Teen Programs Family Guide

Camp Kennedy Outpost Camp –  Campers entering 9th grade
Charles N. Agree Outpost Camp – Campers entering 10th and 11th grade
Western Travel Trip - Campers entering 10th grade boys 
Alaska Travel Trip - Campers entering 11th grade

Our updated packing lists have all the information you need to get prepared for camp!

View the Packing Lists here!

Unlike for Camp Maas, luggage should be brought to the bus on departure day- our super-human staff will help to load bags onto the bus! If you live outside of the metro Detroit area, special transportation arrangements may be organized. Campers may bring their luggage directly to the bus, or if you prefer, duffels can be shipped to camp (via UPS, FedEx, etc.). When shipping luggage, please ensure it arrives at least five days prior to the start of the program.

For more details, please contact Rachel Pitt at rpitt@tamarackcamps.com or 248-952-9111.

If you have questions about packing, please contact Emily Dempsey at edempsey@tamarackcamps.com.

DEPARTURE DAY

Please be sure to come to the bus on departure day with:

1. A daypack loaded with rain gear, a sweatshirt, long pants, hiking socks, Sawyer bug repellent and bus materials (books, cards, games, etc.)
2. A bag lunch and water bottle filled with water
3. Duffle bag, sleeping bag, sleeping pad and pillow
4. Passport – Camp Kennedy, Agree and Alaska Trip only. The staff will collect and hold passports throughout the summer
5. Spending money (staff are happy to hold for campers)
6. NO SNACKS allowed 

EXPECTATIONS

The summer, like the rest of life, has high and low points. Not every moment of camp will be filled with wonder and excitement. Encourage your teen to have a reasonable and realistic view of camp. Discuss both the ups and downs your teen may experience.

PHYSICAL PREPARATION

Tamarack Camps’ Teen Programs include physically challenging adventures and activities, but given proper preparation, it will not be beyond most teens’ personal physical limits. If your teen is already in good shape, they should keep it up. No previous wilderness experience is required, but a willingness to learn and work with others will ensure they have a positive adventure in such a challenging environment.   To help your teen have the best summer experience, it is necessary for them to be in an appropriate emotional and physical condition. Every minute they put in prior to their summer experience will pay off once they get out there. If they do not already engage in 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week, we recommend that they put in the time to begin training now. Before a teen begins any exercise program, please consult with their physician.   The most important kind of training is aerobic fitness (running/jogging, bicycling, skating...), the kind which stimulates heart and lung activity for at least 30 minutes without stopping. They can also consider specific training techniques to prepare for the summer such as climbing stairs or walking around your neighborhood with weight in their backpack.

PHYSICAL EXPECTATIONS

Travel Trip campers should expect to hike nearly every day, for an average of 6-10+ miles. Some of the hikes throughout the summer will be steep, long, and physically challenging while others will be shorter and easier. In addition to the day hikes, campers will participate in two backpacking trips ranging from 3-5 days, weather permitting. On these backpacking trips, campers will carry a 30+ pound pack.

Campers will take breaks regularly throughout the hikes and do not need to be able to hike these distances non-stop. The breaks will range from 5-30 minutes, some for water, and others for a snack or lunch.

Outpost campers will go on backpacking canoeing trips. When not on trips, campers get to explore their beautiful outpost camp.

INCLUSION

Tamarack Camps is committed to a culture of inclusion and welcomes everyone, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Every member of the Tamarack Camps community has a right to be addressed by a name and pronoun that corresponds to their stated gender identity. Campers will be housed with the gender that most closely aligns with their gender identification. Discrimination, bullying, and harassment on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or family composition is prohibited. 

SOCIAL WORKERS

We take mental health seriously at camp and have a wonderful team of social workers. Please feel free to share concerns about your teen prior to the start of camp. 

COMMUNICATE CANDIDLY

Talk candidly with the camp staff, specifically Carly Weinstock, Director; Danielle Tagai, Director of Mental Health; and/or Gail Chynoweth, Director of Health, Teen Programs. These connections allow our team an opportunity to apply expertise in helping your teen adapt to the routines of camp life. Through sound communication, many challenges can be resolved. 

DISCUSS CONCERNS BEFORE CAMP

As the first day of camp approaches, some children experience anxiety — leaving home, new surroundings, and uncertain schedules — just to name a few. Please encourage your teen to discuss these emotions, rather than responding to your perception of their feelings. Empower your teen to handle the separation confidently. Please refrain from this comment: "If you don't like it, I'll come and get you." This communicates unrealistic expectations for your camper.    

