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Visit Our Vacamas Website
973-838-0942 (Extension 2) 877-428-8222 (Option 2)
info[AT]hi4y.org
256 Macopin Road
West Milford, New Jersey 07480
CAMPER AGES: 6 - 17
TYPE OF CAMP: Overnight/Sleepaway. Day Camp.
CAMPER GENDER(S): Coed Campers.
BRIEF CAMP DESCRIPTION: Every summer, hundreds of young people from the tri-state area come to Vacamas for a summer to remember and meet friends they will never forget. Our 12- and 19-day trips provide exciting and challenging age-specific adventures for campers ages 6-17, having completed 1st through 11th grades. In addition to our sleep-away camp, we also have a rapidly-growing day camp which operates between 9am and 5pm each day with before-care and after-care options also available.
CAMP INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES OFFERED:
Theater, Musical Theater, Music/Band, Fine Arts/Crafts, Basketball, Baseball, Weightloss, Soccer, Swimming, Waterfront/Aquatics, Volleyball, Team Sports, Academics, Adventure, Wilderness/Nature, and more.
CAMP LOCATION: Camp Vacamas is situated on 230 wooded acres of private land In Northern New Jersey, surrounded by New Jersey�s 4,500acre Norvin Green State Forest. With a private 50 acre lake and beautiful surroundings Vacamas is a world apart in feeling but only 45 minutes away from New York City.
CAMP FACILITIES: Children live in camp cabins with up to eight children their age and two staff members. Cabins for younger campers have bathrooms and showers in sleeping areas. For campers aged 10 and up facilities are located just outside their cabin. Teen Adventure Campers are more self-sufficient and live in platform tents, Adirondack shelters or college dorm style environments. We have a 50 acres lake for swimming. boating and nature study, ball fields, a nature center, creative kitchen, wood shop, library, indoor gymnasium and Theater, high and low ropes courses, an indoor climbing wall, outdoor and indoor basketball courts an rustic amphitheater and an Arts and Crafts Center. Our dining hall seats 600 at a time.
CAMP PROGRAM INFO: Vacamas Teen Camp is a variety of individualized programs designed to challenge, develop skills and educate teenage campers who are 13 to 17 years old." We offer small, specialized programs with 12 to 24 campers in each group. Our Teen Programs foster independence and provide challenges matched to each teenager's individual interests.
In our Teen Programs, emphasis is placed on enhancing an interest or skill, building a sense of independence, teaching a mature decision-making process and participating in positive community involvement.
All of our programs are designed to assist each teenager in taking the next step in their personal growth and development through a fun, safe, enriching, and challenge- based environment. The Teen Programs are full camp experiences, combining traditional camping activities such as land and water sports, crafts, drama, nature, hiking, cook-outs, and campfires with the special areas of concentration the teenage camper has chosen. All specialized supplies and equipment for each program are provided by Camp Vacamas at no additional cost.
The majority of our Teen Programs are scheduled in 19-day sessions matched to our Junior Camp schedule. Our Theater Program and our Leadership-In-Training Program (LIT) are both six-week sessions.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE-BASED PROGRAMS Vacamas Teen Camp offers four Outdoor Journey-Based programs tailored to the interests of the adventurous teenager. All of our adventure programs entail developing skills in outdoor living. During an initial week of skill and team-building, campers learn to live and cook in an outdoor environment, set up tents, build campsites and develop their outdoor skills. They then embark on a journey of their choice ranging from Backpacking along the Appalachian Trail, Canoeing the Delaware River passing through New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, Biking through Pennsylvania Dutch Amish Country, or Novice Rock Climbing in Northwest New Jersey.
All of our adventure programs have Team Leaders who are trained in the specific skills of each journey. Lifeguards accompany the teens on any water-based adventures. One member of each team is certified in American Red Cross CPR and First Aid.
SKILL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS Basketball Skills and Drills: (BSD) is offered to the camper who wants to either develop or perfect his or her ability in basketball. Skill level ranges from beginners to advanced basketball players. At least two hours each day is devoted to learning and improving skill level. The remainder of each day is spent in traditional camp activities.
