Summer Program
The centerpiece of the GEMS organization is our summer program, designed for middle-school girls in central Vermont.
GEMS Camp
Each summer features a different theme and offers girls the chance to learn about themselves, increase their confidence, think critically about their world, and actively engage in the community -- all while having fun, making new friends, and expressing themselves in a judgement-free environment. The theme for our past summer was "stretch!" and encouraged girls to literally stretch as we enjoyed yoga and a climb up Camel's Hump, but also figuratively as we stepped out of our comfort zones to take on the role of change-makers within our communities.
Typical summer activities include:
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teambuilding games and challenges
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tie-dye, jewelry making, and other crafts
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Daily guest speakers who are female leaders and role models in their communities
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Service learning projects
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Woodworking or other hands-on activities
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Hiking, swimming, and games
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Camping out!
Overall, our goal is to inspire girls to grow and lead, learn to support those around us, and have an amazing week of friends and fun.
Year-Round Support
In the fall of 2017, GEMS introduced our first school-year meet-up, designed to provide ongoing support to the girls in the program.
These regular meet-ups feature the same elements as the summer camp and offer girls a chance to reconnect with one another and safely discuss and work through challenges that the school year can bring.
In 2021-2022, we are determining our meet-up schedule based on interest, availability, and Covid safety — we want to provide girls with more time that is truly social, even while it's distanced! We host meetups in Randolph on a rotating monthly basis.
