Advancing Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiatives at Camp Roger

The aim of this thesis is to understand how race, class, gender, nature, and youth development all interact within the setting of summer camps. Specifically, I am looking at how these concepts intersect at YMCA Camp Roger, a small summer camp located in the Wasatch County National Forest in northern Utah. Through a deep understanding of how summer camps camp to be, I was able to see how the origins have carried through to today. In addition to a historical deep dive, I discussed literature relating to the concepts this thesis aims to understand, and compared the literature to current summer camp practices. After creating a comprehensive understanding of summer camps, I analyzed performance surveys and demographic data pertaining to YMCA Camp Roger. This thesis discusses my research, along with future recommendations for the advancement of JEDI initiatives at summer camps.