Many villagers and staff have passed through Lac du Bois Hackensack since its' first use by Concordia Language Villages in 1976. The connections and community created among all those who pass through are long-standing and dear to our hearts, from villagers, counselors, support staff, site owners, maintenance staff to parents we see year after year.

The natural setting, lakes, and the waterfronts are part of the heart and soul of Lac du Bois Hackensack. As we develop ways to highlight our beautiful surroundings, we are seeking support for environmental education and awareness and further development of our nature trail and specialty outdoor skills program. We are also seeking support to refine program areas such as ethnic arts, music, dance, and literature. Additionally, we would like to develop funds for staff development and travel. The Village Vision for Lac du Bois Hackensack centers on these three areas.

1) A major part of the vision for Lac du Bois Hackensack is to emphasize and utilize unique aspects of the Camp Holiday natural setting, including our proximity to
Chippewa National Forest. Our Adventure Nature specialty program and nature trail curriculum are the centerpieces of this effort to instill a respect and appreciation for the environment in all our villagers and staff. We are working to develop a complete outdoor skills program based on the Outdoor Living Skills program formerly offered by the American Camping Association. Daily living at our site with simple lodgings and accommodations helps villagers to establish a personal connection to the natural world. Our vision in this area includes establishing support mechanisms for continued growth (including increased staff training, site development, continued program development, and equipment purchase/maintenance).

2) A second part of the vision is to continue to refine program activities and language curricula and to develop new programming. We are working on refining existing curricula to increase the use of principles of content-based instruction in two-week language curricula and in specialty programming. We are very interested in developing new programs in astronomy, creative writing, and the French-speaking world as well as further development of our dance, music, and ethnic arts areas.

3) Finally, one cannot forget the amazing staff members who take part in Lac du Bois. The hiring process is competitive and staff have varied and diverse backgrounds. The final part of our Village Vision is to increase the effectiveness of human resources at the village level, both during the summer and the school year. I am always hoping to offer more resources so they can continue to do a great job!

Bien sur, these visions are never meant to lose sight of the villagers and are chosen in an effort to always improve the experience of each villager. We are striving to create new ways to fulfill the mission of Concordia Language Villages, “to prepare young people for responsible citizenship in our global community”. Our hope is that by participating in our communauté Lac du Boisienne (Lac du Bois community), villagers will have lived the principles of cooperation, empathy, and community spirit that will enable them to approach world issues in a similar way.

Merci mille fois (Thank you a thousand times) for your support of Lac du Bois Hackensack. If you would like to know more about our Village Vision, please feel free to contact me by e-mail at any time of the year. If you or anyone you know would like to contribute in these areas, please let me know and also feel free to refer to our wish list!

Very sincerely,

Karen “Nicole” Anderson
Dean, Lac du Bois Hackensack
FH 18, 22, 24, 42
kanderso@cord.edu