youth Camp programs
Are you ready for adventure?
We offer year-round programming from summer camp to school-year weekend camps for our youth! Offered primarily to children enrolled with Big Brothers Big Sisters, we are proud to offer incredible experiences designed to ignite their imagination, empower them for their futures, and defend the potential of every child who participates in our programs.
Our camp is located in the Hocking Hills, and we are pleased to provide free transportation to and from each of our camps from our Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio Headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.
We are staffed with trained and caring team members and offer small child to adult ratios to ensure safety at all times and are accredited by the American Camp Association.
Youth are housed in bunk-style facilities at camp which have electricity, modern restroom facilities, a climate-controlled dining hall and a caring kitchen team who is able to accommodate dietary needs.
In addition to our amazing sprawling forested property full of nature trails and caves, we also offer plenty of sheltered spaces where youth can participate in indoor activities if the weather is an issue.
For any questions regarding our upcoming camp programs, please contact campotyokwa@bbbscentralohio.org
Types of Camp PROGRAMS
Adventure Camp
Join us for camp in the beautiful Hocking Hills region, where children ages 8-12 can explore the natural surroundings of our property. Campers will participate in various activities, such as swimming, canoeing, hiking, environmental education, team building, games, crafts, and more.
Teen Empowerment Camp
Camp Oty’Okwa offers a teen empowerment program over the summer for youth ages 13-16. This program empowers youth as they transition into high school and beyond. Teens practice maintaining a living space, cooking, and building leadership skills. We also partner with organizations like ODOT, OSU, and others to expose youth to various career opportunities.
LITTLE EXPLORERS CAMP
Designed for children ages 6-9, this camp is a condensed version of Adventure Camp with smaller staff-to-camper ratios that allows younger children to experience camp at their own pace. Little Explorers focuses on building resilience, exploring the outdoors safely, and making new friends.
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT INSTITUTE
Our Youth Empowerment Institute program runs throughout the school year, one weekend per month. Designed for youth in grades 6-12, we introduce our campers to experts in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM), who provide hands-on activities that allow campers to engage directly with each of their fields. Past YEI activities have included wildlife banding, archaeology, climate science, data collection, field biology, eco-tourism, art, and more! Team building and resilience are infused into this program as well to prepare teens for their entrance into adulthood.
SPECIALIZED CAMPS
In addition to our regular camp programming, we also offer special camp programming for specific groups within our Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio program areas, including Teen Leadership Summit, Latino Week, Morrow/Union/Delaware (M.U.D.) Week, Girls Only Week, and Camp Lionheart, which is designed to serve youth who have experienced the loss of a loved one.