Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!), a non-profit organization, was founded in 1990 by 16-year-old Ocean Robbins and 19-year-old Ryan Eliason. Boasting a powerful line-up of presenters like John Robbins, Rosa Parks, Dr. Jane Goodall, and Alice Walker among many others, the camps explore topics that most young people never have the chance to address on a truly meaningful level. This list is from their website:

• Powerful solutions to environmental problems and globalization
• Connections between personal and planetary ecology
• Healing gender divisions and stereotypes
• Overcoming prejudice and taking a stand for social justice
• The power of our beliefs to shape our lives
• Transcending apathy and finding a sense of meaning and purpose

Their goals are high--to help young people acquire life skills like:

• Developing and cultivating leadership
• Effective communication and conflict resolution
• Building community with diversity
• Spreading information about urgent environmental and social issues
• Fundraising, public speaking, and organizing for change
• Self-confidence and expression
• Active nonviolence

The camp fee is on a sliding scale from $400-800 with scholarships available and discounts for bringing in a friend. Most impressive is the section of the website devoted to fundraising. There are no less than ten great ideas for earning the money to pay for camp; that could be an education in itself! A fundraising manual and coaching are available just for the asking.

For more information on YES! Action Camps, or on YES!'s books, manuals, videos and other resources, contact:

Youth for Environmental Sanity (YES!)
420 Bronco Road
Soquel, CA 95073-9510
(877) 293-7226
fax: (831) 462-6970
camps@yesworld.org

For help finding the summer camp that's right for your kids, contact:

Camp Finders
561-338-5750
www.campfinders.com