DATES AND TIMINGS:

The camp starts on Sunday, July 14, 2024 at 10.00 am sharp. Since this camp is also geared towards leadership qualities, punctuality will be an important factor in evaluating the overall performance of the participants. The camp ends on Sunday, July 21, 2024 at 3.00 pm.

Parents are required to pick up their children at 3.00 pm since the site needs to be vacated by then.

LOCATION:

The camp is being held at Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Education Center, 5110 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20855. The site is a beautiful wooded area. It also offers a wide variety of recreational activities. It has adequate facilities to house 160 people.

AGE GROUPS:

The participants of the camp are divided into three age groups as follows:

Level 1: 6 - 10 Years
Level 2: 10 - 14 Years
Level 3: 14 - 20 Years

Counselors are assigned for the various groups.

Only in very special cases do we accept participants younger than 7 years of age. They have to meet the following criteria:

1) The child is at least 6 years of age on the first day of the camp.
2) The child can take care of himself/herself in a proper manner.
3) It is preferred that such a young child has an older sibling attending the camp.

Please call Gurdeep Singh at (301) 785 5105 before submitting the application if you plan to register a child younger than 7 years.

REGISTRATION:

Every participant is required to fill the registration form. A donation of $285 per youth in US funds must be submitted in full along with the registration form. Only the first 100 complete registrations will be accepted. Every registrant will receive a package containing questions and answers on Sikh History for preparation of Sikh History Jeopardy and Quiz Competition.

MAIN HIGHLIGHTS:

Lectures, seminars and group discussions on various Sikh issues.

 

Sikh History Jeopardy and Punjabi Pictionary Competitions.

 

Workshops on Naam Simran and Amrit Wela.

 

Harmonium, Tabla, String Instruments, and Gatka Training.

 

Quiz competition, speech competition, pagri tying competition and various other competitions.

 

Volleyball, basketball, hiking, tug-of-war, and various other sports.

CAMP DISCIPLINE :

All participants are required to stay on the camp site at all times and attend all activities. Everyone has to stay overnight and there will be no exceptions, whatsoever.

 

Parents are requested not to visit or call their child during the camp, unless there is an extreme emergency.

 

Partial attendees will not be accepted at the camp.

 

All participants are required to sleep and wake-up on time.

 

A doctor will be on duty at all times. Any medical or other problem must be reported to any of the counselors immediately.

 

Boys are expected to wear a distaar, patka or pagri at all times. Girls are expected to neatly braid their hair and wear a chunni at all times.

 

There is no dress code, but participants are advised to wear comfortable clothes and shoes.

 

Radios, boom boxes, walkmans, cards, candies, and chewing gum are not allowed in the camp.

 

The campers have to keep the cabins clean and no food or drinks are permitted inside the cabins.

 

Campers will be responsible for their own belongings and are encouraged not to bring expensive jewellery or extra cash with them.

All participants are required to stay with the group they are assigned to.

ARTICLES REQUIRED:

1. Bed sheets, pillow, and blanket
2. Pagri/Patka/Chunni (A Must)
3. Adequate changes of clothes (a kurta payjama/punjabi suit is mandatory for the evening kirtan diwan)
4. Night suit
5. Light jacket, sneakers, and slippers
6. One bath towel
7. Laundry bag
8. Toothpaste, Toothbrush, soap, and shampoo
9. Insect Repellent
10. Harmonium and/or Tabla (if you don't have one, please inform us in advance)
11. Stationary (pencils and notebooks will be supplied)
12. All boys are required to bring an extra pagri, pins, mirror, etc. for the Pagri tying competition
13. A pair of pants/jeans for the hiking trips (to avoid poison ivy or insect bites)
14. Comb/Kanga
15. Face Masks
16. Completely filled Emergency Information Form (mailed with your registration package)
17. Personal table fan (optional).

DIRECTIONS:

• From Northern Virginia: On I-495 North towards Rockville, take exit of 270 N towards Frederick. On 270 N, take exit 8 (Shady Grove Rd). Miss the first ramp towards redland and take a right after ramp on Shady Grove Rd (East) towards Gaithersburg. You will cross Route 355 on 5th light. The 11th light is Midcounty Hwy. Take a right on the 13th light on Muncaster Mill Road (115 East). (This is exactly 3.5 miles from the exit.) You will see Red land middle school on left after 1 mile. After crossing the 4th light (Avery road), make a right on Meadowside Ln (This is not a light and comes at 3.3 miles). Go 0.2 miles and the Lathrop E. Smith Environmental Center is on your right.
• From Maryland: On I-495 West towards Rockville/Northern Virginia, take exit of 270 N towards Frederick and follow directions above.
• Alternate route from Maryland: On I-495 West towards Northern Virginia, take exit 31 (Georgia Avenue) towards Wheaton. Make a left onto Norbeck Rd and a right onto Muncaster Mill Rd. Then make a left on Meadowside lane and the Smith Center will be on your right after 0.2 miles.

NOTE FOR PARENTS :

If you are sending your child by air, please inform us in advance of the arrival and departure timings. The nearest airports are Washington Dulles (IAD) and Reagan National Airport (DCA). Arrangements can be made for offsite accomodation of parents coming from other states. You are invited to attend the Special Kirtan Diwan followed by Prize Distribution on the last day from 11.30 am - 3.00 pm.

Tel: (301) 528 2222
Text: (301) 785 5105
E-mail: sikhstudies@gmail.com