Saturday, January 10: Washington, DC
Joint event with Merrowvista
3 to 5 p.m.
Private residence – RSVP below for exact location

Saturday, January 17: Cleveland, Ohio
Joint event with Merrowvista
3 to 5 p.m.
Private residence – RSVP below for exact location

Saturday, February 1: St. Louis, Missouri 
Summer Expo 2026
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Parkway West High School

Saturday, February 1: St. Louis, Missouri 
3 to 5 p.m.
Private residence – RSVP below for exact location

Sunday, February 8: Indianapolis, Indiana
3 to 5 p.m.
Private residence – RSVP below for exact location

The post Learn more about 2026 NLC and Miniwanca summer camp this winter appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

Sunday, December 14: Boston, Massachusetts 
11:30 a.m to 1 p.m.
Private residence – RSVP below for exact location

Saturday, January 10: Washington, DC
Joint event with Miniwanca
3 to 5 p.m.
Private residence – RSVP below for exact location

Saturday, January 17: Cleveland, Ohio
Joint event with Miniwanca
3 to 5 p.m.
Private residence – RSVP below for exact location

Sunday, January 25: Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn Camp Fair
12 to 3 p.m.
Berkley Carroll Athletic Center
Free tickets required for entry.

​Wednesday, January 28: Westchester, New York
Westchester Camp Fair
5:30 to 8 p.m.
Purchase College 
Free tickets required for entry. 

​Saturday, January 31: Cambridge, Massachusetts 
Cambridge Camp Fair
​12 to 3 p.m.
The Foundry
Free tickets required for entry. 

Sunday, February 1: Long Island, New York
Long Island Camp Fair
12 to 3 p.m.
Hofstra University
Free tickets required for entry.

Sunday, February 1: Sommerville, Massachusetts 
Time TBD
Private residence – RSVP below for exact location

The post Learn more about Merrowvista 2026 summer camp this winter appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

Of all 20-some summers I have spent at camp, one of my most memorable was the first time my little sister, Paige, joined me. I had attended for a few years before Paige was old enough and ready to try a week away.

Before camp, we sat on my bed all night as I walked her through every single thing that would happen at camp, from the registration line until mom and dad picked us up. I was so excited to finally have someone else to share this special place with.

To this day, that was of the best weeks of my life. I remember how close our cabin was, even with the girls that we didn’t know before. We played matchmaker with our cabin leader and drove her crazy during a lunch where we kept chugging lemonade and water until we all laughed so hard we spit it all over the table. I remember the strange bird call we made up to find each other at camp-wide events, and the freedom that came from embracing our silliest, weirdest selves.

I was so moved by the kindness my friends showed my little sister and how welcome they made her feel. I remember sitting with her on the front stoop of our cabin when she was homesick and reassuring her that everything was going to be okay. This magical week cemented my passion for summer camp experiences and is why I absolutely love working at Miniwanca.

My sister and I returned to camp together for years as campers and then as staff members. I loved working alongside my sister and seeing her interact with campers. A huge part of our sisterly inside jokes even today are silly things that happened while we were working at camp. Even as adults living in different states, camp is something we will always have as a throughline keeping us together.

This is why siblings who come to Miniwanca together have a special place in my heart. This year, we have five sibling pairs working on staff together, and 20 staff members with camper siblings. We also have over 110 families who have multiple kids attending Miniwanca!

Summer camp is such a special place for siblings to bond. There are few opportunities where kids can work on their own sibling relationship without their parents. Even when they attend the same school, grade and classroom separate means they may not spend that much time together.

Siblings at camp may end up in the same interest groups or quads, where learn how to work together alongside people outside their family. It provides them an opportunity to see the other as their own person. The chance to get to know your sibling in a new environment opens the doors for a much deeper bond that will last a lifetime.

It is no coincidence that Miniwanca has its own sibling. The two camps of the American Youth Foundation, Miniwanca and Merrowvista, have shared values, history, and founders. Each also has their own traditions, lingo, and memories that give a unique experience to those who attend.

