We are excited to announce that this years teen camp, Heroic, will virtually be a life changing event for the teens! Short, powerful lessons and engaging Dgroups each morning will inspire the teens to be world changers, living heroically for God, one deed at a time. Every teen will have the opportunity to strengthen their faith and take it to the next level!
Through cabin times, games, team competitions, special interest activities and “round robin meetups every afternoon, the teens will make new friends and strengthen the old! We know this isn’t a traditional camp experience, but with God at the helm, we are going to have just as much fun and great spiritual growth! (For an expanded version of this letter and the theme, see attachment)
Camp FAQ’s
Camp Theme: “Heroic”
Dates: Aug 17th-21st
Cost: $75 ($20 optional add-on for t-shirt)
Registration Deadline: July 27th: You can register here
Daily Schedule Example (Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri)
Definitions:
“St. Rock Games” – These are games offered by the platform (more like arcade games) where you can challenge your friends to play online.
“Outside Games” – These will be games the counselors organize (Examples: Minecraft, NBA 2k Tournament, Madden tournament, Arts and Crafts times, Hairstyling w/ La Micia)
“Camper Connect” – One on one hangouts at random – The system will randomly put one camper in a video chat with another one so people can connect with people they might not know.
What is the cabin set up?
Each cabin will have 2 counselors and 8 teens. Cabins will be arranged by grade. Young teens (8th and 9th grade) will be with kids from their region. Older teens will be mixed with other regions.
What does my teen need to attend virtual camp?
- Each teen needs their own email address when they register in order to receive their own virtual camp notebook (or ticket) which will give them access to everything
- Each teen needs their own device, see below for “For Best Virtual Experience”
Our virtual camp will be using Hopin (more on that in future communication)
What if we need tech help during the camp?
There will be a “Tech Infirmary” to aid in resolving technical issues
What if my teen needs help getting around the site?
The counselors will aid in helping teens get to their activities. There will also be a Solutions “table” where teens can go to get help with their schedule or other questions
Why does it cost money?
We have hired a team to create the best possible, safest virtual camp experience. This includes a platform that allows us to have all the meeting spaces we need simultaneously in order to accommodate cabins, breakout classrooms and large meeting spaces. It allows us to focus on the spiritual side of camp and recreate our regular camp experience as closely as possible. It also includes a game channel and unique round robin style fellowship not available in a DIY camp
Can we get a preview?
There will be a short promo video coming soon that will give a little preview of the “campsite”
For best virtual experience
Set up WiFi for success:Families with multiple teens, consider ahead of time, best place for each to be located in house or outside so devices don’t interfere with each other. Stress test your wifi ahead of time to see how many devices can be used at one time. If at all possible ask other family members to avoid using wifi during camp hours
Preferred Browser: Google Chrome and Firefox are the recommended and preferred browsers that are most compatible with the platform Hopin.
Headphones: Not necessary but they’re best to use especially in a noisier space/area. Minimized background noise and help cancel out noises in your personal surroundings.
Laptop Vs. Cell Phone: Laptop/Computer is an officially supported/preferred device since the platform (Hopin) is laid out more easily on a laptop vs cellphone screen. However, phones are also convenient with a smaller size and can be taken anywhere easier. People have had success using both.
Cell Phone: If you use your phone also use Chrome as a preferred web browser.
Technical Difficulties: If you experience any lagging, no noise, no picture, blurred or tagged screens, or any other difficulties, try these things: refresh your web page, close web browser and reopen it, log out and log back in, restart computer or switch devices.
Deeper Settings: Make sure Chrome is up to date, make sure in your settings that you’ve allowed access to camera and microphone access, make sure Chrome is trying to use the correct sound and video source.
Hopin Help Center/ Support: Also if you log in with the admin account, you can go to the top right where it says “more” and there’s a drop-down menu to choose “help center.” That’s where the knowledge base articles for hopin live.
