Information for Parents

Does White Stag Work?

Choosing a leadership camp for your children can be difficult. How does a parent distinguish
which youth programs offer sound leadership
development opportunities for adolescents? That's exactly the question asked by educators at South Dakota State University. Learn why White Stag is a strong choice for your youth. Read their full report.

Parent's Guide to White Stag

The White Stag program is only successful when your youth put the leadership skills they gained at camp to work at home, in their youth group, church, or at school. Read our suggested guidelines.

Candidate Orientation Day

May 12, 2012. Camper and parent orientation. For information, see Candidate-Day at the Presidio of Monterey.

2012 Summer Camp Dates Set

Session 1: Sunday, July 8 to Saturday, July 14, 2012 at Camp Lindblad.

Session 2: Sunday, July 22 to Saturday July 28, 2012 at Camp Lindblad.

Pre-registration now accepted.

Youth who learn and practice leadership skills early in life have higher levels of self-efficacy and self-determination. They learn how to develop values, ethical reasoning, assess their individual strengths and weaknesses, goal-setting, planning, and self-advocacy. They gain skills in communicating, identifying interests and preferences, setting achievable goals, time management, negotiating and persuading.¹

What Makes White Stag Distinctive

We recognize that youth learn best when their whole body and mind is engaged. We provide a hands-on, outdoors, physically challenging experimental education focus.

We create an environment where it's safe for youth to try out new behaviors, to be the best they can be. We teach that the opposite of success is not failure, but to quit.

Mirroring the real world, we offer a coeducational learning opportunity. Youth are fully supervised at all times.

We take a holistic approach to learning, giving participants an experience that affects their hands via outdoor skills, head via leadership skills, and heart via our spirit and traditions.

Health and Safety

Our adult leaders are all fully trained Scout leaders. Every adult must complete youth protection training, and where appropriate, additional training specific to their role. We have a fully qualified medical staff on hand at all events, including a licensed nurse and trained emergency medical technicians (EMT).

We are sensitive to the needs of individuals of varying capacities and skill levels. Our staff is trained to recognize individual differences and to value everyone's ability to contribute.

Our youth staff are fully supervised at all times. When in the field, they are always accompanied by adults and trained medical staff. In the event of an emergency, we maintain contingency plans for transporting or evacuating candidates.