much treasure to go around, so Ninjas who were caught had to make up the distance they had lost before other Ninjas beat them to their prize. This game was action-packed and was one of our campers’ favorites this week.

Two girls building a block tower at Camp ROGA summer camp.

After their theft of the treasure, the Ninjas had to find a place to hide their ill-gotten gains. To do so, they engaged in one of our other games for this week, Build The Secret Hideout. Here, the Ninjas would take blocks from the ROGA foam pit and use them to build a tower to hide their treasure, racing to see who could build the tallest and sturdiest fort before the Samurai came to take their treasure back. Our precocious Ninja teams employed numerous different strategies. Some opted to build tottering single block spires as high as they could, to hide their treasure away from the prying eyes of the Samurai. Some built stocky and sturdy towers, many blocks wide, within which they would hide their hidden hoards. One of the more successful strategies involved a combination of these methods, where campers would first construct a sturdy base, then make the tower gradually more narrow as it went up. Regardless of tower-building strategy, though, when it came time to relocate, the Ninjas had a lot of fun tearing them down.

Two boys climbing the Ninja Rig at Camp ROGA summer camp.

While agility, stealth, and speed are the classic traits of any great Ninja, true warriors also need courage, determination, and a strong grip. Enter Theo. One of the training stations our ninjas participated in was a rope climb, which stretches up 25 feet to the ceiling of the gym. All our Ninjas gave the rope a good attempt, and some made it impressively high, but Theo wanted to outdo them all. Hand over hand, and foot over foot, Theo moved steadily upward, slowly at first, but gaining speed and confidence all the way. Theo’s feat of endurance did not go unnoticed either, as a crowd of spectators would gradually form at the foot of the rope to watch him make his climb. At one point, every camper in the gym was waiting with bated breath as he reached towards the ceiling, and when he slapped it, there was a thunderous cheer. Theo then slid down from the rope to the floor in a truly gracious motion, where his friends waited to say congratulations.

A girl on uneven bars and a boy practicing handstands at Camp ROGA summer camp.

Theo’s accomplishments were the talk of the dojo, but other Ninjas would not let him hog all the spotlight. Earlier in the week, another camper, Jordan, set before herself the task of jumping from one uneven bar to the other. She has seen athletes perform similar tasks in the Olympics, and confirmed with the Coaches that it was possible, but she had never tried it before the week had started. However, the fear of the unknown had no sway over Jordan, and she fought past her initial nervousness of the task day after day, until finally, on the third day, she succeeded. What made Jordan’s moment of accomplishment legendary wasn’t just the leap itself; it was also the patience, persistence, and the absolute confidence of a Ninja who never gives up. Jordan and Theo weren’t the only campers who accomplished something truly wonderful during camp; they were just a couple of those that I saw. Many more students this week took a step forward into the unknown, seen or otherwise, that might have changed them more than they knew. We hope to keep giving this opportunity to more campers as the summer barrels onwards.

Girls showing off their Ninja pouch craft at Camp ROGA summer camp.

In the quieter parts of the Dojo, our Ninjas were hard at work crafting new gear to add to their stealth kits. One of these pieces was the Bottomless Ninja Pouch, each of which was crafted to resemble its Ninja users. Above, you can see one camper in the process of putting the final touches on her own pouch, readying it to carry important other parts of her Ninja gear. Designs like pictured were quite popular, but were far from the only ones that campers made. One design I made note of had 9 eyes, and another had three scarves. One camper even decided to seal her pouch and its contents away forever (with glue) so that none could ever glimpse her secrets again.

Campers showing off their Substitution Dolls at Camp ROGA summer camp.

Campers showing off paper ninja stars at Camp ROGA summer camp.

