Author: Tim Lucas
S’More News 2026
A Year to Celebrate
Summer 2026 will see a new record number of young people experience the magic of camp and the outdoors with A Thousand Summers. This has been made possible because a community came together once again to serve the next generation. Donors and partners answered the call in a huge way, creating the necessary funds to allow the staff at ATS to get to work. And they worked hard!
Programs Improvement
Gillian and Anna continue to refine the ATS programs while simultaneously screening and shepherding applicants and their families with the help of an army of dedicated volunteers. As the number of participants in our programs increases, so does the workload to manage them.
What’s most impressive to me, however, is that the philosophy is not one centered on management, but rather is rooted in service and improvement. Congratulations to Gillian and to Anna for positioning ATS for a successful year of programs.
Record Fundraising
Our annual fundraising has grown consistently over the past several years and that can be attributed, in part, to the execution of a well-crafted development plan under Alyssa’s expert guidance. Donor stewardship has been a central tenet of that plan, and we have been rewarded by you and others who have remained generously committed to our mission.
We have also attracted continued investment in our endowment that supports future camperships and creates a strong financial foundation for our organization, adding 6 new Endowed Campership funds in the past 4 years.
This year we secured a record $1.3 million in new funding that has helped us to provide more camperships than ever before, continue to expand our programs including Outdoor Leadership and Fellowship, and build upon the preparation work that is so vital to a camper’s success through peer support and programs such as Compass.
This success is certainly exciting and is something to be celebrated! Costs are continuing to rise, however, and it is critical that we invest in our organization to enable us to do the work to attract and retain the financial support that will allow us to continue to grow and expand our impact. As we prepare to mark Alyssa’s 10-year anniversary with ATS, I would like to share my appreciation for the leadership she continues to provide to our development efforts and congratulate her on her success.
Introducing Development and Communication Manager and Campership Program Alumna, Kyle Smith
The importance of intentional investment in our organization is highlighted in our current strategic plan that calls for increased annual revenue and an expansion of our support base to allow us to serve more youth in our expanding program lineup.
Positioning ourselves as a youth development organization makes us appealing to a broader audience but requires us to create the capacity to capitalize on that potential. We have steadily increased our fundraising, created six-figure annual revenue from our programs, begun to attract corporate partnership dollars, and have secured significant support from our associate camp partners.
To fully capitalize on that potential it was necessary to invest in our development team, and we have been working toward this for the past couple of years. I am very excited to announce that in April we hired Kyle Smith as our new Development and Communication Manager.
Kyle is working under Alyssa’s guidance and serves three key functions, including developing those important new audiences. Kyle brings business development experience to the role, but perhaps most excitingly, she is a former campership recipient through the Foundation, having attended Cheley Camps in 2005 and 2006.
I hope you will join me in welcoming Kyle to the team!
Corporate Partnerships
We recognize the potential of partnering with businesses and corporations as our footprint expands and our reputation in the youth development space grows. We are seeking new and exciting opportunities to align with companies that share our values and wish to see young people thrive.
This year we renewed partnerships with two such companies that helped to support the travel side of our work. ShipCamps and Southwest Airlines provided in-kind support for luggage transportation and round-trip air travel respectively. The combined value of these partnerships was worth $35,700 to ATS, enabling us to divert money that we would have spent on travel expenses to camperships, fellowships, and opportunities in our Outdoor Leadership Program in 2026.
New Endowment Campership Funds
I am thrilled to announce the new Endowed Campership Funds established in 2026. The Virginia Cheley Sass and Louis Sass Family Campership and the Fuller Family Trust Endowed Campership Fund add to the existing 21 funds to make a combined Endowed Campership fund that exceeds $4.3 million.
These funds create extraordinary opportunities to support current and future generations. Individual campers are provided with guaranteed funding of their camperships for their ‘full lifespan of camp’. Introducing kids to camp at ages 10 or 11 allows for an experience that can last for up to 7 years, generating significant personal growth and development for these youth. In addition, these funds form the bedrock of our long-term financial security as an organization.
