Everything about this camp is different, from its focus on the environment and providing life inspiration, to its commitment to a vegetarian diet. If you're an open-minded teen (they take ages 15-25) looking for a totally unique and meaningful summer experience, consider going to one of the Yes! Action Camps.
Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!), a non-profit organization, was founded in 1990 by 16-year-old Ocean Robbins and 19-year-old Ryan Eliason. Boasting a powerful line-up of presenters like John Robbins, Rosa Parks, Dr. Jane Goodall, and Alice Walker, among many others, the camps explore topics that most young people never have the chance to address on a truly meaningful level. This list of topics is from their website:
- Powerful solutions to environmental problems and globalization
- Connections between personal and planetary ecology
- Healing gender divisions and stereotypes
- Overcoming prejudice and taking a stand for social justice
- The power of our beliefs to shape our lives
- Transcending apathy and finding a sense of meaning and purpose
Their goals are high--to help young people acquire life skills like:
- Developing and cultivating leadership
- Effective communication and conflict resolution
- Building community with diversity
- Spreading information about urgent environmental and social issues
- Fundraising, public speaking, and organizing for change
- Self-confidence and expression
- Active nonviolence
The camp fee is on a sliding scale from $400-800 with scholarships available and discounts for bringing in a friend. Most impressive is the section of the website devoted to fundraising. There are no less than ten great ideas for earning the money to pay for camp; that could be an education in itself! A fundraising manual and coaching are available just for the asking.
For more information on YES! Action Camps, or on YES!'s books, manuals, videos and other resources, contact:
Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!)
420 Bronco Road
Soquel, CA 95073-9510
(877) 293-7226
fax: (831) 462-6970
camps@yesworld.org
-Melanie Wilson is the editor of Vegetarian Baby and Child magazine.
Read about other environmental camps.
Send feedback about this article
Someone contacted us based on an article recommending YES! summer camps on your website. We greatly appreciate the recommendation by you but YES! is no longer having the same type of action camps. We have changed our programmatic format somewhat. The Art in Action camp, which YES! is affiliatiated with, may be of interest. Information about what YES! is currently doing, including the Art in Action camp is available at www.yesworld.org. Thanks so much and have a happy new year!
Best Wishes,
Joachim Williams, Intern, YES!
"Helping Outstanding Young Leaders Build A Better World"
www.yesworld.org
