Vegan summer camps: compassion and commitment

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Exploring and education in diverse settings

 

Camp Exploration is a 100% vegan camp which offers both overnight and day camps.

Dynamic harmlessness is a key value; unlike camps which might take kids on an

outing to a zoo, this camp has kids volunteering at animal shelters and learning

about the exploitation of animals. Camp Exploration is a values-intensive camp

that may have kids visiting a retirement home, then hiking in the forest. This

camp has had sixteen successful seasons so far, with many more sure to follow.

 

 

Photo courtesy of Dr. A. MarsThe camp offers Hikers Heaven Overnight Camp (Zion

& Bryce National Park), Alien Adventure Overnight Camp (Roswell, New Mexico),

Mountain Retreat Overnight Camp (Yosemite and environs), and California Cruzin

Overnight Camp ( Big Sur, Carmel, Santa Cruz). The values are interwoven into

the program; for example, Hikers Heaven includes doing trail maintenance and

clean-up projects to help the kids learn to give back to nature. Next year

(2010) there will be SPACE camp (Summer Program for Advancement, Challenge, and

Enrichment). Each student will meet with the director prior to camp to select an

area of study. Independent study, investigative reporting, or individual

research will help the student learn skills that will benefit them throughout

their lives. This is an academically enriching summer school opportunity to help

students catch up in areas that were not completely learned in the prior school

year, to study something of interest to them, and to prepare to get ahead in the

new school year.

 

Day camps are for elementary and middle school age students, approximately ages

6-14, while overnight camps are for kids about 7 or 8 to 14. Each camp enrolls a

maximum of 12 campers who have 3 assigned counselors (including the Director).

The campers learn about living lightly on the earth; the camp even uses Ultra

Low Emissions Vehicles (Eco-Vans). One is powered by Compressed Natural Gas

(CNG), one is powered by Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO). The license plates read: VEG

NRG and Veg Energy; and the frame around the plate proclaims, " Where do you get

your energy? We're veggie powered! "

 

School year programs

 

A new addition from the same nonprofit is a K-12 school, (www.MarsAcademy.org)

which offers individually oriented educational programs. Dr. Andy Mars, PhD in

Education, is the director of programs and camps. He can be reached at (818)

344-7838. Home base is Tarzana in southern California; e-mail:

info. The classes are kept very small (12 or less students) so

that each student receives an individualized education with a strong focus on

social action.

 

During the school year, kids may participate in an after school program

(www.KidsMakeADifference.org) where kids can learn to effect change within their

communities. Traditionally, kids are turned away when they try to volunteer in

their neighborhoods. With the Kids Make A Difference program, started in 1993,

these students are provided opportunities to use their skills and passions to

impact the community around them. This nurtures the children's caring, rather

than supressing it. For information about the camps or after school program,

email Dr. Mars @ info.

 

There are still open slots for participation in Winter Camp, December 26 to

December 30, (SNOWvernight Camp) and the December 31-January 1 (Magic Mountain

Overnight Camp), so be sure to contact the program soon to be included.

 

Campers for Camp Exploration and other programs come from throughout California,

the United States, and even Japan, Russia, Israel and other countries. Not only

do the kids eat a vegan menu daily, but they learn to prepare vegan cuisine and

have helped spread the word to their families and friends after camp.

 

There will be a free vegan Ice Cream Party and Back-to-School Prep Session on

September 7th.

 

 

Photo courtesy of YEA camp

 

 

Youth Empowered Action Camp

 

During August 17-21, the Ben Lomond Quaker Center of the Santa Cruz mountains

will be home to youth from age 11 to 15 for a week of empowerment and leadership

skills training. While most of the young people will be from the San Francisco

Bay Area of northern California, kids from all parts of the country are welcome

to participate. Each young person will learn how to become active in leadership

and empowerment, learning how to pursue social justice issues in a positive way,

and to help prepare them to be the leaders of tomorrow.

 

Some of the activities include The Power Shuffle (looking at power and

oppression), Go MAD (Make a Difference), The Lives of our Dreams (art, poetry,

song, dance, expression used to inspire), CIA (Compassion into action), as well

as plenty of free time, basketball, frisbee and open mic. There will be a

sharing of individual passions for issues so each young person will expand their

own horizons as they understand what motivates others. Camp will help

participants become confident, inspired and organized. They will gain training

in non-violent communication and join into a community of future leaders. They

will have support to overcome barriers and forge new relationships. Mentoring

will continue beyond camp, as the young people will develop their own networks

of support and will have camp staff follow up with them individually to help

promote their continued growth once camp is over.

 

The camp will offer primarily local, organic vegan cuisine which is in keeping

with working towards a sustainable and improved future. For more information,

go to their website or contact them at (415) 440-1915 or email at

info.

 

 

Camp Staff

 

Camp staff include several dynamic people. Spokeswoman Nora Kramer has been

working with youth since 2001, supporting several peace and justice issues,

working in an after school program, and helping empower kids to make a

difference in the world. She became vegan during an environmental science class

in college, after reading John Robbins' Diet for a New America and beginning to

realize that food choices have a tremendous impact on animals, humans and the

earth. She is passionate about animal rights and helping empower others. Nora is

a credentialed teacher and has completed the American Camp Association's Basic

Camp Director Course.

 

 

Other staff include:

Serge Bakalian, a filmmaker, writer and theater manager from the San Francisco

area. He has worked passionately to defend the biodiversity of the global food

supply, especially in the Middle East and Latin America. He has earned a B.S in

Chemistry and a B.S. and M.S. in International Relations.

Erin Fields Has worked with social justice issues such as AIDs, North Korean

political prisoners, and fair traded goods as well as the empowerment of youth.

She is working on her M.A. in Gender, Ecology and Society and has worked as a

teacher, support counselor, teaching assistant, tutor and nanny.

Luke Janes has trained in nonviolent communication, co-counseling, restorative

justice and is a certified Wilderness First Responder. He is a credentialed

math and science teacher and has a Masters Degree in Education. He has also

worked at several summer camps.

Sharon Smith is Program Director for the New Leaders Initiative and Brower Youth

Awards at Earth Island Institute. Sharon has experience leading young people on

wilderness treks and bicycling tours. She completed a year fellowship with

Green Corps, where she learned extensively about environmental organizing.

Laura Carver has been active since her youth, supporting human and animal

rights. She has worked with Farm Sanctuary, ASPCA and with Nathan Winograd,

leader of the no-kill shelter movement. She is a science teacher in middle and

high school and blogs about her family's simple style of living.

Leanne Alaman was head art instructor at UC Berkeley's Explorer Camp, mentored

foster youth at the Fred Finch Youth Center, facilitated art classes with

homeless youth at Drawbridge Expressive Arts, and is working on her MA in

Integrative EcoSocial Design. She is focusing on revolutionizing education to

improve graduation rates and develop compassionate world citizens.

Laine Forman is an artist from San Francisco who is also an educator. She has

worked with at-risk youth, prison inmates, immigrants and is currently a

preschool teacher working on her masters degree in Drama Therapy.

The diversity of staff experience and the extensive educational credentials are

sure to give the lucky campsters a memorable summer. Go here for further

information and more photos of YEA camp. This is the first year of YEA camp;

there may be one or two open slots, but call right away to check on

availability.