The pouches were a good start, but what use was infinite storage if you had nothing to fill it up with? Luckily, Camp ROGA had a steady stream of gear to fill the pouches to the bursting. Two such pieces were the Ninja Stars and the Substitution Doll. First, the Substitution doll. This craft was one of the more difficult ones of this week for the campers, as they had quite a few parts (beads, hollow straws, pipe cleaners, etc.) and a lot of directions on how they should be put together. However, our campers’ diligence and patience paid off, as by completing their doll, they could use the Shadow Substitution technique. This technique calls for great speed and misdirection abilities, as Ninjas used the dolls as a distraction, throwing them before vanishing in a flash, leaving only the doll where they stood. This technique mystifies coaches and delights campers with their newfound abilities of evading detection. Also pictured are some of the Ninja stars our campers made, throwable objects requiring great precision and skill (and needing to be aimed away from other Ninjas). Camp ROGA provided one design for campers to decorate as they please, but some Ninjas decided to spend some long hours in the workshop and create their own designs in a stunning display of ingenuity and creativity.

Ninja themed snacks at Camp ROGA summer camp.

All of these activities were hard work; even Ninjas need refueling every so often, and we made sure they got it. During our themed snack break, campers were treated to two fun, camp-favorite creations that brought a little extra excitement to the day. First up: Ninja Clementines. These peeled oranges had faces drawn on the rinds and little black bandanas (made with fruit by the foot) wrapped around them, turning each one into a sneaky citrus warrior. Even Ninjas have to get all their vitamins, and dressing them up can make a healthy snack a fun experience. Also pictured was our ROGA Camp “Sushi”. This treat was made from Rice Krispies bars rolled in fruit by the foot, with a Swedish Fish tucked inside to look just like a piece of sushi. Campers loved how they looked, but even more how they tasted.

Camper holding water balloons at Camp ROGA summer camp.

After a week spent training and arming up for battle, our Ninjas were raring for a battle of the ages, and the opportunity came on Thursday with our weekly end-of-camp Water Day. Camp ROGA always keeps a large stockpile of reusable water balloons, but this week the Ninjas were playing for keeps. Alliances were formed, and sides were chosen as Ninjas scrambled to stockpile as many water balloons as they could for their own armies. As supplies grew scarce, raids were mounted on opposing camps to claim their water balloons for themselves. Pictured above is one warrior as she prepares to charge into an enemy camp along with all her brothers and sisters in arms. The battle would be long, gruelling and filled with uncertainty, with betrayal taking place regularly, and with both sides claiming victory in the end. But one thing remained clear as the dust settled: everyone had a lot of fun.

Group photo of campers at Camp ROGA summer camp.

And with that final climactic battle, Camp ROGA Ninja Warrior week came to its conclusion for the 2025 season. Many memories were made and challenges overcome. The energy and teamwork we saw this week reminded us why summer at the gym is such a unique experience. We are proud of our Ninjas and hope you will join us next week as we take on an Amazing Race Around the World!

ROGA Blog: Camp ROGA Superhero Training Academy

Camp ROGA 2025 kicked off this week with a BANG! ZAP! POW! Each week at Camp ROGA is guided by a different theme.

This week was Superhero Training Academy, featuring various Superhero-themed snacks, games, and other activities. Our Camp Coordinator, Shelly, has been hard at work since last November planning and prepping for Camp ROGA 2025, and our Camp ROGA staff take painstaking effort to ensure a summer of unforgettable moments for every camper.

Let’s revisit some of our favorite moments of Superhero Training Academy.

Our campers took to the skies on the rope swing (pictured is Maxi) to see what Spider-Man feels like as he swings through the air. In this activity, campers run up the Warp Wall and then grab a rope and swing down. Campers can get some serious airtime depending on how far up the wall they go. The pendulum effect of the rope had them swinging from one side of the gym to the other. Not to worry, though, as the floor beneath the rope was covered in cloud mats to ensure a soft landing for each little hero.

Kids at Camp ROGA having fun battling with pool noodles

Campers got to put their new skills to the test playing Takedown The Super Villain. Pictured are Lucy, Ingrid, Lizzy, Sadie, and Flynn, pulling out all the stops to take down the dastardly Coach Jack. This pool noodle sword battle left Coach Jack and his Blackhearted ways begging for mercy. Coach Jack’s pleas did not seem to reach our ragtag heroes.