HELP YOUR TEEN COPE AT CAMP

Most teens need a few days to adjust to life at camp. During this time, homesickness — even for returning campers — is quite natural. Most campers cope with these concerns and, with the ongoing guidance and sensitivity of our staff members, build support systems. We communicate positively and work diligently to help campers feel comfortable.    

PARENT QUESTIONS DURING CAMP

If, after reading a letter, you feel concerned about your camper or, alternatively, if you haven’t heard from them in a while, please feel free to contact us directly at 248-627-2821. Your message will be directed to the appropriate person and answered within 24 hours.  

PARENTS

We take our job as an "in loco parentis" (in place of a parent) seriously. Therefore, along with preparing your teen emotionally for the challenges of camp, please prepare them for the realities of being away from home. Please review our code of conduct with your child so they are totally aware of our expectations.   

CLINIC STAFF

Doctors/nurses are always onsite at Camp Maas and available for phone consultations for physical and emotional concerns of campers and staff members. Most of our providers work in pediatrics, family medicine, or in emergency rooms in the Detroit Metropolitan area. Staff are in regular communication with our clinic throughout the summer.

CAMPBRAIN

Tamarack Camps collects and manages all health information through CampBrain, a secure, web-based health management system. To submit your teen’s health information, please log in to CampBrain and use the same username and password you used for camp registration.

IMMUNIZATIONS

The Tamarack Camps immunization policy requires everyone to be immunized according to the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control, the State of Michigan, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Tamarack Camp's full policy can be viewed here.

COVID POLICY

Following an intensive review process and with the full support of our medical committee, we strongly recommend that all campers enrolled in any Tamarack Camps program be up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations. View the COVID-19 Protocols for summer 2024.

We know it is critical to keep you updated on COVID-19 policy and procedures. We want you to understand and feel confident in the steps we are taking to minimize risk. We will communicate protocols closer to camp, to ensure we are making decisions based on current conditions.

LICE
Campers on the Tamarack Camps Teen Programs are in very close contact with each other.  Therefore, we recommend that parents check their teens for head lice in the weeks preceding camp and treat them as necessary so that all teens coming to camp are lice and nit free. If your child’s exam reveals live lice and/or nits (eggs) on the morning of departure, they will be sent home along with their belongings and guidelines for treatment. Parents will be responsible for administering the treatment. Or, if preferred, the Lice Sisters are available to treat your child(ren)—for a fee. The camper's head must be nit-free in order to return to camp.

FOOD ALLERGIES

Increasing numbers of teens have food allergies and we will gladly work with families to provide alternative menu items or special foods for most allergies. If, however, your teen has a life-threatening or airborne food allergy, a Tamarack Camps Teen Program is not the right place for them.

Tamarack Camps’ Teen Programs are not nut-free programs.  Nuts are served, including peanut butter, which is available to campers at most meals. Counselors are notified of campers with allergies, including when and how to use an Epi-Pen. The counselor and/or camper will carry an epi-pens at all times.

While we will do our best to avoid messiness and cross-contamination during meals, these things are always a potential risk on camping trips and during regular meals.
We cannot guarantee that:  

1. Campers will not buy food items containing nuts or other allergens during pop/snack stops. 
2. Campers will not touch surrounding objects, or each other, during meals. 

Our goal is to provide a safe and healthy environment for every camper. There may be circumstances when our program will not be appropriate for an individual child. If your child has a severe, life-threatening allergy to nuts, a nut-free program is recommended. We expect our campers to understand their food allergies and to be able to advocate for themselves (read ingredients, ask questions, etc.). Our Director of Health for Teen Programs, Gail Chynoweth, is happy to answer any questions or concerns. The Special Diet Form can be found here.

OUTSIDE FOOD

Campers are not permitted to bring any outside food to camp unless authorization has been obtained prior to the start of the summer. This is to ensure our observance of Kashrut, sensitivity to food allergies and to protect us from bears and other animals.

NOTIFICATION FOR MEDICAL CIRCUMSTANCES

Parents will be contacted by a staff member or medical staff if a teen must see a doctor.

Parents will not be notified if their teen receives treatment by the staff for cuts, colds, insect bites, stomach virus, headaches, rashes, sore throat, etc.

