Camp O-AT-KA is proud to offer more unique activities than almost any boys’ summer camp in the region. Our well-trained staff make the program fun and educational, providing many years of summer enjoyment and challenge. Campers learn skills and discover hobbies and interests that will last a lifetime.
Each summer there are more opportunities for campers than one could possibly imagine. Boys who return each year are able to improve their skills, earn higher levels of achievement and constantly try new things.
Our main activities are divided in four categories, and are listed below. For more information about Camp O-AT-KA's activities, contact our camp office.
Click here to view a Camp O-AT-KA Aquatics Video!
Boating: Campers develop canoeing and kayaking knowledge, paddling skills, and water safety technique. Enjoy trips out on Lake Sebago.
Swimming: Campers participate in the American Red Cross swimming program, which focuses on improving technique, increasing confidence in the water, and developing water safety skills. Required for all juniors; optional for middlers and seniors who have passed Red Cross Level 5.
Lifeguarding (Session I only): Fifteen-year-old campers participate in the American Red Cross lifeguard training program, a 36-hour course in theoretical and practical skills. Successful candidates will earn their LGT certificate, as well as First Aid and CPR certification from the American Red Cross. Lifeguard Training will meet every day for two full periods.
Sailing: Novice and intermediate sailors develop and improve their sailing skills. We use Town Class sailboats – an excellent learning platform.
Racing Sailing: An advanced level of sailing, offered to campers who are interested in sailing competitively. Sailors will use our fleet of Vanguard Club 420’s. Campers sail in races against other camps. Racing sailing will meet for two periods every day in the late afternoon.
Waterskiing: This craft is exclusively for Seniors. Learn to water ski, kneeboard, and wake board.
Click here to view a Camp O-AT-KA Outdoor Living Video!
Fishing: Fun for all ages and skill levels. Campers enjoy fishing off our rocky-shores and out on a boat in the middle of the lake! Campers do not have to have their own equipment.
Fly Tying: Learn the art of trout and salmon fly-tying.
Rock Climbing: This instructional class will focus on the fundamentals of rock climbing. Classes will take place on our climbing wall, in local indoor rock gyms, and at nearby “top roping” and bouldering spots.
Nature/Environmental Science: Are you curious about the world around you? We use camp as an outdoor classroom for both exploration and experimentation. Activities include nature hikes, rock and soil samples, plant identification, astronomy, animal collection, bird watching, weather, conservation, spider feeding, water testing and more!
Campcraft: Do you enjoy the outdoors? Do you want to learn how to be comfortable in the woods? This craft offers campers the opportunity to develop outdoor skills such as fire building, axmen ship, cooking, orienteering, and more. As campers get older, skills taught become progressively more challenging. The junior and middler programs prepare campers for the Junior Maine Guide (JMG) Program, while the senior level gives campers a chance to continue learning outdoor living skills without needing to enroll in the JMG Program.
Junior Maine Guide (JMG): For ages 14 and up. Campers work each day on developing and learning new outdoor living skills, such as fire building, cooking, map and compass skills, shelter building and more. The fifth week, campers go to a testing camp on the Kennebago River near Oguossic, Maine, where experienced guides test candidates’ skills. Campers who pass the test earn the Junior Maine Guide (JMG) certification. Note; this intensive craft meets two full periods per day.
Click here to view a Camp O-AT-KA Land Sports Video!
Archery / Riflery (Junior): These crafts teach the basic archery/riflery and range safety skills. Participants will work towards the NAA/ JOAD award level of “Qualified Archer”, or the NRA award level of “Promarksman”.
Archery / Riflery (Award): (Middlers and Seniors) Each of these crafts, which are open to all skill levels, teach many of the same skills as the Tournament craft, but with more focus on NAA/JOAD/NRA award progression and skill development, and less on competition. Campers will be eligible to try out for the archery and riflery teams.
Archery / Riflery (Tournament): (Middlers and Seniors) Each of these crafts, open to beginners and advanced levels, are accelerated and highly intensive. They focus on archery/riflery as Olympic team and individual sports, and place emphasis on the physical and mental skills necessary to prepare for competition and tournaments. Participants will form the core of the archery/riflery competitive teams and will need to spend time outside of the craft building their skills.
Baseball: Instructional level craft where boys will focus on improving their offensive, defensive, and pitching skills. Boys are grouped by age. Campers can choose to join a team and compete with other camps.
Basketball: Beginner to intermediate level craft. Instructional craft with an emphasis on drills and skills and understanding the game. Campers can choose to join a team and compete with other camps.
Conditioning: O-AT-KA realizes many senior campers will play fall sports soon after summer camp ends and coaches intend that athletes return and perform at a high level of physical fitness. So that these campers may maintain or even improve their personal level of physical fitness, we offer a Physical Conditioning craft. Emphasis will be on speed/quickness, cardiovascular and strength development.
Lacrosse: Instructional craft, teaching cradling, shooting, offensive and defensive skills. Campers can choose to join a team and compete with other teams. Bring your helmet, pads and stick if possible.
