“We spend a lot of time pressuring our children to win sports or get good grades, but not much effort is put into teaching how to be good, kind people. Something is lost when we don’t help them cultivate those qualities.”
—Venerable Lama Chödak Gyatso Nubpa, Tools For Peace Founder
Summer Teen Camp: Modeled after the Tibetan culture of peace, the camp is for teenagers who want to actively adopt a more positive role in their families, schools, communities, and world. Held at our Ari Bhöd camp facility, our program is designed to build the confidence and self-esteem needed to empower youths to take responsibility for the direction of their lives. The camp experience is an intensive, weeklong workshop that includes creating Personal Mandalas and a Group Sand Mandala with Tibetan Lamas (both resident and visiting). The intensive workshop is paired with enriching activities (horseback riding, art, music, etc). Professional musicians and artists also complement the staff of trained youth facilitators, providing a unique team of contributing individuals. Community-building —through both the Mandala workshop and the enriching activities—is a major facet of camp.
Peer Mentor Program: Peer Mentors experience the Teen Summer Camp alongside campers in workshop, activity, and camp cabin settings. They are chosen because they are positive role models, and have demonstrated the motivation and potential to help others. As peers, they provide a kind of support distinct from that of the adult camp counselors and facilitators. Peer Mentors have usually attended the Teen Camp before, are between 18-20 years old, and mentor campers on a ratio of 1:8.
Spring Teen Camp Reunion: To support our Teen Campers in actively practicing Tools For Peace in their day-to-day life, the weekend-long reunion at our Ari Bhöd camp facility provides space for further transformation and completion of the Personal Mandala Workbook, and strengthens the support of the camp cohort. The reunion reinforces the activity, curriculum, and community of Tools For Peace.
