Essential Information

If you're new to NBTSC, do start with this page, but also read our complete (13 page) 2008 brochure (in pdf format). Need a paper copy and don't have a printer? Please send us $5 and we'll mail you a packet containing the complete brochure, plus other important information from this website (refund policy, Not So Frequently Asked Questions, Is NBTSC for you?, registration form, etc.)

Key facts for 2008
What is NBTSC?
Key changes and important reminders for 2008
Printable PDF version of the short brochure

key facts for 2008

who: Approximately 100 unschoolers ages 13 to 18, and a staff led mostly by Grace Llewellyn.
when: Oregon Session 1 Aug 18-25, Session 2 Aug 28-Sept 4. Vermont Sept 16-Sept 23
where: Oregon: we meet in Eugene and travel 120 miles SW to Camp Myrtlewood. Vermont: Farm & Wilderness Camp, 40 miles SE of Rutland.
how much: $530 before March 31, $580 after. Some scholarships available.
why: To change ourselves and the world, teach each other great things, and sing under the moon....

What is Not Back to School Camp?

Not Back to School Camp is unique.

We come together to savor and support each person's gifts, and to build and celebrate community. Together, campers and staff co-create a week-long smorgasbord of workshops, spontaneous events, and special evening gatherings. We seek unschoolers who are excited about life, eager to share in what NBTSC offers, enthusiastic about offering their own workshops and other contributions, and willing (even if also terrified) to be themselves and to bravely reach out and connect with the rest of us. Most days, most of the time, campers make their own decisions--whether to attend a workshop or talk with a new friend, whether to go to sleep at 11 p.m. or stay up till 2 playing games, whether to linger over lunch or hike up the mountain or have a nap in the sun or start a soccer game. We come to camp to change ourselves and the world, teach each other great things, and sing under the moon....

What happens

We swim; talk; sing; drum; dance; hike; stare at the sky; play volleyball and softball and soccer; make nifty things in crafty workshops; take creative, emotional, and intellectual risks; encourage each other to do amazing things; have talent shows; teach and learn from each other.

Session 2 projects: Campers cluster in groups for 4 mornings (9 hours total) to undertake nifty projects. Past options have included natural building, conscious communication, drawing, an elaborate underwater robot, collaborative songwriting, primitive skills, ritual theater, dance improvisation, and wilderness first aid.

Workshops--a sampling: We have dozens of workshops each session, reflecting the talents and interests of all staff and campers. They range from kung fu to cob-oven building to Zimbabwean singing to college applications to surrealist games to VW engine fixing to human digestion to youth rights. Usually, you can decide each day what you want to do (or want not to do).

Sports: We typically play volleyball, basketball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, softball, and anything else anybody decides to initiate.

Unscheduled activities: Most of the time you're free to make your own fun if you don't feel like participating in a group activity. You can swim whenever the swimming hole or lake is supervised, hike on trails, talk with new friends, read, nap, swing, practice a new skill...

Talent Shows: Evening talent shows are a great highlight of camp. You can play music, dance, sing, show artwork, tell jokes, turn cartwheels, tell us the wildest thing that ever happened to your family, swallow a sword, read your poetry, or just stand up and tell us what makes you tick.

What parents should know

NBTSC is not as tightly structured as most other youth camps. For example, people choose their own bedtimes and sleeping locations (which include some public spaces, although girls and boys also have separate cabins and most people sleep in their own beds most of the time). We have clear rules which we firmly expect campers to observe, but they nevertheless have a great deal of freedom. Most of our campers are already accustomed to taking a lot of responsibility for themselves, so this works well overall, but some people feel a bit challenged by the open schedule. Feel free to talk with us if you're not sure whether NBTSC is a good match for your family. More on all of this and related stuff on the rest of this website.

Staff

Our multi-faceted, skilled, caring, funny staff is one of the best things about NBTSC. They teach outstanding workshops and coach sports, lead group singing, facilitate discussions, wrap twisted ankles, support people who are feeling challenged in any way, cook great food, and those who aren't exhausted sometimes stay up late and join in the after-midnight revels.

