Camper Registration
Registration for summer 2021 is now available!
Questions?
Email us at registration@unicamp.org
or call us at 310‑208‑8252 ext 1.
Sign up for our email list to get notified of any camper registration updates:
2021 Summer Programs
Classic Camp (ages 10-14) This is our classic summer camp experience where campers are sorted into a cabin with 5-10 others of the same age/gender, led by our UCLA student volunteers. Campers participate in activities like arts & crafts, climbing, mountain biking, swimming, and more throughout the week while learning valuable leadership and social-emotional skills.
CLIMB (ages 15-17) Core Lessons in Mind and Body offers an opportunity for high school students to learn about the fundamentals and safety of rock climbing as a platform to experience self-growth in areas of responsibility, trust, and mindfulness. No experience or special equipment is required, as campers will learn to climb, belay, slackline, and more.
UniCorps (ages 15-17) UniCorps is a leadership development program for high school students. Campers learn about and practice leadership through specialized activities, working with younger campers, and service learning activities around the campsite. At the end of the week, campers receive a letter for 30 hours of community service that can be used towards high school graduation requirements.
Dates
General enrollment is available for our sessions on:
- June 19-25 (Ages 10-17) CLOSED
- July 12-17 (Ages 13-17, partnered with The Village Nation, focus on African American culture & excellence) CLOSED
- July 18-24 (Ages 10-17) FULL
- July 25-31 (Ages 10-14) NEW!
- August 1-7 (Ages 10-14) NEW!
- August 8-14 (Ages 10-17)
Registration is first-come, first-served. Please complete your registration at least one week before each session.
COVID-19 Vaccine
All campers and families are strongly encouraged to receive a COVID-19 vaccine prior to camp (but the vaccine is not a strict requirement). The vaccines are:
- FREE TO ALL (health insurance and citizenship are not required)
- Safe (click here to read about vaccine myths)
- Effective (learn more)
- Available for everyone ages 12+
Go to myturn.ca.gov or call (833) 422-4255 to schedule an appointment. Please complete your final vaccination dose at least 14 days prior to camp.
Info Sessions
There are currently no more info sessions scheduled, but any future info session dates will be posted here.
Can’t make it to an info session live? Watch this info session recorded on March 15:
Cost
These rates apply to our general and open enrollment sessions. Programs that have community partners (like AcademiCamp) may have different pricing, that’s shown on apply.unicamp.org.
Due to COVID-19, we strongly encourage families to arrange their own transportation to and from camp. Bus transportation is an optional $25. Please see the “Transportation” section for more information.
Subsidized (free/reduced lunch)
Subsidized
Actual Cost
Note: LA County DCFS has temporarily suspended their campership program
Transportation
You will be required to provide transportation to/from our campsite this year to help limit interaction between different groups of campers and lower the possibility of COVID-19 transmission. Camp River Glen is located in the San Bernardino National Forest, about a 2 hour drive from Los Angeles. Click here for the location in Google Maps.
Bus We are also offering bus service to/from Los Angeles for $25 per camper. Campers ages 12+ are REQUIRED to receive an approved COVID-19 vaccine in order to ride the bus. The final dose of the vaccine should be completed at least 14 days prior to the start of the camp session. Visit myturn.ca.gov or call (833) 422-4255 to schedule a vaccine appointment.
As with the rest of our COVID-19 precautions, this policy may change depending on local conditions. We will notify you of any changes. If you paid more than $25 for bus transportation, we will reach out to you about refunding the difference.
Registration Process
Step 1 Gather required information including:
- Contact info for two emergency contacts
- Camper’s health history (including allergies and medications)
- Camper’s immunization record and COVID-19 vaccine card (if applicable)
- Camper’s health insurance and medical provider information
- Income information for everyone in the household
- Credit/debit card for payment (if applicable)
Step 2 Register online using the link at the top of this page. Your registration progress is automatically saved so you can come back to it at any time before you’re done.
Step 3 We will keep you updated with information specific to your session on the email address you use to register. Contact us any time at registration@unicamp.org or by calling/texting 310-208-8252.
Refund Policy
We know your schedule this summer may be uncertain, so this is a new, more flexible refund policy. Cancellation fees cover the cost of payment processing and staff time. Email registration@unicamp.org to request a refund/transfer.
