Brooks School Day Camp

Ages 11-14

Empowering Young Leaders in Group Four – Embracing Ownership and Taking Healthy Risks.

The Group Four experience at Brooks School Day Camp is thoughtfully designed to foster leadership, ownership, and the courage to take healthy risks. These fundamental attributes naturally develop through a diverse range of engaging activities.

Campers in Group Four are entering the early stages of adolescence, a time when they begin to project into the future and use their thinking and reasoning abilities to develop expectations for specific outcomes. While they can think abstractly, they still rely heavily on active learning with their peers. At Brooks School Day Camp, we are committed to empowering campers to become active participants in exploring and understanding their areas of interest.

In every activity area, campers will interact with a dedicated team of counselors who are deeply passionate about youth development. Each two-week session is themed to foster camaraderie and a strong sense of belonging, enhancing your child’s overall experience. The Group Four schedule offers the utmost flexibility and encourages self-directed choices. Participants are encouraged to try new experiences, including the thrilling Flying Squirrel challenge on our ropes course and the exciting Survival Challenge.

Explore the incredible opportunities that await your child at Brooks by previewing our daily schedule. Join us in nurturing their leadership, ownership, and the courage to embrace healthy risks for a summer of growth and empowerment.

Brooks School Day Camp offers an unparalleled array of activities that set it apart from other local camps. Nestled on our expansive 270-acre campus by the picturesque Lake Cochichewick, our dedicated and experienced staff provide specialized instruction in a diverse range of activities. Each day, children will embark on an exciting journey, engaging in dynamic indoor and outdoor activities that promise new adventures daily.

Read Full Activity Descriptions

Archery
Arts & Crafts
Boating & Fishing
Drama
Explorations
Gaga
Game Zone
Golf
Gymnastics
Lawn Games
Music
Soccer
Sports
Strength & Agility
Swim Lessons & Free Swim
Tennis

Schedule

A Typical Day

8:30–9:00 AM	Drop-Off
9:00–9:10 AM	Morning Meeting
9:10–9:45 AM	Golf
9:55–10:30 AM	Drama
10:30–10:45 AM	Snack
10:45–11:20 AM	Choice Block
11:30–12:05 PM	Swim Lessons
12:15–12:35 PM	Lunch
12:45–1:20 PM	Arts & Crafts
1:30–2:05 PM	Archery
2:05–2:20 PM	Snack
2:20–2:55 PM	Free Swim
3:05–3:40 PM	Explorations
3:40–3:50 PM	Afternoon Meeting
4:00–4:30 PM	Pick-Up

Photos

A group of children wearing helmets and harnesses stands in a line outdoors, supervised by an adult instructor.

A boy smiles while holding onto the edge of a swimming pool, partially submerged in the water.

Five young boys wearing casual summer clothes and Crocs stand on a paved path in a park, smiling at the camera.

A group of children and an adult wearing a "staff" shirt are running up a forested trail.

A group of children wearing Patriots jerseys stand on a grassy field, smiling at the camera.

Three boys stand closely together on a grassy field.

Person diving into a swimming pool while others, including children and a lifeguard, observe.

A group of 12 people, mostly young teens, stand on stage in a line, raising their right legs in unison.

A group of enthusiastic children, wearing casual and vibrant summer clothes, gather outdoors, some shouting or cheering, suggesting an energetic and lively environment.

Children swimming in a pool, some wearing goggles, while one child practices a freestyle stroke in a swim lane.

Program Team

Robert Upton

Group Four Coordinator

Rob leads the team of counselors for campers aged eleven to fourteen. He has taught middle and high school history since 2006 and lives in Georgetown with his family. Rob earned his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Syracuse University and an M.Ed. in Teaching from Salem State University. Outside the classroom, he enjoys coaching soccer and high school basketball. In his free time, Rob loves spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Rebekah (Becky) LaRochelle

Day Camp Supervisor

Rebekah (Becky) joined Brooks in 2017 as a Group Coordinator and now serves as the Day Camp Supervisor, dedicated to ensuring Brooks School Day Camp provides the best experience possible for campers and their families. She oversees the planning, administration, and daily operation of the camp, working closely with the leadership team and group coordinators to create engaging and effective programming. Becky is passionate about youth development and fostering a positive environment. Her two sons were campers at Brooks and are now part of the camp staff. Becky holds an M.A.Ed. and B.S. from Salem State University and teaches second grade. She lives in North Andover with her husband and enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Lynn Bowen

Head Group Coordinator

Lynn has been attending camp at Brooks since the age of four, spending over 30 summers building friendships and making lasting memories. During the school year, she is a Preschool Teacher at Temple Emanuel Preschool in Andover. At camp, Lynn serves as the Head Group Coordinator, focusing on supporting the Day Camp leadership team. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband Steve, son Jackson, and dog Indy, as well as doing Zumba at the gym or relaxing on the beach in Maine.