Just like siblings, these camps complement each other — different in personality but bound by love and legacy. Attending summer camp with your sibling means you each get to explore your own path while still sharing a common ground. It’s a bond strengthened by lake swims, campfire stories, and the quiet understanding of what it means to call a place like Miniwanca — or Merrowvista — home.

The post The Siblinghood of Miniwanca appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

Trip Leaders

The Four Trails Trip Leaders are seasonal youth development professionals who co-lead trip groups on backpacking, canoeing, and sea kayaking trips. Their focus throughout the summer is:

• Mentoring and guiding campers: Our trip leaders are passionate outdoor professionals. You can often find them in the off-season on their own adventures guiding trips at their college or with friends.
• Ensuring safety: Trip Leaders undergo rigorous training to handle trail emergencies. They learn medical skills, learn to read weather and trail conditions, delve into itineraries, and practice emergency procedures with their trail gear, including satellite phones.
• Teaching outdoor skills and facilitating group activities: Leaders teach campers outdoor ethics, Leave No Trace skills, camp craft, and wilderness self-care. They lead discussions, debriefings, and evening reflections on the trail.

Four Trails Coordinators

The Four Trails Coordinators support the overall Four Trails program. You can find them working on:

• Trip Preparation: The coordinators assign group gear, coordinate any repairs, and help campers who are missing any gear when they get to camp.
• Support and training: You can find coordinators assisting trip leaders with programming, facilitation, and camper challenges, and leading staff training activities.
• Updating the In-Camp Community: Coordinators share trip reports with the camp community while groups are on trail. These reports include trip locations, distances traveled, and milestones. They prepare the community to send groups off and celebrate their return.

Four Trails Specialist

Four Trails Specialists are here to help wherever they can! They cover for trip leaders on days off, help with food pack out and teach skills, are a ready to share their stories from their adventures on trail.

Why Our Leaders Stand Out

• Experience and Passion: Many of our leaders have been part of the Miniwanca community for years, bringing a wealth of experience and a deep passion for outdoor education and youth empowerment.
• Commitment to Safety: Our leaders are trained to handle a variety of situations, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all campers.
• Focus on Growth: They are dedicated to helping campers grow personally and develop essential life skills through challenging and rewarding outdoor experiences.

We love our amazing Four Trails staff and we can’t wait for them to lead our campers on awesome adventures this summer!

The post Meet the Miniwanca Four Trails Team appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

Let’s go back to August 2024. Just days after wrapping up an incredible summer, while everything is still fresh in our minds, the camps team got to work planning for our centennial summer of 2025.

One of the first things we do is map out what is called “the six-week grid”. This is a calendar of every day at camp, from our first Session A Opening Day all the way until the final Session B Closing Day. We plan out atypical days like registration days, Fourth of July, and Nostos. Then we start looking for a nice rhythm of atypical and typical days at camp, seeking to create an experience that upholds the idea of balanced living.

My favorite part is when we start inserting the schedule of our Night’s Doings, our evening camp-wide programs. This is my favorite part of each day, because it brings everyone together and is always high energy, camper-focused fun! I like piecing together traditions like Soldiers and Spies or Lip Sync Battle with newer games, like Capture the Castle, a fun take on Capture the Flag.

The six-week grid becomes our road map for all the planning that goes into making each summer happen. We organize Four Trails trips around these dates, we plan service projects for our Avail and Wayfinder campers, we analyze what activities need to rest and where we can bring in something new.

Our goal is to find just the right blend of tradition and the key elements that make Miniwanca feel like it did in 1925, while bringing in new traditions and elements that reflect the needs and personalities of our campers in 2025.
Sometimes we bring back things we haven’t done for a while, like this year with the return of the Stony Lake Regatta. We use the six-week grid to plan staff training, preparing our summer staff for all the excitement that they are going to lead throughout their time here.

Then, on Opening Day, the six-week grid comes alive. We plan as much as we possibly can — and then life happens. Rainstorms or heat waves roll through camp, and we shift, swap, and lean on our backup plans. We create a framework, but it’s our campers who fill it in, forming their own communities, setting their own rhythms.