Endowed Campership Funds and the potential they create for us to grow their value further enhance our ability to provide camperships in the name of these generous and dedicated supporters for many, many years to come.
We are so thankful for these highly impactful gifts and we are honored to work with individuals and families to help create a powerful legacy.
Meet Some of the Youth We Are Serving in 2026
I could continue talking about ATS and the return on your investment in our organization, but the best way to share our success is to hear directly from the young people who are benefiting from your support.
Whether this is their first summer at camp or if they are a seasoned camp veteran, they all are excited to develop new friendships and new skills, have new experiences, and seek adventure. Seeing their smiling faces and hearing in their own words what camp means to them reminds us of our “why.” These kids are why we work so hard to make this camp experience possible.
I hope their messages take you back to your own camp days or maybe remind you why you got involved with ATS in the first place. Your support over the years has allowed countless young people across the country to experience the magic of camp.
A Board Hard at Work
The ATS Board recently met in Estes Park, CO, for its annual spring retreat. On the agenda, amongst other things, was an opportunity for trustees to experience first-hand the workings of our Compass Program, the finalization of organizational values as part of our pre-strategic planning work, and a tour of Cheley Camps.
The slate for 2026-2027 was finalized with Teddy Shaw assuming the role of Chair from Mike Brower. Mike will stay on for another year, but I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his leadership, his support, and his friendship as we worked together to guide the organization over the past two years.
After each serving two terms and volunteering a combined 18 years as trustees, we thank Kim Kittle, Ann McCollum, and Terry Taylor for their incredible service to ATS. As they prepare to join you all as former trustees, we know that they will remain close and loyal to our organization.
A slate of three new trustees were elected to the Board. I am thrilled to welcome Mel Johnson (Denver), Asher Landay (Los Angeles), and Vallie Freeman (Cincinnati) who will commence their service on July 1.
Mel is an Executive Director of Sales Support and Operations with Comcast and brings valuable institutional risk management, process improvement, and strategic experience. She is also a camp parent and long-time former camper herself at Greystone Camp in Asheville, NC. Asher, a former Cheley camper, is a Senior VP at Jerry Bruckheimer Television, and self-professed networker who is excited to join our Programs and Camps committees. Vallie, a former camper at Camp Thunderbird, works as the Associate Director of Development at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation having transitioned away from a legal career and brings key skills and experience to the Board. She is now a parent of two current Thunderbird campers–one at the Girls Camp and one at the Boys Camp.
Together we continue to work to build an even stronger organization, striving to expand the resources at our disposal so that we might make an even greater impact in the world.
Investment Management
As part of its fiscal governance responsibilities, the Finance Committee issued a request for proposals to several investment management firms, including Argent Trust Company where long-time investment manager and former JACF trustee, John McCollum now works.
This resulted in the selection of a new firm, Harmony Nonprofit, to manage the Foundation’s assets and to take an active approach in seeking an increased return over time while still remaining protective of our precious assets.
Harmony Nonprofit works exclusively with smaller nonprofit clients and delivers institutional investment management, stewardship, and strategy governance to support sustainability and mission continuity. Their unique approach and nonprofit expertise will help address liquidity and cash flow needs and provide the kinds of sophisticated investment strategies enjoyed by larger institutions. We are excited for this partnership and what it can bring to our organization.
As John McCollum steps away from the role he served so generously for over 15 years managing our assets, I would like to publicly express our appreciation for his expert management that helped our organization establish a solid financial foundation. I am also personally thankful for his advice as we navigated this process and the resulting transition.
Updated Giving Levels
You may have read in our spring newsletter and in a recent blog that we will be increasing our giving levels beginning on July 1st.
While we continue to do all we can to leverage relationships with our camp and community partners, raise funds, and effectively control expenses, just like everyone else, we are experiencing challenging cost increases:
- In 2010 the average cost of a campership was $5,000
- Today that cost has increased by around 60% and is now closer to $8,000
- The costs of travel and equipment have also increased significantly, making it more difficult to support the young people we send to camp
We have been able to deliver the camp experience at a below-market price due in large part to the contributions of our partners, and we have not increased our giving levels for over 10 years. We will continue to deliver the camp experience at a below-market price, but as our costs rise, we must balance those increased costs without sacrificing our commitment to service and quality.
