PSWD Youth Camps The PSWD sponsors six youth camps each year at Camp de Benneville Pines, our beautiful UU mountain retreat center in the San Bernardino Mountains. There are three winter and three summer youth camps, and we welcome campers in elementary, middle, and high school. We also run a very successful counselor-in-training program for youth aged 15+ during the summer week-long elementary camp. Camp isn't just a week - it's a lifetime. Click here for Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about the PSWD Youth Camps

Mission statement for the PSWD YoUUth Camps:

Our YoUUth Camps mission is to create an evolving, diverse community that encourages the exploration of Unitarian Universalist values through events and programming that enrich mind, body and soul. Our hope is that our youth will leave camp transformed and empowered to change the world.

We will achieve this through:

Spirituality and Worship

• Exploration of different spiritual practices
• Empowering youth led and planned worship
• Including UU values in all camp programming
• Using music to express spiritual values
• Create quality worship
• Spirituality infused throughout the camp, not just during worship

Transformational Education

• Teach our UU traditions, history, and methods for articulating our faith (UU Factoids!!!)
• Profound experiences (e.g. brown eyes/ blue eyes)
• Practice UU values

Community and Leadership

• Actively pursuing the participation of diverse groups at camp (e.g. interfaith/ intercultural)
• Amply train those in leadership roles
• Nurture future leaders and new campers
• Foster connections with UU congregations
• Appropriate community
• Teach that social justice begins with how we treat one another
• Teach campers of all ages how to articulate their faith

Events and Programming

• Provide engaging music, art, multicultural festivals which ushers in diversity to our community
• Programming grounded in UU values
• Offer a variety for all involvement levels (i.e. progressive) beginner -> advanced)
• Stress the ethic of participation

Social Action and Outreach

• Accessible camp (handicapped, economic, and transportation)
• Anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and multi-cultural programs
• Opportunities at camp (service projects), sign ups for down the hill projects and organizations
• Guest speakers to bring in professional/experienced knowledge

Members of PSWD Youth Camps Ministry Team:

• Divina Allan (past Sr. High Camp Youth Dean)

• Suzanne Borth (Dean, Elementary Summer Camp)

• Ellie Chamberlain (Youth Member)

• Rev. Anne Hines (Ministerial Representative)

• Mary Jane Holden (Coming of Age Retreat Dean)

• Derek Kravitz (Sr High Winter Camp Youth Dean)

• Brianna Noonan (past Sr. High Camp Youth Dean)

• Glenn Noreen (De Benneville Pines Liaison)

• Sam Petry (Sr High Winter Camp Youth Dean )

• Celeste Plumlee, (Adult Dean, Elementary Winter Camp)  

• Caroline Quintanilla (De Benneville Pines Staff)
  
• Kim St. Clair (Adult Dean, Sr. High Camp)

Tera Little (staff liaison) teral@att.net