The grid may guide us, but the spontaneity — the talent show born out of a rainy afternoon, the impromptu song session by the lake —brings camp to life. Watching staff rise to the challenge with creativity and seeing campers take ownership of a moment are reminders: the real magic of camp isn’t in the plan, it’s in the people.

The post Behind the Scenes: Building the Miniwanca Schedule appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

At first glance, it may not be obvious how coordinating a high-energy skit or Night’s Doings correlates to an office environment. However, plenty of former seasonal Merrowvista and Miniwanca staff can attest that their summer camp jobs helped them flourish in their professional careers.

According to the American Camp Association, summer camp roles not only foster leadership skills and networking, but they also strengthen a person’s ability to solve problems creatively and communicate in a variety of situations.

The spontaneous nature of camp pushes staff members to think creatively and make sound judgments quickly, said Shane Hinde, National Leadership Conference volunteer and Miniwanca summer camp staff member.

“When you’re in a cabin with six 8-year-olds, you never know what each moment is going to bring,” he added with a chuckle.

Hinde has worked at Miniwanca for five years and has volunteered with NLC for 15 years. He said he learned traditional leadership skills through the NLC, but working at camp was an entirely new experience.

“When I stepped into the role as a cabin leader during my first summer, quite frankly, it was one of the most challenging jobs I’ve ever had,” he said. “The amount of people skills I developed to build relationships quickly with both campers and staff, develop positive dynamics, and engage with a wide range of different personalities has really carried its way through all of my professional endeavors.”

Hinde is now a small business consultant, helping companies in their startup stage. Before that, he ran a rock-climbing gym while working on his master’s degree. He then ran Phoenix Coffee in Cleveland, Ohio, for about eight years.

“The ability to problem-solve and the creativity and the people skills I gained as a seasonal staff member made me successful learning small businesses,” Hinde said.

Director of Merrowvista Amy Simmons said the while the summer camp programs are designed for the growth of participants, seasonal staff in their late teens and early 20s gain real-world value from their time at camp, too.

“Our seasonal staff have a tremendous responsibility for the wellbeing and safety of the campers in their care,” Simmons said. “They also learn skills like time management, adapting quickly in changing environments, and how to work with people who may have different perspectives and experiences than theirs.”

Other ACA research indicates staff find the work meaningful because they can see the impact they’re making in campers’ lives. AYF Information Technology Manager Romuald Dugue saw just how powerful that was when he first joined the AYF as a Merrowvista seasonal staff member in 2021.

“You get to see this transition in campers from where they are when they first initially arrive to coming alive,” Dugue said.

Hinde also noted that working at camp taught him how to really listen to others.

“I look at the work we do every summer at camp, and it’s about creating community, an ecosystem inclusive of campers, staff, perspectives, and skills,” he said. “And really, a business is the same, it’s organizing capacities and skills around completing a task or presenting you the service.”

The post Working at Summer Camp: More than Just a Job appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

The mood shifts as the sun sets. Campers’ voices fade with the twilight as stars blanket the night sky. They reflect on what they’ve accomplished that day, both as individuals and as a community, and where the water may take them tomorrow.

It’s more than just an idyllic summer camp memory in the making. This moment is the result of countless hours developing programs designed to help campers discover and embrace their authentic selves and become more independent, confident leaders at camp and in their home communities.

American Youth Foundation programs go so much deeper than outdoor fun. The dedicated program teams work year-round to create outdoor adventures that place kids in their growth zone – that sweet spot between their comfort zone and their danger zone – to develop their personal best.

On its surface, a flash mob is a spontaneous, wacky group dance that sparks joy and ramps up the volume a few decibels in the Eating Lodge. But, Vice President Liz Marshall explained, there is intentional developmental work at play.

“Teaching people to move in a common rhythm to a song brings people out of their comfort zone, expands their physical exercise, encourages them to be vulnerable in front of others, and helps them to regulate their emotions,” she said. “It takes them through the stages of group development. You don’t know the moves at the start of camp. Staff and fellow campers teach it to you step by step until by the end of camp, everyone knows the dance and is excited to take it home and share it with other people.”

In short, it’s a metaphor in action that happens through the program.

