Sangamon is a really different kind of camp. We're "outside the box", "out on a limb" "in a place of our own". We're a progressive community with real values. We really believe in independence and responsibility. We take away the "common denominator" structure present in so many programs, to put boys in charge of their own lives so they can really discover themselves. 

     We believe that independence, responsibility and decision-making are hugely important skills, and boys learn best by doing. We think "structure" is often an over-rated concept created by under-staffed programs. We create a simple, 4 period schedule, give boys a wide range of good choices, and let them choose for themselves.  Given freedom and time to learn at their own pace, boys discover who they are and where their talents lie. They try new things, and expand on previous skills. They concentrate on areas that interest them, and move on when they’ve accomplished what they set out to do. It’s a wonderful thing to see, and we’ve been helping them do it for decades!

      There are fifteen instructional activities to choose from, plus trips out of camp, and each boy chooses for himself, each period, each day. Unlike most boys' camps, the heart of Sangamon's program is NOT competive sports. We play some competitive sports, but it's just one thing among many, and never required. The camp is an "old-time" outdoors place where boys can unplug from technology, go barefoot, and discover all sorts of wonderful things amidst the rhythms of the natural world. We teach life-long skills - hobbies and interests that will last for the rest of boys' lives.

     We're a diverse community, representing more than 15 different countries and all levels of social, ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds in our campers and staff. Sangamon has been an important place in many boys and men's lives for 83 years. Discover why.