Discover . Connect. Laugh . Play. Grow.
Please have all forms turned in before camp starts.
What is the DYA camp?
The Durham Youth Alliance summer camp is a nine week long adventure, jam packed with fun activities, excitement, group projects, field trips, mentorship and inspiration!
What We Do “Q&A”
What Do You Do At This Camp, Anyway?
We rock out. We boogie. We create. We play hard & laugh 'til our eyeballs hurt. We kick it old-school and we keep it real! We dive face first into Fun, and learn and grow at the same time.
That sounds awesome, what do you do specifically?
We do so many different activities and have so many wacky traditions & rituals; it's hard to tell you everything we do. But for the most part...
Every day at the DYA summer camp features a different rotation of activities. Weekly and daily schedules are deliberately arranged to provide each age level with an engaging, challenging, and developmentally relevant (not to mention FUN!) program that offers a balance of active/creative, indoor/outdoor, planned/spontaneous, individual/collective, small group/ big group, traditional/innovative, structure/unstructured experiences.
We also have all manner of unique customs, quirky traditions and wacky rituals (as any camp should!).
Every day is different. Every week is unique. Every session is one-of-a-kind. Yet, there is a rhythm and flow, a healthy predictability and a method to the madness.
A “Typical Week”
June 15-August 23
We say “typical” but, really, there’s nothing typical about any week at the DYA camp. We just want to give you an idea of the basic flow of a week at SD, and a window into some of the magic that goes down:
Monday
Since it’s the first day of the week, and every other Monday is the first day of a new session, Mondays are the closest thing to a “regular” day. Again, “regular” in quotes. Mondays are about gettin’ in the groove, easing into the week with a “regular” slate of awesome classes and activities. Any given Monday, we could start the day off with art, tae kwon do, cooking, circus or field hockey projects and games. Not to mention a zillion other possibilities!
Spirit Tuesdays
Every Tuesday is Spirit Day, when campers and staff show their Spirit by wearing crazy hair, silly hats, moustaches, two different shoes, socks on their hands, glitter on their face, clothes on backwards, nerdy glasses, bobbing antennae, lab coats, Buzz Lightyear costumes or ANYTHING they feel like. On spirit day, you can wear pink and green striped underwear on your head and no one even bats an eye. It’s just the DYA way.
Water Wednesdays
Every Wednesday is Water Day, a veritable splash-o-rama, complete with ginormous Water Slides, Super Soakers, splash pools, slip n’ slides, water games and whole lotta wild summer fun. Oh, and don’t forget the popsicles!
Shake it up Thursdays
Thursdays are for the arts! Arts and crafts, music making, acting, dancing and painting! Thursday’s we let our creative flow!
Fun Fridays
Fun Fridays each have a unique theme, such as Mystery Day, Pajamarama, Carnival, Fancy Schmancy Day, Country Hoedown, etc. Campers and staff all dress according to the theme, sometimes as-you-wish, sometimes in coordination with their group. Our week-long group projects cumulate in spectacular fashion and we do all sorts of special activities in line with them like, oh, maybe have a giant cereal banquet in our pajamas on pajamarama! Or square dance in our overalls and have a watermelon eating contest on Country Hoedown day. You get the idea.
Why is Camp Important?
Whether you send your child to camp DYA or to any other camp, we believe that the value of camp in a child’s life cannot be understated. In fact, we believe, in our 6 second-attention-span, 160-character world, it’s more important now than ever.
Camp affords children the time, space and opportunity to BE A KID!
Most of us are old enough to remember just hanging out with our friends in the neighborhood, the woods, the apartment complex, wherever. We made up games, worked things out ourselves and had no concept of time. Kids don’t really get that anymore. Driving from here to there for this appointment and that play date. Kids need to just hang out sometimes.
Camp is one of the only places where children can explore who they are outside of school or home.
Everyone gets a fresh start when they come to camp. It’s a place where they can explore new things, try new ways of being, make new friends and find undiscovered talents beyond what school and home can facilitate.
Camp builds self-esteem.
When kids try new things and meet new people, they get to experience success in areas where they may not have before. This inspires a sense of accomplishment, pride and positive self-image, all of which are elements critical to a child’s well-being and ability to develop socially with others.
Camp creates emotionally resilient children.
At camp, children have the opportunity to engage challenges, endure setbacks and be nurtured and supported in a safe environment. These experiences help them learn to cope, regroup and either try again or just realize that something’s just not for them.
Camp gives children time for unstructured play.
Here they can create, laugh, invent, pretend, devise, etc, on their own time, per their own interests, outside of the schedules and routines of school and home.
Camp helps build social skills.
The cooperative and community-based culture of camp gives children a safe place to forge new friendships, revisit ongoing relationships and connect with peers and mentors.