The AYF regularly hears from participants and alumni that their program experiences are among the most important in their lives. But how are these transformational effects measured and improved? That’s what Director of Special Projects Sandra George’s role is all about.

George joined the AYF in early 2023 and began sifting through family survey data to see how AYF programs are meeting the social and emotional needs of youth today, then aligning those outcomes with larger education and public health models.

“The AYF recognizes we have always been doing this work of ‘fun with a purpose’,” said George. “The learning that happens in program communities is social and emotional learning. Fine-tuning our curriculum allows us to tap into greater intentional learning outcomes.”

Social and emotional learning, she explained, is honing what are traditionally classified as soft skills: identifying and self-regulating one’s emotions, social awareness, and relationship skills.

“In the last decade, well-respected education foundations have conducted extensive research about how young people thrive when they develop their emotional, social, and cognitive identities,” she said. “You can see threads of four-fold balanced living in these skills, as well as our new organizational values.”

George spent extensive time revising and updating the AYF summer camp survey and evaluation process to better evaluate metrics like participant growth and satisfaction.

“Summer 2023 set some promising baselines,” she said. “We will continue to repeat the evaluation process in the next few years to share clear data about the short-term and long-term program impacts.”

It seems a lot to ask of a simple interest group, but early results show these activities build identity, community, and resiliency.  In 2023:

• 90% of campers found it easy to “know what their strengths are” after their camp experience.
• 94% of campers learned by trying new activities, not just listening.
• 97% of National Leadership Conference participants said new ideas and lessons learned from NLC activities can be applied in their home and school communities.

“The goal is not to become experts in the skills. The goal is to try new things they aren’t necessarily good at and figure out how to work through challenges and discover new interests,” George said. “Learning new skills and building social connections and community with people of different backgrounds ultimately leads to greater self-understanding and transformational growth.”

The post Miniwanca, Merrowvista programs are fun with intention appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

Families drove up the gravel road on Friday, Aug. 4, to reunite with their children after this summer of fun and growth. They reunited with their campers and gathered to watch a slideshow of the session’s highlights.

Merrowvista summer programming officially concluded with a Closing Circle where camp and Four Trails coordinators shared highlights and each age group sang a song. Then, Odyssey and Wayfinder campers each received a very special item of clothing to mark their completion of these milestone programs.

Odyssey campers received vests for the completion of their 100-Mile Wilderness trek and the final leg of the Four Trails program. Wayfinder campers received rugbies for completing their greenhouse service-learning project. Traditionally, these items are presented to campers by close family or friends who’ve also completed the same programs, continuing the legacy of the Four Trails experience.

Merrowvista is honored to have welcomed all our summer 2023 campers into this community and cannot wait to see how they take all they’ve learned to their home communities. Until next summer, Founder Friends!

The post Merrowvista wraps up summer 2023 appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

The entire Merrowvista community lined path and cheered wildly as these campers entered camp and concluded their final Merrowvista trip. When they reached the Farmhouse, the Odyssey campers dropped their well-worn packs and huddled together, chanting “Merrowvista, Merrowvista, shall we tell you how we feel?” over and over until suddenly, they took off in a mad dash through camp to the waterfront. They flung themselves from the dock into Dan Hole Pond, basking in the cool water and the joy of completing their final trip as Merrowvista campers.

Completing Odyssey is no small feat. It’s a 16-day hike through the 100-mile wilderness in Maine, one of the most challenging parts of the Appalachian Trail. The high point of the hike – literally and figuratively – hits at the summit of Mt Katahdin, the highest point in Maine. This is the capstone trip of the Four Trails experience, and one longtime campers eagerly anticipate for years.

From a young age, Merrowvista campers hear the AYF motto again and again: “My own self at my very best all the time.” While their best selves may have looked different each day, each camper carried this motto with them as they accomplished this incredible feat.

The post Merrowvista Odyssey campers return triumphant appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

The tournament divides campers into four large teams that compete in a variety of events all week. Each Four Folds Tournament kicks off with a staff skit that introduces the theme for the year. This summer, it is “Back to the Future,” with each team representing a different decade: the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.

