Our Programs

What is the SEED Program?
For over 80 years, Girls Quest has provided summer enrichment programming for thousands of underserved girls from the greater New York and Catskills regions. At our Summer Experiential Education and Development Program (SEED), located at Camp Oh-Neh-Tah, girls ages 8 to 14 participate in programs that promote literacy, social and emotional development, ecological awareness, teamwork, peer support and role-modeling, creative expression, problem-solving, and leadership without technical support.

Where is Camp Oh-Neh-Tah?
Camp Oh-Neh-Tah is located on 400 acres on the northern rim of the Catskill Mountains, in East Windham, NY. A 3 hour drive from New York City.

How will camp operate during COVID-19?
To operate resident camp during the COVID-19 period, Girls Quest will be using guidelines and protocols created by the CDC, the New York State Department of Health, the American Camp Association, and the Association of Camp Nurses. This year camp is open to all campers regardless of vaccination status but everyone must follow stringent pre-camp health screening and testing protocols to help provide an environment that is as safe as reasonably possible. Since we all need the opportunity to spend time in a safe and healthy environment where we can continue to heal, grow, gain independence, build self-esteem and take advantage of a positive outdoor adventure and living experience, we will continue using most of the NPIs (Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions) that made our 2021 and 2022 sessions such a success. The following are just a handful of the NPIs that will be part of how camp operates, and should go a long way in helping our parents feel comfortable about their child attending our SEED program in 2023. 

Pre-camp protocols: The best camp sessions start with healthy participants and this begins at home.

• All campers and staff will be asked to complete a daily health monitoring form for 10 days prior to camp arrival. (Documentation forms will be provided).
• All campers and staff will be required to self-test prior to arrival in camp. Documentation and test results should be emailed directly to our camp Health Director.
• A  MANDATORY Zoom Orientation for all campers and parents covering health and safety at camp and how to navigate the NPIs will be conducted in late June.
• All campers and staff must submit a fully filled out medical history, physical exam, immunization record as required by the New York State Department of Health.
• All campers and staff will sign a COVID-19 waiver.
• Staff will receive intensive training on health and safety procedures.

At camp protocols:

• All campers and staff will receive a health screening from the camp Health Director within 4 hours of arrival on site.  We will Rapid Test on Day 4 or 5 of the session or if we suspect a camper is sick. 
• Basic NPIs such as wearing a mask, physical distancing, frequent handwashing and sanitation, sneezing or coughing into your sleeve and not touching the face will be enforced to the greatest extent possible.We should be pros at this by now.
• Daily temperature checks and health monitoring will occur.
• In the event a child should test positive at camp, parents must be able to pick child up within 24 hours.

What kind of housing and facilities are at Camp Oh-Neh-Tah?
The sleeping cabins have electricity and usually sleeps up to 10 girls and 3 staff members. For 2023, our cabins will be housing 9-10 campers and 2-3 staff. The showers and sanitation facilities are in close proximity to the cabins and will be sanitized and cleaned twice during the day.  We have evaluated all other structures (many of which are already open-air) and made changes to accommodate proper distancing and ventilation where possible. Facilities include a dining hall, library, health center, theatre hall, and a windmill that holds a ceramics studio.

How is the food at camp?
Meals in our Dining Hall are nutritious, kid-friendly, and served “family style”. Our structure will support our camp population with distancing.  Cabin groups will have the option of taking their meal at the picnic tables outdoors adjacent to the Dining Hall.

Here is a sample menu:

Breakfast
Scrambled Eggs
Sausage
Cereal
Fruit Juice
Milk

Lunch
Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
Garden Salad
Garlic Bread
Icees
Milk

Dinner
Chicken Quesadillas with Fixings
Veggie Dip Platter with Ranch
Salad Bar
Brownies
Iced Tea

There are also vegetarian/vegan options offered as a daily supplement to a particular meal. Special dietary needs can be accommodated.

