Camp Susque’s summer youth camps is where it all started. In 1946, four leaders took 16 fellows on a two-night camping trip up the Loyalsock Creek. On the second night, around a campfire, a discussion revealed concerns about the issues of life that had previously been unspoken. The leaders were overwhelmed at the boys’ response and…here we are today.

For each of our youth camps, your child will join a cabin/tent group made up of one counselor and 6-8 other campers in their same age group. This provides them with the security and context of a small group in which they can bond, share, and explore. Many of our campers return time after time just to experience this small group, community feel. They state it frees them to feel safe enough to be themselves, to grow and try new things, and to open up about what is going on in their lives with others their same age.

Our boys and girls camps are unique in that they allow boys to be boys and girls to be girls in the context of a week of summer camp. They provide a chance for your child to spend the week at camp not distracted by or worrying about getting embarrassed in front of campers of the opposite gender

These camps are served by well-screened, college-age counselors who spend an entire week in training learning how to best take care of your child while at Susque.

For over 40 years, Girls Camp has provided a fun-filled, supportive atmosphere where girls can be themselves. Here they can withdraw from the distractions of everyday life and co-ed settings. Each week, close bonds form as Jays (grades 3-5), Doves (grades 6-8), and Hawks (grades 9-11) try their hand at skill-based activities such as canoeing, dance, pottery, and archery. Other small and large group activities such as gaga, campouts, and special theme activities add a chance to mingle and enjoy creative, fun elements.

Most importantly, girls will be immersed in a safe, loving community of leaders and young adults who have a passion for them to both hear and see the Gospel of Christ lived out. Each day, campers will hear from and interact with a chaplain and sometimes his wife, chosen for their ability to work with youth and encourage the hearts of young women. Well-screened, trained, college-age counselors also participate in the learning process as they guide their small cabin or tent group of 6-8 girls into the deeper truths of living in community and sensing God’s purpose in their lives.

A hallmark of Susque, reaching back to the very beginnings of our ministry, occurs once a week for each cabin or tent group: the famed “Susque Stew Experience.” This purposeful, special evening builds self-sufficiency as each cabin or tent group strikes off to seek God in quieter areas of camp. Each group prepares their own meal over a campfire they built themselves and prepares their sleeping quarters for that evening’s rest under the stars. The goal of the evening is to prepare an open opportunity for the cabin or tent group to gather around the fire and share about their lives, their struggles, and their questions. Guest chaplains or other camp leadership are often in attendance to help stimulate and guide the conversation.