At camp, kids get plenty of fresh air and sunshine!
Outside time enhances children’s imagination, decreases aggression, boosts children’s attention span and encourages environmental stewardship.
Camp provides opportunities to be active and engaged.
At camp, kids play, run, climb, dance, jump, swing and MOVE their bodies in ways they love and find fun (instead of sitting at a desk, in front of a screen or in the car).
Camp is FUN and kids need to experience joy.
In order to stay connected to what life can offer beyond being constantly prepped for the next stage.
Camp has also been shown to foster the development of 21st Century Skills,
That include:
- Leadership
- Communication
- Perseverance
- Creativity
- Collaboration
- Curiosity
- Critical Thinking
- Self-Control
- Optimism
- Conscientiousness
Camp helps create a more integrated brain.
The way things are going in our education system; left-brain-associated endeavors (creative arts, sports and social-/ emotional-oriented programming) are being increasingly sacrificed in favor of more right-brained endeavors, academic pursuits and competition.
Recent studies in neuroscience have shown that a more balanced, integrated left brain/right brain relationship is integral to health, well-being and success, with studies across many disciplines showing the value of camp in children’s lives.
And remember…
It’s not just about all the activities, variety, etc.
Those are great. But it’s about the connection.
The relationships. The community.
A sense of belonging. And having a safe space to try yourself on.
Whether you come to DYA, or go somewhere else, we strongly recommend camp for every child, and we strongly recommend staying longer at one camp vs bouncing from camp to camp to try all the different types. Some variety is good, but we believe every child will benefit from the opportunity to establish some bonds, and grow some roots, so they can bloom into their own unique flower.
MORE ANSWERS....
Is Camp DYA different? Well you’ve been reading to this point so do we really habe to answer this question…..? Eh I thought we did……The answer is well a little Cliché. Just as we empower our world changers not compare themselves to any other person, we don’t compare our program or our Camp to any others. What we will say is this, Camp DYA prides itself in its tailor made, carefully thought out process and its strategic vision planning for all that attend.
Camp DYA’s copious amount of activities is only matched by its structure and equally plentiful mind stimulating exercises that will leave your world changer feeling refreshed and empowered.
What We Offer:
Art
Sports*
Theater*
Yoga*
Tae Kwon Do*
Circus*
Music*
Dance*
Water Play*
Science & Tech*
Filmmaking
Music Recording
Dodge ball
Waterslides*
Fabric Arts
Fashion Design
Camp Crafts*
Jewelry Making
Painting
Drawing
Football
Hip Hop
What can I expect?
As a Parent you can expect this, that by the end of the camp your world changer will be able to properly define the word EDUTAINMENT.
S/He will be able to tell you how they have a true and new appreciation for not only the world around them but the school in which they attend. At DYA your child will receive a 5 star education that is rivaled by 5 star fun. Some of the best and brightest young minds will be involved in insuring that the daily sessions that your child’s mind is expanded and opened to a new world of learning and understanding. How do we do this you may wonder? Well it’s simple who better to help your child understand and get prepared for school then those that have recently been through and excelled at that part. (honestly have you looked at the math they bring home and thought geesh it would take a rocket scientist to do this) Well how about college students that all to well remember those worksheets and did them so well that they are in and doing well in college (isn’t that the goal?) These aren’t just any college students but college students that applied and got into some of the top ranking schools in the country (isn’t that the dream?)
As a parent you can expect that your future world changer is in a safe and nurturing environment that the activities they participate in are supervised and monitored by those who have been doing this for quite sometime. You can expect that your world changers future is top priority. We wont bore you with more writing if you have any question give us a call we’ll be happy to hear from you.
As a Camper, you can expect to truly make your summer mean and count for something. To participant in the activities that you desire while preparing to change the world. At DYA you aren’t a student, a kid, a little person nor someone we just have to tolerate. To us you are the hope for tomorrow -- a special part of history that has yet to be written. To us it’s an honor and privilege to be apart of your development and well you’re over all awesomeness. Yes water fun, sports, acting, singing, trips and a host of all other appealing and equally mentally stimulating things will happen. However you can also expect to be apart of deep meaningful conversation, service learning, learning new languages, meeting new friends, as well as exploring the depths of yourself and your understanding of the world around you.
You can expect to have your right and left-brain equally stimulated. Your appetite for fun will be fed and your brain will reap a bountiful harvest of nourishment and exercise.
Camper you can expect to never forget the summer you came to CAMP DYA!
Sustainability
Gardening
Mindfulness
Teambuilding*
Games*
World Dance
Performances
Group Projects*
Color Games
Theme Days*
Field Trips*
Beach Days
Overnight Adventures
Video Game Design
Lego Lab*
Nature Education
Stunts
Improv
Soccer*
Basketball*
Kickball
Ballet
