Important update about Camp 2020 ››
Application Process
What can I expect to find on the application?
The application includes basic biographical information, a section regarding extracurricular activities, a series of short answer questions, and one longer essay.
There is a section that details tuition and scholarship processes. After submitting the application, candidates and their parents will be sent a link to our financial aid application.
What is the application process timeline?
The application becomes available online in mid-to-late October and is open until January 1, after which time the applications are reviewed by a selection panel often made up of school administrators, educators, Seeds of Peace alumni, and staff. Updates are sent out no later than early February to shortlisted candidates. These candidates participate in a 30 minute interview with an alum, counselor, or staff member via Skype or phone. Final selections are made no later than mid-March. We keep students abreast of information as we move forward throughout the application process.
Are scholarships/financial aid available?
Yes! In keeping with our mission to create strong leaders and future changemakers, we do our best to ensure that tuition is not an obstacle to attending Camp. Once you have completed and submitted the Camp application, there will be a link to the Financial Aid Application should you need to apply for a scholarship. While we cannot guarantee scholarships to the fullest amount you request, we do our best to ensure that no selected student will be turned away due to financial reasons.
Daily Life at Camp
What does a typical day at Camp look like?
Campers start their days with a morning community gathering at 7:30 a.m. followed by breakfast. After breakfast, a bunk cleanup, and a counselor-designed “special activity,” Seeds will either take part in a morning of sports, arts, waterfront, or Group Challenge activities, or enter into a 110-minute dialogue session. Dialogue occurs six days a week. Campers who were not scheduled for dialogue in the morning will take part in it in the afternoon.
Complimentary to the dialogue session, Seeds participate in Group Challenge, a series of group activities designed to promote team-building, cooperation, and communication. Campers will also have short periods of free time to communicate with their friends and families back home. Additionally, religious services for Muslims, Jews, and Christians take place weekly. Evenings are spent doing an all-community activity. On a special night during each session, campers share their cultural heritage and traditions with one another, while enjoying a dinner of their favorite dishes from home.
What do the dialogue sessions look like?
Each 110-minute dialogue sessions includes 14-16 campers and is led by two professionally-trained facilitators. Campers in the International Session focus their discussions around their daily realities of living in the Middle East and South Asia, and the multiple narratives of history and politics in those regions, while campers in the United States Session focus their discussion along lines of difference, exploring concepts of identity, community, power, and privilege.
How many people attend each Camp Session?
Each Camp session typically hosts 150-190 campers, including 20-30 returning campers who participate in our advanced leadership program. During the International Session, there are approximately 30 campers who make up the American/UK Delegation. Delegation size for each city and program (Maine, Syracuse, New York City, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago) varies during the United States Session.
Post-Camp Programming
What are some examples of post-Camp programming?
Seeds of Peace offers a range of post-Camp leadership development programming in various cities within the United States as well as internationally for all American participants. These programs provide Seeds (Camp alumni) with opportunities to reconnect with their fellow Seeds, meet Seeds from other sessions, and continue the dialogue started at Camp.
Such programming includes seminars, workshops, trainings, and lectures that develop leadership skills and create safer, more inclusive spaces in their schools and communities. Some examples of previous post-Camp programs include attending art exhibitions, such as Generation Wealth by Lauren Greenfield at the International Center of Photography, as well as a variety of speakers and lectures at local universities that touch on various issues brought up in Camp.
Another exciting post-Camp opportunity is Bayti (“my home” in Hebrew and Arabic). This is a two-week summer trip through Israel and Palestine for American Seeds that enables them to experience the region through the eyes of Israelis and Palestinians rather than through the lens of a tourist.
Parent Questions for Camp
Will I be able to communicate with my child during Camp?
Yes, you will be able to communicate with your child via phone and email. We schedule time throughout Camp to ensure that campers can call home at least twice, and they also have the opportunity to call you during their free time. You will also be able to call them during meals. Parents are allowed to email their children while at Camp. Our office receives and prints them daily and then delivers them to the campers. This is a one-way system, though, so your child will not be able to respond to your emails.
Am I allowed to send a care package to my child?
Yes, parents are allowed to send care packages, though we ask that you limit the number of packages and also not send any food.
What happens if my child gets sick?
Health and safety are our number one priority at Camp. We have an incredible Health Center Team that is staffed with a full-time nurse and doctors who live at Camp and rotate weekly.
Who’s on staff?
Our Camp Staff is made up of incredible individuals from across the world, as we aspire to build a staff that is representative of the communities and experiences of our campers. Many of our staff are also youth development professionals throughout the year. Both counselors and facilitators apply through a highly competitive process and are chosen because of their skills, experience working with youth, personal characteristics, and past experiences. We often have about a 50 percent staff return rate, and in recent years, a significant portion of our staff are Seeds of Peace alumni. All staff go through a week-long intensive orientation program to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary tools to work with our campers.
Are parents allowed to visit their children during Camp?
Yes, parents are allowed to visit their children, but on certain days only. Please contact Dindy Weinstein (Parent Liaison) at dindy@seedsofpeace.org for more information.