As the giving season arrives and we reflect on what Camptown has accomplished because of your support, our hearts are full. Over the past few years, our reach has grown and we’ve served several thousand more kids than ever before. Our programs’ availability has widened and, most importantly, we’ve continued to turn impressions into impact and provide experiences that meet each student at their individual developmental journey, speaking truth into their lives.
Take Cam, for example, a 15 year old student from Positive Supports Academy:
Meet Cam
Cam is the oldest of his siblings and has carried that responsibility for years. On-campus, he is typically distant and quiet, bottling up his feelings until they explode. With an often clenched jaw, averted eyes, and hidden hands, it’s clear he’s carrying stress beyond his years.
We first met Cam through our HopeTrails program. There, he learned regulatory breathing techniques and went on a wilderness experience at McCormick’s Creek. During his outing, he faced both physical and emotional challenges: walking through slippery streams, hiking difficult trails, climbing the fire tower, and pushing through discomfort and fatigue. To finish the hike was a success in its own right.
But Cam’s breakthrough happened after. When his group finished their hike, he stood alone. Without prompting or an audience, he quietly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly released it — just like he learned earlier. His shoulders relaxed and jaw loosened, and the tension he carried briefly dissolved. He was at peace. In that moment, his nervous system learned something his mind may not have had language for:
“I can calm myself. I don’t have to carry it alone. I can be a kid.”
Supporting Kids Like Cam
At Camptown, over half of the students we serve live in unconventional family structures, often with limited access to consistent adult mentorship. Like Cam, many of our students teeter on the edge of full expulsion from traditional school systems. Like Cam, many also carry the weight of trauma, survival mechanisms, and adverse childhood experiences daily.
We recognize the difficult journeys many students live and how their experiences impact their decisions and actions. That’s why we choose to offer outdoor learning opportunities: the wilderness does not care about past behaviors or reputations, and instead presents challenges that require focus, problem-solving, and presence. We are not offering a quick fix, we’re providing experiences and tools students can draw upon when they are ready — just like Cam was at McCormick’s Creek.
This year, we’re asking our community to pick a portion of a HopeTrails trip to support, so we can collectively provide full-group experiences to dozens of cohorts. Would you consider a gift to help our students continue their personal growth journey? By giving before December 31st, you’re ensuring that children like Cam receive the personalized attention they deserve.
- $50 = Mountain Biking Trip for 1 student
- $100 = Kayak Trip for 1 student
- $250 = Teambuilding Session for an entire cohort (10 students)
- $500 = Overnight Trip for 1 student
- $1,000 = Adventure Day for an entire cohort
- $5,000 = Big South Fork Trip for an entire cohort
Thank you for your ongoing kindness and willingness to support our mission. Together, we’re helping Central Indiana’s youth discover their full potential, one outdoor adventure at a time.