Summer Camp for Agnostic, Atheist, and Secular Humanist Children Thrives

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/29/education/29camp.html?ex=1120968000&en=287599c3ebfce042&ei=5070

On June 29, 2005 The New York Times reported, "Providing a haven for the children of nonbelievers is what Camp Quest is all about. As the camp's official T-shirt announces, it's a place that's 'beyond belief.' More precisely, it claims to be the first summer sleep-away camp in the country for atheist, agnostic and secular humanist children. Nearly two million American adults openly identify themselves as atheist or agnostic, according to a 2001 survey by the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. As a group, they face more than their share of bigotry, said Edwin F. Kagin, Camp Quest's longtime director, and their children are often made to feel like outcasts... At Camp Quest, children age 8 to 17 take part in all the usual summer camp activities. But in addition to horseback riding, organized water balloon fights and outdoor survival lessons, the camp's volunteer staff aims to promote a healthy respect for science and rational inquiry... As in years past, camp leaders also worked on presentations in science and other natural (as opposed to supernatural) phenomena... Gene Kritsky, a biology professor at the nearby College of Mount St. Joseph, talked to campers about creationism, arguing that the theories used to try to disprove evolution fail to hold up... Also, as a new generation of camp leaders has taken over, different sorts of lectures have been added, including talks this year and last on various religions, to broaden campers' perspectives and keep the programming fresh."