June 22, 2024
Our top three values – Community, Connection, Outdoors – are things we cherish and work hard to cultivate for both campers and counselors. They are prioritized and implemented through our structure and daily schedules and are the lens through which we organize camp groups and hire and train staff.
COMMUNITY
Small Groups: At Outpost, each camper is part of a small, consistent age-based community as well as the larger camp community. The 13-person camp groups form their positive micro-communities through their unique group name, flag, inside jokes, and community agreement.
Camp Community: The larger Outpost community is bonded together through daily assemblies, weekly theme days and challenges, camp lore, and decades-old Outpost traditions.
Staff Teams: We duplicate our micro and macro communities for our staff as well through mini 6-person summer-long staff teams and all-staff meetings, teambuilding, and collaboration.
CONNECTION
Safety: The overall goal of our small group structure is safety, both physical and emotional. Being in a consistent group with 2-3 counselors
allows for counselors and campers to create personal connections, give and receive individualized attention, and to tend to unique needs and challenges. 
Inclusion: Put more succinctly – we don’t want any camper to get “missed,” including the more reserved campers who may tend to blend into the background in large group situations. Small groups help us ensure that each camper is bonded with a counselor, has at least one buddy, and feels like a special part of their group (micro-community) and of Outpost as a whole (macro-community).
OUTDOORS
Outpost’s Sites: We are privileged to build our communities and connections in the beautiful outdoors of San Diego in our park (Canyonside) and wilderness preserve (Los Penasquitos) as well as Our pool (Fairbanks Ranch Country Club) and various outing locations – for our oldest campers – around the county in Mission Bay and La Jolla Shores.
Fun and Creativity: Now more than ever, it is important for campers and counselors to be outside, unplugged, discovering and appreciating the natural treasures we sometimes overlook. At Outpost, this may look like a hidden “fort,” a special stick that turns into a magic wand, or a leaf that doubles as money.
We are happy to be in the midst of our camp season forming positive communities and connections in the beautiful outdoors!
Dr. Kelly Jones
Executive Director, Outpost Summer Camps
“We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.” Brené Brown