We are committed to offering the highest quality youth development experiences for the young people we serve. We are confident that we will continue to offer incredible value in the investment you make in our organization. It is our belief that the decisions we’ve made, coupled with your continued support, will ultimately allow us to deliver on the dream that Jack Cheley had all those years ago to make camp more accessible…the dream that launched A Thousand Summers.
In Memoriam
In recent months we celebrated the lives of two beloved members of our community.
Judy Phillips served as a trustee from 1996-2002. Her deep love for the Colorado mountains was born during her childhood summers at Cheley Camps, where she embraced hiking, backpacking, and horseback riding. Her time there, first as a camper and then as a counselor, shaped her adventurous spirit and forged lifelong friendships. Her experiences at Cheley remained important to her throughout her life.
Richard “Smitty” Smith was an institution both within our organization as well as at Cheley Camps. Smitty joined the John Austin Cheley Foundation’s Board in 1990, shortly after the organization was founded and went on to serve as Chair for 3 of his 10 years. I will remember fondly my many conversations with Smitty about camp and the importance of the work we do.
We are grateful for the support that Judy and Smitty provided to the young people we serve and for their lasting impact on our organization. They will be missed.
Closing
As our first-term campers are well into their 2026 summer adventures, I want to thank you again for your continued support. Your contributions to ATS over the years, both in monetary gifts and in volunteer service hours, have allowed us to grow into the organization we are today.
Thank you for helping us provide a life-changing experience for the wonderful young people we serve.
Happy summer!
Tim Lucas
Executive Director
Increasing Impact in the Face of Rising Costs
A Thousand Summers changes kids’ lives through transformative summer camp experiences. That stated mission resonates deeply with many who believe in the power of camp.
We have benefitted from an incredibly generous and loyal base of supporters throughout our 37-year history. In that time, we have been able to deliver on our mission with increasing impact, growing from a fledgling organization that in 1990 provided the funds for one young girl to attend Cheley Colorado Camps to one that provided over $1 million worth of transformational summer camp and related experiences this year alone.
Investing in our Mission
As we evolve it becomes increasingly important to invest in our capacity to deliver on the mission that means so much to so many. We are charged with finding ways to secure a future that not only guarantees what we are doing to change the lives of youth today, but to expand upon that in deeper, broader, and more sustainable ways tomorrow.
That involves:
- Developing highly regarded and relevant youth development programming
- Ensuring we have enough spaces for increasing numbers of campers
- Building a more expansive network of dedicated camp, community, and corporate partners who believe in what we do, can support the increasing demand in our programs, and are willing to share the financial responsibility
- Developing our internal capacity through increased staffing to secure the necessary resources, help facilitate expanded programming options, and manage the partner relationships that are so critical to our organizational impact and success
Responding to Rising Costs
While we continue to do all we can to leverage relationships with our camp and community partners, raise funds, and effectively control expenses, just like everyone else, we are experiencing challenging cost increases:
- In 2010 the average cost of a campership was $5,000
- Today that cost has increased by around 60% and is now closer to $8,000
- The costs of travel and equipment have also increased significantly, making it more difficult to support the young people we send to camp
We have been able to deliver the camp experience at a below-market price due in large part to the contributions of our partners, and we have not increased our Giving Levels for over 10 years. We will continue to deliver the camp experience at a below-market price, but as our costs rise, we must balance those increased costs without sacrificing our commitment to service and quality.
As a result, we will be increasing our Giving Levels on July 1 for our 2027 program year.
“Effective cost management is not about simple budget cutting but rather aligning every dollar with the organization’s mission to ensure high-value outcomes. The goal of ATS is to provide as many children as possible with the camp experience. ATS is positioned to achieve this goal for years to come.”—Mike Brower, ATS Board Chair
Delivering on our Commitment
We are committed to offering the highest quality youth development experiences for the young people we serve. We are also confident that we will continue to offer you incredible value on the investment you make in our organization.