Staff announced this year’s teams (with decade-appropriate playlists and staff costumes), and the campers raced back to their cabins to don their team’s color and prepare for the first Four Folds Tournament event: the Vista Grand Prix.

In this event, campers harness themselves together in cardboard boxes and climbing rope, then race around the Green Acre through a series of obstacles as though participating in a live-action Mario Kart game.

Other friendly competitions throughout the week include the Water Carnival, Duck Day, Camp Risk, Middle Earth Dual, and a final All-Camp Relay. The team that receives the most points during these events is crowned the victor of the tournament.

This year, the Session A Four Folds Tournament champion was the 2000s. Honorable mentions included the ’90s with the I Dare You award, the ’80s with the Founder Hearts award, and the ’70s with the Enkindled Spirits award. Each of these Merrowvista-specific awards highlighted the heart, spirit, and drive that each team demonstrated.

Session B will kick off their Four Folds Tournament next week before their final Closing Day on Aug. 11. This tournament continues to build camaraderie across Merrowvista.

The post Four Fold Tournament Kickoff at Merrowvista appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

Merrowvista offers residential camp programming for children ages 8 to17 that ranges from 1 to 3 weeks. For campers leaving home for the first time, the one-week option (available to campers entering grades 3 and 4) provides a great chance to see what camp is all about.

During this week, campers participate in a variety of activities, from swims at the waterfront to friendship bracelet-making. Being away from home lays the foundation for a camper to begin to develop who they are as a person and introduces them to how they interact with new people and new environments. Feeling freedom and autonomy helps shape a positive camp experience.

After a week, families reunite with their campers, who are eager to share all that has happened in just a few days. Like every session of camp, the one-weekers mark the end of their time at Merrowvista with a Closing Circle. This allows campers, caregivers, and staff to celebrate the progress that these individuals have made during their time at camp.

The post The One-Week Merrowvista Experience appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

It was a beautiful, golden day as cars rolled up the dirt road into camp. Leaders lined the meadow in their red staff T-shirts and greeted each camper as they arrived.

After the final goodbye, campers and leaders headed to their villages to unpack and venture out on a tour of campus. Campers hit all important places in the camp, from the beautiful waterfront to the Farmhouse.

When the tour concluded, villages spent time with one another until the bell rang for dinner. In true Merrowvista fashion, the food program team served pasta, the traditional and much loved Opening Day dinner.

The conclusion of the dinner led campers to their first Night’s Doings, Opening Carnival. This event consisted of a variety of games in which campers had the ability to meet and get to know one another. Once the fun and games died down, each village made their way back to their cabins for Village Insight.

Village Insight takes place nearly every day at camp. Each village leader introduces a mini prompt or activity, and the village discusses the topic and reflects on the day. This quieter moment often ends up being one of the most memorable experiences for campers.

Opening Circle is another important moment at the start of each camp session. The entire camp gathers in the green circle, an fire circle in the woods where the Merrowvista community for nearly 100 years.

The smallest campers, Blueberry Village, start the ceremony by leading the rest of camp into the circle. Each village silently walks counterclockwise around the campfire and takes a seat. Director of Camp Programs Steph Dasman opened this session’s ceremony with an explanation of how the opening circle works. “We do it in community together,” Dasman said.

Another way community is recognized is through land acknowledgment. A land acknowledgment acknowledges the people who stewarded the land before we were on it. At Merrowvista, we respect and are aware we benefit from the ancestral homelands of the Abenaki, Pennacook, and Wabankai peoples.

Opening Circle also includes traditional songs like “Rise Up, Oh Flame,” which is sung as a round. A few staff members start the song to teach it to the rest of camp, and by the end of the song, the entire community has united as one. This song is used to open and close the evening’s program.

Another fire circle tradition requires sprinkling the ashes of previous fires into the Opening Circle campfire. At the end of each camp session, a bit of the ashes from the Closing Fire are collected and placed in this tin, ensuring that each camp session begins with just a bit of sessions past.

The ceremony includes fun moments, too, as each village gets the chance to introduce themselves to the camp and lead the larger group in a silly song. The night winds down with a final song called “On My Honor,” as everyone exits the green circle and quietly walks back to their villages.