Exercise, Sports and Nutrition: (ESP&N) The ESP&N Program was created for campers who are interested in developing skills in various areas of sports and concerned about being fit enough to play those sports. At least two hours each day is spent on enhancing skills in several areas of athletic endeavors such as Volleyball, Soccer, Softball, and other team sports from around the world. The teens are also involved In Nutrition seminars and given healthy cooking lessons in their own teaching kitchen.
Healthy Lifestyles: Our Healthy Lifestyles Program is designed for the teen who is struggling with weight management. In today's society the educational and medical communities are concerned about the rise of Obesity during the childhood years. Healthy Lifestyles is dedicated to teaching overweight teens to control their own environment to produce and maintain a healthy weight. This is done through appropriate exercise designed by our certified fitness trainer and through cooking classes, healthy shopping expeditions with tutorials and seminars on proper nutrition.
The traditional camp program is modified to meet the needs of the child who may struggle with extremely rigorous activities.
Performing Arts: The Theater Program is a performing arts program designed for the teenager whose interest lies in the entire range of creating, producing and performing in a live production. We focus on musicals to show case the teen's talents in vocal, acting and dance. This is a six-week program. The time at Camp includes preparing for a major presentation, as well as participating in traditional camp activities. All participants are taught about all aspects of creating a performance including building sets, creating props, designing costumes, as well as the acting, dancing, singing and choreographing the entire production.
At the culmination of the six-week program, the production is presented to the entire camp in the Leonard Franklin Theater, which has professional staging, sound systems and lighting. The families of each of the participants are invited to see the final production.
Culinary Arts: The Culinary Arts Program is designed for the teenager whose interest lies in the whole range of culinary skills. We will host cook offs and bake offs and will create our own Vacamas Chef Game Show. It will entail preparing existing recipes to creating their own creations in a professional commercial kitchen with all the restaurant equipment. The program will showcase their newly learned skills with the serving of a full course meal prepared for specifically invited guests.
Life Guard Training: The LGT Program is designed for the 15 who is a strong swimmer. It is a 3 week experience that incorporates traditional Teen camp activities with 2 hours a day of training which includes lifesaving, CPR and First Aid. It gives the young person a marketable skill which enables them to work after school or in the summers at facilities that employ certified lifeguards.
CAMP LEADERSHIP CIT/LIT PROGRAMS: LIT Program. Leadership in Training (LIT) the program is offered to the Teen who will be 16 by the end of the current calendar year. The Program is intended for the adolescent who is interested in working in a camp environment in several different areas. Workshop topics include general childcare, camp programming, leadership skills, positive communication and reinforcement, dealing with behavior problems, creating a positive and healthy group, and developing and running specialty areas.
After completion of the initial orientation, workshops and team-building activities, the LIT spends four hours per day assigned to different areas of camp under the tutelage of an experienced staff member. A portion of their time is spent on community service projects, such as a Camp construction project, or at service learning off camp site such as Habitat for Humanity.
The LIT Program is a very selective program. In order to be accepted into this group, the participants must have three recommendations from their high school staff or former employers. After successfully completing this program, the LIT may be offered a position as a salaried Junior Staff member for the following summer.
CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: Some are available on request
CAMP SESSION DATES & FEES:
Session 1 June 28th-July 9th Session 2 July 12th - July 30th Session 3 August 2nd - August 20th Each child's fee is set individually, taking into account family income and size and using our sliding fee scale. We strive to make summer camp safe, fun and affordable for all.
SUMMER CAMP JOBS:
Jobs available:
Counselor
Lifeguard
Arts Specialist
Education Specialist
Kitchen Staff
Housekeeping
Maintenance
Be sure to check each camp listing under INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES OFFERED for the range of Special Interest Activities and Programs provided by each New Jersey Sleepaway Summer Camp or Summer Sleepaway Recreation Program.
Many New Jersey Day and Sleepaway Sleepaway Camps offer professional level instruction in a wide-range of Sleepaway Activities.
For a complete List of New Jersey Special Interest Sleepaway Summer Camps & Summer Sleepaway Recreation Programs scroll down to the big black bar at the very bottom of this page.
You can go directly to any of our other 2025 Special Interest Camp Directories from the list in the black bar at the bottom of this page.
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