STRAWBERRY POINT, IA – Camp Ewalu is excited to announce that it has been selected as a grantee for the American Camp Association’s Character at Camp Grant Program, a competitive national initiative supported by Lilly Endowment Inc. The program is designed to strengthen character development in camp settings and highlight camps as impactful environments for youth growth.
Camp Ewalu’s grant of $172,149 for two years will support its new True North program, designed to help high school students build resilience through high adventure and service. True North has two options for students to take part: a one-day Spring Event on March 14 at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, with an “Amazing Race” high-energy format open to youth groups; and a 6-day Summer Program at Camp Ewalu on July 26-31 for youth groups and individual high schoolers, where participants will work collaboratively on challenges and enjoy adventure activities in northeast Iowa. Registration and details for both programs can be found at www.Ewalu.org/TrueNorth.
“True North provides a uniquely valuable experience for high schoolers to discover who they are, who they want to be, and how they can practice servant leadership,” said Heather Swartz, Ewalu’s newly hired True North director. “Our youth deserve a compassionate environment that nurtures their character and builds self-esteem through resilience, leadership, and community-mindedness, empowering them to practice servant leadership in all their endeavors.
“I am thrilled to see this program flourish with such generous support from the American Camp Association’s Character at Camp grant, which will provide us with substantial resources to enrich and refine True North into a high-quality experience with a resounding impact,” said Swartz, whose full-time position is funded for two years as part of the grant. The Character at Camp funds also include financial support for program development, promotion of the new program and strengthening faith-based connections between Camp Ewalu and churches, families, campus ministries, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) Northeastern and Southeastern Iowa Synods.
Through the Character at Camp initiative, the American Camp Association partners with camps across the country to intentionally support the development of key character strengths in children and young people. As a grantee, Camp Ewalu will further enhance its commitment to creating meaningful experiences that promote belonging, leadership, and personal growth for campers and staff. Camp Ewalu was the only organization in Iowa selected among the 77 grant recipients.
The Character at Camp initiative recognizes camps as uniquely positioned to foster positive youth development by providing:
• Research-informed character development programs
• Inclusive communities that foster a sense of belonging
• Opportunities to grow character strengths such as empathy, responsibility, and leadership
• Access to character development programs
• Meaningful service to communities and the environment
• Experiences that support leadership development and personal growth
By participating in the Character at Camp program, Camp Ewalu joins a national network of camps working with the American Camp Association to advance best practices in character development and share what makes camp a powerful setting for youth learning and growth.
To learn more about the Character at Camp initiative, visit ACAcamps.org.