The post Session B 2023 kicks off at Merrowvista appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

Each group walked down the road until they arrived at their seats by the waterfront. Once each group took their seats, the ceremony officially began. The community started singing “Merrowvista Our Camp,” while the fire tenders canoed in to light the fire. Throughout the event, each village introduced themselves and sang a song as their exit from camp and the community until next year.

Before this tradition ended, American Youth Foundation President Anna Kay Vortseg and Merrowvista Director of Camp Programs Steph Dasman introduced the founder medal.

The founder medal is a small medallion with a long history at the AYF. Each year, campers receive one at the end of their camp session in recognition for all they’ve achieved during their summer. One side displays the AYF Founder Fire and the other shows the four-folds design: social, physical, mental, and spiritual/religious. The medals are meant to remind campers of their best selves discovered at camp when they return to their home communities.

Campers received the founder medals with their cabins as they exited the ceremony. Staff members circled the fire and sang the campers out as they journeyed towards their cabins for their last sleep at camp.

Candlelight Sing and the founder medal commemorate and close a wonderful session. We wish these Founder Friends safe travels home and dare them to continue to discover and celebrate their best!

The post Candlelight Sing at Camp Merrowvista appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

Merrowvista’s county fair has a variety of activities from rock impressions to face painting and photo booths to relay races. Music Jail was one popular station where campers could exchange a ticket for a chance to send a staff member to “jail.” The only way out? Karaoke for all camp to hear! In-camp leaders were challenged frequently, but everyone was excited to when Director of Camp Programs Steph Dasman had to serenade camp with her rendition of “Call Me, Maybe.”

The county fair at Merrowvista provided an opportunity for kids to get silly and to take some time to enjoy the people and the surrounding spaces. The county fair creates a space for campers to engage with all who call Merrovista home for the summer.

Camp is an exciting place with many moving parts. People go out on trips and shuttle between many different spaces. Campers build small communities within their villages and activities, and these small communities are an important part of relationship-building and growth for campers.

However, activities like County Fair where all the in-camp villages mingle help strengthen the Merrowvista community as a whole. This event is just one way the entire camp community comes together in pursuit of genuine connections and a better Merrowvista.

The post The County Fair comes to Merrowvista appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

Older campers in our Four Trails program spend much of their summer away from Merrowvista on multi-day adventure trips. A camper begins their Four Trails experience as an Explorer during the summer between eighth and ninth grade. Preparing to enter high school comes with feelings of uncertainty and nervousness. The Explorer program fosters a sense of collaboration and resiliency, skills that will follow these campers into high school.

One Explorer group, Lincoln Village, embarked on their five-day canoeing trip on July 5, starting with a nearly four-hour bus ride to Aziscohos Lake in Maine. Lincoln Village consists of 10 campers and three leaders.

On Day 1, the group canoed two miles to Beaver Island, where they set up camp, cooked a meal, and relaxed for the rest of the day.

The next day was what trip leader Caroline Harmon described as their fun day. Lincoln Village woke up and had pancakes for breakfast. For most of the day, the Explorers swam in the lake and practiced different canoeing strokes and techniques, as well as capsizing drills. For the remainder of the day, the group enjoyed good food and relaxed.

Day 3 was the longest travel day for Lincoln Village. The group canoed six miles to a northern point on Aziscohos Lake. Harmon said they switched canoe partners and positioning every so often so campers could practice different skills and get to know one another better.

A storm was forecast later in the day, so Lincoln Village arrived at their campsite early. During the thunderstorm, the campers relaxed in their tents and concluded the day with more delicious food.

On Day 4, the group began their return journey south. With more storms in the forecast, Lincoln Village stopped early again and arrived at their campsite before lunch, where they had time to swim and hang out before the thunder rolled in.

That night, the Explorers ended their day with Village Insight, a quieter moment of reflection about their trip experience. This evening’s activity was called Rose, Bud, Thorn, where each individual talks about one highlight of their trip, one low moment, and one thing they are looking forward to.

