Ewalu’s servant adventure for high school students

Find Your Adventure—Find Your True North!

What is True North?

True North is part service camp and part adventure camp with a reality game show-inspired format. It is a unique, immersive experience for 9th- to 12th-grade youth to come together and build resilience in a faith-centered camp environment while serving and playing in the beautiful driftless region of NE Iowa.

Rooted in the fruits of the Spirit in the book of Galatians, True North is designed to help high school students develop character and build inner strength through every challenge and adventure. Whether campers join us for a week of adventure at Camp Ewalu or a dynamic day at Wartburg College, True North is where adventure builds resilience.

Upcoming events for high school youth

• True North Winter Retreat is February 19-21, 2027, at Camp Ewalu, just west of Strawberry Point, Iowa. This retreat focuses on outdoor survival skills! Groups or individuals can sign up, and trained staff from Ewalu will lead the program. DETAILS BELOW.

• True North Summer Camp is July 11-16, 2027, at Camp Ewalu, just west of Strawberry Point, Iowa. Groups or individuals can sign up, and trained staff from Ewalu will lead the program. DETAILS BELOW.

Watch the video below as True North Director Heather Swartz shares more about the program, which began in 2026:

Download the True North Winter Retreat flier!

About the summer program

True North is a high school servant leadership camp modeled after a reality game show model where participants work collaboratively—rather than competitively–to complete challenges. The camp is designed to build resilience and grow faith in high school youth through service, team-building, and high adventure activities. Participants will attend Sunday through Friday, staying in cabins at Camp Ewalu and working in teams to complete service and adventure challenges. Teams will be guided by an Ewalu counselor, receiving daily bearings with instructions for the day that include guiding questions that are designed to dive deeper into faith and fun challenges that are meaningful and oriented toward building character and developing resilience.

Recap of the True North Summer Program in 2026:

Campers were split into two teams for the week with the opportunity to earn unique beads for each challenge. Every morning we set character goals, and every night we reflected on what character traits we actually embodied that day. Many Bible studies were had, discussing what God’s involvement may be in Resilience, Leadership, and Community-mindedness.

Monday: Exploration

YAM Hunt: Teams competed in an extensive scavenger hunt around camp to complete challenges as a team, practice social skills, and affirm one another.

High Ropes: In addition to the typical elements of Ewalu’s high ropes course, True North is the only Ewalu program that does rappelling!

Spiritual Gifts: We discovered and discussed spiritual gifts we may have, considering how our time and talents can be used to serve God. 

Tuesday: Service

Mural Service Project: True North painted a mural at the Strawberry Point pool, which was met with great enthusiasm from the Strawberry Point community!

Bonus fun: Teams were given the opportunity to build their own outdoor shelters near their cabins to sleep in overnight!

Wednesday: Connection

Boat Skits: Teams built boats out of recycled materials, then were challenged to act out Bible-related skits in the pool with their boat!

Pool Party: We would’ve gone tubing in the Maquoketa river at camp if the water level was sufficient, but it was not–so we had lots of fun at the pool instead!

Cross the Line: True North participants practiced vulnerability and built community by opening up about their life experiences with one another.

Thursday: Adventure

Morning adventure: Teams were given different maps and instructions upon being dropped off at Backbone State Park, each with different adventures awaiting them! (Hiking, caving, canoeing, navigating).

Optional activities: Participants rappelled off a cliff at Central Backbone and tubed in the Maquoketa river!

Afternoon rescue missions: Teams worked together to locate “lost” fire supplies, food supplies, and food itself for dinner. Some required navigation, while others required solving escape room type puzzles!

Dinner: Teams cooked their hard earned dinner together over a fire and celebrated!

Friday: Reflection

Closing Worship: Participants reflected upon what they learned about Resilience, Leadership, and Community-mindedness this week, using each bead they earned to remember everything they did that week. We worshipped, shared, reflected, and prayed.

2027 Program Registration Details

COST: Individual registration – $380; Group registration – $360 per person
Campership rate – $240 (please contact office at office@ewalu.org – reserved for those needing more financial help to afford camp)

All lodging, meals and activities covered!

EARLY DISCOUNT: Save $40 on any tier if you register by February 28! From March 1 to April 15, save $20 off any tier.

How to Register for True North

To Register online – Click link above (Read through the info and then click the registration link. Sign in or create an account, then choose “2027 Summer Events,” then find “True North”)

Individuals: Register under your own Household account, using the button above
Group Registration: Each group member should register under their own household account, using the button above. Additionally, have the adult in charge of your group fill out this paper form, then email the completed form to office@ewalu.org.

Why True North is a great option for youth group service trips:

Serving our neighbors is one of the pillars of True North. At True North, service is done in the context of group-building, faith, and character development that will create a lasting impact on your young people. Not only will youth serve in the local community, they will also consider how that service changes them, as they learn and grow as individuals and as a team. From rappelling and exploring underground caves at Backbone State Park, to making a real impact through community service projects, campers will be challenged and grow in their faith AND their sense of belonging.

Past Events: Spring 2026

True North successfully kicked off at the True North Spring Event in March 2026 at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa! Participants competed in an amazing race, completed mystery challenges, served pie and socialized, videotaped some very silly skits, ate in the dining hall, and closed it all out in reflective worship. Through all this fun, we practiced resilience, leadership, and community-mindedness, celebrating each person’s unique characteristics and gifts. We were reminded that God’s love is our True North–an unchanging, unwavering, unconditional constant in our lives that keeps us grounded.

Click below to see the Spring Event wrap-up video from Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DWB9EmqERAI

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