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Encyclopedia WinterCampica - Winter Camp Universal Evaluation System

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Encyclopedia WinterCampica - Winter Camp Universal Evaluation System

The Winter Camp Universal Evaluation System was developed at the WCBS beginning in 1996 as a means to put all Winter Camps on some sort of common footing and perhaps to settle for all time the question of which Winter Camp was indeed the best or worst ever-or at least to provide new ammunition for the ongoing debate on that topic. The WCUES takes the various goals established for Winter Camp over the years, either formally or informally, and awards points for various accomplishments. As the areas assessed include attendance and program innovation, there is effectively no maximum score.

Seven categories comprised the original WCUES:

  1. Attendance: Points are awarded for total attendance, youth attendance, first-time Winter Campers, and participants who return the next year-thus making it necessary to wait a year before computing any Winter Camp's initial score.
  2. Meals: Points are awarded for new meal themes and retroactively awarded to past Winter Camps when a meal theme is presented for the tenth time.
  3. Events: Points are awarded for new activities, official and unofficial, and retroactively awarded to past Winter Camps when an event is held for the tenth time. This dynamic feature allows for the possibility that past Winter Camps may see their scores rise in the future as historic meals and events recur. In short: No decisions are final.
  4. Publications: Points are awarded for each newspaper edition and for any books released during camp.
  5. Traditions: Points are awarded for the establishment of new Winter Camp traditions, as certified by their listing in the Winter Camp Manual.
  6. Computers: Points are awarded for new computer hardware and for computer programs written by Winter Campers for Winter Camp. Web innovations are considered as programs.
  7. Weather: Points are awarded for temperature range, with bonus points added for tempera- tures below 10? F.

The WCUES was reviewed and extensively revised in 2021 by Steve Donohue. The acronym was completed by adding the following new categories:

  1. Impact: 3 points are apiece awarded for stories and events from that Winter Camp still being repeated 5 or more years later.
  2. Recognition: 5 points are awarded for each Winter Camp Participation Award or Winter Camp University degree awarded at camp.
  3. News: This was spun off from Publications to separate books and newspapers.

The current leader in the "Best Winter Camp" contest is Winter Camp IV, with 361 points.
Winter Camp I holds down last place with a score of 183. The details of these scores can be seen on the history for each camp or on the site in the History category.
Entry Created: 01/01/2021   Last Update: 01/25/2022


WCUES Scores by Camp

Winter CampScore
I183
II338
III307
IV358
V292
VI245
VII195
VIII190
IX292
X227
XI221
XII250
XIII247
XIV272
XV196
XVI211
XVII254
XVIII203
XIX232
XX277
XXI346
XXII342
XXIII278
XXIV341
XXV295
XXVI351
XXVII257
XXVIII285
XXIX315
XXX284
XXXI239
XXXII239
XXXIII299
XXXIV292
XXXV307
XXXVI323
XXXVII329
XXXVIII303
XXXIX272
XL305
XLI345
XLII314
XLIII276
XLIV353
XLV343
XLVI228
XLVII195
XLVIII116
XLIX60

WCUES Scores in Order

RankScoreWinter Camp
1.358IV
2.353XLIV
3.351XXVI
4.346XXI
5.345XLI
6.343XLV
7.342XXII
8.341XXIV
9.338II
10.329XXXVII
11.323XXXVI
12.315XXIX
13.314XLII
14.307XXXV
15.307III
16.305XL
17.303XXXVIII
18.299XXXIII
19.295XXV
20.292V
21.292XXXIV
22.292IX
23.285XXVIII
24.284XXX
25.278XXIII
26.277XX
27.276XLIII
28.272XIV
29.272XXXIX
30.257XXVII
31.254XVII
32.250XII
33.247XIII
34.245VI
35.239XXXI
36.239XXXII
37.232XIX
38.228XLVI
39.227X
40.221XI
41.211XVI
42.203XVIII
43.196XV
44.195VII
45.195XLVII
46.190VIII
47.183I
48.116XLVIII
49.60XLIX*

* Any score could improve if activities or meals are repeated for a tenth time, but this camp is also missing returning members.

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