One person is your "advisor" during the week. You'll meet briefly with him or her and about 10 other campers each morning to check in, play games, and get to know each other.

For more about staff roles and the specific individuals who have worked on staff (and are likely to do so again), see our page of bios here.

food

Three yummy vegetarian meals each day with vegan alternatives. We prepare our own food and use mostly organically grown ingredients.
money

If you register early (before March 31), your cost is $530 per session. After that date, the cost increases to $580. A $100 non-refundable deposit is due with your registration. For details on our refund policy, click here.

how to register

You can register online here. Or, ask us to mail you a paper registration form, but it is important that you read the details about camp here on the website. (For $5, we can mail you a paper copy of that information.)
miscellaneous good stuff

(Non) religious orientation: NBTSC is a non-denominational, non-religious camp. We strive to honor each person's religious beliefs or lack thereof, and ask that all campers do likewise.

Not Back to School Camp loves diversity. We welcome campers of all races, ethnic backgrounds, genders, religious beliefs, sexual orientations, economic backgrounds, political affiliations, and physical capabilities.

If you have special needs: Educate us about your needs, and we'll do our best to make your week comfortable, safe, and exciting.

Health and safety: We always have at least one staff person trained in first aid and CPR. Typically we have one or more staffers with higher-level certification, such as wilderness first responder or EMT. In an emergency, you would be taken by a local ambulance to the nearest hospital. You must basically be responsible for your own health, bring any (regular) necessary medications with you, etc.

If you're intrigued, please read the full text of our complete brochure. Thanks and we hope you'll join us!

Key changes & important reminders for 2008

Once again, Grace is very sorry to report that she'll miss much of Vermont NBTSC to complete her Soul Motion dance teacher training. Directing in her absence: most likely Maya, or possibly a combination of other veteran staffers.
In Oregon, we will be attempting to make cigarette smoking less central to camp culture--many campers suggest simply changing the smoking location, so we'll likely try that. (In Vermont, as before, no tobacco is permitted on Farm & Wilderness property.)
We now require a separate, additional application for people 19 and older who would like to register as campers. (Also for people 12 and younger.) When you attempt to register, you'll be directed to this application.
We're pleased to report that we're not raising camp fees this year, except that we may need to actually start charging our alleged fee in Vermont for van rides to/from White River Junction and Rutland. And, the $75 discount for campers who come to both Oregon sessions remains in effect.
Also in the money domain: we are experimenting with accepting tuition via Paypal. (And by check and money order as always.) We're starting with just the $100 registration deposit (there's a $3 surcharge to cover our Paypal costs). Depending on how this goes, we may decide to accept all camp fees via Paypal--we'll keep you posted.
We spelled out dang near everything on our updated refund policy.
We've changed most of our deadlines to postmark dates rather than receive-by dates. However, this applies only to items sent via postal mail from within the U.S. Foreign and non-USPS mail must be in our office by the time most of the U.S. mail is.
Not a change, just a reminder: we always say in our camp information that we are open to Session 2 project proposals from campers. So far we've never gotten any. And it's true that we are picky, because we want to offer well-planned, high quality opportunities. But we know there are campers who would be capable of putting together such a thing, and who might really enjoy the challenge and adventure of doing so. So, if you have an idea and want to know whether we'd consider it, email us.
Another reminder: please don't assume that you can attend a partial week of NBTSC (arrive late or leave early to accommodate family vacations, sports tournaments, etc.). You need to clear this with us in advance, thank you.
Our insurance companies and policies are changing, and we may no longer be able to provide coverage for run-of-the-mill athletic accidents and such that take place during camp. In practicality this probably means nothing as we've never had an insurance claim of that sort anyway, but in the interest of keeping our fine print complete, we're letting you know that the waivers you sign this year may be a little different. (We said this last year, but there were no significant changes. This year, again, there might be.)
In Oregon, people who ride trains that are typically very late will need to arrive in Eugene a day early if they want to be guaranteed a bus ride to camp. We said this last year too, but some people didn't seem to notice.

For a printable pdf version of our short brochure (mostly the same text as on this page, minus the section called "key changes & important reminders for 2008"), click here.