Kids at Camp ROGA jumping in the indoor gymnastics play area

In Operation Clean Sweep, Villains had been littering debris throughout the city, and it was up to our heroes to keep the city safe. This activity has two teams, the heroes and the villains, competing to see who can keep their side of the city free of debris. The skies above the City were alight with a great consuming trash storm as blocks flew back and forth between opposing teams. The Villains got very into their parts, and many a menacing laugh was heard before a new cascade of blocks rained down on the unsuspecting heroes.

Kids at Camp ROGA holding hands in the indoor gymnastics play area

Fresh off their battle on the streets, the heroes race back to headquarters only to find themselves falling into the villain’s trap! Here we see our heroes as they raced through a maze made up of villains, trying to get through before the villains’ trap could fall into place. In this game, the villains would link arms together in a circle while the heroes ran underneath their arms. When the Coaches would call out “Super Snare!” the villains would drop from their feet and let their trap fall into place. All heroes trapped would be ensnared by the ever-growing web of villainy, until there were only a few heroes left. This was a much-requested game throughout the week.

In the Splash and Clash showdown, our campers faced off in a race across Aqualand on a 100 ft slip and slide. Campers competed to see who could race across the slip and slide fastest, while avoiding the treacherous obstacles on their path to victory. Danielle (above) would ultimately claim victory (at least while I was watching), though many rematches would be had throughout the day. This activity was part of Camp ROGA’s weekly water day, where campers are given the opportunity to take to the ROGA lawn for an hour of water and fun.

A boy playing with his superhero shield at the superhero-themed week of Camp ROGA

One of the most important parts of the Superhero Training Academy was the development of our superhero arsenals. Campers had the opportunity to outfit themselves with various gadgets and gizmos to ensure they were prepared for the rigors of the week ahead. In this picture, we find ourselves in the middle of the testing phase of our shield development program. During this activity, Campers designed shields similar to those of Captain America, though the design was ultimately left in their hands. Part of our development process was to test which design philosophy made shields the most durable. The cardboard our shields were made from was surprisingly durable, enough to take several punches, so the campers decided to put them to the test. Multiple different ideas were put forward by the campers, from completely covering the shield with tissue paper to soften the blow, to riveting the shield with hard glue and paper, to just leaving it with no glue and only colorings. Ultimately, the riveting technique turned out to be the most durable, with too much glue softening the cardboard, and no glue resulting in a lack of reinforcement. Regardless of technique, though, putting our shields through their paces was a lot of fun!

Rounding out our arsenal was a piece of the kit all superheroes need: the mask. The ultimate concealer of identity and the first line of defense, all heroes turn to. Here we have pictured one of the designs our superheroes in training worked on, which was a scratcher mask. The kids had a lot of fun making these, and we saw a wide range of design philosophies. Cody, the camper sitting down third from the left, gave his mask a big scar, which was given to him by a dastardly villain. This activity also inspired another camper, Thomas, to go home and design his own mask, which resembled a spider. He used it to make himself a reimagined Spider-Man with many more proboscises and eyes.

A snack at Camp ROGA featuring various berries and pretzels

A snack at Camp ROGA featuring string cheese decorated as superhero

Also suiting up are the healthy snacks provided by Camp ROGA every day. After a long day in the shield development department, our campers were hankering for a refueling, and our fruit shields provided just enough nutrition to get them back in the action. Made with Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, and yogurt-covered pretzels, there was something sweet for everyone. Also pictured are caped-up cheese strings, which our coaches loved making, and the campers loved tearing apart.

Kids at Camp ROGA pose in a group portrait

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. With the week over, all capes are now folded, all masks are put away, and all shields are very badly dented and warped from too much testing. But never fear, and keep your eyes to the sky, Camp ROGA will be back next week with Ninja Warrior Week!