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Science Fun At Nabby!

What makes science so much fun?

1. The questions and challenges it presents
2. The discoveries you make along the way
3. The chance to try new things—and get a little messy!
4. Learning from mistakes and trying new ways to reach a goal
5. All of the above!

At Nabby, the answer is definitely all of the above! Our first and second graders, along with campers who choose Science during Interest Periods, have spent the summer experimenting, creating, problem-solving and discovering. We caught up with Science Dave to learn more about what’s been happening in the Science Room.

Nabby: Science Dave, how long have you been doing science with kids?

Science Dave: Since I first started teaching – a little more than 40 years ago!

Nabby: What kinds of activities have you been doing with our campers?

Science Dave: Our first graders have explored properties like density through experiments with colored fizzing tablets, oil and water and, of course, a camper favorite: slime!

Our second graders have experimented with Orbeez and dry ice and explored how inertia, gravity and friction work together— including the challenge of getting an egg to fall into a cup! They’ve also tested their ideas by building index-card structures and experimenting with miniature cars.

During Interest Periods, third graders have built and launched rockets, constructed working circuits and even built fan-powered cars. Our older campers tackled another fun engineering challenge: creating a design that would allow a marble to travel across a one-meter square in eight seconds or more!

Nabby: What else have campers explored—or can they look
forward to?

Science Dave: We’ve experimented with the power of the sun by flying a 50-foot solar bag, inflated six-foot Bernoulli bags with one breath, and watched the always-popular Elephant Toothpaste experiment! Still to come, we’ll explore everything from glow-in-the-dark science, sound and optical illusions to centripetal force, potato launching and slingshot rockets.

Swim Program Makes A Splash!

Swimming has always been one of Camp Nabby’s signature programs. Every camper enjoys two swim periods each day, morning instructional swim and afternoon free swim, giving children the opportunity to build skills, gain confidence, and simply have fun in the water.

Our goal is simple: help every camper become a stronger, more confident swimmer, whether they’re putting their face in the water for the very first time or refining advanced skills.

Leading this year’s swim program is Pool Director Adam Shavitz, now in his sixth summer at Nabby. During the school year, Adam is a Special Education teacher at Clarkstown North High School, where he also coaches track and the Unified Basketball Team. With more than 30 years of teaching children to swim, Adam brings both experience and enthusiasm to the pool each day

“Creating a safe environment is the foundation of every great day at the pool. I’m incredibly proud of our lifeguard team, whose energy and commitment help every camper, from our newest swimmers to our most experienced, build confidence in the water. Teaching children to swim is a gift they’ll carry with them for a lifetime, and watching that confidence grow each day brings me so much joy.”
-ADAM

Camp Nabby’s three pools allow campers to learn and progress at their own pace. Our two heated teaching pools are designed for beginning and intermediate swimmers, while our state-of-the-art large pool, with its diving board, slide, and spacious swim area, is home to our more advanced swimmers.

To ensure every child swims safely and in the appropriate pool, campers complete a swim evaluation at the start of camp. As their skills improve, they have opportunities throughout the summer to earn new swim bands by demonstrating increasingly advanced swimming and water safety skills.

Whether it’s earning a new swim band, swimming across the pool for the first time, or simply feeling more comfortable in the water, every accomplishment is celebrated. By the end of the summer, we hope every camper leaves Nabby with stronger swimming skills, greater confidence, and a lifelong love of the water.

Meet The Educators Behind The Fun

While summer camp is all about laughter, friendships, and adventure, many of the people helping make the magic happen at Camp Nabby spend the rest of the year doing something very familiar – teaching.

Our three Program Directors, Alex Kuritzky, Sam Stern, and Joe Constantinides, are all educators who bring their passion for working with children from the classroom to camp each summer. Together, they oversee camp programming, support counselors, lead activities and special events, and help ensure every camper has a positive, engaging, and memorable summer.

Alex Kuritzky | Program Director, Pre-K through 1st Grade
Although this is Alex’s first summer on staff, Camp Nabby has been part of his life for much longer. A former Nabby camper and now a Nabby parent, Alex teaches at Fox Lane High School during the school year and brings endless energy to our youngest campers.

One of the things Alex appreciates most about Nabby is the opportunity campers have to discover new interests.

“Even if a child isn’t necessarily interested in sports, they’re exposed to so many different activities. Sometimes that exposure helps them realize they actually love something they never would have tried during the school year.” – Alex

From left to right – Steve, Cassandra and Vinny.