Though unlikely, if we are forced to cancel in-person camp, you will receive an option for a full refund. If your camper is unable to attend due to a recent communicable disease exposure, contact us immediately before arriving and we will work with you to move your camper’s registration to a different date at no cost.
| >30 days before session start | 2-30 days before session start | Within 48 hours of session start | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No-cost cancellation grace period | Within 48 hours of registration | Within 48 hours of registration* | Within 2 hours of registration |
| Cancellations | $25 | No refund | No refund |
| Transfer to a later 2021 session | No cost | $25 | Not available |
* any remaining grace period time is shortened to 2 hours at the 48-hour mark before each session. So if you register 72 hours before the session, you’ll have a 26 hour grace period.
Packing List
This is a packing list for an 8-day/7-night session. You may want to adjust the quantities slightly depending on your session length. The temperature at camp can range from 40 degrees at night to over 90 degrees during the day.
Clothes
- 7 face masks – How to choose a mask (CDC) Face shields (often clear plastic) cannot be used in place of a mask
- 7 pairs of underwear
- 7 pairs of socks
- 3-4 pairs of durable pants
- 3-4 pairs of shorts
- 7 t-shirts
- 1 jacket
- 2 sweatshirts/sweaters
- 1 swim suit
- 1 pair CLOSED TOE shoes
- Pajamas
- Hat
- Sunglasses
Other supplies
- Lunch (to eat on the way to camp on the first day)
- 2 towels
- 1 water bottle
- 1 cheap/disposable camera (optional)
- Flashlight with extra batteries
- Pillow
- Warm sleeping bag
- Medications in original packaging
Toiletries
- Unscented soap
- Toothbrush & toothpaste
- Comb, brush, or other hair care
- Unscented shampoo
- Unscented deodorant
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Lip balm
Please limit yourself to 2 pieces of luggage per camper and label your bags and anything else that may get lost (e.g. water bottles, flashlights, etc.). Any medication will be distributed by our medic. Epi-Pens, rescue inhalers, and any other emergency medication will kept near the camper at all times.
What not to bring. Know what your child is bringing! Any of these items may earn them an early trip home.
- Food or things that smell like food. Since we are in the forest, we are very careful about not attracting animals. Except for the first day’s sack lunch, any type of food or food-scented items are not allowed. Campers will have a chance to throw away any leftover food once they arrive.
- Weapons, fireworks, drugs, alcohol, controlled substances, tobacco, smoking/vaping products, matches, lighters, etc. Even if legal, these are not appropriate for our camp environment and some have the potential to cause forest fires.
- Toys. Small stuffed friends are okay, but there is enough activity going on each day that toys aren’t necessary and can be distracting.
- Video games, music players, cell phones, and other expensive items. These items take away from the camp experience and may be damaged by the active, outdoor nature of camp. Cell phones will be collected on the first day and stored safely until the end of the session.
- Markers or marking pens. Any supplies for arts & crafts or journaling activities will be available at camp.
- Revealing clothing, clothing with profanity, clothing with drug/alcohol references, etc. If a camper is seen wearing anything inappropriate, they will be asked to change. Appropriate dress helps us maintain a positive, encouraging environment at camp.
- Pets. Please contact us if the camper needs to bring a service animal so we can ensure the safety of the animal and the other campers.
FAQ
Our specific precautions will change depending on recent research, public health guidance, and local conditions, but in general we are focusing on:
- Testing & Screening: This involves tests for COVID-19, temperature checks, and symptom screenings before and during camp. In addition, families are asked to quarantine as much as possible for at least a week before camp.
- Cohorting: Campers and volunteers will be with their unit of 5-10 other campers the entire week with no close contact with anyone outside their unit.
- Hand Hygiene: Teaching and enforcing proper hand washing at various points during each day.
- Ventilation: All of our activities and meals are done outdoors and our cabins are open-air, with barriers between bunks.
- Sanitizing: Cleaning high-touch surfaces with EPA-approved disinfectants.
- Face masks: Masks may be required at various times throughout camp, including while getting food, doing activities close to others in their unit, and more.
- Physical distancing: Staying at least 6 feet away from others as much as possible.
In addition, families are asked to take a COVID-19 vaccine if available. This layering of precautions has been shown to be effective in quite a few public settings.