On the final day, campers woke up early and devoured some oatmeal before the final three-mile paddle back to the main campground where the Merrowvista van and trailer were waiting for them. Lincoln Village loaded up their canoes and packs and headed back to camp, where they were greeted by staffers and other campers eager to hear about their journey!

The post Merrowvista Explorer campers paddle to new experiences appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

During the past two weeks, four villages ages 10 to 12 journeyed into the woods and waters that surround Merrowvista’s beautiful campus for one or two nights under the stars. These trips introduce younger campers to hiking and prepare them for a future Four Trails experience in high school. Each group went on similar trips but had unique experiences.

Tri-Pyramid
Tri-Pyramid Village hiked to Mount Flagg on the first day of their trip and the Ledge on the second day of their trip. Leader Sarah Walcott said one highlight of Tri-Pyramid’s trip was listening to a handful of newly released Taylor Swift songs on the Ledge while watching the sunset. This opportunity allowed these preteen girls to connect with nature, as well as listen to something they were eagerly waiting for. Village Insight was another powerful moment on the trip. The girls took part in a compliment circle and said nice things about their cabin mates. These small moments are what make these trips so memorable

Mahoosuc
Mahoosuc Village hiked to the Ledge on the first day of their trip and Mount Flagg on the second day of their trip. A special part of Mahoosuc’s adventure was when they approach the Flagg summit. Leader Jack Lilly said when the group approached the summit, he and his co-leader told all the campers to look away. When they officially arrived at the summit, he and his co-leader counted and had all the kids look at the same time and gasped as they took in the spectacular view together.

Whitecap
Whitecap went to High Point and ventured to Mount Flagg. They embraced the true camp spirit on their trip by singing endless songs. Leader Kate Tucker said campers made it all the way through the song “99 Bottles of Milk on the Wall.” Other highlights of the Whitecap trip experience included eating pita pizzas for dinner and creating their own fake news show.

Moosilaukee
Moosilaukee went to High Meadow and also ventured up to Mount Flagg. Leader Naomi Wolfe said the village really enjoyed the hike to Flagg Summit and eating their lunch at the top. One of the best feelings is a meal after a physically demanding activity. Being able to eat lunch with a beautiful view after some hard work made the trip worth it for Moosilaukee village.

All four villages had unique and wonderful experiences. The introduction to hiking can be scary at first, but so many little moments and opportunities leave villages wanting to come back year after year to continue their journey through the Merrowvista experience.

The post The outcamping adventures at Merrowvista appeared first on American Youth Foundation.

“Can I have a snack?”

“What’s for dessert tonight?”

Camp staff hear these questions constantly during a typical day. Mealtime is one of the most anticipated parts of the day at camp, and Food Program Manager Kim Novotny and her team are happy to oblige.

Meals at Merrowvista are community-driven: everyone takes turns lending a hand.  Ten to 15 minutes before the meal, each village sends one or two cruisers to the Eating Lodge. Cruisers prepare their village’s table, laying out cutlery, plates, and all essentials needed for mealtime.

The ever-present bell sounds, beckoning the rest of camp to the Eating Lodge where they wash their hands outside and proceed to their table. A staff member leads the meal, announcing what’s on the menu and welcomes a camper to offer a moment of gratitude before everyone digs in. The moment of gratitude is a time for campers to reflect on one thing they are thankful for before they eat. A chime sounds, and the cruisers rise again to bring the family-style meals to their tables.

Cruisers get to serve themselves first, as a thank you for preparing their table for their friends. Then they pass the bowl or plate of food around so everyone else can serve themselves. Family-style meals allow campers to choose what is on their plate and to encourage them to consider there is enough for everyone to have a full serving. Mealtimes provide a great opportunity for campers to gather in community with their village, along with other villages. It provides time for campers to refuel and gear up for the next activity.

If the day’s menu doesn’t appeal, a variety of options are available to campers. An oatmeal and rotating cereal bar is available during breakfast, and a salad bar with an abundance of veggies, fruits, protein options, and dressings accompanies each lunch and dinner. Vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free options are also available for those with dietary restrictions.