Cassandra running a soccer game with Douglass.

Vinny and Steve sharing laughs with the Skidmore girls!

Passing The Torch: Sports Specialists Build Skills, Confidence, And Fun

Physical education has always been at the heart of Nabby’s summer experience. When Frank and Flo Bertino purchased Camp Nabby in 1970, Frank – then the athletic director and head football coach at Riverdale Country School – reshaped the camp’s program to emphasize teamwork, cooperation, athletic development, and social skills. These values remain the foundation of Nabby’s mission today.

With more than 35 years as a physical education teacher and swim coach, their son Joe continues that legacy, making fitness and skill development a key part of every camper’s day.

This summer, we’re proud to welcome three dynamic sports specialists who bring a passion for physical education, a deep understanding of youth development, and a love of the game to our program. Their focus: building skills, boosting confidence, and always keeping it fun.

Vinny and Steve, new to Nabby this summer, are leading the way in our Junior Camp. Their goal is to support gross motor skill development through structured activities and play.

Vinny, a physical education teacher at a charter school, discovered Nabby through our very own Senior Camp Program Director – his former high school football coach, Joe C! He’s also enjoying life as a Nabby parent, with both of his young sons enrolled. After just one day, one of his sons told him: “I can’t wait to go to sleep so I can wake up and go to Nabby!”

Steve, who lives in Yorktown and has been teaching Physical Education in Pelham for over 24 years, also coaches football, basketball, and lacrosse. With experience at a variety of summer camps, he brings a well-rounded coaching style and a deep love for teaching: “It’s easy to work here – the counselors are so wonderful with the campers, and the kids have been listening and excited to learn.”

This summer, junior campers are learning the fundamentals of basketball (dribbling, passing, shooting) and baseball (hitting o! a tee, base running, throwing, and fielding). “There are lots of future basketball and baseball stars here,” Steve adds.

Returning for her second summer at Nabby is Cassandra, a full-time physical education and health teacher at The Hackley School and a coach for girls soccer and lacrosse. This summer, Cassandra is working with third grade and senior campers, creating full-season activity and progression plans that keep sports instruction fresh and developmentally appropriate.

Before camp began, all three specialists led training sessions during sta! orientation, giving group counselors the tools to run engaging and instructional games with their campers.

Together, their shared goal is simple but powerful: help campers build skills, develop a love for sports, and – above all – have fun!

Supporting Every Camper: Welcoming LISA SCHUR, Our New Behavorial Support Specialist

We’re always looking for meaningful ways to enhance the camp experience for every child. This summer, we’re excited to welcome Lisa Schur, M.S.Ed in a brand-new role as our Behavioral Support Specialist.

Lisa will work closely with our team to support campers based on individual needs. She will be responsible for providing practical feedback and strategies to promote positive behavior and emotional well-being. Her role will add an important layer of support across camp by helping to ensure that every camper feels safe, understood, and can fully enjoy a positive camp experience.

Lisa attended the University of Miami for both undergraduate and graduate school. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Childhood Psychology and Journalism. In addition, Lisa also graduated with a dual Maser’s degree in Special Education and Counseling Psychology. Since relocating to New York in 1999, she has worked as a NY State certified special education teacher and has dedicated her career to supporting children with a wide range of needs and abilities.

For more than two decades, Lisa has worked with general and special education students, providing services through NY State’s Early Intervention Program, as well as CPSE services approved through local school districts. In addition, Lisa has also provided academic support to school aged students from K-12. Based in Northern Westchester since 2004, Lisa has developed a reputation for her compassionate and practical hands-on approach.

“While there are many aspects about my job that I love, seeing the positive educational and emotional impact not only on the child, but on the whole family unit is the most rewarding,” she shares.

Lisa’s first introduction to Nabby was 15 years ago when she provided services to one of our campers at the time. Since then, she has been a regular service provider at Nabby, working with campers every summer. As she looks ahead to this summer, Lisa is eager to bring her wealth of experience to a setting that celebrates community, growth, and joy.

“My goals for the summer are to help children navigate social-emotional challenges and provide them with the tools to reach their full potential. In addition, being able to collaborate with counselors and staff to share strategies they can utilize to support campers in my absence is another aspect of my role I am looking forward to,” Lisa says.

While every camper is unique, having Lisa on site gives our team an added layer of support to respond thoughtfully and compassionately to the needs of each child. Her presence builds on the strong foundation of care and connection that’s always been at the heart of Nabby.