As this successful year draws to close, it is important to look back on our accomplishments and memories of the past in order to appreciate the impact of the Center on those who visit here and work here.

The mission of the Princeton-Blairstown Center has withstood the test of time. In 1908, the Princeton Summer Camp in Bay Head offered high-quality outdoor education, including swimming, hiking, and nature study to thirty young men each week who would not otherwise have had such opportunities. After Bay Head was sold, the camp moved to Bear Mountain temporarily before finding its permanent home in Blairstown in 1930. Bass Lake offered much of the initial draw, with a brochure from that time noting, “The woods on the property furnish an excellent opportunity for hiking, nature study and woodcraft, and the altitude of the camp is sufficient to afford a cool and delightful climate through the hot summer months.”

In 1946, the racial desegregation of the camp was led by George Reeves, Camp Cook and Chairman of Board for the Witherspoon YMCA of Princeton, and the early 1970’s saw the first young women attend. The Princeton Summer Camp became the Princeton Education Center at Blairstown in 1975, “the better to pursue its educational and urban outreach objectives.”

Although no longer a part of the University, the Princeton-Blairstown Center maintains its commitment to providing equitable access to outdoor education for young people from historically marginalized communities. In addition, there is a stalwart focus on nurturing their social-emotional skills through experiential, environmental, and adventure-based programming that traces back to the beginning of this organization.

And since the beginning, the impact of our dedicated staff has been without question. Whether it was George Reeves’ work to increase racial equity, Ev Pinneo’s commitment to a “joyous, healthy, confidence-building outdoor experience,” the dedication of Eleanor Bayles over her thirty-one year tenure at the camp, or Jose Gonzalez’s inspiring nature-based life lessons, the people who live and work at Blairstown make a difference every day.

Today, our two most tenured staff members are Pat Karl, Operations Manager, who joined us in 2006, and Jody Zengulis, Vice President of Facilities, who started here in 1997.

Pat recalls with fondness a lively all-staff meeting that started with a scavenger hunt across the entire property. As she remembers, “I conquered a daunting bridge and felt embraced by support, especially as a newcomer. It solidified my choice to leave the corporate world for a place where I truly belong. Hearing others' passion for our mission reassured me.”

Jody’s most impactful memory is linked to his interactions with the teenagers in the Leader-in-Training program, which accepts ten young people from Newark and Trenton into a six-week intensive that allows them to explore options for their future, while building confidence and leadership skills. As Jody recalls, “During the LIT program, we get to teach kids all kinds of different things. In my department, we teach them to hang pictures, fix sheetrock, repair leaky faucets, etc. I remember one young gentleman who was really into everything we were teaching him. He thought it was the greatest thing! After he finished with our department training, he came up to me and said, ‘I really appreciate everything you taught me. I never grew up with a father, and I look at you like a father figure.’ For me, that was special because I didn’t grow up with a father myself, so that moment is always going to hold a special place in my heart.”

Princeton-Blairstown Center is fortunate to have such dedicated and talented individuals serving our mission every day. We believe the work that all of us do today will ensure the next 115 years of transformative outdoor education. Please join us in celebrating this monumental year, and many more to come!

Historical details are gratefully excerpted from William K. Selden’s The Princeton Summer Camp, 1908-1975.