When you think about the outdoor experiences that really made an imprint in your memory, what comes to mind? Camping in a tent, sleeping under the stars, conversations around the campfire that went uninterrupted by a buzzing phone, getting covered in dirt after a breathtaking hike or testing the limits of your mountain bike (or yourself) in the great outdoors? These types of experiences are what our overnight Expedition Camps for rising 5th-12th graders are all about. 

Imagine campers sitting around the table, not a cell phone in sight, as they eat a meal together in the dining hall at Resident Camp. The sound of laughter and joking around rings throughout the cafeteria as kids plan for a skit night that evening. Or, imagine kids working together to set up basecamp on an Expedition. They sit around the campfire trading stories, making s'mores and playing card games before a day of mountain biking the next day. These moments may easily come to mind when you picture what overnight camp is like at Avid4 Adventure. What you can’t see though are the transformations that happen—the moments that become punctuation points in a child’s life leaving them forever changed as they continue their adventures after camp is over. These experiences are so meaningful because they represent the transformative power of the outdoors, friendships and strong role models. Below are two stories that highlight these very special experiences.

For many of us these days, taking and sharing pictures is a natural part of our daily routine. And the desire to take great photos only heightens when you're with your family are on an exciting adventure in the picturesque outdoors! We all want to capture that perfect picture of our kiddo sending it off of a jump on a mountain bike, paddling a speedy turn in a kayak or climbing to the top of a rock wall.

A Life-Defining Experience: Looking Back on Summer Camp as an Adult

We'll let you in on a secret: All parents are afraid of sending their kids to overnight camp. It's no easy thing to pack up your baby (even a teenage one) and send them miles away to sleep somewhere entirely new for two weeks. But while it's totally OK—good, even!—to have concerns, you shouldn't let them stop you from giving your kid one of the most confidence-building, independence-bolstering, unforgettable experiences of their life. (If you're a camper, check out this great article on how to convince your parents to send you to overnight camp).