Session 4: Camp Connections & TLI Transformations

Session 4 is in full swing! On Sunday, we welcomed campers with cheers, singing, and so much Tawonga spirit. This is our final session of the summer season, and the energy is electric to close out the season strong in our 100th year! Since the campers’ arrival, Camp has been buzzing with activity as campers jumped into rotations to explore all that Tawonga has to offer — then worked with their bunks to chart out their own adventure paths for the session.

This session, 70% of campers are returners – bringing their Tawonga knowledge and helping newcomers learn the ropes. The best way to get acclimated to Camp, of course, is through bunk bonding. Here at Camp, the bunk is at the heart of the experience. Campers eat, sleep, and adventure with their bunkmates — forming tight-knit communities where deep friendships can grow. Supporting all of that deep bonding is our counselor team and incredible staff. You can learn more about our dedicated 2025 summer staff here.

This week, bunks have been bonding through shared experiences like Cabin Floats, unit-wide games, and joyful bunk cheers echoing through the trees. They’ve been getting creative at Arts & Crafts, celebrating swim test victories, and exploring the garden with all five senses.

Today, a special experience grounded us even deeper in the land we call home: the Land Gathering. Led by educators Carson Bates, Jennifer Bates (Bear & Coyote), and Jeanette Innerarity, the program offered campers an opportunity to learn from our local Miwok neighbors and honor traditional ecological knowledge. In the morning, participants made nupa (acorn soup) with Jennifer in the ancestral way — using hot basalt rocks and woven baskets — and learned to process black oak acorns using a mortar found right here at Camp. In the afternoon, Carson demonstrated how to make dogbane cordage, a fiber derived from Indian Hemp, and campers crafted bracelets and anklets from the surprisingly strong fibers.

Throughout the day, stories were shared, hands got messy, and hearts opened. The Land Gathering gave campers space to reflect on their own cultural traditions, explore their relationship with the land, and continue Tawonga’s journey of being positive temporary stewards of this land.

Teen Leadership Institute: A Journey of Growth, Connection, and Impact

Meanwhile, we’re excited to shine a spotlight on our Teen Leadership Institute (TLI) – our three and a half week program for rising 11th graders! 

New this year, the TLI program structure is made up of two cohorts: one group that began at Camp before heading out into the world (Camp-to-Portland, or C2P), and another that started with service and travel and is now back home at Tawonga (Portland-to-Camp, or P2C). Together, these two groups are experiencing the same arc — just in reverse — and making it entirely their own.

“I think being able to be on the road together before Camp was really awesome,” said Lev G. “Everyone was so excited to get here. On the bus ride down, the energy was so high singing Country Roads!”

Throughout the TLI experience, teens are taking on a wide range of powerful and formative opportunities. While on the road, they:

• Complete service projects in Portland in partnership with the organization, Tivnu, supporting communities experiencing houselessness
• Visit tiny home villages, build porches and roofs, and engage with residents to hear their stories
• Explore Portland’s culture through food truck tours, mural walks, and day hikes
• Recharge with a Back to Earth retreat, including river solo sits, nature connection, and silent reflection
• Embark on adventures like whitewater rafting, ziplining, mountain biking, and rock climbing
• Create meaningful Shabbat experiences in nature

TLI staff member Tangie A. reflected, “Watching the group come together over the two and a half weeks before Camp is really special. There’s a kind of bond that can’t be created any other way — it comes from spending that time together on the road, volunteering with unhoused communities, exploring new places, and even just sharing long hours on the bus. You really see their character and connection deepen.”

TLI teens shared that sentiment:

Dakota O. reflected, “People typically get really close at the end of a session — then it’s over. But because we were able to bond before Camp, I feel like it’s just been so much more fun and enjoyable.”

TLI teen Jules B. shared, “Even first-time campers fit right in because we had this bonding experience doing outdoor activities all together. I feel so close with everyone here.”

Whether they begin or end at Camp, both groups spend a transformative week at Tawonga, where they reunite with beloved traditions and give back to Camp through hands-on service. This week at Tawonga includes:

• In-Training for a Day, where teens shadow staff roles and step into leadership
• Musical campfires, sunset hikes, and joyful evenings under the stars
• A teen-led Kabbalat Shabbat to close out the week
• Service projects like garden expansion, forest thinning, and trail restoration
• Conquering the Challenge Course, where teens build trust and unity through the ethic, Challenge by Choice

As TLI enters its final stretch, the impact is clear — teens will be returning from this experience with a deeper sense of purpose, stronger Jewish identity, and a growing toolkit for leadership. We’re so proud of all they’ve accomplished and can’t wait to see many of them back next year as SCITs!

P.S. For new Camp parents tuning in, you can take a closer peek into the action through the Campanion app. More info here.