Outdoor Education

YMCA Camp Lakewood provides a natural setting for experiential outdoor education, group building, and leadership training. We work with teachers and group leaders to create an exciting program for many different kinds of groups. Our Outdoor Education programs are perfect for school field trips, scout troops, youth groups, church retreats, band camps, and sports camps. Your group is welcome from the middle of August through the end of May. Our modern cabins have indoor plumbing, showers, heating and air-conditioning.

YMCA of the Ozarks programs are goal-based, designed to help you meet the needs of your group. Our group-building activities focus on strengthening relationships, working together to find solutions, and developing positive communication skills. These programs can be designed to build friendships at the start of the school year, dissolve "cliques", help new students feel welcome, break the monotony of the winter doldrums, or end the school year with an exciting event.

Our adventure activities include high and low ropes courses, ground-based group initiatives, and climbing towers. These activities focus on individual goals, including challenge and commitment, and provide participants with opportunities to offer support to each other. Our programs can be adjusted to meet your group’s goals and objectives.

We provide lodging, all-you-can-eat meals, and YMCA staff who will make sure your experience meets your needs. We require one, but suggest two, chaperones for every ten participants. A certified YMCA professional facilitates all of our adventure courses and our group-building activities. Each group-building activity starts with setting goals. At the end of each activity, members of the group always have an opportunity to evaluate how well they worked together to reach their goal, and are encouraged to identify ways they could have improved their efforts.

A YMCA staff member is available to meet with you ahead of time to present a video, review your schedule and specific goals, provide general information about the program, discuss measures we take to ensure a safe experience, and to respond to comments and questions.

For an additional charge, you can add days, meals and program options. Recreation options are available seasonally and priced separately.

For more information about our Outdoor Education programs, to schedule a tour or presentation, or to reserve space for your group, please contact:

Mariah Hughes, Director of Outdoor Education & Programs
314-241-9622 or 573-438-2154 ext. 238
mhughes@ymcastlouis.org

Judy Gillam, Outdoor Education Conference Coordinator
314-241-9622 or 573-438-2154 ext. 114
jgillam@ymcastlouis.org