Dear Staff,
As another camping season ends, we’re thankful for how God has worked through both the good and hard moments. Many kids felt seen, heard, and loved by Jesus for the first time, while others grew in their faith. And for those who had last-minute changes due to wildfires, we also acknowledge the disappointment of an early end to the season. We’re praying alongside you for the kids who didn’t get to attend camp — that they’d experience God’s tangible love.
In the midst of it all, we want to pause and celebrate how God moved through camp! How did you see God move this summer? We asked camp interns and volunteers this same question, and here’s what they had to say:
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Now as we look forward, here’s what you need to know to stay in the loop on all things camping this month:
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Even now as you remember summer 2026, it’s time to start planning for next summer!
Camp Spots
Your area will submit camp requests in the Camp Requests application between Monday, August 24, and Friday, September 4. Here’s how:
Review guidelines from your region about camping strategy, camp requests, and deadlines.
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A few additional thoughts: Considering taking WyldLife kids to camp next summer? Here are some tips for making the best possible camp requests.
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Discipleship Camping Opportunities
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Did you know that at the same time you request camp spots, you can also request discipleship camping opportunities? Discipleship camping trips have a powerful impact, as illustrated in Caleb’s story. There are a wide variety of opportunities available across the mission, including:
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Base Camp Adventures, which involve staying at a base camp for the week and sleeping in cabins or yurts at night. You will head out on daily adventures, and return to camp each day for club, building community with any other groups attending camp with you. These experiences include Young Life Adventures Baja (a service experience), Adventures Santa Cruz, Adventures Wild Ridge, Pioneer Plunge and Wilderness Ranch.
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Trail Adventures, which offer the opportunity to experience adventures on foot or by water and sleeping in tents at night. You will have content along the way and journey to new places every day. Trail adventures include Beyond Malibu and Wilderness Ranch.
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Send this video to your high school friends to show them these opportunities! To request discipleship camp trips, choose the “adventures” tab when using the camp request system.
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At the same time you request summer camp spots, you’ll also request work crew spots through the Camp Requests application. Requesting work crew spots helps us know how many work crew will potentially be available for different sessions and helps camps distribute work crew spots across regions. Work crew requests are also due Friday, September 4.
Check out this Staff Resources page for step-by-step instructions, the timeline, and other helpful resources.
Do you also have a friend with a disability that would be interested in serving? If so, check out the work crew/summer staff with a disability interest form that is linked on this Staff Resources page. This form must be completed first before a friend with a disability can apply to serve at a camp.
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The summer 2027 camp fee has been set. Review these details of the costs for different camps around the mission.
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Managing Your School Season Camp in YL Connect
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YL Connect Camp use is required for all school season camp trips, which allows areas to efficiently track registrations and payments, record your area’s school season statistics, and allows areas and participants to manage the online health and consent form. The school season health form is now streamlined with the summer health form process, including the Health Form tab and an online (and PDF) Spanish version available. See how to manage your health forms here.
If you’re camping at a Young Life camp this school season:
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Just like in the summer, your campaign has been created for you by your camp! A unique Webconnex page has been created for you, and all you need to do is edit and publish your registration page so students and leaders can start signing up. Don't copy old registration pages!
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Want help setting up your registration page? Fill out the concierge form and camping support can make sure your settings and options are correct.
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If you’re camping at a non-Young Life property, don’t forget to follow these tips when creating your locally managed camp trip:
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- Start in YL Connect, not in Webconnex.
- Click the “Create New Camp Trip or Event” link.
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Once you create a new trip/campaign in YL Connect, a new registration page will automatically be created for you in Webconnex. Don't copy old registration pages! Using the newly-created registration page will ensure your trip is created correctly and will properly sync from Webconnex to YL Connect Camp while showing up in your CMI numbers.
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If you want help, fill out the locally-created camp concierge form and camping support can make sure your settings and options are correct. Note: You will need to first create your camp trip in YL Connect and then include the camp trip link in the concierge form.
- Finally, be sure to close out any locally-created camp trips. This helps keep accurate statistics for your area. Here’s how.
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As we seek to share camping tips and resources this year, we know the best ideas come from you! As you look back, what went well this year? Did you try a new camp sell strategy? Did you have a new favorite camp fundraiser? Did you have a great prayer strategy? As you reflect on what went well this past year, we would love to hear your wins so we can celebrate with you and share your ideas with others.
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Thank you for helping to make camp possible for kids. As we move into this new school year, we know God will continue to work through you as he transforms kids’ lives.
View previous issues and all our camping resources on Staff Resources.
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FYI – This newsletter is sent to all current U.S. Field staff, camp managers, and camping admin managers. Do you know of a volunteer who would like to be added to this communication? Just have them sign up, and we’ll be sure include them.
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