Julie Tilghman from Holy Names Academy, Seattle has worked with some of our schools to develop a new type of “summer camp for schools”.  Here is the despcription and if you would like to learn how to adapt or develop for your local school, please contact Julie directly at:

Camp Giveback Summer Service-Learning Camp Flyer  CGB description 2020

Background: Camp Giveback is a week-long service-learning camp for elementary age kids. Throughout the week, children participate in community service and reflection. Participants develop empathy for people who are disadvantaged and leave the week feeling empowered to make change in their community. This program began informally during the summer of 2017 when nine rising 3rd-grade girls spent a week serving at various non-profit organizations in the Seattle area. Parents, participants and non-profits were enthusiastic about the experience, and Camp Give Back has continued to grow. During the summer of 2018, twenty-one children participated in the program; the number grew to thirty in the summer of 2019.

The mission of Camp Give Back is to provide service-learning opportunities for elementary-age children, with an emphasis on the following:

1) Justice education: Each day will begin with a quote from a “changemaker.” This will serve as our guiding theme for the day. We will begin and end each day reflecting on the meaning of the quote, and the ways that we lived out its message.

2) Service-learning: Students will serve at non-profit organizations for approximately 3-4 hours each day. Possible sites include WestSide Baby, Treehouse, St. Mary’s Food Bank, Seattle Nightwatch, Fred Lind Manor, St. Francis House, Jubilee Women’s Center, Earth Corps and St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank.

3) Community building: This program aims to build community through meaningful dialogue and experiences related to social justice. Students will end the week feeling more connected to their community and each other.

Program details for the summer of 2020:

• Dates offered at St. Joseph Parish ($295): o June 15-19 (9 am-3 pm) o June 22-26 (9 am-3 pm)

• Dates offered at Holy Names Academy (tentative): o June 29-July 3 (9 am-3 pm)

• Fees will cover transportation to service sites, staffing costs and donations to partnering organizations

• Logistics: Participants will take public transportation to each of the sites and will spend each day volunteering at various non-profits.