It is our belief that the decisions we’ve made, coupled with your continued support, will ultimately allow us to deliver on the dream that Jack Cheley had all those years ago to make camp more accessible…the dream that launched a thousand summers.
We hope you will continue to support us with renewed dedication!
5 Ways Ship Camps Makes Summer Camp Travel Easier
Summer camp is an incredible experience for children of all ages. It’s a chance to unplug from technology, make new friends, learn new skills, and explore the great outdoors. But before the summer fun can begin, there’s a lengthy list of items you need to obtain for your child. Once that’s done, it’s time to determine how you’re going to get all that gear to camp. Will you drag everything through the airport? Or will you opt for an overpacked car with no visibility, instead? Luckily, there’s a third option. And it’s far easier and more convenient. It’s Ship Camps! Ship Camps is a service that will collect your child’s trunks and luggage from your home and deliver them to camp safely and on-time. This means all you have to do is pack, then sit back and relax. They’ll handle all of the heavy lifting and, another plus, you won’t have to pay any of those pricey airline baggage fees.
Ship Camps are also one of our newest partners. They’ve committed to helping A THOUSAND SUMMERS campership recipients ship luggage to camp.
They’re already trusted by hundreds of world-class camps and camp families to ship luggage to and from home. Here are 5 reasons why:
- Convenient
We’ve all experienced the long lines at the airport, the dreaded overhead bins, the large crowds at baggage claim, and the looming concern of “I hope my bag rolls out next.” Ship Camps eliminates all of those worries and headaches. Once you experience traveling through the airport hands-free, you’ll never go back. - Personalized
The Ship Camps service is tailormade to what works best for you and your child. They offer flexible pickup and delivery dates and times to accommodate your schedule and allow you to ship various item types including luggage (duffel bags and suitcases), boxes, and trunks. - Safe
More than 2 million bags were lost or mishandled by the airlines in 2022. Could you imagine sending your child off to camp only to find their luggage didn’t make it? Not only does Ship Camps eliminate touchpoints at the airport, but every shipment comes with access to real-time tracking and an unbeatable on-time delivery guarantee. So, your bags will be where you need
them, when you need them there. All shipments also come with complimentary insurance. If your child happens to be traveling with more expensive items, you can select a higher insurance amount that best matches the value of their belongings. - Time-Saver
Arguably the greatest benefit of shipping luggage to camp is that it saves you time on both the sending and receiving ends. Scheduling your shipment is easy and can be completed over the phone or online in just a few clicks. Shipping labels will be mailed to you in ready-to-attach pouches for qualifying orders. Then, all that’s left to do is wait for pickup! No need to worry about packing your car or expending energy at the airport. Upon arrival at camp, you’ll find the move-in process is simplified, too. Since your child’s bags are already there, you’ll be able to enjoy the last few moments with them to the fullest, instead
of worrying about the logistics of getting them settled in. - White-Glove
The cherry on top to Ship Camps is its exceptional customer support team. They are available seven days a week by phone, text, or email for any questions or concerns you may have. They also closely monitor your child’s shipment to ensure on-time delivery and send you email updates when your bags have been picked up, once they’re out for delivery, and after they’ve been delivered to summer camp.
They’ve truly thought of everything so you don’t have to. Enjoy the Ship Camps experience all season long and make this summer the best one yet. Get a free quote to get started!
The Fellowship Program: Growth and Giving Back
At A Thousand Summers we are thrilled to be able to provide the gift of summer camp to amazing kids around the country. As our campers return year after year, their friendships deepen, the adventures get more challenging, their love of the outdoors expands, and the personal growth becomes more significant. When our campers age out of camp, some of them can’t wait to return as counselors.
We developed the ATS Fellowship Program three years ago to provide ongoing leadership opportunities for the young people we serve as they move beyond their camper years and seek employment as camp counselors. In 2025, nine of our Campership Program alums were enrolled as Fellows at seven of our thirteen associate camps.
