Barely a quarter of a mile in from the street one can discover a whole new world. A gentle hill, a sparkling mirror lake, tall pine and maple trees, rustic cabins, this is a very special place where girls finishing 2nd to 9th grade come to feed their spirit and grow strong in mind and body.

From the first excited hello hugs to the last tearful goodbyes, Nyoda girls spend their time here forging lifelong friendships, learning new skills, perfecting old ones, and achieving independence, all while having an amazing amount of fun! Celebrating 100 years in 2017, this tradition of play and personal exploration makes Nyoda more than just a summer camp. It is a second home to all who attend here, and when we go, each of us takes a small piece of it with us until the next time.

It was just over 100 years ago that the story of Camp Nyoda began. Lee and Grover Smith, who were raising three girls in Montclair, New Jersey, made a very progressive decision. It was a time when girls were learning how to cook, run a household, knit, and sew, but learning skills beyond those was just not accessible. The Smith’s had a very different vision for their daughters. At that time, summer camps had only been created for boys. So, they set out to find the perfect place for their daughters to live their summers in the outdoors, a place where they could challenge their limits, learn new skills, and become confident young women, while focusing on cultivating the spirit within and developing deep and lasting friendships. The perfect spot was found in Oak Ridge, New Jersey. There were rolling hills, a lake, and plenty of open space, so they purchased the 125 acres and named it “Nyoda,” after the Indian name for “rainbow,” which so often appear over our beautiful mountain after a rainstorm.

In 1917, the Smith’s vision first came to be, when about 60 girls from Glen Ridge, Montclair, and Verona, attended a summer camp just for girls for the very first time. It was monumental! So much so that the Montclair Times ran an article every week highlighting the activities that the girls at Camp Nyoda were enjoying. Nyoda has been a private camp since its inception, but in the early days it was a place where the Camp Fire Girls Circle of Montclair and Glen Ridge could go to work on their outdoor skills and progress through the Camp Fire Girls levels.

Nyoda has remained in the same family for four generations, all of whom have honored its original vision of living by work, health, and love. The family members have carried many traditions forward, but have also embraced the future by creating new customs for modern generations of girls. Many alumnae have had the pleasure of seeing their daughters, nieces, and even granddaughters, attend Nyoda and love it just as much as they did. Much has changed for girls and women since 1917, but one thing that remains is Nyoda, which still teaches girls to face challenges and develop in mind and body. It is a place where girls learn the value of working toward goals and supporting each other. Nyoda is a place where girls feel accepted enough to to be their truest selves. A place that helps girls like who they are.