CAMP ROUNDUP
NEONCI / GETTY IMAGES / ISTOCKPHOTO
RESOURCES
Donna Weintraub at Camp Specialists , donna @ campspecialists . com
Laurie Kaiden at Maine Camp Experience , mainecampexperience . com
Jfnnj . org / jewishcamp Ymca . net / camp
Camp Zeke is aJewish camp specializing in healthy living , fitness , athletics , organic foodsand culinary arts . According to the American Camping Association ( ACA ), religiouslyaffiliatedcamps now represent over one-fifth of all ACA accredited camps .
“ We know that Jewish camp is atransformativeexperience , andthe impactisimmediate and long lasting ,” RobinRochlin , the managing directorfor theendowmentfoundation of Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey , says . “ Campers return home connected to the Jewish community and with friendships that will last them alifetime . Through the Jewish Camp Initiative , we have a camp concierge on staff who can helpguide families to choose the Jewishcampthat best suits their needs . Additionally , weaward a grant to any eligible camperswho are attendingJewish overnight camp for the first time .”
The YMCA , whose tagline is “ For Youth Development , For Healthy Living , for Social Responsibility ” offersawide variety of day and overnight , traditionaland specialty camps . According to their website , ‘ There are over 1,850 day camps across the country ” and “ 315 resident camps for youth and teens , and many specialtycamp programs that meet the diverse needs of children and teens , suchas youth with disabilities and illnesses .”
For those who do not want to leave home , there is day camp . “ Day camp is greatchance for kids to be socialized and try new activities ,” Weintraub says . “ They are still supervisedand they are around kids of all ages . They can see and modelbehaviorofolder kids . They are fullyengaged and not bored during the day .”
Finally , for those children who do not want camp , there are academic programs and teen tours available . Exploration Summer Programs , which runs programs at Yale , Wellesley and Wheaton College , even has aseries of Focus programs , with titles like Explo Vet , Explo Start-Up , Explo Chef , Explo Sports Management and Explo Foreign Affairs .
Whether it is no technology for afew weeks , bestfriends for life , excelling at sports , or newfound confidence and independence , there are many , many reasons to sing the praises of camp and summer programs . At right is asampling of some of the different types of programs , along with some resources to help you find the perfect camp for your child . ●
CAMPS FOR TEENS
Teens ’ schedules fill up fast when summer comes so it can be difficult , if not impossible , to fit in amonth for camp , not to mention that a traditional camp format may no longer be appealing . So an adventure or service trip may be just the thing to spark their interest . Whether a volunteer trip to Costa Rica or an outdoor adventure in Utah , breaking free of the walls of acustomary camp setting is the perfect way for teens to gain independence and learn more about themselves in the process .
CAMP LISTINGS :
Outward Bound : From Maine to Wyoming to the Caribbean , go rock climbing or sea kayaking on trips matched to your teen ’ s interests and skill level . Starts at age 12 , options can be grouped into middle and high school categories . For more information , visit outwardbound . org .
Nols ( National Outdoor Leadership School ): Wilderness education is the key to all of their trips . Students are taken on remote wilderness expeditions and taught outdoor skills , leadership and environmental ethics . Try the Adirondack Backpacking Adventure or Alaska Backpacking and Sea Kayaking courses among dozens of other offerings . Ages 14 and up . For more information , visit nols . edu .
Global Leadership Adventures : High school volunteers are placed in non-tourist communities to work on service projects , develop relationships with local residents and , in the process , learn to explore and be leaders . For those 14 and older programs are available in places such as China , Central and South America . For more information , visit experiencegla . com .
Rein Teen Tours : Offering both Teen Travel trips ( California Caper , Hawaiian Caper and European Adventure ) as well as Community Service programs ( Project Costa Rica , Galapagos Islands among others ), there are lots of domestic and international options . Programs start in seventh grade . For more information , visit reinteentours . com .
West Coast Connection : Pick a program type ( baseball tour , fashion , language ) and you may end up in Florence , Costa Rica or Montreal . This is for seventh grade through high school . For more information , visit westcoastconnection . com .
American Trails West : With the flexibility of their two , three , four or five-week tours teens can visit the Pacific Northwest , go to Alaska and Hawaii or head to Europe on a trip that includes a luxury Mediterranean cruise . While pricey ( Five Star Camping is available ), these tours are action packed . For more information , visit atwteentours . com .
Bold Earth Teen Adventures : Based in Denver , these adventure trips focus on leadership and teamwork . Bike , hike and raft in Colorado and Utah , explore the Grand Canyon from above and below or hit the Alps in France , Italy and Switzerland for two weeks . Trips start at age 13 . For more information , visit boldearth . com .
– LUCYPROBERT
201magazine . com 23 ( 201 ) FAMILY | FEBRUARY / MARCH 2017