"Daring Boys to Become Men"

Pyles Camp is an amazing opportunity for young boys to grow into strong and confident men.

Through a ladder of growth and learning that builds upon itself each year, boys have the chance to become leaders and role models for others. These same boys are given the opportunity to build their self-confidence, and leadership skills, and to strive to reach their potential through a great summer experience and Winter Outreach Program. The activities and programs at Pyles Camp are designed to challenge and inspire, while also fostering a sense of fun and community. The program is designed to support and encourage boys to continue the positive behavioral changes they learned while in camp, and to help them remember the positive lessons they learned. From the Winter Outreach Program to the Lioneers and Voyager programs, each level offers unique opportunities for growth and learning. The ultimate goal is to become a counselor and be eligible for the Pyles Camp Scholarship, which has helped so many deserving staff members attend college and pursue their dreams. Our hope is that one never stops learning at Pyles Camp, no matter how far up the ladder one has climbed.

If you're ready to take on the challenge and become a stronger, more confident person, then Pyles Camp is the place for you.

1st Year- Camper
Located in the beautiful Sequoia National Monument nestled among the Redwoods, Pyles Boys Camp offers everything a young man could want and more! Great activities– horseback riding, ROPES Course, archery, athletics, arts and crafts, a full nature and stargazing program, and a fabulous 5-day wilderness trip in the Golden Trout Wilderness area. 

If you are selected to be among the fortunate ones who come to camp, you are in for a real treat. You will build your self-confidence and leadership skills and strive to reach your potential through a great summer experience and Winter Outreach Program.

Winter Outreach Program
The goal of our extensive Winter Outreach Program is to support and encourage our boys to continue the positive behavioral changes they learned while in camp. The boys are invited to reunions, field trips, and community meetings. We keep in touch through personal contacts (phone calls, emails, and letters) and our staff is always available to provide support and encouragement. A yearbook is sent to all campers reminding them not only of the fun they had in camp, and the friends they made but also to help them remember the positive lessons they learned. We are always available to assist your family and your boys with issues that may arise in their lives at school or at home.

2nd Year- Lioneers
For boys returning for the second year, they will be in what we call the Lioneer program. It gives those selected boys who successfully completed the first year of Pyles Camp, a chance to build on the foundation set in place during their first year. The emphasis is on fun, leadership, and teamwork, as well as other life skills. The boys spend a great deal of time in the Golden Trout Wilderness in an area known as Lion Meadows (hence the name Lioneers!). The boys are in for a treat for the eyes with breathtaking views, visits to beautiful mountain lakes, and an opportunity to work and learn with their friends.

3rd Year- Voyagers
Our Voyager Program for boys who have completed the first and second years at camp builds on the foundation from those previous summers. This program is the final year as a camper and is a stepping-stone to becoming part of the staff. We emphasize leadership skills, building a team with your fellow campers and staff, and work ethic. The experience gained and skills learned during this time at camp are invaluable in preparing for life as a young adult. The Voyager program opens many new doors within Pyles Camp.

4th Year- Trailblazers
Trailblazers each will dedicate themselves to enhancing life skills and providing service to both current and future Pyles campers. As part of the service component Trailblazers will engage in daily work details and contribute to meal preparation and clean-up effort. Hands-on service activities will be balanced by, and integrated with, opportunities to enhance life skills including workshops - and games – designed to develop Communication Skills, Financial Literacy, Organizational Skills, Coping Skills, Educational Development, and Career Readiness.

5th Year- Pyles Leadership Training (PLT)
Participants in PLTs will fully commit themselves to learning the necessary skills to become Pyles camp counselors. During the program, participants will be taught the Pyles Standard, which includes a variety of important skills such as Leave No Trace, CPR and First Aid, Outdoor Living Skills, Outcamp Games, Conflict Resolution, Cabin Culture, Behavioral Management, and Camp Fire Philosophy, among others. Additionally, participants will learn about pre-teen and teen communication, as well as the philosophy behind camp programs. The curriculum also covers skills like Map Reading, Compass, GPS, and Radio Etiquette.  PLTs will learn how to evaluate their performance and the performance of campers, and how to deal with homesickness. The PLTs will also learn about the Pyles camp philosophy and how to create a positive and supportive camp environment for all campers. 

Counselors
More than 90% of our counselors have come up through the Pyles Camp Program. They start as campers and work their way up. This gives us a unique group of young adults with many years of camp experience in learning our program before they reach this point and as such understand the impact that our camp has on our boys. As counselors, they are also eligible to participate in the Scholarship Program.

College Scholarships

In 1977 Pyles Camp Board of Directors saw the need to create a College Scholarship Program to assist the many deserving staff members who would not otherwise be able to attend Colleges, Universities, and Technical Schools. In just the past 20 years, the Pyles Scholarship Program has issued $650,766 to 133 recipients. Since 1977, the Pyles Scholarship Program has awarded $1,193,164 to 567 individuals. The Scholarship program is supported by donations and the Pyles Camp operational budget. The scholarships are awarded based on need, the amount of time the staff member worked at camp, and their grade point average.

Listed below are the participant goals for each level in our program:

Program Goals

Program goals for Campers (1st year)

• Increased self-confidence

• Increased self-esteem

• Develop positive work habits

• Have a great and safe experience, both physical and emotional

• Increased socialization skills

• Increased ability to achieve goals

• Become success oriented

• Introduction to positive conflict resolution

• Introduction to leadership skills

Program goals for Lioneers (2nd year) and Voyagers (3rd year):
(in addition to those for campers)

• Focus on being role models

• Increase their leadership ability

• Increase their personal initiative

• Increase their positive work habits

• Develop their decision making skills

• Become future oriented

• Experience a physically and emotionally challenging adventure

• Increase positive conflict resolution skills

Program Goals for Trailblazers: (in addition to those for Lioneers and Voyagers)

• Increase awareness of being a role model- being respectful towards oneself and how that translates to the community.

• Develop positive work skills – their work habits are a reflection of self.

• Make them aware of the big picture and awareness of how they fit into it.

• Increase personal responsibility and ownership of actions and acceptance of consequences.

Program Goals for Pyles Leadership Training -PLTs: (in addition to those for Trailblazers)

• Develop effective interpersonal group facilitation skills.

• Increase awareness of group dynamics

• Conflict resolution and mediation skills

• Awareness of the big picture by understanding the goals, values, and philosophy of Pyles Camp & Develop personal pride for Pyles Boys Camp

Program Goals for Counselors: (in addition to those for Workers)

• Develop effective interpersonal and group facilitation skills

• Increase awareness of group dynamics

• Develop leadership ability

• Proficiency in decision-making ability

• Increase in job knowledge, esp. First-aid, Environmental Education, etc.

• Improve conflict resolution and mediation skills

• Safety awareness

• Develop interpersonal communication skills

• Increase awareness of big picture by understanding of goals, values, philosophy of Pyles Camp

• Understanding and awareness of liability issues concerning working with minors

• Personal pride in their role at camp

Program Goals for Seasonal Supervisory Staff: (in addition to those for Counselors)

• Develop supervision skills

• Develop organization skills

• Develop public speaking skills

• Develop crisis management skills

• Develop training and facilitation skills

• Full awareness of the "big picture"

• Full awareness of liability issues Advanced First Aid/EMT ability

• Excellent conflict resolution and mediation skills

• Develop working knowledge of operation and maintenance of physical camp