• Programs

• Regular Camp
• Specialty Programs
• LIT Programs

LIT Programs

Service Corps

The Service Corps is a service-oriented, leadership program that focuses on both the camp and broader community as well as opportunities to observe and learn more about camp counseling, program development and leadership.  While in camp, participants will assist in the teaching of afternoon activities, develop programs and work with cabin groups. The Service Corps will periodically be called upon to help with projects that keep the camps running smoothly. Seminars and training events will be scheduled throughout the session to allow participants to learn more about camp operations.  The Service Corps will also undertake out-of-camp service projects some of which will include significant physical labor. The Service Corps will take an extended service trip as part of the experience.

The Service Corps program is an eight and a half week commitment.  Only those applicants who can complete the entire program should apply.
Participants will be guided by the Service Corps Director. Individuals will be selected for their motivational ability, leadership qualities and teaching skills.  

Aides Program

A major part of the Aides summer is spent in various work assignments and assisting with camp activities to gain a better understanding of the camp operations.  An Aide has opportunities to observe and learn more about camp counseling, leadership, and support services.  A valuable part of the program is learning to live and work together as a group, gaining insight into group dynamics, as they are guided by the Aides Director.  In addition, seminars and discussions with the Aides Director and other staff members are designed to prepare the Aides for leadership in the camp program.

The Aides program brings with it an eight and a half week commitment.  Only those applicants who can complete the entire program should apply.

REACH Program

The primary goal of the Reaching, Educating, and Caring for Humanity (REACH) Program is to enable teens to develop leadership skills through a service-oriented experience based in a Native American community in South Dakota. The services our teens will provide include developing programs and running a day camp for Lakota children, assisting with elder services and doing physical labor projects. The REACH Program incorporates visits to pow-wows, Badlands National Park, Wounded Knee, Mount Rushmore, and the Crazy Horse Monument.

Located in the southwest corner of the Cheyenne River Reservation, the small village of Red Scaffold, SD will be one of the home bases for the REACH program.  Red Scaffold consists of 16 - 20 homes, 2 churches and cemeteries, a playground, a small community center, and a large recreation facility.  Red Scaffold has a population of approximately 150 and is a small rural community where the group will plan activities for the youth and host events for the community such as basketball tournaments and campfires. The REACH group will also spend one week working with the Sioux YMCA located in the town of Dupree, on the Cheyenne River Reservation. In this bigger community, the group will stay in the YMCA facility and run day camp activities for youth.

Participants will also learn the history, geography, and culture of a Native American community, while strengthening their community service, camping, and travel knowledge. Participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice techniques of positive leadership in group situations, while clarifying personal and societal values through discussions and activities. Good physical health and a positive attitude are essential. Independence, responsibility, achievement, fun - these qualities, and more, are the essence of the REACH Program.