Prior to the start of camp, Fellows participate in some of our Compass Program sessions and Camp Chats with campers and families to answer questions and provide advice based on their own camp experiences. Upon arriving at camp, our campers see a friendly and familiar face—someone they’ve met before on the pre-camp virtual sessions—which helps them feel a little bit more at ease.
“It makes campers more comfortable when right off the bat a counselor says, ‘Oh yeah, I was a scholarship camper too.’ For me, as a camper, it made it less overwhelming to know I wasn’t the only person there. I had a counselor who was a scholarship camper as well. Having been a camper before and understanding some of the struggles can be really helpful.”—Cameron
While at camp, Fellows serve as positive role models for campers and provide a sense of comfort and belonging for our younger ATS campers as they get to know someone like them who has successfully navigated the camp experience and is now on the camp staff. The camp environment is new, and adjustment can sometimes be difficult. It is reassuring to have a counselor who understands those challenges because he or she has experienced them too.
“There’s a certain expectation as a Fellow to be a place of comfort for those who are ATS campers since we’ve personally been in their situation. My job as a counselor is to make the space fun and to be there for my campers.”—Jean
In addition to helping kids learn and grow over the summer, the Fellows also learn a great deal about themselves and their leadership abilities. They gain valuable interpersonal, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills that are highly sought after and transferrable to other educational and professional settings. The connections they make and the professional development they receive from ATS and from their camps are invaluable.
“This year I really grew a lot in my confidence in being able to lead a trip. I grew in my outdoor skills and was proud of myself for getting out there and giving it my best shot.”—Paula
Being a camp counselor is an incredibly rewarding and fun job, but a camp counselor salary is quite low. We are very aware of the financial restraints of our Fellows. Many of them are in their first year or two of college and need a job that pays well over the summer in order to make ends meet.
We want our young alums to be able to pursue their love of the outdoors and their leadership journeys, and so we implemented an additional stipend for each Fellow to make working at camp a more financially viable summer alternative. This stipend recognizes their additional training and their added responsibilities of supporting ATS campers. Fellows have shared with us that without this stipend, they would not be able to work at camp.
“I want more people to be able to experience the outdoors. My plans for the future are to find ways to help the outdoors be more accessible for everyone. The Fellowship stipend has allowed me to come back to camp to pursue what I want to do but still have the money I need.”—Olivia
Our camp directors also see the value of having Fellows on staff. As Will Coleman, the Director of Big Spring Ranch for Boys at Sanborn Western Camps shared, “The value of having campers return as staff members is the understanding of what we’re trying to do here. They know how it’s supposed to feel. They bring elements of what they remember from their time as campers, and it creates a special culture. The ATS kids who come back on staff know the value of camp and don’t take it for granted.”
Having Fellows on staff also helps our camps as they aspire to increase racial and socioeconomic diversity within their camp communities. The Fellows Program assists our camps in addressing staffing challenges by providing knowledgeable and motivated candidates who know firsthand the power of camp and how it can change lives. With greater staff diversity, our camps are also able to provide greater connection and support for their campers who come from diverse backgrounds—a group they are seeking to expand.
“It’s highly meaningful and incredibly important to have diversity on our staff, whether it’s racial diversity or economic diversity. We have campers on scholarship and campers of color and for them to have someone on staff who looks like them, talks like them, and acts like them gives them someone special to be able to connect and identify with.”—Will Coleman, Director of Big Spring Ranch for Boys at Sanborn Western Camps
The Fellowship Program is growing, and our goal is eventually to have at least one Fellow at every one of our associate camps. As the program continues to expand, a larger number of current ATS campers will have had exposure to a counselor who shares a similar background. Our hope is that those camper-counselor relationships will inspire younger campers to follow a similar path. In doing so, they will be able to give back and make their own imprint on future generations, as our 2025 Fellows did this summer.
“ATS was the only reason I was able to go to camp. The personal impact of camp really made me want to give the kids I was working with this summer the best experience possible and to develop them in ways that I was taught. I was so grateful to be there as a Fellow so that I could give that experience back.”—Owen
Where Are They Now: Roger
At A Thousand Summers we try to capture photos and testimonials about the young people we serve while they are at camp or involved in our other programs. We share their stories of friendship and fun and often some life lessons that camp taught them.
