Camp Fire

We got our start as Camp Fire Girls in 1910, founded by Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick and his wife, Charlotte Vetter Gulick. They believed girls deserved the outdoor learning experiences that boys had and wanted to help “guide young people on their journey to self-discovery.”We are so thankful for you, our amazing alumni across generations. Whether you’re 95 or 25, were a part of Camp Fire Girls, Camp Fire Boys & Girls, Camp Fire USA, or today’s Camp Fire, this rich legacy is something that makes our organization so unique and sets us apart from other youth development organizations.

Camp Fire offers an exciting variety of programs across the country:

SCHOOL-YEAR PROGRAMS

See why teachers, principals, and students can’t stop raving about our high-quality Out-of-School-Time (OST) and in-school programs. It’s way more than homework tutoring and supervision.

 TEEN SERVICE & LEADERSHIP

Between Teens in Action®, Counselor-in-Training (CIT), WoHeLo Award, and National Youth Advisory Cabinet (YAC), we not only activate teens but intentionally seek their valuable feedback in all we do.

CAMPS & OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Overnight/resident camps, day camps, grief camps, inclusion camps, LGBTQ-friendly camps, environmental education—all are welcome, and there is something for everyone across the country.

SCHOOL-YEAR PROGRAMS

Schools across the country partner with Camp Fire when they want to offer strong, research-based programs. Schools choose Camp Fire because we are laser-focused on helping their students succeed, and are reputable partners so they can better serve their families and communities.

Afterschool

While all of our programs allow time for homework mentoring and tutoring, we also have our own goals and curriculum, teaching things like:

• Conflict Resolution
• Health and Wellness
• Bullying/Cyberbullying
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
• Creative Arts
• Community Service
• Leadership Development

Every afterschool program is structured in collaboration with schools to ensure that we are supporting their goals and complementing the education that its students are getting during the school day.

Camp Fire’s highly-trained, caring staff encourage every child or teen to manage their time in a way that aligns with their passions and talents. Our staff also gather youth input to incorporate in activities so they can better engage them each day.

Camp Fire Wise Kids / Wise Kids Outdoors 

Our health and wellness programs use the simple theory of “energy in = energy out” to teach kids of all ages how to eat healthy and live a healthy lifestyle.

InterACTION

Good communication is hard to find but critical to anyone’s success. This program focuses on developing strong communication skills with peer groups and adults as well as learning healthy ways to resolve conflict.

Club Programs

Traditional club programs are offered by some Camp Fire councils and are what most of our alumnae from Camp Fire Girls remember fondly. A club pairs a trained, volunteer leader with a group of youth who work through a Camp Fire curriculum before or after school. Clubs typically take youth on field trips, help them undertake service projects, and do other activities that enable youth to earn badges while learning life skills.

TEEN SERVICE & LEADERSHIP

There’s almost nothing more inspiring than seeing young people who are ready to shape the world and make a difference—it’s this energy we love to harness through our teen service and leadership programs. We work to provide impactful community service opportunities and leadership programs that will help teens gain valuable experiences, develop important life skills, and become engaged citizens now.

Teens in Action

This program is youth-led and youth-driven! While guided by trained adults who act as mentors, the teens identify community needs, decide what issues they want to advocate for, and then take action on those issues to make an impact in their community. Everyone benefits and it’s a beautiful thing. Past Teens in Action® groups have built new parks, rehabbed old parks, met with politicians, gotten involved in local elections, tutored, brought new resources to schools in need, and more. As teens see the results of their work, they become more motivated and thrive. This is why we do what we do.