What's different about summer camps in 2025?

Please note that starting this summer, most of our camps will end on Thursday evening instead of Friday afternoon. 

Why the change? There are several reasons, with a key one being that we highly value our summer staff and want to do our very best to make their experience of working at Highland a positive one. We feel confident that the schedule change will also benefit our camper families and our weekend guest groups. Here are some things we’re excited about:

Giving summer staff more rest each weekend, at the same wage. In the new schedule, the necessary weekly chores and meetings can happen at a relaxed pace after the campers depart, and camp staff can have a full 48 hours away from Highland each weekend. The camp staff work week will still be from Sunday to Friday, so their weekly salaries will not decrease, but they will have more time to rest and get ready for the next week. Camper parents will appreciate having healthy, well-rested staff to care for their children.

Fostering staff unity by building in time for worship and fun. The additional time between camper check-outs and weekend guest arrivals will be put to good use as a gathering and connection point for our summer staff. Strong relationships among the staff make for a better summer for our campers as well as our staff, and having time each week to worship together and enjoy each other will help that sense of community flourish.

Providing more time for those who need to travel. Not only will our summer staff head home earlier on Fridays, but camper families who need to travel for a vacation or a weekend activity can also get an earlier start for their next adventures without needing to pick up their camper early.

Spending more time with camper families at the end of each camp week. The details are still being refined, but the goal is to have camper check-out begin late enough so that working parents have time to travel to us, and then invite families to stick around for a brief program (highlights from that week’s camp experience) followed by a meal. A shared meal is a great opportunity to connect with our staff, and we’ll aim to streamline the experience so that families can eat and head out early enough to be home for younger children’s bedtimes.

Improving the transition to weekend guest groups. Fridays had become a definite pinch point in our week, where our staff often were working on cleaning and facility maintenance tasks right up to the moment guests arrived for the weekend. The new schedule will allow more margin between summer camp leaving and church groups arriving for their weekend campouts, so everyone can breathe easier on Fridays.

Questions about this change? Feel free to reach out to the Youth Office.

If you have other questions (ex.: what to pack, arrival and departure procedures, cabin mate requests, general healthcare at camp, etc.) please consult the Parent Information page for additional helpful info!

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Some details about activities

Assigned activities – Includes things like nature studies, the climbing tower, and other challenge course activities.

Camper choice activities – In the resident camps for our older campers, there will be times when each individual camper will select from various planned activities. Options may be related to the arts (like crafts, dance, or drama), outdoor living (like slingshots, firebuilding, or funyaks), or sports (like soccer, kickball, or disc golf).

Cabin action time – Cabin groups will choose a simple activity like playing gaga, making friendship bracelets, or playing in the stream.

Evening Rec – When the whole camp assembles for various games on the rec field.

Swimming – Campers will have swim time each day, weather permitting.

Devotional time and worship time – Worship services are all-camp activities, and they will include singing and Bible-based teaching. The Bible study topic will be introduced during morning devotional time, and during the evening worship time, a speaker will present a message.

Meals – Most meals will be served on the kitchen deck, with food prepared and served by our kitchen staff. Campers will sit with their cabin group during these meals. Weather permitting, some meals (breakfast or supper) will also be prepared over the campfire at each cabin. Counselors will supervise the food preparation of those meals, using food and equipment supplied by the camp kitchen.

Arrival/Check-In and Departure – View information about times and procedures