What we don’t often share, however, is the long-term impact of camp on their lives. In this first installment of Where are They Now?, we want to reintroduce you to Roger, an ATS alum who attended Cheley Colorado Camps from 2014-2017.
Recently, at the ATS Countdown to Camp Open House in Dallas, Texas, Roger spoke about how camp has shaped his life. More than anything else, going to camp taught Roger how to step out of his comfort zone and try new things. Whether it was traveling to camp where he knew no one, committing to a month without his phone, or going on a mountain biking trip that he thought was going to be too challenging, Roger persevered.
Fast forward to spring of 2025…Roger is a second-year law student at the SMU Dedman School of Law. He chose to attend a law school where he didn’t know anyone else. In doing so, he had to step out of his comfort zone to find friends and adjust to his new environment. He knew how to do that from his time at camp and, as a result, he was able to find a strong community and great opportunities. He also had the necessary resilience to meet the rigorous academic challenges of law school.
“Embrace things that may be a little awkward or a little new at first.”
We are so grateful to Roger for sharing his story and inspiring our current campers. He has a very bright future ahead of him, and we can’t wait to see what he does next!
Camp: More Than Just Fun & Games
Camp is about fun, friends, and activities, but it also is a fantastic opportunity for social-emotional growth. Many years ago, Frank Cheley, the founder of Cheley Colorado Camps, coined the term FunPlus® to describe the camp experience, representing the fun that defines camp plus all its other benefits. Kids often go to camp and just focus on the fun they’re having, not even realizing how much they are learning and growing—the “plus” sneaks up on them and becomes more evident the longer they go to camp.
At A Thousand Summers we frequently show the “plus” through camper and parent testimonials about how camp has helped build independence, self-confidence, leadership, teamwork, and resilience. We support campers for their “life-span” of camp, meaning that most of the kids we serve attend camp for multiple summers. As a result of that multi-year experience, the personal growth they experience deepens and becomes more meaningful with each year. The “plus” keeps adding up as each summer goes by.
We love hearing about that personal growth, but did you know that going to summer camp also has physical health benefits? The January/February 2025 issue of Camping Magazine published by the American Camp Association presents some excellent information on this topic.
To summarize, the article “Spending Time Outdoors May Help Prevent Nearsightedness” (page 6) discusses the fast-growing world-wide myopia epidemic. Increased screen time and decreased outdoor activity, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have dramatically affected vision. As people are spending more time indoors and under or in front of artificial light, they are not getting the benefits of deep violet light that is found in the UV-A rays of the sun. Exposure to that deep violet light can help prevent myopia.
Experts recommend decreasing screen time and spending more time outside to help prevent nearsightedness from developing, which is especially important in children. Sounds like a prescription for camp!
Another article titled “Exposure to Air Pollution Negatively Affects Children’s Brains” (pages 8-9) details new research that shows a link between exposure to air pollution and developmental changes in the brains of adolescents. The American Lung Association’s 2024 State of the Air report showed that 39% of Americans live in a place with unhealthy air quality. We know that poor air quality can lead to many serious health issues like lung conditions, heart disease, and cancer to name a few. But now studies are showing that kids are especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution because their brains and bodies are still growing and developing.
Exposure to air pollution decreases the body’s ability to process information that is collected by connecting the regions that send and receive signals. This weaker connection can negatively impact an adolescent’s ability to problem-solve, focus, and learn.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests using air cleaners to improve indoor air quality and increasing fresh air ventilation by opening doors and windows whenever possible. Spending 4 weeks in the outdoors away from urban areas and the air pollution that surrounds them would definitely help! Again, camp sounds like a great solution!
When kids are at camp for even just 4 weeks in the summer, they get a critical break from screens, technology, and social media as well as the air pollution that many of them breathe daily. That 4-week break represents nearly 8% of the year. Though it could be argued that 8% is not enough, it is an important start in helping to prevent nearsightedness as well as protecting the still-developing adolescent brain.