Once the meal has ended, cruisers return any leftover food back to the kitchen while their village mates scrape their dishes, separating trash from compost and stacking them for easy cleanup. Cruisers whisk away dishes to the dish room, often with their friends’ assistance, as a village can only issue a coveted song challenge to another table after they’ve completed this process.

After each meal, villages take turns at Arlos, Merrowvista’s name for dishwashing. (According to camp lore, Arlos was named for a pig who used to eat scrap food from the camp community in a pre-compost time.) Even tasks like Arlos are an enjoyable experience, as campers rock out and dance to music while they scrub and dry dishes in preparation for the next meal.

Overall, mealtime is a tasty part of the campers’ day, but tasks like cruising, Arlos, and even the nature of family-style meals are designed to strengthen the community and promote active involvement across the community.

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A staff hiking trip before Opening Day combined all three of these elements. The trip contained two days of hiking and one night of camping. This opportunity built intentional communities among in-camp leaders, specialists, and coordinators, as well as gave staff the chance to test the camping equipment to make sure it was ready to go for upcoming trips.

This trip brought together people with different experience levels. Some were seasoned hikers and long-time Merrowvista community members, while others were with inexperienced campers or brand-new community and staff members.

Each group practiced leadership on trail. These moments sparked conversations of learning, growth, and openness.

Growth and genuine openness are qualities used to create healthy and intentional communities. Merrowvista strives to be a place where campers can be their true, authentic selves, and the staff lead by example. During staff training, people are challenged to be intentional and to get to know each other below the surface level. These communities and connections follow the staff into their final stretch of training.

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KCISP is also a key part of campers’ daily routine at camp. In-camp leader Jessie Traxler said this small 30-minute time block allows campers to tidy up their personal bunk space and clean common spaces such as bathrooms and other areas.

Traxler said when children enter camp, they come with a variety of upbringings and backgrounds. KCISP is a great way to establish that each individual is on the same page when it comes to taking responsibility and ownership of community spaces.

To ensure camp development and success before camp begins, the staff team replicated the KCISP experience on a larger scale. These tasks range from organizing books and sweeping the activity center to deep cleaning the out-camping equipment building.

“Everyone who has been assigned to KCISP-ing assignments has really made camp come to life a little bit more and the spaces are much more ready for campers, so that’s exciting,” said Traxler.

The Merrowvista team cannot wait to welcome campers into the environment and spaces in just a few short days!

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“During summer 2021, staff at Miniwanca and Merrowvista observed the highest number of campers experiencing homesickness we’ve seen in recent years,” Ford said. “In 2022, we wanted to dedicate resources to camper mental and emotional health, just as we have a Health Team on site to care for campers’ physical health.”

To address these needs, the AYF created Care Teams comprised of individuals with experience in education, social services, or other related fields. The Care Team members circulated throughout camp and checked in with staff each day, working with campers who were struggling with homesickness, conflict with campers, or other emotional needs. They also supported campers who are part of marginalized communities, including youth of color and LGBTQ+ youth.

“The idea for the Care Team existed before the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ford said. “However, the impacts of youth being isolated at home without in-person socialization has amplified the need for this team.”

Moiya Toliver served on the Miniwanca Care Team as a Community Life Coordinator this summer. She said the team’s presence allowed other camp staff to better focus on their primary responsibilities.

All summer, I heard comments from different individuals about how much smoother things went compared to previous summers. The Care Team took a lot of responsibilities and stress off the shoulders of Directors and Coordinators, and we provided assistance beyond what was expected from us.”

When an issue surfaced, the Care Team took the camper aside to discuss and, if necessary, worked with them to create a support plan with choices that best met their needs. Toliver recalled helping two campers whose parents were also camp staff work through a difficult time and communicate their needs to their on-site family members.

“This moment stuck with me because it can be hard for children to have a heart-to-heart conversation with a parent and have it actually go well. I know this from personal experience,” Toliver said. “Seeing them work out the problem and come to a meaningful resolution unknowingly healed my inner child.”

Ford said the Care Team was successful because its members meet campers on their level. “We hear them, connect with them where they are, and validate their experiences,” she said. “When children feel supported and safe, they can thrive in a camp setting.”

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