I get asked all the time by parents – so, what makes Camp Newaygo different from other camps?
Sure we have amazing facilities, our staff are incredible, and our traditions run deep. But the first thing that comes to mind is the unique culture of Camp Newaygo.
Our formal mission statement is: “Camp Newaygo fosters exploration, creativity and cooperation among individuals and communities in the natural environment”.
Many years back we took a tip from Simon Sinek and created our WHY statement: Because every child deserves a safe place to become their best self.
And that’s the heart of it. Camp is a place to become your best self. A former camper once said “camp taught me to love myself for who I am, not who I thought I was supposed to be”.
Camp Newaygo welcomes all. All personalities, backgrounds, beliefs, passions. The compassionate community created by our staff and returning campers is like a safety net saying: go ahead, be as weird as you want, we will still love you.
Our goals for campers start with RIG – Respect, Independance, and Grit. We hope campers (and staff) gain these things while at camp. We also measure how well we do at developing these skills through our long-term partnership with Radford University. You can read all about our research HERE.
So what makes us different than other camps? I feel like Camp Newaygo truly lives and breathes its mission. An accepting, inclusive space for campers and staff to discover themselves, and love what they find.