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Bullying at Camp: One Summer Camp’s Recipe for a Bully-Free Zone

By Adam Simon | September 29, 2023 | Comments Off on Bullying at Camp: One Summer Camp’s Recipe for a Bully-Free Zone
Campers smiling and posing for a photo

When I started Odyssey Teen Camp 20 years ago, I wanted it to be a place free of bullying because I knew the damage bullies could do firsthand. Unsurprisingly, teenagers thrive in an environment where they feel safe enough to try new things without worrying about success, failure, or humiliation. I know from my own…

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Gender Diverse Housing at Odyssey Teen Camp

By Adam Simon | February 23, 2022 | Comments Off on Gender Diverse Housing at Odyssey Teen Camp
Group of gender diverse teens outside of their cabin

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…

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OTC is Rising Like a Phoenix From The Ashes

By Adam Simon | June 1, 2021 | Comments Off on OTC is Rising Like a Phoenix From The Ashes
The Phoenix

Cosmic 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…

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The Gift of Being a Non Profit Summer Camp

By Adam Simon | February 1, 2021 | Comments Off on The Gift of Being a Non Profit Summer Camp
Group of teens hug goodbye intensely

I 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…

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From a Feeling of Malice to Hope: One Camper’s Personal Odyssey

By Odyssey Teen Camp | November 2, 2020 | Comments Off on From a Feeling of Malice to Hope: One Camper’s Personal Odyssey
Kendall with their guitar

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…

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How Housing Works for Transgender Campers at Odyssey Teen Camp

By Adam Simon | January 30, 2020 | Comments Off on How Housing Works for Transgender Campers at Odyssey Teen Camp
Transgender teen

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…

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What’s It Like to Run a Summer Camp with Many Transgender and Gender-Expansive Teens?

By Adam Simon | February 1, 2019 | Comments Off on What’s It Like to Run a Summer Camp with Many Transgender and Gender-Expansive Teens?
Group of all kinds of 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…

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Thoughts on Gender and How Kids Can Help us Grow if We Allow it to Happen

By Adam Simon | May 9, 2018 | Comments Off on Thoughts on Gender and How Kids Can Help us Grow if We Allow it to Happen
Adam and Amy discuss how to speak to teens about gender - Video thumb

  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…

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Helping Every LGBTQ+ Camper to Feel Safe, Respected and Honored

By Adam Simon | January 24, 2017 | Comments Off on Helping Every LGBTQ+ Camper to Feel Safe, Respected and Honored
Campers dress up and have fun at events

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…

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Find Out About Odyssey Teen Camp

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

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