Perhaps more than anything, 4 weeks at camp hopefully sets some behavioral patterns so that young people will be more aware of their screen time when they return home, will choose to spend more time outside in the sunshine and fresh air, and will encourage their friends and family to join them. Doing so will benefit both their physical and their mental health.
Though Frank Cheley may not have imagined the scope of the challenges today’s young people face, he definitely understood the critical importance of spending time outside and how that positively impacts youth development. The fun of camp has always been and still is contagious, but in today’s world, the “plus” in FunPlus® has deeper meaning and even greater significance.
To read these and other articles in the January/February issue of Camping Magazine, click here.
Giving Thanks—A Letter from Bailey
Dear A Thousand Summers,
As Thanksgiving approaches, I have been thinking about what I’m thankful for and my time at camp is near the top of the list. I want you to know how much camp means to me and how grateful I am to your donors who have made the camp experience possible for me.
Camp is not only fun; it helps you grow. And the past 3 years at camp have helped me grow in countless ways.
Oh wow, where do I start? Camp is pretty much all about trying new things! From your first sleep-away camp to your first hike to your first time trying jambalaya, camp is all about new experiences. There’s nothing more to say than that camp made me more curious and excited to learn. It’s thrilling and so, so worth it when you peak that first mountain. Especially since you know there’s so much more to come.
There are so many things that have helped me increase my confidence at camp. The freedom, the programs, the friends, the everything! Camp builds on your confidence in so many ways. For example, the hikes at the beginning of the term are easy: A hike to Ouzel Falls or Dream Lake. But by the 4th week, you could find yourself peaking three mountains in one day, or even going up Meeker! Camp does this to build your endurance, self-esteem, and confidence. And because of it, even if you’d never do it again, you can leave camp confidently thinking: “I did that.”
Camp is basically one big team. You’re always part of a group, a team, a family. And because of that, you always have to cooperate, listen, and trust one another. In hikes, you have to trust your group to stay together and motivate each other. In crafts, you have to be supportive and respectful of other works. During All-Camp and Playday, you’re either working with fellow campers to create a funny skit, or you’re helping your team win tug of war. It’s all a team effort. All of it. And you have to be committed to your team to win.
Camp also teaches you how to problem solve. When I went technical climbing, I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to get up to the next ledge on the rock, but after some back and forth with my friends who were belaying me and a few stumbles, I found some good footing and got to the ledge. You always have to problem solve at camp, but that’s what makes it so much better. Because it’s satisfying when you don’t know how to do something at first, and then some problem-solving pays off.
Nature has always just seemed to work with me, so spending a month immersed in the outdoors at camp is great. Camping outdoors makes me feel free and happy. Climbing on boulders is fun and refreshing. Hiking takes me to places that truly let my love for the natural beauty of the land flow. Although bug bites are really annoying, it’s worth a million mosquito bites just to see the breathtaking view from the peak of a mountain.
I had a lot of great experiences at camp, but it was the counselors that had the greatest impact on me this summer. They were so sweet and kind and just made me feel like I was on the top of the world. I could come to them with anything, and I knew they’d always listen. They motivated me in ways that have truly touched my heart, and I will never forget them.
This experience means everything to me. Not getting to go to camp truly feels like not getting to go home. It has impacted me so much and I would not be who I am today without it.
There just isn’t any combination of words in the entire world, in any language, that can tell you truly how much I thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you for letting me go back to the place I call a secondary home. It is truly a blessing that you made this happen for me.
Bailey
This gift of a camp experience quite literally changes the lives of both the campers and their families! This is an unmatched experience that gives kids the necessary tools they need to believe in themselves. Confidence, determination, perseverance, self-regulation, collaboration, and problem-solving are just a few of the amazing traits these kiddos strengthen at camp in a way that positively affects the rest of their lives! Camp has a direct impact on quality of life for everyone who is lucky enough to experience it.
