{"id":3697,"date":"2023-07-24T14:40:29","date_gmt":"2023-07-24T18:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3697"},"modified":"2026-02-01T14:40:30","modified_gmt":"2026-02-01T19:40:30","slug":"special-feature-providing-every-kid-a-special-summer-camp-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3697","title":{"rendered":"Special Feature: Providing every kid a special summer camp experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Alyssa Dearborn<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Liz Schmid, VP of properties and programs for Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways and member of Camp Beyond Binary\u2019s planning team, wants to make sure that all kids \u2013 no matter their gender or orientation \u2013 are able to have a special summer camp experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSo, our CEO of Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, Julie Dale, has a kiddo who needed a place to be themselves and explore who they were and be in a safe space.\u201d Liz said about Camp Beyond Binary\u2019s beginnings. \u201cAs a CEO of Girl Scouts, she realized there isn\u2019t really a place for kiddos who are not necessarily identifying as a girl or boy. And she decided that she would explore options for her own kid, which became Camp Beyond Binary.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

At the time, Schmid was the director of outdoor programs for the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways and was in charge of all the summer camps that we had, which are four camps throughout the council. \u201cSo she came to me and said, \u2018Hey, what if we do a summer camp for kiddos who are LGBTQ and their allies?\u2019 and I said, \u2018That is a fantastic idea, let\u2019s do that!\u2019\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI do want folks to know that even though we\u2019re powered by Girl Scouts of NYPENN,\u201d she added, \u201cyou don\u2019t have to be affiliated with Girl Scouts to come to this camp. You don\u2019t have to be a Girl Scout, you don\u2019t have to have a mom who\u2019s a Girl Scout. We really are open to the community as a whole as long as you are LGBTQ and or an ally, you are welcome. At this camp.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The camp, which is running two sessions in August this year in Ithaca, has the typical camp activities that you would find at most camps, but the camp also includes exclusive activities that tap into LGBTQIA+ history and culture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Last year was our first year in 2022.\u201d Schmid explained, \u201cSo we tried to marry both traditional camp activities \u2013 like hiking and waterfront where we do boating, we have canoes and kayaks and swimming of course \u2013 with other activities that really are enmeshed with the LGBTQ community. Things like queer history. We had a historian come in and set up a whole history trail for kids to walk on. There were pictures and information about folks who were really important to the LGBTQ history throughout the years. So that was really cool for them to do. We had a talent show. The kiddos were able to dress up and sing songs and act out skits and things that really touched on their creative side. We had an arts and crafts area called \u2018House of Frida\u2019 – like Frida Kahlo \u2013 and they did weaving and painting and all sorts of art therapy type things.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to all of the fun activities that happen at Camp Beyond Binary, the camp organizers wanted to include important activities and resources that help kids attending the camp build resilience and self-acceptance. According to the camp\u2019s website, the camp has staff and counselors trained to work with those who have different physical abilities and those who are neurodivergent. The staff also includes LGBTQIA+ competent nurses and mental health providers.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Also, instilled in the camp is a support system where staff members can check in on the mental health of the young campers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWe did something called \u2018Community Circle\u2019 where the kiddos got together with two or three staff members and a small group of kids and they talked about things, like how they\u2019re doing in school and how they\u2019re doing in after school programs, how their family\u2019s doing, are they able to be safe and happy and do the things they need to do in their outside world?,\u201d Schmid said. \u201cSo we really think that the Community Circles are a great piece of the camp where kiddos are really able to talk with their own peers, but then also have adults who have maybe been through some of the same challenges and triumphs they have been through.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Providing a sense of community and a place for kids to connect with those like themselves, Schmid said, is important for helping kids build a sense of self and not feel alone. When asked why providing spaces for LGBTQIA+ youth is important, she said,\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think that queer spaces are so important because the way that the world is right now\u2026the world\u2019s a scary place. We are helping to provide a safe space for kiddos to come and just be who they are. We don\u2019t want them to worry about the outside world and what\u2019s happening there while they\u2019re at camp. But at the same time, we want to teach them to be strong advocates for themselves, for their community, so that when they do go back into this scary world that we are in, they can better support themselves and each other,\u201d Schmid said. \u201cThey might have a stronger voice than they had before they came to camp. We want to make sure they know that they are a part of this world, they\u2019re a part of society, they\u2019re important, they matter, and that they shouldn\u2019t think of themselves as \u2018other\u2019 or as \u2018less than\u2019 just because there\u2019s a few vocal voices out in the world telling them that they are. We want to make sure they know that they are supported and that when they go back out into the real world, that they have what we have built at camp.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI would love for people to know that our camp exists,\u201d she continued, \u201cthat we are providing safe spaces for kiddos and allies. You know, sometimes being an ally is an important job you can do when you have friends and family and coworkers and people that you love in the LGBTQ community. I want folks to know that we\u2019re here, that we are providing these spaces that will provide leadership and the advocacy work so that kiddos can go back out and be their true selves, no matter where they are. They can just go back and feel stronger and more empowered and more loved.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s camp sessions will take place August 6-11 and August 13-18. If you are interested in learning more about Camp Beyond Binary, visit <\/span><\/span><\/span>www.campbeyondbinary.com<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alyssa Dearborn Liz Schmid, VP of properties and programs for Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways and member of Camp Beyond Binary\u2019s planning team, wants to make sure that all kids \u2013 no matter their gender or orientation \u2013 are able to have a special summer camp experience.\u00a0 \u201cSo, our CEO of Girl Scouts of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3700,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1461,1448,1390,1459,1460],"class_list":["post-3697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-special-feature","tag-camp-beyond-binary","tag-july-2023","tag-lgbtq","tag-liz-schmid","tag-summer-camp"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/everybody-1.jpg?fit=2048%2C1874&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3660,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3660","url_meta":{"origin":3697,"position":0},"title":"Inspire: Lindsay Agness – Casting for Recovery","author":"Alyssa Dearborn","date":"June 5, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"By David Tyler Lindsay Agness developed her love for fishing from spending time with her grandfather at Honeoye Lake. 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In its 38th year, the festival welcomes all to enjoy beautifully decorated trees and wreaths, an artisanal market, live performances, cultural activities, and the museum\u2019s own collection of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Special Feature"","block_context":{"text":"Special Feature","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/FOTL-Committee-scaled.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/FOTL-Committee-scaled.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/FOTL-Committee-scaled.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/FOTL-Committee-scaled.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3640,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3640","url_meta":{"origin":3697,"position":2},"title":"Out & About – Vanderkamp: a place to disconnect and recharge","author":"Alyssa Dearborn","date":"June 5, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"By Alyssa Dearborn Thirty miles from Syracuse in Cleveland, NY, deep inside hundreds of acres of preserved forests, Vanderkamp welcomes solo adventurers, retreat seekers, and family vacationers. 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