LGBTQ+ Camp Check OUt These Posts:
Our biggest question One of the biggest questions we get all year is how we assign campers to their cabins at OTC. Unlike many other camps that decide to house based on the binary genders of “boys” and “girls,” we at OTC have chosen a different approach. We have listened to counselors and campers over…
Read MoreCosmic Phoenix Rising by Laura Milnor Iverson I don’t know the story of that phoenix very well, but I think it’s about renewal, resurrection, transformation, strength, and all sorts of things that sound really good to me. I started Odyssey Teen Camp about twenty years ago. The last ten years have been tough financially. For…
Read MoreI asked my wife while we were walking our dogs the other day why I didn’t make OTC a non-profit years ago, and she said, “you were always so busy planning for summer.” I thought, “oh, yeah, I remember that,” but if I knew then what I know now, I would have focused more on…
Read MoreFrom a Feeling of Malice to Hope: One Camper’s Personal Odyssey
Odyssey Teen Camp means different things to different campers, but one thing they all can agree on is that OTC changed their life. Kendall was a camper at OTC starting in 2014. His life was transformed as he built friendships, discovered a new sense of belonging and regained his confidence. Here Kendall shares his story…
Read MoreHow Housing Works for Transgender Campers at Odyssey Teen Camp
Just as gender identity can feel complicated, housing at camp for transgender and gender-diverse teens can also feel that way. I remember ten years ago, when the first openly transgender kids started coming to camp, everyone’s big question was, “where are we going to house them?” Looking back, our concerns seem a little silly and…
Read MoreWhat’s It Like to Run a Summer Camp with Many Transgender and Gender-Expansive Teens?
Twenty years ago, I was a middle-aged guy with a corporate job that never felt like a good fit for me. Today, I run an unconventional summer camp where up to one in four teens identifies as transgender or gender non-conforming. The journey has been an unexpected one. An idea of a camp for teens…
Read MoreThoughts on Gender and How Kids Can Help us Grow if We Allow it to Happen
I love this segment with Amy. It’s short, but she touches on several things we, as parents, would be well served to keep in mind. When talking about gender and sexuality, Amy says, almost as an aside … I love that she said that, and it is something I will keep in mind…
Read MoreHelping Every LGBTQ+ Camper to Feel Safe, Respected and Honored
About eleven years ago, a counselor named Erik, who is gay, called me into the middle of one of our community meetings. He told me I needed to do more to support the LGBTQ community at camp. I remember feeling a little defensive and thinking, “what does he want me to do?” Looking back, I…
Read MoreRecent Posts
- Building Confidence and Resilience in Teens August 30, 2023
- Odyssey Teen Camp’s First Ever Benefit Gala April 27, 2023
- Teenagers are a Lightning Rod to Show us How we Are as a Society November 2, 2022

Find Out About Odyssey Teen Camp
A Non-Profit Overnight Summer Camp For Teens Ages 13-18
Located in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts.