—Bailey’s Mom
Camp Fellowship Program-2024
The summer of 2024 was the second year of the Camp Fellowship Program. The Camp Fellowship Program is a leadership and career development program designed for the young people we serve who have moved beyond their camper years and wish to work at summer camp. This year, five ATS Fellows worked as camp counselors at the camps that they had attended through our Campership Program.
The Fellows received additional training and took on additional responsibilities to support current ATS campers in exchange for a stipend and references from ATS. We had Fellows employed at Cheley Colorado Camps, Camp Kooch-i-ching, Colvig Silver Camps, and Camp Kawanhee.
Every one of our Associate Camps is striving to create more diversity within their camp community and staff. The Camp Fellowship program provides greater access to a diverse population of highly qualified candidates who have a deep and personal understanding of the camp experience because they have been campers themselves.
By increasing staff diversity, the camps ATS partners with will be able to provide greater connection and support for their campers who come from diverse backgrounds. The Fellows provide a safe space for campers to ask questions and receive guidance and support, increasing their sense of belonging. They are wonderful role models for the next generation of kids in our program.
In terms of the Fellows themselves, working at camp is a fun summer job, but it also provides tremendous growth opportunities in the following areas:
- Interpersonal and Leadership Development
- Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
- Collaborative Skills
- Creativity
The Fellows have great networking opportunities and receive additional professional development, guidance, and support as they explore future directions and possibilities.
We want to share with you some of what our Fellows had to say about their experience as camp counselors this summer:
“Being a Fellow was awesome. I was a camper at Cheley Camps for two years and so it was really cool being able to provide the magic that I received when I was younger. This program and camp itself have helped me figure out how to work with people and guide them. I gained the skills I needed to help them grow.”—Jack
“I really enjoyed being a counselor at camp. I learned new ways to cooperate with and work with other people. It’s pretty cool knowing that there’s a program that is getting people to go out in the wilderness and have different types of experiences that not everyone gets to have. I’m very happy to be part of that program.”—Keishon
“Being a Fellow helped me understand that camp can be a really important place for kids, especially kids who don’t get those kinds of experiences all the time. It was so cool to be on the other side and have campers come up and hug me and tell me they’d had such a transformative experience. It was a full circle moment, and I was very happy to be a part of it.”—Jade
“I’m very appreciative to have this opportunity. It’s nice to still be a part of the ATS and camp communities and be able to give back.”—Kai
**Note: Kai has worked at Kawanhee for several summers and this year was named the counselor representative, facilitating communication between camp staff and camp administration. He was also the DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) coordinator for Kawanhee this summer in addition to fulfilling his cabin counselor and Art Director duties.
“Being a Fellow has played a huge role in how my life has unfolded. If it weren’t for the Fellowship Program, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. I wouldn’t have all the connections I do now. I wouldn’t be working where I am now, which is working for the camp year-round. I wouldn’t know the people I do. It would be a completely different path of life if I hadn’t been involved in camp and the Fellowship Program.”—Silas
**Note: Silas lives in Cincinnati and works year-round for the Camping and Education Foundation (which runs Camp Kooch-i-ching and Ogichi Daa Kwe) teaching inner city kids how to build canoes and taking them out on field trips in the wilderness.
Moving forward, we are excited about the possibility of having an even greater number of Fellows in 2025. We’re confident that the Camp Fellowship Program will continue to make an increasingly positive difference for the Fellows themselves, the camps where they work, and for the younger kids in our Campership Program.
Give them wings and they will fly
We are excited to announce that the first year of the ATS Outdoor Leadership Program was a big success!
Seven of our former campership recipients spent two weeks on a backpacking and river travel wilderness expedition through Colorado and Utah developing their backcountry and first aid skills, gaining leadership experience, and earning certifications that will help them land jobs as camp counselors or in other aspects of the outdoor industry. The trip was led by our partner in this new program, Open Roads, and Gillian, our Program Director accompanied the group on their adventure.
The photo galleries below provide a glimpse of what the experience was like for those who participated:
Photo Credits: Quamae, @QuamaeTheCreative
Photo Credits: Jean, Outdoor Leadership Program Participant (Email)
For more information on the Outdoor Leadership Program, click here.