Summer Camp 2023
About Camp
When school is out and summer heats up, we’ll be going to CAMP! Camp is for middle school and high school students in 6th-12th grades during the 2022-23 school year.
About Camp
Everything you’ll love about camp:
- Small group times with peers and leaders where students feel safe opening up about their experiences
- Competitive games and high-flying activities to get their hearts pumping
- High-energy worship to prepare their hearts to hear from God.
- Relevant, heartfelt messages given by our student staff team that help breakdown walls and barriers that may be preventing them from experiencing the life God has planned for them.
Things you can’t wait to do at camp:
- The Hexapod - this 3 level 54 element challenge will challenge you and make you feel like you can overcome any fear no matter which level they try
- The 500-foot zip line takes you flying across the sky
- Pool with slides and volleyball net, perfect for cooling off on the hot summer afternoons
- Lake activities on Lake Travis include banana boats and a floating obstacle course (lake level permitting).
We are pleased to announce that the cost of camp will NOT increase this year. Five days/four nights of camp is $395.
Early bird special $350 - Register by FEBRUARY 4th and get $45 off the price of camp.
Camp registration closes on Sunday, May 7th at 11:55 p.m.
Have questions about camp? See our FAQ’s.
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
Application Deadline: April 30, 2023
DONATE SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS
Help a student go to camp by donating to our scholarship fund.
MAKE A PAYMENT
Towards your camp balance
VOLUNTEER AT CAMP
Come to camp with us and help us make it a great experience for our students. Let us know you’re interested by emailing the Camp Operations Director - Erin Caffey
We need trustworthy adults to volunteer as:
Team leaders - take charge of a group of campers and act as their camp counselor.
SpecOps - special operations: they are our backbone behind-the-scenes team
Photographer/Videographer - capture all the amazing moments at camp and put them in a repository where parents can view them after camp
CAMP FAQs
This year, we’re going to the Highland Lakes Camp & Conference Center near Spicewood, TX in the Pace Bend park – just under one hour west of Austin. For More info, visit: https://hlccc.org/
Thursday, June 8 - Monday, June 12, 2023
Registration for camp closes on Sunday, May 7th at 11:55 pm. Don’t miss out! Register at: https://www.gatewaychurch.com/event-details/?id=97137
- Erin Caffey - Camp Operations Director - erin_caffey@gatewaychurch.com
- Isaiah Struve - Camp Director/North Student Pastor - isaiah_struve@gatewaychurch.com
- Katelyn Rogers - Camp Director/Buda Student Pastor - katelyn_rogers@gatewaychurch.com
- Peter Shenk - Camp Director/South Student Pastor - peter_shenk@gatewaychurch.com
Middle Schoolers: 6th-8th grade
High Schoolers: 9th-12th grade
The grades are based on the grade each student is during the 2022-23 school year. Seniors who graduate in May are also invited to attend camp with us.
Kids who were in 5th grade during the 2022-23 school year can only go based on a recommendation from the Kids director at your local Gateway campus. Also, if your campus offers the Born to Lead program, those 5th graders are pre-approved to join us and attend camp.
Because it is awesome! Need another reason? Okay. We see Summer Camp as a strategic opportunity for students to participate in a small group setting with their peers and small group leaders. These relationships can lead to healthy growth relationally and spiritually.
Full-price registration is $395 for 5 days/4 nights. We’re pleased that we did not have to raise the price from last year.
We also offer great discounts for early registration and sending multiple siblings to camp. Register before February 4, 2023 and get $45 off the price of camp, making the total only $350.
Siblings can get $30 each off the price of camp (after the early bird special ends) by using Promo Code: CAMPSIBS.
Be sure to take advantage of these savings to reduce your overall cost of camp.
No, you will only need to pay the $50 non-refundable, non-transferable deposit when you register. The final balance of the cost of camp is due by May 21, 2023.
Yes! Siblings can get $30 each off the price of camp by using Promo Code: CAMPSIBS
If you cancel prior to May 2st, you will receive a full refund of what you already paid minus the $50 deposit. If you cancel after May 21st, no refund will be given. At that point your money will go toward helping another student get to camp that might not otherwise be able to pay their balance.
To pay the remaining balance for camp, you can go to My Invoices and look for the block with the Camp logo. Click the button to pay the outstanding balance. You may pay toward your balance in any amount until May 21st when the final balance is due.
Yes, scholarships are available! If you would like to apply for a scholarship, use the link below. Scholarships are given out in 25% and 50% off discounts based on need and available funds. The deadline to apply for a scholarship is April 30, 2023. Don’t delay because after that date, funds will be allocated to applicants and no additional funds will be available.
You will be notified via email if you receive a scholarship in early May. Go ahead and register for camp and pay the $50 to hold your spot for camp.
We do not currently have any formal fundraising plans for camp.
Absolutely! We LOVE it when our students invite their friends – especially if they don’t attend church at all.
Campers can begin to arrive at Highland Lakes Camp in the mid to late afternoon on June 8. Dinner will be served on Thursday. Campers should then be picked up by late morning on June 12. Exact times will be sent via email at the beginning of June.
- Great times of connection and community with other students and selected leaders
- Small group hangouts
- High-energy worship/music
- Relevant talks from staff and guest speakers
- Games, swimming and adventure activities!!
In May, the official Packing List will be emailed to families, but here’s a list of what campers have brought in years past:
- Sleeping bag or sheets & pillow (linens will NOT be provided)
- Clothes for 4 days/ 4 nights (plus one extra, optional) - don’t forget your underwear!
- Team colored clothes or accessories
- Shoes - One pair sturdy close-toed shoes for games, climbing wall and zip line activities; flip flops or sandals for non-game times are fine, but make sure they’re sturdy enough for lots of walking on rocky ground around camp
- Pajamas
- Hat & sunglasses (optional)
- Swimsuit & swim towel
- Trash bag/plastic bags to put muddy/wet clothes in
- Laundry bag for dirty clothes
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray (optional)
- Toiletries - toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, soap, hair brush, etc.
- DEODORANT - please!
- Bath towel & washcloth - ideally this is separate from the swim towel
- WATER BOTTLE - super important, they will carry it everywhere
- Flashlight
- Alarm clock/watch
- Bible, journal & pen
- Snacks (optional, but they must stay wrapped/sealed to keep out bugs)
- Spending money for concessions, coffee shop, and gift shop - we recommend around $40 or so.
Each family is responsible for transporting their own kids to and from camp at Highland Lakes Camp near Spicewood, TX in Pace Bend Park.
Absolutely! Safety is one of our highest values. We have incredible leaders and trained volunteers who love our students. The majority of our camp leaders will be the same people who lead your student’s small groups each week! All are background checked and receive special training to be at camp. For physical ailments, the camp has a Registered Nurse on site to facilitate medications and deal with any medical issues that might arise.
Highland Lakes Camp has done a great job of preparing the camp to be safe and clean during Covid. It is possible that other church groups may be at camp at the same time we are, but there will be little, if any, overlap during mealtimes and activities. If possible, we also plan to not fill each of our cabins to capacity to allow for more space to spread out at night. We were fortunate to not have any reported cases of Covid amongst our students and volunteers during camp 2021 or 2022.
REQUIRED FORMS
The Camp Medication Administration Permission is required IF you are sending any medication with your camper HLCCC 2023 Medication Administration Form.pdf
The Camp Registration Form is REQUIRED of every camper and must be printed, filled out, and brought in person to camp check-in: HLCCC 2023 Summer Reg Form - Student.pdf