Keep in mind that communicable disease is a always a risk in any social situation, so please speak to a medical professional if the camper or anyone in the camper’s household is at high risk.
If in-person camp is cancelled, we will offer all registered campers a refund and we will likely transition to virtual programs like in 2020.
Please reach out to us so we can discuss further to find the right fit for your camper! In many cases, campers who are 9 years old are able to attend classic camp.
Note that at this time we cannot accept campers who are 18 years old at the time of their camp session.
Please reach out to us! We believe that every camper is a valuable, unique part of the camp experience so we do our best to not turn anyone away because of special needs or abilities. The more we can work together before camp, the better we can plan for your camper to have a fulfilling week.
Independence is one of the important skills campers practice at camp, so we strongly discourage any direct contact with while children are at camp. However, feel free to put letters in your camper’s luggage. (Do NOT put any food in their luggage.)
If there is an emergency at camp, we will call you as soon as possible. We will also provide emergency contact information if you need to reach on-site UniCamp staff during your child’s week of camp.
Campers are separated into cabins with 5-10 other same age/gender campers, with 2-3 counselors. Cabins are open-air with an attached bathroom, sink, and shower. Click here for an interactive view of the inside of a cabin Note that, while not shown in the link, each camper will have a mattress on their bunk that is disinfected between each use.
All UCLA UniCamp counselors are volunteers who go through four months of training and are overseen by more experienced counselors and UniCamp full-time staff. Volunteers are trained in behavior management, bullying prevention, appropriate boundaries, abuse prevention, and more.
We follow the “rule of three” where campers are always with two or more people, at least one of whom must be an adult. Our average supervision ratio is 3 campers to 1 counselor.
Driving to camp If you drive your camper(s) to camp, we will give you an assigned time in the morning to arrive at a meeting location in the Redlands area for a health screening and check-in before you head into the mountains. Picking up your child will work similarly, without the stop in Redlands area.
Bussing Busses typically pick up campers from the UCLA area at 9am on the first day of camp and drop them back off around 5pm on the last day. Each session’s schedule and meeting location may vary slightly.
Please avoid bringing electronics to camp if possible to avoid them getting dirty or damaged. On the first day, campers will be asked to turn in any cell phones for safe storage throughout the week. This policy helps us focus on interpersonal connections at camp without the distraction of technology. Please reach out to us prior to camp if this will be a problem (e.g. for phone-connected glucose monitors).
It can often be good to help your campers practice going for short periods of time without technology before camp.
Every session is planned separately by the volunteers that week and counselors will frequently customize the schedule/activities during each session for their small group of campers. That being said, most sessions are structured similarly:
7am Wake up
8am Breakfast & duties
9am Activities (These are different each day/session. They typically involve swimming, mountain biking, archery, climbing, arts & crafts, yoga, dance, science, drama, initiative/teambuilding games, and more)
Noon Lunch & duties
1pm More activities
3:30pm Snack
4pm More activities
6pm Dinner & duties
7:30pm Night activity (these can be night hikes, talent shows, campfires, and more.)
9:30pm Get ready for bed
10pm Lights out
Unfortunately, the LA County DCFS campership program is temporarily suspended so we are not able to offer no-cost registration to children with an open DCFS case. If that is a barrier to attend camp, feel free to reach out to your social worker to inquire about other options.
All foster youth automatically qualify for free/reduced lunch so they will be offered the subsidized $199 price automatically and the registration forms will continue to ask for DCFS case information. If we are able to participate in the DCFS campership program as we have done in the past, we will reach out to all who qualify with options for a refund.
Please plan to bring at least one mask / cloth face covering per day since masks will be required in many situations at camp. Masks must completely cover the nose and mouth. Face shields (often made of clear plastic) cannot be used in place of masks.
Click here for CDC guidance about how to choose a mask. However, the best mask is the one that your camper is comfortable wearing, so KN95 or other uncomfortable masks are not recommended.
No worries, click here to add it on! Note that this link will close about 1-2 weeks before each session.
You will be mailed an at-home COVID-19 test kit to take at home within 3 days before camp and mail back. The test will be billed to your health insurance, but there will be no charge to you, even if you don’t have health insurance.
Any other questions? Contact us any time at registration@unicamp.org or by calling/texting (310)208‑8252.