Testimonials
Each of my children began attending when they were 7-years-old. The only mistake we made was signing them up for just one-week that first year! Neither wanted to come home after just one session.
In the early years of attendance, my girls came home exhausted, grubby, and thrilled! They learned to be part of a loving group of friends, confident to try new things, and freshly self-sufficient. When older, they became leaders and highly capable campers, with significant, meaningful friendships with other campers and counselors. Camp YI provides a safe and wholesome experience away from the hustle and bustle of our usual busy (and electronic) world. It’s a place where kids can be kids while they learn to be adults.
My kids would get in the car at the end of their last session of the summer and immediately figure out how many months until they would get to go back to camp.
Both my daughters are now counselors at Camp YI. A good job for a teenager is hard to come by these days. Over the years, they also have accumulated many volunteer hours, which are a great advantage when applying for jobs, internships, and schools.
Starting now at Camp YI can truly change a child’s life. I hope to see you there.
Ronni Shaw
Camper/Counselor Mom
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Camper MomBecause I'm a working mother, my son attended several summer camps but none were as beneficial for him as Camp YI! It was such a hit that we began scheduling our summer activities around his 2 week stay at Camp YI since that was his favorite summer event. Now, as a teen, he is gearing up to be a Service Camper, a job he takes seriously. We will always be a friend of Campy YI, even after we no longer have a camper-aged child.
Leigh Gilliam
Camper/Counselor DadI grew up at Youth Incorporated, and it has been my great joy to pass on the love of Camp YI to both of my daughters. My eldest (20) began coming to YI when she was 8; my youngest (10) began her camp experience at age 7. Each year these young ladies look forward to returning to a second home where they can be with their friends spend every day playing outside from sun up to sun down. There are never dull days and the routine is never old. Now that my eldest daughter is a staff member, I get to enjoy watching her (and her cohort peers) take on new responsibilities and truly become the next round of leaders. I encourage all parents to give their children the opportunity to experience something that lasts a lifetime.
Christopher Pell
Camper/Counselor Dad
Camper/CIT MomCamp YI has been an important part of our family for several years. My daughter (Aiden) always looks forward to spending the summer with her “camp friends”. Over the years, we’ve seen camp offer her the ability to unplug, enjoy nature, learn responsibility and grow her independence. She has had some counselors who have positively impacted her for the rest of her life! Camp YI pulls in a relatively diverse group of kids, encouraging them to get out of their comfort zone, level the social playing field and make new friends. My son (Ethan) has just started his camp adventure. He is definitely a bit more shy than his sister but always manages to settle in and have a good time. Four square and nightly Trading Post are definitely a couple of his favorite things.
As a parent, I love that the nursing staff is made up of Vanderbilt Trauma/ER nurses. My husband (Michael) is nurse on staff for a session each summer and it’s comforting to know that you have highly skilled individuals there to keep the kids safe. Also, the Vandy nursing community is a close knit family, there is a strong level of trust, teamwork and compassion that they bring to camp! My kids come back from camp as better kids. They are more calm, less technology obsessed and less caught up in daily drama of being a kid these days. They build confidence, try new things, focus on teamwork, learn accountability and make new friends each summer. My daughter will be an LIT this summer and as she begins prepping for her last couple years of high school, we know that Camp YI will look great on college applications. They are building awesome foundational traits that they will carry with them for a life time. We are so happy to have Camp YI in our lives and proud to be a part of the Camp YI family!
Jamie Weathers
Camper/LIT Mom
Because I'm a working mother, my son attended several summer camps but none were as beneficial for him as Camp YI! It was such a hit that we began scheduling our summer activities around his 2 week stay at Camp YI since that was his favorite summer event. Now, as a teen, he is gearing up to be a Service Camper, a job he takes seriously. We will always be a friend of Campy YI, even after we no longer have a camper-aged child.
Leigh Gilliam
I grew up at Youth Incorporated, and it has been my great joy to pass on the love of Camp YI to both of my daughters. My eldest (20) began coming to YI when she was 8; my youngest (10) began her camp experience at age 7. Each year these young ladies look forward to returning to a second home where they can be with their friends spend every day playing outside from sun up to sun down. There are never dull days and the routine is never old. Now that my eldest daughter is a staff member, I get to enjoy watching her (and her cohort peers) take on new responsibilities and truly become the next round of leaders. I encourage all parents to give their children the opportunity to experience something that lasts a lifetime.
Christopher Pell
Camper/Counselor Dad
Camper/CIT MomCamp YI has been an important part of our family for several years. My daughter (Aiden) always looks forward to spending the summer with her “camp friends”. Over the years, we’ve seen camp offer her the ability to unplug, enjoy nature, learn responsibility and grow her independence. She has had some counselors who have positively impacted her for the rest of her life! Camp YI pulls in a relatively diverse group of kids, encouraging them to get out of their comfort zone, level the social playing field and make new friends. My son (Ethan) has just started his camp adventure. He is definitely a bit more shy than his sister but always manages to settle in and have a good time. Four square and nightly Trading Post are definitely a couple of his favorite things.
As a parent, I love that the nursing staff is made up of Vanderbilt Trauma/ER nurses. My husband (Michael) is nurse on staff for a session each summer and it’s comforting to know that you have highly skilled individuals there to keep the kids safe. Also, the Vandy nursing community is a close knit family, there is a strong level of trust, teamwork and compassion that they bring to camp! My kids come back from camp as better kids. They are more calm, less technology obsessed and less caught up in daily drama of being a kid these days. They build confidence, try new things, focus on teamwork, learn accountability and make new friends each summer. My daughter will be an LIT this summer and as she begins prepping for her last couple years of high school, we know that Camp YI will look great on college applications. They are building awesome foundational traits that they will carry with them for a life time. We are so happy to have Camp YI in our lives and proud to be a part of the Camp YI family!
Jamie Weathers
Camper/LIT Mom
Camp YI has been an important part of our family for several years. My daughter (Aiden) always looks forward to spending the summer with her “camp friends”. Over the years, we’ve seen camp offer her the ability to unplug, enjoy nature, learn responsibility and grow her independence. She has had some counselors who have positively impacted her for the rest of her life! Camp YI pulls in a relatively diverse group of kids, encouraging them to get out of their comfort zone, level the social playing field and make new friends. My son (Ethan) has just started his camp adventure. He is definitely a bit more shy than his sister but always manages to settle in and have a good time. Four square and nightly Trading Post are definitely a couple of his favorite things.
As a parent, I love that the nursing staff is made up of Vanderbilt Trauma/ER nurses. My husband (Michael) is nurse on staff for a session each summer and it’s comforting to know that you have highly skilled individuals there to keep the kids safe. Also, the Vandy nursing community is a close knit family, there is a strong level of trust, teamwork and compassion that they bring to camp! My kids come back from camp as better kids. They are more calm, less technology obsessed and less caught up in daily drama of being a kid these days. They build confidence, try new things, focus on teamwork, learn accountability and make new friends each summer. My daughter will be an LIT this summer and as she begins prepping for her last couple years of high school, we know that Camp YI will look great on college applications. They are building awesome foundational traits that they will carry with them for a life time. We are so happy to have Camp YI in our lives and proud to be a part of the Camp YI family!
Jamie Weathers
Camper/LIT Mom
