The PineCast

Pine Island Camp

Tune in to hear updates about Pine Island Camp and the upcoming summer season. Director Alex Toole shares important announcements, fun camp facts, PIC trivia, camper and staff shoutouts, and listener questions. Our older episodes feature the PineCast Oral History Project. This project documents the camp's history by showcasing some of PIC's most iconic personalities.

  1. 1D AGO

    Season 2, Episode 5: Special Guest Matt Kennard!

    This week, we're excited to share a conversation with Pine Island alum and current PIC Board member Matt Kennard. Matt attended Pine Island as a camper from 1994 to 1998 and now serves as CEO of BetterLesson, a professional development and coaching organization created by teachers, for teachers. BetterLesson partners with K–12 districts to use resources more strategically, support student-centered classrooms, prepare students for college and careers, and strengthen instructional leadership. In this episode, Matt reflects on his years at Pine Island and the lasting influence of the camp community on his personal and professional path. We explore his career journey, how camp experiences translate into college and career readiness, and why formative summer experiences matter deeply for child development. The conversation also ranges into making major life changes, the role of ancient societies in shaping modern community, and the enduring importance of male friendships. We wrap up with a quick lightning round! We're excited to bring more guest conversations to the podcast in the months ahead. For now, enjoy this thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion with Matt Kennard.

    50 min

  2. 12/23/2025

    Season 2, Episode 4: Season's Greetings!

    In this episode, we update listeners on what we've been up to; we give a fun fact about a high-speed activity we used to have at PIC (unbelievably); we give the answer to our trivia question about Sacred Animals and deliver a new trivia question; and we deliver a season's greetings message! Oh, and can't forget: staff and camper shout-outs! As always, send your trivia answers and listener mailbag questions into the podcast by emailing Alex at atoole@pineisland.org or Hannah at hgordon@pineisland.org, and be sure to subscribe to the PineCast. Remember: Gracious Living is our Goal, and Pine Island Always Wins! Akka Lakka!

    14 min

  3. 11/25/2025

    Season 2, Episode 3: A Very Grateful Pine Island Thanksgiving

    Today on the podcast, we do something a little different. Instead of our usual format, Alex reads a letter that we sent out, from him, to the broader Pine Island community in the spirit of Thanksgiving. This is an important time to practice gratitude, and in this letter Alex expresses many things for which he is grateful this season. If there are things from the Pine Island universe that bring you feelings of gratitude, reach out and share them! Send them to Alex, atoole@pineisland.org, or Hannah, hgordon@pineisland.org. We'd be happy to share them on the next episode of the PineCast!

    12 min

  4. 11/11/2025

    What We've Been Up To, Info Nights, and Corrections!

    Welcome back for a new season of the PineCast! Season 1 followed us as we prepared for the 2025 camp season, and season 2 will track the lead-up to the 2026 camp season. We're excited that you're tuning in! In this episode, we update listeners on what we've been up to, personally and in our preparation for camp; we provide corrections to our fun facts from last episode; we give the answer(s) to our trivia question about Magoon; and we hit you with a new trivia question about Sacred Animals! As always, send your trivia answers and listener mailbag questions into the podcast by emailing Alex at atoole@pineisland.org or Hannah at hgordon@pineisland.org, and be sure to subscribe to the PineCast. Remember: Gracious Living is our Goal, and Pine Island Always Wins! Akka Lakka!

    11 min

  5. 10/10/2025

    Season 2, Episode 1: We're Back for a New Season!

    Welcome back for a new season of the PineCast! Season 1 followed us as we prepared for the 2025 camp season, and season 2 will track the lead-up to the 2026 camp season. We're excited that you're tuning in! As always, send your trivia answers and listener mailbag questions into the podcast by emailing Alex at atoole@pineisland.org, and be sure to subscribe to the PineCast. Remember: Gracious Living is our Goal, and Pine Island Always Wins! Akka Lakka!

    15 min

  6. 05/19/2025

    Episode 6: Interview with Jono Bryant, WFR Instructor and Expedition Alumni Trip Leader

    Tune in today for episode six of the PineCast, Pine Island Camp's official podcast! Today we're doing things a bit differently and airing an interview with Jono Bryant, a longtime friend of PIC who teaches our WFR course and is leading our alumni trip (Expedition Alumni) to Belize in December! Tune in to learn more about that trip, what it entails, and why you should be on it! As always, send your trivia answers into the podcast by emailing Alex at atoole@pineisland.org, and be sure to subscribe to the PineCast. Remember: Gracious Living is our Goal, and Pine Island Always Wins! Akka Lakka!

    45 min

  7. 04/16/2025

    Episode 5: Camper Lindbergh, PIC in the Modern Era, and More!

    Tune in today for episode five of the PineCast, Pine Island Camp's official podcast! We'll talk about some celebrity history at camp, hear trivia about one of the island's buildings, and learn about Alex's thoughts on PIC moving deeper into modern times. As always, send your trivia answers and listener mailbag questions into the podcast by emailing Alex at atoole@pineisland.org, and be sure to subscribe to the PineCast. Remember: Gracious Living is our Goal, and Pine Island Always Wins! Akka Lakka!

    16 min

  8. 03/18/2025

    Episode 4: PIC Looks Different Now, plus What's It Like to Live in a Tent?

    Apologies for the delay between episodes! Tune in today for episode four of the PineCast, Pine Island Camp's official podcast! Hear about a returning camper from Brooklyn, a trivia question about basketball, and what it's like to live in a tent at PIC. Plus, head to the history books to learn about how the spaces on the island used to be arranged almost 100 years ago. As always, send your trivia answers and listener mailbag questions into the podcast by emailing Alex at atoole@pineisland.org, and be sure to subscribe to the PineCast. Remember: Gracious Living is our Goal, and Pine Island Always Wins! Akka Lakka!

    13 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Tune in to hear updates about Pine Island Camp and the upcoming summer season. Director Alex Toole shares important announcements, fun camp facts, PIC trivia, camper and staff shoutouts, and listener questions. Our older episodes feature the PineCast Oral History Project. This project documents the camp's history by showcasing some of PIC's most iconic personalities.

Information

  • Creator
    Pine Island Camp
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    18
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The PineCast