New summer camp for teens opens for its first year
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The following is a news release from Outdoors for Youth.
Outdoors For Youth, OFY, is a new adventure camp located in Newdale about 30 minutes northeast of Rexburg. It serves ages 14-18. They have over 500 teens signed up for this year. Teens will participate in multiple high and low ropes courses, white water rafting, a giant slip-n-slide, a dance, archery tag and an escape room alongside daily devotionals and firesides. Outdoors for Youth strives to help youth become something more.
OFY is a nonprofit founded and run by previous AFY (Adventure for Youth) management, Emily Johansson, Christopher Gomm and Daniel Mahler. Emily is the president and a graduate of Brigham Young University-Idaho’s recreation management program. She worked at AFY for 3 summers and when the program was discontinued she saw a void in the programs offered for LDS teen. She wanted to continue to work with teens in the outdoors while continuing to help to build their confidence and leadership skills. This is what prompted her to create OFY.
“For the past 3 summers, I’ve witnessed firsthand the impact of a program built on the principle of experiential education, the power of the outdoors, and adventure. These principles are so effective but rarely used to teach youth. I wanted to continue to use these principles and improve upon a program that I had become familiar with.” Emily Johansson, President and Camp Director.
Messages, comments, emails and phone calls have flooded from parents and kids alike, “Just want to say thank you for taking the initiative to start this wonderful program back up! We were so sad to hear about AFY closing down. This has been a wonderful experience for our kids!! So thank you!” Alix Hart commented on the recent OFY Facebook live Q&A.