It is the parent’s responsibility to pay for medical visits and medications necessary throughout the summer.

MEDICATIONS

This year, we will continue to partner with AMAC Pharmacy which provides safe, prepackaged medications to camp.

Medication forms and prescriptions are due on May 1.

All Tamarack Camps participants (Camp Maas, Teen Travel Trips, Outposts, Israel, and TLV) are required to use AMAC Pharmacy services to obtain all medications that will be administered during a summer program. This includes over-the-counter medications that are taken routinely or as needed, excluding medications such as Tylenol and Ibuprofen.

Tamarack Camps will not accept or administer gummy medications/vitamins; in the heat and humidity, they melt and stick together. Please also avoid liquid medications when possible, as they spill/get messy.

Complete the form in CampBrain and click that AMAC will be providing medications. If the medication is a prescription, you must have your doctor electronically prescribe the prescription to AMAC Pharmacy by June 1st to have it filled in time for camp. If the medication is an over-the-counter medication, AMAC Pharmacy will automatically package that medication based on what is entered by the parent on the form. There is a $10 fee for packaging in addition to a co-pay required by your insurance.

For all TEEN PROGRAMS, if your prescription is not able to be ordered through AMAC Pharmacy due to the rare instance of an insurance issue, permission must be given by Gail at gchynoweth@tamarackcamps.com. She will then make further arrangements with you and outline your next steps. The only exclusions to this are epi-pens and inhalers. Only those medications do not need to be ordered. Please make sure these medications are not expired and send 2, if possible, on luggage drop-off day.

Those choosing not to use the pre-packaged medication option for any medications that CAN be filled by AMAC will be assessed a $200.00 processing fee. Please remember for teen programs to get a prescription for the entire length of your teen’s trip. 

MEDICAL STAFF AND SUPPLIES

Your child’s health and safety is our absolute, number one priority. Each staff member working on our Teen Programs is certified in Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder and CPR. Many staff members are also lifeguards. Doctors and nurses at the Camp Clinic are accessible by phone at all times. Every precaution is taken to safeguard the health of each and every camper. In addition to the clinic staff, a licensed social worker is available for consultation. The programs are supplied with a listing of the nearest medical facilities and consult with the Camp Clinic throughout the summer. The Wilderness First Aid courses train our staff to manage medical situations when they are an hour or more from a first responder. This includes while the campers are in remote backcountry situations, or even on a day hike.

Each program is also supplied with multiple satellite phones that can be used to contact the proper authorities or medical personnel in the case of an emergency. In addition, each program carries a fully stocked first aid kit, including such items as dressings, splints, bandages, over-the-counter and other medications, antibiotics, antifungals, steroid ointments, and epi-pens. Our medical staff provides training on how and when to use the supplies provided by our clinic, medication administration, and on common illnesses and injuries that occur at camp. Camp Kennedy is approximately 40 minutes from the nearest hospital, located in Munising, Michigan. Agree Outpost Camp is approximately 40 minutes from the nearest hospital, located in Wawa, Ontario. Both Outpost Camps are accessible by first responders, who respond when we call 9-1-1.  

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER – Lee Trepeck
CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER – Dr. Stefanie Aronow
CAMP DIRECTOR – Carly Weinstock
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR – Becca Fishman
DIRECTOR OF HEALTH – Gail Chynoweth
TRAVEL TRIP DIRECTOR – Matt Russell
TEEN PROGRAMS COORDINATOR – Emily Dempsey
DIRECTOR OF MENTAL HEALTH & SPECIAL NEEDS – Danielle Tagai

COUNSELORS

Your teen’s counselors are college students and graduates who have camp work experience or other informal education experience in settings working with children. Staff members report to camp at least one week before camp begins for highly-focused training facilitated by the Director and supervisors. Our staff training provides our counselors with the necessary tools to be able to handle camper issues, and when necessary, to bring challenging situations to the supervisor. Also, our counselors are trained on emergency procedures, and to seek additional support when necessary. Staff training includes sessions on leadership, Tamarack values, camper security, how to motivate campers, and how to spot and handle incidents of abuse by and among their campers and other staff.

DIRECTOR/SUPERVISOR

In addition to the counselors, there is a director or supervisor who is directly responsible for each program. These are older, more experienced staff members who have proven themselves as leaders at camp. They arrive at camp before the staff for a highly-focused training facilitated by the Director in areas including leadership, safety procedures, how to keep their staff and campers healthy, Jewish programming, and how to identify camper problems including suspected abuse, neglect, and psychological issues, among others.    

