Like Sisters & Brothers

by Ariella Rogge on March 15

A troubling trend we have been reading about is the growing perception of a “gender gap” in the current culture. Like many cultural topics, it appears the far ends of the spectrum have become more rigid, entrenched and unwilling to seek to “understand each other’s understandings.” With the release of “Adolescence” on Netflix this month, it seems like opportunities for personal, authentic, in-real-life communication and connection between girls and boys (and men and women, for that matter) are being lost to social media platforms where name-calling, cyber-bullying and objectification are rampant.

My own son has acknowledged how hard it is to “talk to girls” these days and his forays into communication and connection have often been almost entirely online and don’t result in any true relationship or real friendship. My nieces also have shared how divided the genders are in their large high school, and–even when dating–their boyfriends (and the girls themselves) are subject to jealousy and ridicule from their peer group for even HAVING a girlfriend/boyfriend.

Sure, the positive trends appear to be there: less risky behavior, less underage drinking and less sexual activity in the early teen, high school and even college age groups–yet the impact of technological social isolation and the inability for adolescents, teens, emerging adults and even quite a few adults to interact with each other without feeling anxious, awkward and unnerved by the interaction is alarming. Which is why, at camp, we will continue to create opportunities for people to “live together in the natural world, building a sense of self, a sense of community, a sense of the earth and a sense of wonder through fun and adventure.”

Our individual Big Spring and High Trails communities are designed to be uplifting, empowering, supportive and caring while creating opportunities for campers and staff to deepen their individual confidence through the development of competence in the outdoors and in community living environments…and they are going to make mistakes.

People are messy and we have become more and more fearful of the mistakes that may cause us–or people around us–heartache, headache or any sort of emotional discomfort. And we also know that it is only in that discomfort where we will learn and grow.

In 2025, the Sanborn team is looking forward to increasing opportunities for full Sanborn staff trainings, from aligning cultural values activities, to respectful boundaries trainings, to hikes, games and explorations of the property and to strategies for supporting campers (and staff members) mental emotional and social health while they are at camp.

Mostly, it is about modeling how we can interact positively and respectfully while creating an incredible summer of fun and adventure together.

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Ariella Rogge
About Ariella Rogge

Ariella started her career at Sanborn when she was twelve. After five years of camper and five years of Sanborn staff experience, she continued her work with kids in the high school classroom. Ariella and her family returned to Sanborn in 2001 to take on the Program Director role which she held til 2012. She and Elizabeth Marable became co-directors of High Trails in 2013 and then Ariella became the High Trails Director in 2020. In the fall of 2022 she became the Director of Sanborn Western Camps, overseeing the director teams of both Big Spring and High Trails. She lists mountain golf, Gymkhana, climbing mountains and making Pad Thai in the backcountry as some of her favorite activities at camp. Ariella received a B.A. in English from Colorado College and is a certified secondary English educator,an ACCT Level 2 Ropes Course Technician, an ARC lifeguard and NREMT and WEMT. She lives in Florissant in the summer and in Green Mountain Falls during the school year so she can stay involved with the busy lives of her husband, Matt, and two sons, Lairden and Karsten.