What items are recommended to pack for camp? Should my child bring money?
The girls play in a rustic environment and bring home very dirty clothing, so send inexpensive or older clothes that you are willing to discard. Laundry services are provided on a weekly basis for essential items only.

There is no trading post at Camp, so money is not necessary or permitted. If found, this and other banned items (electronic games, music players, tablets, laptops, cell phones) will be taken from your child for the duration of the program and returned at the end of her stay.

You will receive a Packing List prior to your child’s departure. Experience has shown that it is more likely than not that your child will leave or lose items at Camp, so to reiterate, it is suggested that you do not send anything valuable or expensive. We do go over all lost and found items with the girls, so please label all belongings with your child’s name. Girls Quest is not responsible or liable for lost personal items. 

How are counselors selected and what qualifications do they have?
Our staff is carefully selected for those qualities of leadership, personal values, and caring that enable them to relate to and motivate young people. Criminal background, sexual offender and reference checks are completed on staff prior to hiring. Staff participates in an extensive pre-camp Orientation and training program. All staff is closely supervised by experienced administrative staff.

The staff at Camp Oh-Neh-Tah is mature, enthusiastic, and diverse. Most of the staff members are Girls Quest or Girl’s Vacation Fund Alumnae, teachers or college students studying education, social work or related fields. We are a girl’s camp; however, some program and support staff are filled by males who have alternative housing on-site.

What are some of the program’s activities?
The program is designed to provide each girl with an opportunity to experience enrichment activities as well as a wide array of additional classes and activities. Daily activities offered include: swimming, boating, drama, dance, music, basketball, volleyball, soccer, environmental education, art, hiking, cookouts, camping, non-competitive games, yoga, fitness, creative writing and more.  A hike on our Nature Trail and up Mt. Zoar is included in the program. 

How does Camp Oh-Neh-Tah care for the health and safety of its girls?
The Health Center is staffed with licensed medical personnel (RN, EMT, or Paramedic) who handle girls’ and staff’s daily health needs. All medication is checked-in at our bus site and stored in the Clinic, where your child will take her medication under the supervision of the medical staff. Your child’s physician must approve all medication with specific instructions for our medical staff. In 2023, our medical staff will have additional experience and training in mitigating COVID-19. Please note, that unlike school, the Health Director will not call you about every scratch or bug bite, but reserve that option for more serious injuries or illness. 

What if my child is homesick or does not like Camp? Can my daughter be sent home early?
Since developing independence includes learning to trust and take care of oneself, we recommend that you give your child time to adjust if she writes that she is homesick or upset.  We are prepared for continued “separation anxiety” in 2023.  Parents should not tell their child that she can come home if she is homesick. Children must agree to attend for a full session unless there is an emergency, bad behavior or illness.  

In the past, participants have been sent home for bad behavior, family emergencies or illness. It is the responsibility of the parent to pay for all travel costs if a child gets sent home early by Girls Quest. 

Can we visit the camp? Send Letters or Emails? Send Care Packages?
Visitors are not allowed in camp for this 9-day session in 2023. Correspondence with your daughter is a critical aspect of her camp experience.  Please write regularly. Campers do not have access to a computer during their stay, but you will be able to email the Assistant Director (acd@girlsquest.org), who will make sure your child gets your communication. Care packages are fine as long as they do not include any candy or food items.

How do I register my child?
To register, please contact Ms. Shanny Hererra at registrar@girlsquest.org.  The registration process consists of PACKET A (Application, Participant Profile, Camper Letter, Code of Conduct and Income Verification), the camper interview conducted by our Camp Director; and PACKET B (Medical History, Physical Exam and Immunization Record).  There is a $50.00 non-refundable Processing Fee due with PACKET A and a Camp Fee between $150 and $350.00 which is due no later than July 1, 2023.

All our returners are welcome, although we have limited spots for ages 13-14 and will not be accepting any new girls in that age bracket.  All 8–12-year-olds are welcome!