CAMPER PHONE CALLS

Campers will call home on one or two scheduled phone days. Campers will use a camp phone to call home to talk to parents for a few minutes, however, there is no time for teens to call friends and other family members. Phone calls are typically made in the late afternoon or early evening. We encourage parents to write down important phone numbers (cell, home, etc.) for the campers to keep with them. As previously noted, campers are not permitted to bring cell phones to camp. 

MAIL

It means a great deal to campers to hear from home. Please write to your teen a few times during the summer and get an early start, as mail sometimes takes many weeks to reach our teen programs. Consider sending pre-addressed and stamped envelopes with your camper to make it easier for them to send mail.

Though we can't promise your camper will write home, you will receive a newsletter written by campers once per week from your teen's program.

PACKAGES

We have a strict no-package policy. We accept letters and cards only — no large envelopes. Over the past years, despite rules limiting size and contents, we have seen an overwhelming increase in the number of prohibited items like food (including nuts and non-kosher items and various electronics). Unfortunately, this creates challenges — especially in terms of health (protecting campers with food allergies). If a package is sent, it will not be delivered to your camper, and, instead, will be returned to sender (at the sender’s expense). To avoid potential frustration, please share this policy with other family members and friends. When packing, please consider including extra allowable items, such as books, magazines, comics, stationery, and fun games. Of course, should you forget to send your child with a critical item necessary for the camp experience (specific shoes, for example), exceptions will be granted but must be coordinated directly with the camp office.

TRAVEL TRIPS 

Please only send mail through the United States Postal Service. 

Western

Please address mail for pickup at the following locations; allow 7–10 days for delivery.

Western 1:

• June 28: Camper’s Name, c/o Tamarack Camps #1, General Delivery, Moab, UT 84532 – Hold For Pick Up
• July 11: Camper’s Name, c/o Tamarack Camps #1, General Delivery, Jackson, WY 83002 – Hold For Pick Up

Western 2

• July 5: Camper’s Name, c/o Tamarack Camps #2, General Delivery, Moab, UT 84532 – Hold For Pick Up
• July 18: Camper’s Name, c/o Tamarack Camps #2, General Delivery, Jackson, WY 83002 – Hold For Pick Up

Alaska

Please address mail for pickup at the following locations; allow 10–14 days for delivery.

• July 5: Camper’s Name, c/o Tamarack Camps Alaska trip, General Delivery, 1314.3 ALASKA HWY, TOK, AK 99780-9800
• July 19: Camper’s Name, c/o Tamarack Camps Alaska trip, General Delivery, 55 HAINES HWY, HAINES, AK 99827-9800

CAMP KENNEDY 

Please send camper mail to: 

Camper’s Name
Camp Kennedy
E16699 H-58
Shingleton, MI 49884

CHARLES N. AGREE OUTPOST CAMP

Please send camper mail to: 

EMAIL AND FAX

It is not possible for emails or faxes to be sent to any of the teen programs — only traditional USPS mail is available.    

PHOTOS

We will aim to upload approximately 30 photos to SmugMug from each teen program once per week, with the exception of weeks that campers are on backcountry trips. The purpose of this initiative is to provide a flavor of our various activities and photographs are randomly selected. It is possible that your teen may not appear in a picture, which is not representative of any intentional “slight” or indicative of a negative experience.    

LAST DAY

Campers complete their summer at Adat Shalom Synagogue (29901 Middlebelt Rd, Farmington Hills, MI 48334). Each family will receive a call or email two or three days before the end of the summer to confirm the approximate time to meet the campers and bus.    

LOST AND FOUND

Throughout the summer, staff will work to return all lost items directly to the campers. If, after returning home, items are found, families will be notified of all found items.

Lost and found will be: 

Tamarack Office in the Federation Building
6735 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills 

Wednesday, August 14, and Thursday, August 15
8 am–5 pm 
Conference Room A

Before June 2 and after August 9, please contact the City Office at  

248-647-1100
6735 Telegraph Road, Suite 380
Bloomfield Hills MI 48301  

From June 2 to August 9, staff will be at the Camp Office at  

248-627-2821
4361 Perryville Road
Ortonville MI 48462