For immediate release
May 29, 2003

Nearly 2,000 young people from 1st grade through 12th grade will flood the Abilene Christian University campus beginning next week at ACU’s Leadership Camps.

Each week in June and July, with the exception of the week of July 4, Leadership camps offers programming designed to challenge and inspire campers.

The Leadership Development division of ACU's Campus Life office coordinates five camps this summer:

• KidQuest for 1st-3rd graders – KidQuest is a day camp emphasizing discovery, active learning and expressive play through energetic, God-seeking experiences.

• Learning to Lead for 4th-6th graders – At Learning to Lead 2002, the story of Peter’s discipleship will inspire another generation of young believers to boldly live out their faith in a world that doesn’t know God.

• MPulse for 7th-9th graders – MPulse 2002 will challenge students to understand the desire of God’s heart for activity of the Christian community.

• Kadesh for high school students – Kadesh is designed to be one of the most challenging, faith-building camps in the country for young people.  Kadesh addresses real issues for young people who are seeking God.  “Kadesh is faith coming alive in the hearts of a generation at the turning point of their spiritual journey,” said Bob Strader, camp co-director.

• Cross Training for high school students (newest camp, began last year) – Cross Training campers will stay at Sipapu Summer Resorts nestled in the mountains of Northern New Mexico near Taos. Cross Training offers focused small group Bible study in a scenic mountain retreat. The camp involves physical challenges each day from hiking, mountain biking, and service opportunities to a challenge course and river rafting, as well as uplifting times of praise, prayer, solitude, reflection, and celebration.

Next week, June 2-6, about 25 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders will be on campus for KidQuest and 200 high school students will be on campus for Kadesh, said Jan Meyer, camp co-director. KidQuest and Kadesh camps run concurrently this week, June 16-20 and July 7-11, and Kadesh has a fourth session July 20-26. KidQuest is a day camp, while Kadesh campers stay overnight in the residence halls and participate in activities including service projects within the community.

"Kadesh campers make a positive difference in the community," said Nancy Coburn, director of ACU's Volunteer and Service Learning Center.  "Their camp experience is very interactive.  They learn while serving others."

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons next week Kadesh campers will be doing volunteer work for local organizations such as:

• Abilene Convalescent Center

• Day Nursery of Abilene

• Environmental Recycling Center

• Windcrest Alzheimer’s Care

• Abilene State School

• Love and Care Ministries

• City of Abilene Parks Dviision

• Abilene Adult Day Care

• All God’s Children Day Care

Next week, June 9-14, MPulse campers come to campus and will also be visiting various community sites for learning activities.  Younger Learning to Lead campers will be on campus next week as well. MPulse and Learning to Lead run concurrently June 9-14, June 23-28 and July 14-19.

Cross Training will take place in New Mexico July 27-Aug. 2.

Meyer said the mission of ACU Leadership Camps is to inspire Christian commitment and action in the hearts and minds of a generation of youth to impact the world with the message of God's love & redemption "one camper at a time."

Most spaces for participants in ACU Leadership Camps fill up months in advance of the summer camp dates, but some spaces are still available in KidQuest day camp. For more information on registering for KidQuest this summer, call 325-674-2033. Registration for 2004 camps will begin in January 2004.  For more information about ACU Leadership Camps, visit www.acucamps.com.

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