Peter Moccia

Aquatics Supervisor

Peter Moccia, originally from Haverhill, studied chemistry at the University of Connecticut and has been a science teacher at Brooks School for seven years. He lives on campus with his family and oversees the aquatics programs during the summer. With extensive experience in swimming pools and lifeguarding, Peter has been involved in pool operations since he was 16. He is lifeguard certified and a Certified Pool Operator (CPO), working closely with the facilities team to ensure pool safety. Peter loves seeing the campus transform into a vibrant camp community and has been part of the camp staff for three summers.

Kenya Jones

Activities Supervisor

Kenya leads the sixteen activity teams at Brooks School Summer Programs, fostering a welcoming, positive camp environment that encourages independence, leadership, and healthy risk-taking. Kenya has been involved with the program for over twenty years, serving as an activity counselor and LIT Coordinator. He joined the Brooks School faculty in 2007 and has held roles including form dean, psychology teacher, coach, and now Associate Director of Admission and first team boys basketball coach. Kenya earned his B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Legal Studies from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, cooking, playing trivia, and cheering for New York sports teams.

Renae Cerri

Activities Coordinator

Renae Cerri joined the Brooks School Summer Programs team in 2017. She graduated from Salem State University with a double major in elementary education and geological sciences. A former gymnast and volleyball player, Renae has a passion for sports and active living. She loves spending time outdoors and going on trips with friends and family. After serving as the gymnastics head at Brooks, Renae now co-leads the activities team, where she oversees the daily planning, implementation, and operation of sixteen camp activity areas and co-manages camp-wide special events.

Nicole Belisle

Logistics Supervisor

Nicole is passionate about the food service industry and plays a key role in the Brooks School Summer Programs, where she supervises the logistics team to ensure compliance with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and North Andover Board of Health regulations. With nearly twenty years of experience in school-based nutritional services, Nicole holds certifications in ServSafe, Allergy Awareness, CPR, and First Aid. During the school year, she works as a teaching assistant and leads a team of youth development professionals in North Andover’s after-school program. In her free time, Nicole enjoys softball, tennis, and gaming. She lives in North Andover with her husband, two dogs, and a cat.

A woman with long light brown hair and a wide smile is standing outdoors with greenery and mountains in the background.

Melissa Donais

Health Care Consultant

Melissa Donais, RN, FNP-BC, joined Brooks in the fall of 2021 as the Director of Health and Wellness. She is also an assistant coach for the Brooks boys and girls cross country teams. She is a 2002 graduate of Phillips Academy Andover and 2006 graduate with distinction from Yale University, where she was awarded the Lily Rosen Prize in Women’s Health for her senior thesis on the Female Athlete Triad, now known as RED-S syndrome. In 2010, Donais obtained her master’s degree in nursing at Boston College. For eleven years, she worked as a primary care family nurse practitioner at North Reading Medical Associates, affiliated with Winchester Hospital. An accomplished runner, she competed in cross country and track in high school and college, and continues to enjoy competing in local and regional events. Donais lives in North Andover, Mass., with her husband Nate, two young children Brennan and Audrey, and her brittany spaniel Uta.

Juli Morse

Health Services Supervisor

Juli directs all aspects of the health center’s operation in accordance with state and local regulations and collaborates with our Health Care Consultant. She comes to Brooks with over ten years of experience in healthcare administration. After graduating from Providence College in 2011, she worked in the field before returning to school to pursue a degree in Nursing. She is now a medical-surgical RN at a local community hospital and Brooks School. At camp, Juli focuses on creating a welcoming environment that prioritizes wellness and safety. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors with her husband, two kids, and golden retriever, with a special love for swimming, playing tennis, and camping.

Core Programs