YMCA Summer Camp: Driven by Fun, Founded in Values

YMCA Summer Camp provides kids a life-changing summer experience!  Our Y day camps welcome kids of all backgrounds to discover who they are and imagine who they can be, with programs that foster lifelong skills, build self-confidence and create lasting friendships. Together, our proven programs and trained counselors deliver meaningful and memorable camp experiences that keep families coming back year after year after year. We foster environments where you feel comfortable being yourself and confident connecting with others.

At the core of our organization are four values we believe build strong community and character. These values are:

  • Caring: To be sensitive to the needs of others and go the extra mile
  • Honesty: To tell the truth, have integrity and build trust
  • Respect: To value the worth of every person and treat others as you would like to be treated\
  • Responsibility: To do what is right and be accountable for your behavior and your obligations

YMCA Value Beads

bead keychainFor summer camp, our staff and campers are expected to uphold these values in everything they do: participate in activities, build relationships, and interact with their environment. Campers who go above and beyond to display these traits during their camp day are recognized and awarded colored beads during our Core Value Bead Ceremony at the end of each day.

  • Red represents caring for the color of your heart
  • Blue represents honesty for being “true blue” or loyal
  • Gold represents respect for the golden rule of treating others how you want to be treated
  • Green represents responsibility for the Earth.

Campers can collect these core value beads throughout the summer at all of our YMCA camps and are a great conversation starter for the car ride home. We believe that we can build better community and character through regular practice of these values and would appreciate your help in talking with your campers about what each one means before the start of camp.

These beads are an honor that kids carry with them all week and all summer as a reminder of the values they exhibited and the friendships they have formed.