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At the end of June, 40 refugee youth from across the community—including 17 supported by the ̽����ѡ (̽����ѡ) in Utah’s College & Career Readiness program, attended an outdoor summer camp at Tifie Ranch. For most, this was their first outdoor excursion in Utah, even as the state boasts landscapes that are world-renowned. With support from a lead partner, , the youth participated in a variety of outdoor activities that have often remained inaccessible, including hiking, slacklining, and sailing. 

Summit Journeys was the key partner who helped organize the Summer Camp, including facilitating activities like sailing and hiking.

Photo: Seth Magers/Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation

“Nature is such a large part of Utah and our local culture. The camp gave the kids a chance to be exposed to new experiences in a safe environment. It also showed them all that their new home in Utah has to offer,” noted Jess Hudson, college & career readiness coordinator at the ̽����ѡ, who helped organize the multi-day excursion. 

Over the past months, the ̽����ѡ has worked closely with Summit Journeys to organize outdoor activities for 8 to 12 youth at a time that go beyond the physical nature of the excursion. Each activity is founded in broader principles, from developing leadership skills, to deepening social engagement and strengthening empathetic bonds. The camp expanded this effort by engaging a broader group of youth to try something new. For many youth—teenagers ages 15 to 19—their day-to-day is high-stress and filled with responsibility. 

The summer camp offered many of the youth the chance to reshape their perspective of the outdoors, providing a positive experience to help them connect with future activities.

Photo: Seth Magers/Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation

“A lot of the kids have a lot of responsibilities at home, so this camp gave them a chance to step away, get outdoors, and have fun,” Saige Palsson, education programs supervisor, explained. 

The camp offered some youth the chance to tackle personal goals. Inspired by a talk from Martin Frey, CEO of Summit Journeys, on the topic of overcoming challenges, one female student committed to participating in a sunrise summit of a nearby mountaintop. Though she lacked proper hiking clothes & was daunted by the heat, she pushed through the first checkpoint—an opportunity to return back to camp—to reach the summit.

Jess was proud to see the student meet the moment of the challenge, “She told me that she learned more about herself during the hike: what she could do if she pushed herself. These are the lessons we hope the kids walk away with & hopefully apply to their future.” 

The summer camp offered many of the youth the chance to reshape their perspective of the outdoors, providing a positive experience to help them connect with future activities. This effort was made possible through the close coordination and partnership of Summit Journeys and the initiative. The ̽����ѡ’s College & Career Readiness program continues with generous funding from the , a dedicated partner in supporting refugee youth to achieve their potential after arriving to Utah. 

Check out additional photos & interviews from the Summer Camp in a

For many of the youth, they were participating in new outdoor activities in Utah, offering the opportunity for skill-building while having fun!

Photo: Seth Magers/Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation

You can get involved in our efforts to support refugee youth to achieve their goals & get outside by visiting Rescue.org/SupportSLC or by reaching out to us directly at SaltLakeCity@Rescue.org.