Camp Mataponi: Residential Summer Camp for Girls in Maine

Camp Mataponi does not offer a traditional academic or language course. Its educational focus is on life skills, character development, and activity-based learning. The program is carefully designed to promote individual and group development through a structured daily schedule. The "curriculum" consists of a core set of activities (land/water sports, tennis, ropes course) combined with personally chosen electives. Learning happens experientially in a supportive environment that emphasizes healthy competition, teamwork, and personal achievement under the guidance of skilled instructors and dedicated "camp mom" unit leaders.

The base tuition for the 7-week summer session includes the full camp program, all standard activities, on-camp transportation, laundry, and towel service. Transportation to and from the camp is an additional charge billed separately. Optional overnight trips for girls in grades 6-10 are also available for an extra cost. A deposit is required with the application, followed by several staged payments. There is also a limited 4-week session option for younger campers.

Campers live in cabins positioned along the shore of Sebago Lake. Cabin assignments are based on age and school grade, with younger groups (8-9 campers) and older groups (up to 12, with lodges sleeping up to 45). The overall camper-to-counselor ratio is 3:1. Cabins are equipped with fire and smoke detection devices. The bunk life is a core experience, designed to foster a sense of community and sisterhood, with careful attention paid to creating compatible cabin groups based on interests, personalities, and backgrounds.

Camp Mataponi provides full board with all meals included. Meals are prepared fresh daily and served buffet/family-style, with campers eating with their cabin groups. The menu is designed to be nutritious, well-balanced, and kid-friendly, featuring daily salad bars, varied breakfast choices, fresh fruit throughout the day, an afternoon snack, and evening snacks. The camp is a nut-free environment and has a dedicated chef to accommodate various dietary needs, including allergies, celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and vegetarian/vegan preferences.

The camp offers a wide array of structured activities aimed at physical, creative, and social development. The program includes land sports (soccer, lacrosse, softball), water sports (swimming, sailing, waterskiing on Sebago Lake), tennis, gymnastics, equestrian, a ropes/challenge course, and fine/performing arts (theater, dance, ceramics, jewelry making). A unique "Camp Sisters" program pairs older and younger campers. Evenings feature special all-camp events, traditional activities like campfires, and unique Mataponi traditions such as Birthday Ball and Jamboree.

The camp boasts extensive, well-maintained facilities on its lakefront property. These include over 5000 feet of beachfront, a waterfront for boating and swimming, a waterski facility with boats, 12 all-weather tennis courts, multiple athletic fields, an indoor gymnasium, an outdoor and indoor theater, a large arts & crafts studio, a gymnastics center, a dance studio, an equestrian center with 12 horses, a ropes/challenge course, and a fully equipped health center. The dining hall serves the entire camp community at once.

Camp Mataponi is led by owners with over 25 years of hands-on experience, fostering a partnership with each family. The staff is meticulously selected through personal interviews, reference checks, and criminal background screenings. Many administrative and head staff return year after year, ensuring continuity and expertise. The atmosphere is nurturing, supportive, and focused on building character and confidence. The camp is accredited by the American Camp Association and maintains rigorous health and safety protocols, including a 24/7 health center staffed by nurses and an in-camp doctor.