What are
“There’s a childlike joy
that I feel at camp.”
Quaker
Values
The foundation of BYM Camps
is the Quaker belief that
“there is that of the Light
in every person,”
and the Quaker testimonies of
Simplicity, Peace, Integrity,
Community, Equity, and Stewardship.
These values imbue everything we do, and we work to manifest them in ourselves and each other every day.
Connection & Interdependence
We believe that all people, and all things, are divine and should be valued as such. We foster a sense of respect for each other and the non-human world, and we honor the fact that we are inextricably connected to, and dependent on, each other. We always seek to listen and learn.
Radically Welcoming,
Genuinely Diverse
Our camps are strengthened by genuine diversity of all kinds, and we are forever working to build communities that are radically welcoming and inclusive. We commit to creating camps where people of any race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or economic status actively want to attend or work, where anyone and everyone feels at home.
Joyous & Brave Community
BYM Camps have joy and challenge at the center of everything we do. Our camps celebrate individuality, encourage every camper to flourish, and create a culture of organic friendship, laughter, and play.
All of that happens in the context of a diverse and welcoming community, where everyone is valued, and everyone is counted upon. Campers learn how to balance their needs with those of others, how to listen to and work with those who might see things differently. We support campers, and they support each other, as they explore and stretch, as they take risks and try something new, as they become someone new.
Our Quaker Foundation
Everything at BYM Camps can be traced back to our foundational Quaker principles. Our camps are simple and unplugged, the activities driven by camper imagination and interest. Campers live closely with nature and with each other, learning how to create a sustainable relationship with the earth and just relationships within their community.
Silence, and the reflective stillness it creates, is a core part of camp life, with the Fire Circle being where the most meaningful moments often occur. And because we value each camper’s access to truth and wisdom, their voices are cultivated and respected. Every day, campers play together and work together, they listen to each other, they listen to their inner voice, and they are both seen and heard.
Our Camps
Whether it’s spent hiking up mountains, playing games, or making art, each day at a BYM camp is a lifelong memory in the making. Find the program that’s the right fit for your camper…
Gender-Inclusive Summer Camp
All of the BYM Camps are gender-inclusive, and our community (and by extension, our registration system) is not divided by an individual’s sex assigned at birth. Instead, we support each community member to be in housing that most aligns with their gender identity. BYM Camps includes non-binary and transgender staff and youth, and we work to model inclusivity in many ways, and invite all community members, as they feel comfortable, to share their gender pronouns. BYM Camps is a community where campers and staff use the full spectrum of gender pronouns and identify with the full non-binary spectrum of gender.
To learn more about what gender looks like at BYM Camps, click here.