Summer Camp is a time honored tradition in the Boy Scouts of America.  The BSA is blessed with a huge selection of campgrounds peppered across the United States all offering a variety of experiences for youth to participate in and build their skills with the first and foremost focus of having fun.

Summer camp offers Scouts a unique combination of activities that focus on Adventure, Leadership, Character, Shared Values, Opportunity, Spirit, Camaraderie and Fun.

Adventure

Scouting is an Adventure program designed to engage youth in activities that are new and exciting, challenging and fun.  Learning new skills, going new places and doing new things enables a wider perspective of what a young man can do.  A large part of the Scouting experience is based on a variety of adventures that will allow the Scout to grow his character, his leadership, his teamwork and his personal pride in accomplishing something special.

Leadership

Scouting is a Boy Lead service, that means that the adults are there to guide the Scouts but decisions are made by the Scouts for themselves and their units.  The Patrol structure enables a boy to have an opportunity to lead, organize and direct others and the various roles within the Patrol is to ensure that everyone can participates as leaders on a team by delivering on their function.  Summer Camp is where the Patrol takes center stage to support achievement, service and having an all around positive experience.

Character

Character is a core part of Scouting that is derived from the Scout Oath and Scout Laws, they are guidelines for decision making, a measuring stick if you will, for a young man to understand to measure himself.  They build character because they call on the Scout to be honest with himself on how he performs as an individual and a team member.  Summer Camp allows Scouts to show their character how they help others achieve, play, and learn while working on their own skills.

Shared Values

The nature of Scouting brings youth together with Shared Values.  As boys learn about the core principles of Scouting, they may come to a point where they feel like they are “lectured” or it’s all “learning.”  But Summer Camp enables a Scout to see that they are part of something much bigger, people dedicated to the very principles they are learning and a shared camaraderie with the experience that Summer Camp offers builds confidence in their shared values.

Opportunity

Summer Camp is all about opportunity.  Opportunity to advance.  Opportunity to experiment.  Opportunity to challenge.  Opportunity to learn.  Opportunity to lead.  Opportunity to grow.  Summer camp opportunities are abundant and Scouts are encouraged to be themselves, to challenge themselves and to meet others and learn and grow from the experience.

Spirit

Scouting is a spiritual experience in many ways.  We are reverent in our Duties to God and that is one type of spirituality.  But spirituality is carried on in working with others, playing with others, submerging yourself in the outdoors and learning to respect and enjoy the bounty around us.  Summer Camp offers many spiritual opportunities including respect for our country and our flag, respect for ourselves and others, respect for the outdoors and a respect for being yourself, for allowing yourself to be goofy and to relax and have fun and to allow others to do the same.

Camaraderie

Scouting is a brotherhood that is unique in that Scouts hold each other in the deepest of respect.  As young men and boys, Scouts are able to meet at Summer Camp other Scouts from a wide number of walks of life – urban Scouts, rural Scouts, lone Scouts and Provisional Scouts.  Scouts who have earned and achieved or participated in the past and come back with their sons as Scouts.  Friendships are made that can last a life time in a matter of an instant.

Fun

Scouting is fun.  If it’s not fun, then something is wrong.  Learning is a life long skill and the Scouting experience is a constant learning about who you are as a person and who you can be as a Scout.  Scouting is fun because of the wide array of events offered at places like Summer Camp where you can have competitions, learn new songs, skits, sayings or skills.  And of course Scouting is fun because you get to pal around with your friends while making some new ones.

Summer Camp in the BSA is unlike anything else in the country.  It’s a brief opportunity for the full effect of Summer Camp reserved for boys between 11 and 18 years of age and there is a moment when a Scout realizes they have had their last Summer Camp experience as a young man when they approach 18 and age out of Scouting.  But Summer Camp is a powerful experience that keeps Scouts engaged with the program for life, passing it on to their children and working with others.  We hope you have a great Summer Camp experience and enjoy the life of Scouting.