Lacrosse (Clinic): This clinic is for the lacrosse player who wants to take his playing skills to a higher level. Players will work on conditioning skills focused on stick handling, passing, and shooting. Instruction includes tactical development, strategy, offensive and defensive skills and more. The clinic is open to Middlers and Seniors, and is offered during Session 1 only. The clinic takes up the last two periods of the day and is not available to two-week campers.
Soccer: Less intensive than “pre-season” soccer. Campers learn or improve their skills in passing, dribbling, shooting, ball control, and defensive skills. Boys are grouped by age and may choose to compete on a soccer team.
Soccer (Pre-Season Clinic): Campers begin each session with soccer-specific conditioning and preparation skills geared to pre-season workouts. Skill development will include a focus on footwork, shooting, passing, and heading. Coaches offer instruction in tactical development, including game strategy, offensive and defensive responsibilities, and learning various formations. The clinic takes up the last two periods of the day and is not available to two-week campers. Clinic runs Session II only.
Tennis: Campers improve their stroke, serve and volleying skills on hard surface and clay courts. Campers may choose to join the camp team and compete against other camps.
Track: This small group activity focuses on conditioning athletes for a variety of activities, including stretching, short and medium distance running, and other track and field events. Campers can choose to compete in community-sponsored races.
Click here to view a Camp O-AT-KA Arts Video!
Studio Art: Art has undergone a complete transformation! Bringing back old favorites with new ideas, our studio bursts with creativity. Campers will enjoy candle and soap making, quilting, leather craft, pillow making, screen printing, drawing clinics, batik and tie dye, hemp and floss bracelets, “gimp”, mosaics, copper enameling, and much more! Show your imagination and creativity in the art studio!
Drama: Campers play theater games, create mini-skits to perform informally or at camp gatherings and learn miming techniques.
O-AT-KA Builders: Campers work with our carpentry director and assist with building projects around camp.
Woodworking: Campers choose from newer building projects such as building Down Easter boxes and cutting boards to our camper favorites including making pens, puzzle boards, birdhouses, clocks, and more! Not only do campers learn the aesthetic value of woodworking but learn the practical skills of using various building tools safely.
Music: Campers bring their own instrument and spend the summer collaborating and jamming with fellow musicians! Students in music craft perform in the end-of-session concert, Password and Sunday services.
Photography: Campers learn to use a 35mm camera and take black and white photos. Campers learn to compose, shoot, develop, and print their own photos in the darkroom.
Pottery: An introductory craft which teaches campers to make pinch, coil, and slab pots, sculptures and wheel thrown pots. Practice your skills on five electronic wheels and one kick wheel and then personalize your project with a wide array of glazes. Our large kiln brings projects to a close.
Rocketry: Instructional craft where students learn to build their own rocket design from scratch or from a kit. Campers enjoy painting their finished rocket and launching them skyward!
Stained Glass: Instructional craft exposing campers to the art and techniques of stained glass making. Campers learn to cut glass, grind, foil, and solder glass into spectacular projects.
Steel Drums: Learn to play this popular Caribbean instrument and participate in the end-of-session concert.
Junior Maine Guide (JMG) Program: For ages 14 and up. Session 1 only. Campers work each day to develop new outdoor living skills, such
as fire building, cooking, map and compass skills, shelter building and more. The fifth week, campers go to a JMG testing camp where state officials test and observe a candidate’s skills. Campers who pass the test earn a Junior Maine Guide (JMG) certification from the State of Maine.
Note: Campers meet two full periods per day during Session 1 (four weeks) and attend the JMG test week offsite during a fifth additional week.
Cost for the JMG test week is $1,300.
O-AT-KA pays the JMG Test Fee and expenses.
Scuba Certification Program: For seniors and C.I.T’s. Offered the last week of each session. Are you interested in becoming a certified Open Water Diver? This one-week half-day program includes in-water training, four confined water dives, four open-water dives, and a culmination trip to O-AT-KA’s Knight’s Cove for an open-ocean dive. Every student is required to complete the academics component online prior to the start of Camp.
The program cost is $600.
Note: An Advanced Open-Water Certification class is also available for anyone already certified.
15-16 Year Old Adventure Program: Outgrown Camp? Do you want something different than the typical camp experience? Do you have sports commitments and unable to being at camp for the full season?
This is a three-week ADVENTURE PROGRAM for boys’ ages 15-16 who are former campers or new campers who enjoy adventure. This program operates independently of the O-AT-KA summer program on Lake Sebago. The ADVENTURE PROGRAM combines outdoor wilderness adventures and community-service opportunities. A combination of wilderness trips, trail work, scuba certification and a voyage on an ocean-going schooner in the Gulf of Maine await the adventurous teen!
The program cost is; $4,100.
Sports Clinics: In 2010, O-AT-KA will focus on two sports clinics – Lacrosse and Soccer. Descriptions for both are listed above under
lands sports.
Note: There are no extra costs for Sports Clinics.
Copyright ©2010 Camp O-AT-KA
Camp O-AT-KA
P.O. Box 239
Sebago, ME 04029
800-818-8455 | Fax: (207) 787-3930 | info@campoatka.com